Learning The Namaste Way

Kathryn Nelson, Development Associate

Namaste Charter School“The light in me sees the light in you”

• A public charter school founded in 2004 with 90 students

• 480 Kindergarten – 8th grade students in fall 2013

• 85% low-income and 90% minority student population

• No tuition and no selection criteria for enrollment; admission is by blind lottery

• Health and physical fitness as an avenue to reach higher student achievement

• New model of teaching and learning

The Namaste WayWhat makes us unique?

Our Six Pillars- Nutrition, Health and Wellness- Movement- Peaceful School Culture- Balanced Learning- Language and Culture- Collaborative Practice

Healthy lifestyle instruction within a rigorous academic environment to maximize student achievement.

Academic Progress and Results

Student Learning & Success

• Namaste students rank among the highest achieving students citywide

• Note: 2013 ISAT achievement is reported with the new cut scores

2013 Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT)

General Education Students

All Students

Namaste Charter School 75% 65%

Chicago Public Schools average 58% 53%

Charter school average 54% 50%

% of students meeting/exceeding composite state standards

Results: Prioritizing Health and Wellness Works

• Students are developing lifelong healthy eating and exercise habits • Families are engaged in

healthy initiatives – including farmers’ markets and nutrition workshops• 57% of Namaste students

were in the Healthy Fitness Zone for 4 or 5 of 5 fitness components

Health Success

Gold Award with Distinction in the USDA’s HealthierUS School Challenge

•83% of students report eating 2-4 servings of fruits daily•61% of students report eating 2-4 servings of vegetables daily•73% report: I feel good about my body and the way I look.

Extending Namaste’s Impact: Focus on Dissemination

Learning the Namaste Way

• Launched through philanthropic support and a two-year, competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Education– One of two charter schools nationwide to receive the prestigious

“dissemination” funds• Educators’ Institutes: – Two 3-day onsite intensive professional development Institutes

annually for teachers and school leaders to observe Namaste’s best practices in action, meet with the school leadership team and develop action plans for implementation in their own schools

– 50 educators from across the country attended the first four Institutes since June 2012 and are receiving ongoing support

• Additional dissemination activities: – New website with “Namaste Shares” resourceswww.namastecharterschool.org/namaste-shares

Institute at a Glance

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

•History of Namaste•Introduction to Namaste’s Six Pillars•Setting up a School Environment that Promotes Wellness

•Classroom Observations•Work Time with Namaste Leadership

•Classroom Observations•Classroom Discourse•Lunch Discussions•Work Time with Namaste Leadership•One-on-one Interviews with Namaste Staff

Register for Learning The Namaste Way!

When: June 18 – 20, 2014Where: Namaste Charter School, 3737 S. Paulina St., Chicago, Illinois Cost Per Person: $249 includes meals, all materials and follow-up

supportHow to register: Visit www.namastecharterschool.org/institute or

contact Rachel Dahl at rdahl@namastecharterschool.org