Monarch Community School

840 North Branciforte Avenue - Santa Cruz CA - 95062
Type of autonomy arrangement: Leadership Goodwill
Basic Profile

Opened In

1973

Grades

K-5

Environment

Suburban

Type

District
Autonomies

Program

Determine learning program
Set school-level policy
Determine professional development
Determine authorizer assessments
Determine state assessments

Personnel

Select colleagues
Evaluate colleagues
Transfer or terminate colleagues
Determine tenure policy
Select leaders

Administrative

Determine school budget
Set staff pattern
Determine compensation
Determine teacher workday
Set schedule
Teacher Authority Is...
De Facto

Authority rests on the goodwill of the superintendent.

About the Learning Program

Monarch believes that learning happens best when all are working together, (students, teachers, and parents), to develop a rich learning environment spanning home, school, and the greater community. They are committed to providing a developmentally appropriate learning environment in which students are ‘constructing’ their own knowledge connected to their real lives and building upon their prior experiences. They believe that students learn best when they are involved and engaged in purposeful learning in which they have: • Ownership and responsibility
• A balance of choice and direction, experience and practice
• Knowledgeable guides (adults, parents, mentor students)

At Monarch, they nurture a culture of respect, where each individual works toward his or her personal best both academically and socially.

What follows are descriptions of the Guiding Principles and Practices that are rooted in Monarch’s assumptions about learning and bring its hilosophy to life. They are generally broken down into three component areas: 1) Social-Emotional Curriculum, 2) Academic (cognitive) Curriculum, and 3) Shared Governance/Community Relationships.