21st Century Community Learning Centers

Request for Proposals 2013-2014 Application

Due Date: 5:00 pm EDT March 22, 2013 Maximum pages 50
Applicants Organization Name: ___OASIS at Moores Sanctuary A.M.E. Zion Church __________________________________________________________ Note: The name listed above is considered to be the official name of the organization and will be used for all public information-sharing purposes. Please note that all federal funds are contingent upon annual budgetary Congressional approval.

For State Use Only

Recommended______________________

Not Recommended_____________________

SECTION II: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Provide a description of the proposed program. Limit narrative to a maximum of three pages.

OASIS One Stop Academic Student Improvement & Support at Moores Sanctuary A.M.E. Zion Church has an overall vision to strengthen the community for upward mobility by providing an academic oasis for students at targeted Title I schools. OASIS will establish and provide support in English, language arts, mathematics, science and technology, ultimately creating an environment to help students reach grade level proficiency and boost performance on the EOG Assessment. Collaborative efforts with academic, faith-based, corporate and political communities will allow OASIS to connect resources and build bridges, creating a living-learning prototype for academic coursework and service-learning activities. The program will not only provide academic enrichment but also incorporate components that give students access to experiences outside of the classroom to enhance their knowledge of health and fitness, recreational activities, cultural awareness and social skills. OASIS acknowledges the ever-advancing world of technology and will implement the use of teaching/learning tools that will offer students a hands-on experience and a jump-start to learning and living digitally. Being centrally located amid the Project L.I.F.T. schools, OASIS proposes to provide an academic refuge for its students. Project L.I.F.T. is a philanthropic initiative composed of leaders from some of Charlottes largest corporate entities. The Project aims to accelerate the improvement of the schools located in the West Charlotte corridor. OASIS will be a welcome support to boost performance in the surrounding Title I schools. The program is specifically designed for students in grades 3-8.

Moores Sanctuary AME Zion Church, the site of the OASIS program, in its 142year history has never moved from its original location at 4101 Morris Field Drive in the West Charlotte community near the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Moores Sanctuary has always had a impact on the community schools, especially Plato Price High School, which was like the early Rosenwald Schoolshaving a deeply-rooted and profound impact on students and enabled the church to grow and undergird the childrenreinforcing the home, church and school concept in the area. OASIS hopes to embody the tradition of continuing to provide a safe haven of learning and support to the surrounding communities and schools in the West Charlotte corridor. OASIS shares the White House initiatives on enhancing the quality of science, technology, engineering and mathematics instructional and outreach programs as a means to increase early participation in STEM. Our goal is to increase the number of students in this area and the quality of their preparation and help students realize: It is not only the winner of the Super Bowl who deserves to be celebrated, but the winner of the science fair; that success is not a function of fame or PR, but of hard work and discipline, says President Barack Obama.

Principle 1: Needs Assessment The overall goal of OASIS is to provide a safe and enriching environment for students to grow, learn and enhance the academic, social and cultural skills necessary for success in life. OASIS has examined the 2011-2012 North Carolina State Report Card and determined that on average, 40% and 38% of the targeted students are performing below grade level in reading and math respectively. More than 75% of these students are minorities from low-income families in working class neighborhoods around the West Charlotte corridor. The schools have been categorized as Title I schools with consistent low performance on the EOGs. Percentage of Students with Below Grade Level Performance Target Schools District State of NC Reading 60.2% 28.9% 28.8% Math 45.9% 17.5% 17.2%

OASIS plans to implement a rigorous curriculum that aligns with and enhances the standards put in place by the State of North Carolina. The curriculum will be highlyfocused on the problem areas of reading literacy and mathematics for the students. We will stress skills like critical thinking, allowing the students to think outside of the box and relate lessons to their daily lives. The primary goal of the program is to decrease the gap between these students and their peers throughout the state. Our Students Development Plans (SDP) will give instructors a closer look at each students specific problem areas, making way for a personalized approach to the learning process. The unique purpose of the SDPs is based on each students strengths and challenges. This tool is comprised of questionnaires completed by the student, parents and teachers. Our

goal is to allow for individualized instruction while incorporating the needs of the students in our program. The SDPs will be reviewed and amended by instructors as the school year progresses, and students will be given goals for both academic and extracurricular advancement.

During the 2011-2012 school years, the targeted schools reported a total of 75 acts of crime or violence on school grounds or schoolrelated functions outside of the premises. OASIS will address the issues of crime amongst the specified age group via workshops and seminars for parents and guardians that will highlight ways they can help reduce the rate of violence from the home and by bringing trained community leaders into the program to converse with the children about these issues.

OASIS will provide the students with their own garden. They will be taught about the different flowers and foods that they can grow and nurture on their own from home. Learning this skill will teach both students and parents to accept responsibility and take pride in their personal belongings. The garden will allow students to see the importance of taking care of their own, consequently building a respect for others and reducing the rate of violent acts on one another in a school setting.

Principle 4: Program Evaluation OASIS wants to be a program that caters to the individual as well as the whole student. Keeping with this trend, each student will be provided a Students Development Plan that will allow instructors and staff members to better assist any specific needs each student may have. Parents and teachers will have the opportunity to view the plan outline and provide the appropriate information for the student. The SDPs will be reviewed bimonthly in order to make any corrections, additions or subtractions based on the students development patterns. Additionally, parents will be provided a waiver that will allow the school district to release any testing information for their child to OASIS in order for the program to enhance the students particular progress or needs. All participating schools will be contacted by an OASIS representative regularly to make sure the data remains up-to-date and accurate. The open flow of communication between OASIS and the participating schools will allow for a more seamless and beneficial learning experience for the students.