Awareness Stage
At the awareness stage, two levels appear appropriately defined. Within the "investigating the Basic School" level, schools may utilize the following options:
- Attend the "Open Forum on The Basic School" offered at Trinity University during the fall and spring. Principals may bring a school team to learn about the Basic School Philosophy through a two day overview- immersion training session (The Basic School video, books for the team, and overheads will be made available).
- A "presentation team" will be formed which will be available to present a brief overview on The Basic School to school faculties during after-school faculty meetings, or on selected staff development days throughout the school year. Scheduling of a "presentation team" will be handled through The Center for Educational Leadership at Trinity University - Basic School Center.
- A Basic School Web Page where information about The Basic school is listed, linkages are provided with other Basic School web sites, a question/answer bulletin board is available, and the process for further information-seeking is outlined with contact names and phone numbers or e-mail addresses. This will be one point of contact for schools or individual educators who are interested in learning about The Basic School.
- A set schedule of visitation opportunities at Jackson-Keller Elementary school will be established and schools interested in visiting a Basic School can reserve space on the scheduled days. Reservations will be handled through The Center for Educational Leadership at Trinity University-Basic School Center.
- Once a school has been introduced to The Basic School and is interested in exploring it further as a community of learners, they will be offered a "study group curriculum" composed of guided reading assignments, activities, and discussion questions to facilitate the study of The Basic School book. Performing a self assessment/self study utilizing the Basic School self-assessment and community input would be appropriate here to aid preliminary goals for implementation.
Within the "committing to the Basic School" level, schools would:
- Collaboratively complete an application symbolizing commitment to the Basic School movement. Attendance of a Summer Institute hosted by The Center for Educational Leadership at Trinity University-Basic School Center designed to promote learning within the tenets of The Basic School Philosophy is associated with the application along with the following:
- Obtain written commitment from 80-90% of the school staff to engage in long term implementation of Basic School Priorities for Renewal
- Obtain a written commitment from the principal for long term support of implementation of Basic School Priorities for Renewal
- Secure school board and superintendent approval
- Seek university or other educational support-agency partnerships
- Seek additional funding sources to support implementation efforts if necessary (teacher time, mentor services, resources)
- Collaboratively review or complete the school self-assessment in the priorities of renewal and utilize as a catalyst for identifying specific priorities for implementation
- Develop a short and long term plan for implementation of the Basic School Priorities for Renewal
- Maintain initiative to specifically develop capacity of new staff members through collegial mentoring, study groups, and/or learning experiences
Please note that schools involved at the awareness stage will not be defined as members of The Basic School Network, but instead, will be considered participants within the Basic School Learning Community. No exclusivity is intended, instead, it is an organizational issue meant to promote a learner-centered, needs-based philosophy.