Each of our schools’ leadership teams analyzed the factors that impact their students’ ability to engage deeply and achieve academic success. They shared stories of their students and families, some of whom are facing serious challenges associated with physical wellness, social-emotional stability, unique learning needs, family security, mental health, violence, and food/housing uncertainties. They discussed the obstacles that their students face daily when preparing to come to school on time, ready to learn.

Below is the school’s story as seen through the eyes of school leaders. They discuss the culture of their school and the community.

We live our mission at MGA: “Lifelong Learners inspiring lifelong learners.” Our students feel valued and respected. Our teachers feel valued in their craft, and remain a part of the MGA school community for many years. Through shared leadership, our teachers help to make decisions that impact MGA staff, students and families. Professional development is provided weekly allowing teachers the opportunity to reflect, build skills, and cultivate powerful collaborative relationships with others. Our teachers and staff are role models for our students, and provide engaging learning experiences for them every day. As an International Baccalaureate school, we are making a purposeful shift in our school culture toward a more integrated and holistic approach that aligns curriculum and classroom management through The International Baccalaureate Learner Profile, a set of ten attributes we should all seek to embody. The goal of the profile being to develop learners who are: inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective.   

At Monarch Global Academy, we believe this shift in our school culture will allow teachers to more effectively and consistently teach the social-emotional skills our students need for success, because these skills will be explicitly tied to the standards and academic content. One aspect of the Learner Profile will be highlighted each month through daily school-wide announcements, Morning Meetings and Closing Circles, and reinforcement activities.

The leadership team in each AACPS school reviewed all of the factors that may influence their students’ engagement and achievement in school; these challenges include academic data elements, community history, and socio-economic aspects of each community. The school’s leadership team identified the following elements as impactful for their students.

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