Caliber Annual Report 2021-2022

AND AFFIRM

The Identities, Strengths and Passions of Each Person

A LETTER FROM OUR CEO:

Dear Friends and Family, We have kicked off the 22-23 year filling our spaces with joy. Our Beta Families, staff and students have been waiting for years to finally have a campus to call home and were able to start the 22-23 school year in our brand new and beautiful North Campus. We officially opened the space with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 13th and were then able to host an energetic all-network professional development in the space to kick off the new year.

Joyful spaces is our cultural focus for the 22-23 school year. It is important for us to celebrate and affirm all of the work our staff and students have done through a demanding 2021-2022 school year. Our return to campus in 2021 brought many challenges, some unanticipated. We were faced with fluctuating guidelines for keeping students and staff safe and for providing educational opportunities to all students. We were faced with the challenge of supporting students in their adjustment back to school and managing the learning gaps that resulted from remote learning. We were faced with an unprecedented teacher shortage and gaps in staffing. Our data for attendance and academic outcomes were initially discouraging. Though these challenges continued throughout the year, we persisted through and focused on validating and affirming our staff, students, and families.

Affirmation and validation is a core value for Caliber. To us, this means that we affirm and validate the identities, strengths and passions of our students, staff, families and community. It was critical for us to keep affirmation and validation as our anchor and we did so in several ways. This included; forming our equity collaborative to continue the process of becoming a more equitable and inclusive organization, starting a variety of after school programming including sports, clubs and student-led organizations; expanding our social-emotional team to address student needs, keeping circle time sacred and providing lots of opportunities for families to share feedback.

Student success remains at the center of why we all do this work. With this new year upon us, I’m reminded of all the joy we get to observe each day. The joy of seeing students and staff smile and laugh without a mask. The joy of seeing our students, families and staff walk up to both campuses with pride for their beautiful learning spaces. The joy of working with a staff that is committed and aligned to our mission. The joy to have donors and sponsors like you that help make all this happen!

In gratitude, Terence Johnson CEO

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to achieve educational equity by shifting the experiences, expectations and outcomes for students in historically underserved communities.

Our strengths-based educational program validates, affirms, respects and supports students, families and staff members to reach their full potential.

Both Caliber campuses opened their doors to students for the 2021-2022 school year. All students were welcome to join us in person, but we also offered a high quality Independent Study option for families who opted out of in person instruction. We worked to validate staff and family concerns around the return and create safe spaces for students and staff.

CALIBER’S INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM WITH RANAI MURRAY

Caliber offered a robust Independent Studies program for students throughout the 2021-2022 school year. The program was led by Ranai Murray, who had taught in person at Caliber prior to the pandemic. Ms. Murray and Allison Lehrer served as teachers for the Independent Studies program.

What qualified a student for Independent Study?

Independent Study was designed for students and families who did not want to attend in-person learning due to the risks of COVID. Some were severely immunocompromised or had close family members who were, and others just didn’t feel comfortable yet sending their student back to school.

How long did most students spend in independent study?

Most students stayed for at least a semester, but many stayed the whole year. After the first semester, we did a big push to get kids back to in person learning if they felt comfortable. Many students did go back, particularly in the upper school. There were no requirements for how long a student should be in Independent Study, but we highly encouraged this as a long term solution for students.

What program did we use for indpendent study curriculum and how much was synchronous vs. asynchronous?

We used a program called Edgenuity or Imagine Learning. The majority of students’ time was asynchronous but students met for a daily advisory and circle with Ms. Lehrer or Ms. Murray. Kindergarten through 3rd grade students met with their Edgenuity teachers each day for one hour, students in grades 4 and up had less time with their Edgenuity teachers. We worked with students in small groups, one on one, or working alongside families to help students through the curriculum. It was a good mix!

When students were ready to go back to school we met with the family and talked about what their current grades and academic picture looked like. We worked with teachers and the school team to determine a date for the student to start in person instruction. I sent the students’ grades to the administrators and teachers with an explanation of what the grades meant, along with a course map of how they had been learning the grade level standards. Students were then graciously welcomed back to school and I always followed up to make sure the transition was smooth.

We served about 100 students over the course of the year across K-8 at both campuses.

How did we support students in transitioning back to in-person instruction?

What was the grade span of students served and how did you meet the needs of the variety of students in independent study?

Honestly, I’m beaming with pride when I think about us launching Independent Study at Caliber. Students learned, and they learned a lot! Student achievement data shows that. We made the most out of a really tough time in kids’ lives. Although it was definitely not the same as being at inperson school, I think students made meaningful connections and grew so much.

The part of Independent Study I’m the MOST proud of is our families- they were an integral part of this program working. They supported Ms. Lehrer and I, they supported each other, and they worked really hard for their kids. Parents helped us make videos, helped other parents work through troubleshooting technology or teaching strategies, and were gracious as we got the program up and running. Families took a lot of pride in educating their child at home and were incredible communicators. Although a lot of space separated us all, it felt like we were a team and family; we really had a sense of community. Overall, I believe we gave kids an excellent educational option during the pandemic and I’m proud to have been part of it!

“Although a lot of space separated us all, it felt like we were a team and family; we really had a sense of community.”

What are you most proud of regarding the independent study program Caliber offered?

VALIDATE AND AFFIRM

The Identities of Each Person

EQUITY COLLABORATIVE AND ANTI-RACIST STATEMENT

For the 21-22 school year, the Equity Collaborative worked to improve Caliber’s practices and systems based on recommendations from the Overcoming Racism Audit, as well as suggestions from its members. This work included the creation of Caliber’s anti-racism statement, initial planning for a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging statement, discussion of how to address microaggressions within the organization, and review of the curriculum rubric. The Equity Collaborative also partnered with the Human Resources and Talent teams to support equitable hiring and employment practices. The team is excited to continue its work in ensuring Caliber follows through on the organization’s mission and values.

CALIBER’S ANTI-RACISM

STATEMENT

WE ARE an anti racist organization.

WE AFFIRM that Black Lives Matter.

WE REJECT the racist beliefs grounded in the system of white supremacy.

WE CHALLENGE the inequitable and often deadly outcomes that these beliefs present for Black, Latinx (or Latine), AAPI & Indigenous students and all students of color.

WE HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE to creating schools that work in service of and alongside our students, staff and communities of color to create a more just world.

STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS

Latinx, 60.5% Black, African American, 23.3%

Asian, 9.1%

White, 3.6%

Two or more races, 1.8%

Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, 1%

American Indian, Alaskan Native, 0.6%

Other, 0.1%

STAFF DEMOGRAPHICS

225 staff members

Black, African American, 34.0% Latinx, 26.2%

White, 23.8%

Asian, Pacific Islander, 7.8%

Two or more races, 4.9%

Other, 1.9%

Middle Eastern, 1.5%

FOCUS ON A CALIBER FAMILYCHEVONNE & LONDON

Chevonne and her daughter, London, have been a part of the Caliber community since 2016. Together, they would go to Vallejo School Board meetings advocating for the location of ChangeMakers Academy and have contributed their efforts to creating the school community we see today.

What made you join Caliber?

We chose Caliber because of what they were going to offer the kids. They sold us on the coding and the computer science. And, meeting the staff at the Norman King Center, just really locked it in for me. The staff was great, everyone was very personable. The idea that they would be teaching from a place of love and a place of listening really struck me. As many of the founding families can tell you, we love our staff and what they stand for.

What do you think makes Caliber different from other schools?

I believe what makes Caliber different is the amount of love the staff has for the students and how they are committed to ensuring they do whatever it takes to keep the children engaged and heard. The way Caliber embodies its pillars in order to create an environment that you want your child to be a part of - an environment that’s going to bring about a better person that will eventually be a part of our community.

What successes has your daughter had while attending Caliber?

London has been there since kindergarten and has been part of the whole social-emotional development, both at school and from reinforcement at home. She’s grown to be an extremely confident, self-aware, kind and loving person. She’s non-judgmental and she’s super smart. Her critical thinking is way beyond where I was at her age and she pushes me as well. She was also elected as historian for 5th grade for the 21-22 school year and her flag football team were champions for the 6th-8th grade division.

What is your favorite part about being part of the Caliber community?

For me, I went to public schools and I experienced the way they treat children of color in that whole pipeline to prison structure. The fact that Caliber is the complete opposite. They don’t suspend kids and they make sure that kids are heard. They emphasize the importance of equality and the inclusion of all people. People aren’t just tolerated, but loved and respected. Caliber is just so ahead of the game on issues that our children - and everyone - face today. They’re going to produce better citizens that go out into the world.

How do you see Caliber affirming and validating students and families?

Caliber ensures that they’re accessible. The open-door policy is comforting to students and parents. The staff always makes you feel like you’re not just a parent, but you’re actually a partner and that you’re valued. The families are able to communicate anytime with management and teachers to ensure that everyone is heard and that there is a resolution to anything that is brought up. Their timely responses allow families to feel that they are sending their children to a school where their thoughts are important and addressed.

LILLIAN CASTELLON, A 3RD GRADE TEACHER, WELCOMES FAMILIES TO THE NEW BETA CAMPUS.

The Strengths of Each Person

CELEBRATING STRENGTHS AND EFFORTS OF STUDENTS & STAFF

As we welcomed students and staff back to in-person learning, we were also able to bring back in-person celebrations. From our Kindergarten Step Up Ceremony and 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony, to our Value Awards for staff during our Network PD day, we found ways to validate and affirm the hard work demonstrated by our community.

CELEBRATING STRENGTHS IN STUDENT DATA

The 2021-2022 school year brought a variety of challenges as we adjusted back to in person instruction. We worked to ensure students were at school and engaged in high-quality instruction while managing COVID surges, supporting students’ transition back to classroom learning with peers, and working to understand how virtual learning had impacted student academic and emotional growth. When reviewing student achievement outcomes from the 2021-2022 school year, we acknowledge that we have room to grow, but are also able to celebrate the achievements of our students and teachers through a very difficult year.

CALIBER HIGHLIGHTS

MATH ELA

VALIDATE AND AFFIRM

The Passions of Each Person

VALIDATING STUDENT PASSIONS AT SCHOOL

Our students have strengths and passions outside of their academics. Caliber has prioritized offering what have traditionally been considered to be non-core classes to students. These classes at Caliber include Computer Science, Physical Education and as of the 2021-2022 school year, Art. Our goal is that all students have an opportunity to do what they love some time during the school day, and potentially build skills that will translate to future interests or careers.

computer science, PE and art alongside academics is important together. In these classes students practice relationship building and a different variety of what they get in other places. Its the enrichment and enhances their development.”

—RANDAL GORY, PE TEACHER, CALIBER CHANGEMAKERS ACADEMY

“Offering

VALIDATING STUDENTS’ PASSIONS THROUGH EXTRACURRICULARS

During the 2021-2022 school year, Caliber provided a variety of extracurricular opportunities to students. Students were able to practice their passions and find new interests through these sports teams and clubs. Our goal in expanding our extra curricular offerings was to support students in acclimating back to school. Through these opportunities students developed their social skills and had reasons to be excited about attending school each day. Our schools offered a variety of sports and clubs including flag football, volleyball, soccer, tennis, yearbook, student council, chess club, pride club, creative club and more.

“Clubs and activities helped students acclimate back to school life because it taught kids how to socialize again. Students were struggling understanding personal space and also expressing their feelings and emotions. Extra opportunities to socialize gave many students outlets that they didn’t have to express themselves during the pandemic.”

—EMANUEL GARDNER UPPER SCHOOL PE TEACHER, BETA

AFFIRMING STUDENT IDENTITIES AND BELIEFS THROUGH OUR ACT PILLAR

As one of our student pillars, Act is central to the work we do with students. Our goal is that our students feel empowered to act towards positive change. We want to validate students’ perspectives of the world and support them in creating change. In order to do this, we expose our students to a variety of historical and current events and beliefs, and use these experiences to start conversation and action.

ACT FIELD TRIPS

This year, the 8th grade team at Beta brought back our annual 8th grade “Act” field trip after a COVIDrelated hiatus. To provide 8th graders with an opportunity to experience the history and politics that affect their daily lives, the 8th grade team set up a trip to New York City and Washington, D.C. in the spring of 2022.

VALIDATING AND AFFIRMING STAFF AND STUDENTS IN OUR NEW SPACE

We welcomed families to the new Beta Campus for an official ribbon-cutting on August 13th 2022. Families and staff have been endlessly supportive as they have waited for a permanent space for the Beta campus. We were thrilled to open the doors of this space for all students on the first day of the 2022-2023 school year.

FOUR PILLARS LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

Jackie Reses and Matt Apfel

Diana Nelson and John Atwater

Pete and Devon Briger

Stacey Case

Carrie Wheeler and Kit Codik

Martha Conte

Stephen Davis and Jill Cowan

Greg and Julie Flynn Henrik Jones

Ron Beller and Jennifer Moses Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Russ and Beth Siegelman

Thank You to The Entire Caliber Community

Caliber

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