The
Circle Of Independent Learning (COIL) Charter School
"Excellence in education through personalized choices."
Please visit COIL Charter School 's website here:
http://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/coil/
Meeting Higher Standards of Excellence in Education
Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Reviewed and Approved by the California Department of Education (CDE), the Advisory Commission on Charter Schools (ACCS), and the California State Board of Education (SBE) for meeting or exceeding state mandated fiscal accountability requirements.
Granted First Ever Five Year SB740 Funding Determination Waiver in California, February 2004
- Met API Schoolwide Growth target for 2006-2007 school year
- Increased API Schoolwide Growth score by 8 points
- Achieved all Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act for 2006-2007
- Attained an API State Rank of 9 (out of 10) in 2005-2006
- Attained an API Similar School rank of 10 (out of 10) in 2005-2006
- Attained an API State Rank of 7 (out of 10) in 2004-2005
- Attained an API Similar School rank of 10 (out of 10) in 2004-2005
- Achieved all Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act for 2004-2005
- Achieved API State Rank of 6 or better two consecutive years: 2001, 2002
Awarded Charter School Planning Grant
Awarded Digital High School Grant
Recognized for education excellence and achievement by members of California Senate and Assembly
 
4700 Calaveras Ave.
Fremont, CA 94538
Web:
http://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/coil/
Phone: 510 797-0100
FAX: 510 979-0118
Email: B.Cimino@fremont.k12.ca.us
“Do not then
train youth to learn by force and harshness;
but direct them to it by what amuses their
minds so that you may be better able to discover
with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius
of each.” ~Plato
“We know from research and common sense that education will be most successful
if it is a team effort involving both home and school…All children are
a crucial part of California’s collective future. The well-being of our
whole society will depend largely on how well parents and teachers prepare and
educate today’s youth for tomorrow’s world.”
~Parents and Partners,
CA Department of Education, Sacramento, 1995p.1
The Circle of Independent Learning, a K-12 charter school, is designed,
through personalized learning, to reach the unique bent of genius in
each of its students. This personalized educational plan will be developmentally
appropriate for each student, designed for the student’s particular
bent of genius. While the plan will enhance the strengths of the student,
it will also provide a systematic strengthening of his areas of weakness.
Our school plan will enable students to become literate, self-motivated
life-long learners, academically prepared for the 21st century.
Fremont Unified School District
The Circle of independent Learning School is in the midst of its fifth
year of operation. We all agree that we have had a wild ride! Our K-12
student body and staff have doubled and so have the personalized learning
options we offer at COIL. COIL teachers and talented parents offer rich
educational opportunities for all of our students. Each of our students
has a personalized learning plan developed and evaluated at regular meetings
by an educational team composed of the student, parent and advisory teacher.
All learning is based on the California State Standards. These standards
are addressed within each student’s unique educational plan.
We offer a Split Day Program in which COIL secondary students may take
one or two classes at a Fremont Unified School District School. We have
obtained UC/CSU Accreditation for those students planning to go directly
into a four-year college. Distance Learning and local community college
classes are also a viable option for our students.
Approximately 23% of COIL students exhibit special needs including: Special
Education identification, 504 inclusion, and GATE identification. 25%
of our total number of high school graduates are Special Education students.
Each of them fulfilled the COIL Graduation Requirements.
Each of our students has a personalized learning plan developed and evaluated
at regular meetings by an educational team composed of the student, parent
and advisory teacher.
Our site, located on the Fremont Unified Adult School campus, teems daily
with learning activity. Families meet with advisory teachers and students
attend field trips and foreign language, science and literature classes.
Writing workshops are provided for students and parents and math tutorial
sessions are available on a weekly basis.
The COIL staff is currently implementing a Digital High School grant
and is partnering with Ohlone Community College to offer a series of
computer skill workshops this winter and spring. Currently, we are developing
a Charter Dissemination Grant to share successful methods of integrating
special needs into learning challenged students’ personalized learning
plans.
The Circle of Independent Learning SST team consists of: the student,
student’s parents, advisory teacher, advisory/LD teacher and director.
SST meetings are called by either parent or teacher recommendation for
the purpose of full-house evaluation of the student’s current needs
and direction.
If the team agrees, a recommendation is made for Special Education Assessment.
The Circle of Independent Learning School receives Special Education
services through Fremont Unified School District and the Mission Valley
SELPA.COIL teachers attend annual IEP meetings with their Special Education
students. During the meeting, the advisory teacher helps develop appropriate
goals and objectives. These objectives are integrated into the student’s
educational plan. The advisory teacher develops curriculum for the student
based on his/her learning modalities, strengths and deficits. Progress
is evaluated continuously and concept re-teaching is incorporated into
the student’s program when needed. The advisory teacher also acts
as a counselor, listening to the student as he/she shares triumphs or
vents frustration and failures. Helpful advice and suggestions are offered
to both the student and parent throughout the school year. ~ COIL
Teacher Wayne Lindeman
Students are excited that a vast array of classes is offered at COIL
this year. It is our vision to be able to provide classes to meet the
personal needs and interests of our families. We are pleased to be able
to provide classes for all our students, grades K-12. Some of our classes
are ongoing, meeting regularly every week and they include classes in
writing, math and foreign languages (Spanish and French). Other classes
are in a series, meeting once a week for 4 to 6 weeks. They include classes
in science, art (FAME), public speaking, English composition, study skills
and game strategies. Finally, we have special classes as the occasion
or need arises. This includes a craft day in December or a class for
high school students about Greek tragedy.
Teachers or parent volunteers teach the classes at COIL. One of our more
popular classes is the writing class taught by teacher, Trish Murray.
Using the Step Up to Writing method, she is able to share practical,
easy-to-learn and easy-to-use writing strategies with both the students
and their parents in her classes. Nancy Holladay, a parent volunteer,
is teaching the FAME (Fine Arts Mini-Experience) class. There are six
lessons and each lesson presents one art composition and the artist as
well as one musical composition and the composer followed by a related
activity (in art, music, drama or writing). With so many different classes
to choose from, it is no wonder we have so many students looking forward
to learning at COIL.
Matt has made more
gains in the one year with us than during the
four years he spent in regular school. Matt
entered our program as a third grader with
no knowledge of the alphabet. Now he is reading
and writing at the first grade level. Recent
testing through the I.E.P. process showed a
45-point gain in math.
Marie, once a special day
student, came to us depressed and void of visual
memory. We have worked with visualizing skills
for a few months. Jenny can now remember a
reading selection two weeks after it is read
and memorize 20 science terms for a test!
Patty, with the combination of a
great RSP teacher and the supported homeschool education
model, has made great gains in the memorization of
the multiplication table, scientific terms, and writing
skills.
Mike, an identified "special
day" student, has become an amazing writer
and critical thinker during the last three
years. He came to us, barely able to write
a paragraph. Mike just finished a great paper
on Civil Rights!
Pat is like a new boy! He smiles at us and communicates
everywhere!
Brian shines with new self-confidence!
He (grade 9) helps John with the primary boys'
social skills class. Three boys - social skills
- a miracle! These boys now communicate with
John, Pat and each other!
Ryan joined COIL in the fall
of 2000. From the start, he has set his sights
on success. Always eager to please and "convey
the right answer", it has been very comfortable
working with Ryan and his mother. He has a
keen grasp of articulation in writing and soars
academically. When I first asked Ryan what
he does in his spare time, he responded with "read…I
don't have a lot of friends". Mid-year,
he joined student council and is friendly with
all members there. He was having the best time,
smiling ear to ear at the final COIL swim party.
Jean is just finishing her
second year with COIL. When she first started,
she was a demure, introverted young lady. After
taking part in Trish's writing class, she has
made tremendous gains in English. She is more
confident in her appointments with me and has
become more opinionated, which is a plus. She
is progressing quite nicely. She is also an
active Special Ed student with processing problems.
I'm quite proud of her!
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