BEACON HILL PREPARATORY INSTITUTE
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Mission Statement
Beacon Hill provides accelerated, supplemental education to Pre-K to 12th grade students. Our approach is holistic through academic, cultural, and life-skills programs with active parent involvement. Nearly all of the children we work with are low income and disadvantage youth. We use a business model to provide effective, efficient services that produce measurable outcomes. In 2020-21 will provide: • Literacy tutoring to 800 Pre-K-5th grade children at low-resource schools during the school day • After school tutoring to 150 Pre-K to 12th grade students in reading and math • Enrichment programming to 220 students • 4 parent workshops—Parents are critical to the success of our students. • Summer Bridge programming All of our programs are incorporated into our Educate NOW Initiative, which gathers the community to change the lives of our children by providing trained volunteers, parent involvement, coordination with multiple stakeholders, community involvement, and financial support.
About This Cause
The Beacon Hill Preparatory Institute (Beacon Hill) concept began in the summer of 2003 when Charnella Derry and Stephanie Lilly were trying to meet the needs of their own children—between their families they had 6 children at various grade levels. The two women were college roommates and graduates of Texas A&M University and both had a passion for supplemental education. They both came from families of educators and had been taught that education had to start at home and end in school—they wanted to give their children's teachers something to build on. After each family tried and used various accelerated programs, they decided (with teachers’ encouragement) to pass on to other families the lessons they had learned. As African Americans they were especially concerned and aware of how so many minority, disadvantage and low income students continued to score low on standardized tests. They were determined to do something to help make a dent in this problem in the Dallas community. They knew that education had to be a partnership between the teacher, student and parent—all three had to work together in order for the child to excel. OVERVIEW Beacon Hill provides accelerated, supplemental education in reading and math to Pre-K to 12th grade students. Our approach is holistic through academic, cultural, and life-skills programs with parent involvement. Nearly all of the children we work with are low income and disadvantage. We use a business model to provide effective, efficient services that produce measurable outcomes. The need for our programs is urgent for Dallas County. Most Dallas County Children are not ready when it’s time for kindergarten, they struggle to catch up and even more are falling behind: only 49% of Dallas County children are kindergarten ready and only 26% are reading at grade level in elementary school. A child’s academic success in first grade predicts with alarming accuracy how that child will perform in ninth grade. Minority children living in poverty who are not proficient readers by 3rd grade are eight times more likely to drop out of high school. At one of the schools where we provide in-school tutoring, Carpenter Elementary: • TEA designated Improvement Required • Lowest performing elementary school in the Southern Dallas • In the bottom 9% of all elementary schools in the state of Texas • 16% of students read at grade level • 80% of students are African American • 20% are Hispanic • 96% are economically disadvantaged Beyond the individual need, without assistance now, high school dropout rates and poverty will significantly increase the tax burden through higher unemployment rates, incidence of criminal activity, substance use disorders, mental and physical health problems, use of public assistance and more. Employers will become increasing frustrated with an illiterate and unskilled workforce, causing them to migrate to other communities, causing further poverty and suffering in North Texas. IN-SCHOOL LITERACY TUTORING In response to the urgent need, we are infusing accelerated, in-school literacy tutoring for kindergarten to 5th grade students in Dallas’ lowest performing elementary schools. In 2020-21, our program will serve over 800 PK-5th grade children. Each child will receive 2 hours of tutoring for 30 weeks for a total of 60 hours per child and 48,000 hours of tutoring for all children. Our in-school programming is showing VERY STRONG RESULTS. On average children are advancing two grade levels in reading in just one year. The cumulative effect of yearly advancement at this rate is profound—we have no doubt that the children who we work in the early grades—many are already behind by 2 or 3 grade levels when we first see them—will catch up by the time they leave elementary school. This means that children will be able to read so that they can learn in all subjects and will be on a trajectory for academic success. They will be much more likely to graduate from high school and attend college due to early intervention. Components of the program: • Tutoring: At-risk children receive 3 hours of weekly reading tutoring at a teacher to student ratio of 3:1 using the proven Gideon Curriculum. Our curriculum uses a phonetic approach with integrated exercises, workbooks, and storybooks. At the beginning of the semester, each student is given a pre-assessment, followed by the development of a customized learning plan. Because reading levels vary so much, every child learns to read at her/his own pace. Customized, individualized teaching is just not possible in busy classrooms. • Skilled Teachers: Students are tutored by our teachers who are certified to teach the Gideon Curriculum. We supplement the teacher ratio by also using volunteers in the classroom. At least 85% of the children in the schools we serve are from minority backgrounds. Because teachers play significant roles in modeling the importance of getting an education, it is important for children to see teachers and executive staff who “look like” them—90% of tutors are from minority backgrounds and our Executive Director is African American. • Literacy Labs: Children visit the Literacy Lab in their school 2-3 times each week. The labs provide tables which have been specially designed to gather 3 children around each tutor to increase their focus. The labs are decorated, welcoming, and focused on learning. At the center of each Literacy Lab is a “Reading Tree” where volunteers engage students and read to them under the tree. • Visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, and social opportunities. Students are engaged by using hands-on manipulatives and help them learn through tactile and movement activities. • Incentives: Students earn “Beacon Hill Bucks” for improved grades which can be spent in the Literacy Store on (donated) fun school supplies, head phones, cool socks, nail polish, watches, and more. This not only motivates students, but impacts financial literacy. AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING In 2020-21 we will provide after school tutoring to 150 students in the southern sector of Dallas, FairPark, Pleasant Grove, Wilmer Hutchins and surrounding communities in : • Assisted Math Tutoring (Pre-K–2nd grade) • Learning to Read Tutoring (Pre-K–1st grade) • Math Tutoring for Independent Learners (3rd–12th grade) • Reading for Comprehension Tutoring (3rd – 12th grade) • SAT-ACT College Prep (9th–12th grade) After school tutoring follows the same model as described above in our in-school tutoring programs. ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS In 2020-21 we will provide enrichment programming to 220 students of all ages. Enrichment activities included reading, math, Technology and science camps; art, music and dance performances; and exposure to sport activities such as golf, tennis, and chess. PARENT PROGRAM Parent involvement is a key element to the success of students. We provide 4 parent workshops annually. In addition, we send home regular communications to parents so that they are aware of our activities. A major challenge is educating the parents about their roles as educators. We teach each parent that they are their child’s first teachers, and that they need to start with the end in mind. This program opens a parent’s eyes to the educational process and we help them develop a roadmap for their child. Our assessments show their child's true educational gaps, and weekly networking with other parents strengthens their resolve. We tell our parents, “you have to prepare your children for early success, graduating from high school and entering college with the same focus they use to prepare them for one day entering the NBA draft.” The same commitment, excitement, and drive should take priority. JOURNEY PROGRAM We work weekly to prepare 9-12th grade, low income, high risk, high school students in the South Oak Cliff and southern sector of Dallas for success in higher education and future careers. The Journey Program offers tutoring, SAT and ACT preparation, comprehensive college planning, scholarship search assistance, financial guidance, and monthly leadership and college prep workshops for students and parents. SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM At Beacon Hill learning does not take a summer vacation. Through our Summer Bridge Math, Reading and MASTERS (Math, Art, Science, Technology, Engineering, Reading, non-traditional Sports) enrichment camps, students are able to continue the learning process in a meaningful, fun and engaged manner. This avoids the 10-week gap in education which causes a deterioration of what the student learned in the previous year. EDUCATE NOW All of our programs are incorporated into our Educate NOW Initiative, which gathers the community to change the lives of our children: • Trained volunteers assist teachers at every location every day. In 2020-2021 we will collaborate with 150 volunteers who will cumulatively donate nearly 10,000 hours annually to assist with our In-School & After School Tutoring Program. • Coordination with Teachers and Schools: We integrate with our schools by providing student level data to teachers and principals at the end of each 6 weeks. We meet with teachers monthly and principals at least 5 times per school year to discuss student progress and behavioral problems. • Community Involvement: When Beacon Hill learns that there is a need in a school or a neighborhood, we partner with corporations and other community based organizations through the Educate NOW initiative to address the problem. For example, this year we brought in businesses and others to help provide a coat and uniform drive, create clothes closets including hygiene kits, landscape school campuses, revitalize a playground, renovate a teachers’ lounge, and run a book drive. This establishes Beacon Hill as a partner with the school—not just a service provider. Note: Parents assist with some funding for after-school and summer programming only. In-school tutoring is offered at no charge and does not require any parental financial support.