by The Children's Guild | Sep 6, 2022 | News
ANNAPOLIS, MD, September 6, 2022 – The Children’s Guild is pleased to announce that Monarch Academy Annapolis has received the official International Baccalaureate (IB) authorization for the Primary Years Program (PYP). The school administration, now under the leadership of Acting Principal Shae Johnson, has been working towards this prestigious designation for several years. IB World Schools share a common philosophy—a commitment to improve the teaching and learning of a diverse and inclusive community of students by delivering challenging, high-quality programs of international education that share a powerful vision.
The IB Primary Years Program (PYP) for children aged 3 – 12 nurtures and develops young students as caring, active participants in a lifelong journey of learning. The PYP offers an inquiry-based, transdisciplinary curriculum framework that builds conceptual understanding. It reflects the best of educational research, thought leadership and experience derived from IB World Schools.
“We are thrilled to announce that Monarch Academy Annapolis was officially authorized as an IB school in July. This world-renowned prestigious program allows our young primary year students to explore more and experience our play-based classrooms,” said Johnson. “For any new Pre-K students coming into our school, this program allows our students to expand, think deeper and be able to explain what they are working on. We are extremely excited to be authorized and look forward to a wonderful year to continue to grow with our primary years program.”
The PYP curriculum framework begins with the premise that students are agents of their own learning and partners in the learning process. It prioritizes people and their relationships to build a strong learning community. PYP students use their initiative to take responsibility and ownership of their learning. By learning through inquiry and reflecting on their own learning, PYP students develop knowledge, conceptual understandings, skills and the attributes of the IB Learner profile to make a difference in their own lives, their communities, and beyond. Embedded in the framework is the recognition of the importance of fostering an individual’s self-efficacy. Students with a strong sense of self-efficacy are active in their own learning and take action in their learning community.
Mr. Johnson, who has been instrumental in securing the IB designation was recently appointed Acting Principal of the Monarch Academy Annapolis, a part of The Children’s Guild, by The Anne Arundel County Public School District. Mr. Johnson is an accomplished and energetic school administrator with 17+ years’ experience in both public and private, elementary, middle, and secondary schools providing outstanding leadership and a culture of value and integrity. He will be the first acting principal of color since the school’s inception.
“Shae was instrumental in leading the effort to receive the IB designation for the school. We congratulate him and are thrilled that Anne Arundel County has appointed him to lead Monarch Academy Annapolis,” said Jenny Livelli, President and CEO of The Children’s Guild. “We are confident in Shae’s abilities to implement effective strategy and programs, transform the school’s culture, and respond to the unique needs of every child, family and the entire community.”
“I am grateful to Anne Arundel County Public Schools for having the trust in me to lead Monarch Academy Annapolis, especially the new IB PYP program during this upcoming school year,” added Mr. Johnson.
Monarch Academy Annapolis is part of The Children’s Guild’s schools and programs which respond to the unique needs of every child, family, and community it serves. The organization is one of the largest providers of charter schools, special education, autism services, treatment foster care, and family mental and behavioral health services in the region.
Affiliates of The Children’s Guild include The Children’s Guild, Inc., Baltimore Campus, The Children’s Guild DC Public Charter School, The Children’s Guild – Prince George Campus, Monarch Academy Glen Burnie, Monarch Academy Global – Laurel, Monarch Academy Annapolis, The Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Treatment Foster Care, The Children’s Guild- Transformation Academy, Monarch Preschool College Park, TranZed Academy for Working Students (TAWS), and TranZed Apprenticeships. For more information, visit https://childrensguild.org/.
by The Children's Guild | Aug 11, 2022 | Events, News
On Friday, August 12th, 36 students from The Children’s Guild–Transformation Academy in Baltimore will get dressed up and go to the prom to celebrate the start of their new year in this special education school that has become a thriving environment for dozens of students ages 5-21 whose primary diagnosis is autism. Many of the students also have co-existing diagnoses of sensory processing disorder, a specific learning disability, health impairment or multiple disabilities.
According to Ariel Long, One-to-One Administrator and Teacher Katie Boyce, “All students should have the opportunity to go to the prom, and we are so looking forward to giving our students the chance to Be A Star at Prom 2022. Instead of crowning a prom king and queen, we will be recognizing each student with for their individual accomplishments and what makes them so special.”
- What: Be A Star Prom 2022, featuring red carpet student introductions, a corsage building station, photo booth, and informal fun awards
- Date: Friday, August 12, 2022
- Time: 12:00 – 2:30 pm
- Location: 6802 McClean Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21234 (Gymnasium)
The Transformation Academy provides skills and support to students and their families across a variety of settings including home, workplace, and community. The teachers and administrators provide programming to foster growth and independence for each student utilizing a collaborative team approach of highly trained professionals, including special education teachers, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, behavior specialists, transition coordinators, and therapeutic behavior aides.
The Transformation Academy is part of The Children’s Guild schools and programs which respond to the unique needs of every child, family, and community it serves. The organization is one of the largest providers of charter schools, special education, autism services, treatment foster care, and family mental and behavioral health services in the region.
Affiliates of The Children’s Guild include The Children’s Guild, Inc., Baltimore Campus, The Children’s Guild DC Public Charter School, The Children’s Guild – Prince George Campus, Monarch Academy Glen Burnie, Monarch Academy Global – Laurel, Monarch Academy Annapolis, The Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Treatment Foster Care, The Children’s Guild- Transformation Academy, Monarch Preschool College Park, TranZed Academy for Working Students (TAWS), and TranZed Apprenticeships. For more information, visit https://childrensguild.org/.
by Matt Hamilton | Jul 6, 2022 | News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
For further information, contact:
Amy Riemer, Media Relations
978-475-4441 (office) 978-502-4895 (mobile)
[email protected]
Computers Donated by the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) Through DP Solutions
Baltimore, MD, July 6, 2022 – The Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) of Towson, MD donated twenty-five PC desktop and laptop computers to The Children’s Guild for use at the Prince George’s County and Baltimore Campuses, both non-public, special education day schools. The donation was made possible through DP Solutions, a managed IT services provider (MSP), which services both The Children’s Guild and the IDF.
“We are extremely grateful that DP Solutions connected us to the IDF for this incredibly generous donation. What a wonderful way for three local organizations to come together and support an underserved community,” said Agnes Kibirige, Chief Information Officer at The Children’s Guild. “The computers we were using in our computer labs were outdated and it will be amazing for our students to have access to the latest technology so we can teach them life skills. In the classroom, our faculty use technology to empower our students, increase their engagement in hands-on technology activities, improve independent skills, engineering identity, and self-confidence.”
Both The Children’s Guild School of Prince George’s County and The Children’s Guild, Inc., Baltimore Campus are non-public, special education day schools approved by the Maryland State Department of Education, for boys and girls 5-21 years old, who have emotional disabilities, autism, intellectual disabilities, and multiple disabilities. The Children’s Guild is a nonprofit organization serving children, families, and child-serving organizations since 1953. The Children’s Guild programs are guided by an organizational philosophy that fosters a culture of flexibility. This culture creates management and staff who are agile thinkers. This assures children are treated as individuals and taught the way they learn best.
“When we learned that IDF was planning to move their headquarters and had two dozen computers they were looking to donate, our first thought was The Children’s Guild and we are so happy to have made the connection,” said Karyn Schell, President of DP Solutions. “The saying one man’s trash is another man’s treasure is so true in this situation – it warms my heart to think of the students having access to these power machines and the learning opportunities they represent.”
DP Solutions is the premier provider of choice for IT support services to small and medium sized organizations. They deliver a superior customer experience, rising above their clients’ expectations, and building long-lasting relationships. In addition, they give back and serve their community by dedicating both their time and talent to develop and educate technology’s future workforce.
“As a non-profit we understand the expense of purchasing new computers and we are thrilled we have been able to make a difference in the lives of the students of The Children’s Guild by offering our computers which would have gone to waste,” said Brian C. Lloyd, Chief Technology Officer, Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF). “We know the importance of technology in education and are excited to follow the wonderful ways these computers will be put to good use.”
The Immune Deficiency Foundation improves the diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life of people affected by primary immunodeficiency through fostering a community empowered by advocacy, education, and research. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are approximately 500,000 individuals in the U.S. with a primary immunodeficiency. Every year, thousands go undiagnosed.
The computers were wiped clean by DP Solutions technical team, uploaded with the newest software, delivered and set up in the computer labs at The Children’s Guild School of Prince George’s County and The Children’s Guild, Inc., Baltimore Campus on Wednesday, July 6 at 10 am at 410 East Jeffrey Street, Baltimore, MD.
Affiliates of The Children’s Guild include The Children’s Guild, Inc., Baltimore Campus, The Children’s Guild DC Public Charter School, The Children’s Guild – Prince George Campus, Monarch Academy Glen Burnie, Monarch Academy Global – Laurel, Monarch Academy Annapolis, The Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Treatment Foster Care, The Children’s Guild – Transformation Academy, Monarch Preschool College Park, TranZed Academy for Working Students (TAWS), and TranZed Apprenticeships. For more information, visit https://childrensguild.org/.
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by The Children's Guild | Jun 17, 2022 | News
Kids need a stronger start — let’s give them one by expanding access to Preschool and pre-K.
Extensive research supports that Preschool education can substantially increase a child’s chances of thriving in school and in life. Programs teach social skills, through interactions, mentoring and direct teaching—and often can shrink racial education gaps in children’s development. While early care and education can be an unmanageable expense for parents, widely available programs enhance equity to access and opportunity for all young learners. So, let’s take advantage of quality programs and give our kids the best possible start.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL?
Universal Preschool means high-quality Preschool that is publicly funded and available to all families. Programs promote learning and growth, and there are funding mechanisms on federal, state and local levels that are currently available to ensure universal Preschool becomes a reality.
Head Start is America’s first and largest pre-K program, a Federal initiative dating back to 1965 that promotes school readiness in children from birth to age five. Focused mainly on infants, toddlers, and Preschool-aged children of low-income families, Head Start delivers public Preschool and pre-K services to more than a million children every year, in every U.S. state and territory through 1,600 agencies in local communities.
Head Start has been reauthorized and funding expanded over many years, and the current administration has provided additional funding for pre-K and early childhood education in its domestic agenda. This federal-state partnership offers states funds to expand public Preschool programs to reach nearly six million kids not currently enrolled in Preschool. That would be a great start.
“The highest rate of return in early childhood development comes from investing as early as possible, from birth through age five, in disadvantaged families.”
—James J. Heckman, Nobel Memorial Prize winner in Economics
WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH PRE-K IN MARYLAND?
Head Start manages more than 20 programs and partners with other non-profit organizations, schools, and community action agencies in Maryland. There are many other Preschool programs in the state, as well, including two provided by The Children’s Guild in College Park and Annapolis.
Currently, free pre-K is only available to 4-year-olds from low-income families, but it’s working. Three of the four counties that offer universal pre-K—Somerset, Garrett and Kent—ranked in the top 10 of children’s readiness for kindergarten yet are also some of the poorer counties in the state.
Increasing access to affordable, high-quality pre-K statewide was a key focus of the Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education, also known as the Kirwan Commission, which analyzed Maryland public schools and areas that need improvement. They recommend phasing in full-day pre-K for all 3 and 4-year-olds statewide.
PRE-K DONE “THE MONARCH WAY”
Monarch Preschool College Park is a high-quality, project‑based learning pre-K program of The Children’s Guild.
Preschool Director Krissie Taylor says Monarch Preschool plays an important role on the city of College Park’s economic revitalization. “We have a unique opportunity to support the city with programs that parents want and in which our children can be successful. We offer a warm and welcoming place where students learn how to make sense of their world. Delivering Preschool experiences is important for attracting parents to move and stay in our city and contribute to our community.”
Chief Education Officer Kathy Lane says high-quality programs are a key aspect of pre-K. “Increasing access to quality programs requires proven education curriculums and best practices. It’s a huge priority for us. We know all kids want to learn, so we implement project-based learning to feed their natural passion, offering learning experiences as expeditions into the unknown.
Over and over, we’ve seen our pre-K programs form strong relationships between students and teachers which draw on the power of small groups, create exploratory mindsets, and help kids understand their community.”
After success in College Park and recognized demand in other areas of Maryland, The Children’s Guild expanded pre-K services to their Monarch Academy Annapolis, targeting low-income families, English Language Learners, and children with special education needs/IEPs (Individualized Education Plan). The program is fully funded by MSDE. PreK Grants are funding the program at MAA.
DOES PRE-K WORK?
A recent comprehensive Brookings Institution study of Preschool programs found that not only do they provide an advantage for kids, they also offer encouraging long-term results and economic benefits. Researchers specifically asked whether publicly funded Preschool is worth the investment from taxpayers. Looking at Head Start programs they found:
- Preschool children ages 3 to 5 were significantly more likely to earn a four-year college degree later in life.
- After three years in a program, kids were 3% more likely to finish high school, 8.5% more likely to attend college, and 39% more likely to finish college.
- Attendees were more likely to work and have professional jobs later in life.
- Female students were 32% less likely to live in poverty as adults, and male students saw a 42% decrease in receiving public assistance.
- Later in adulthood, attendees were 5% more likely to be employed, work 8.7% more hours per week, and 27% less likely to receive public assistance.
As the study publication summarizes, “…even the nascent, underfunded Head Start programs of the 1960s delivered sizable benefits.”
Several other studies in Massachusetts, Tennessee and other areas saw outsized effects of providing a Preschool education, and provide a strong case for universal pre-K.
From a recent National Public Radio story: “…there’s growing evidence that Preschool can permanently improve kids’ lives — but it’s not necessarily because it makes them smarter. It seems more related to making them more disciplined and motivated, which is just as important (or perhaps even more important) for their future livelihoods as how well they perform on reading or math tests.”
LET’S GIVE ALL KIDS EVERY EARLY ADVANTAGE THAT WE CAN
A parent’s desire to give their child every opportunity available is universal. By offering high-quality and meaningful pre-K programs, The Children’s Guild and many other organizations provide proven benefits and touch children’s lives in highly impactful ways. Please support universal pre-K!
The Children’s Guild seeks partnerships and growth opportunities of all kinds. Should you want to learn more or see the work they do in area schools, please contact them anytime at 410.444.3800.
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