School Accountability Report Card

Reported Using Data from the 2019–2020 School Year

Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy, a dependent charter within the Vacaville Unified School District, founded in 1994 as an independent study charter, branched out into a site­based visual­media arts school, and progressed to become a comprehensive college preparatory high school with CTE pathways in Engineering and Digital Design.
Our mission statement summarizes our overall goal: “Buckingham empowers students by providing a rigorous, relevant education to become future­ready global contributors through the cross­curricular integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics."

BCCA is an extremely successful school, winning the 2017 California Department of Education Gold Ribbon Award for creating a positive and successful learning atmosphere for our students, the 2016 California Honor Roll award recognizing achievement in college and career readiness, and this year being awarded a six-year accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

In order to achieve that mission, BCCA has identified four primary School­Wide Learning Outcomes, distinguished by the acronym M.A.R.K. and expanded upon here:

Master a University Prep, STEAM, and/or VMA Pathway.
• Satisfy A­G requirements for direct entry to a four­year university.
• Develop foundational STEAM knowledge for career certification or university degree program.
• Practice critiquing, writing, directing, or producing/directing digital imaging products.
• Provide cross­curricular, project­based learning opportunities.

Apply technology skills necessary for the 21st century.
• Demonstrate information literacy.
• Create, share, and collaborate on cloud­based documents, presentations, etc.
• Conduct effective academic research using a variety of technology skills.
• Exhibit a cross­platform competency in a variety of devices and applications.
• Foster familiarity with industry­standard programs and technologies.

Reach a solid foundation of lifelong learning through personal accountability.
• Attend school daily and arrive punctually.
• Be prepared to work individually and collaboratively.
• Respect themselves and others.
• Learn the importance of and engagement in civic responsibility.
• Develop a global awareness and appreciation of social and cultural diversity.

Know how to achieve academic success in post­secondary education.
• Critically read and respond to informational and literary text.
• Communicate ideas in an organized manner.
• Analyze and develop solutions to a problem.
• Synthesize multiple sources of information.
• Have a clear plan and method of achievement.

• Buckingham Collegiate is moving to a new location. A FIT inspection was not completed due to the relocation.

All students at BCCA are eligible and encouraged to participate in our Career Technical Education (CTE) Program. Our CTE pathways are design-oriented: Digital Media Design and Engineering/Robotics. These distinct pathways allow student to design and customize their educational experience in order to match their post-secondary goals.

Students in our Digital Media Design pathway work in our Visual & Media Arts sector housing a Mac Lab, an art room, and an editing and animation suite, as well as additional storage and office space. In Fine Art and Survey Art, students develop sketching and modelling skills necessary for a career in engineering and product design. Our more advanced courses of Graphic Design, Photography, and Independent Projects promote critical thinking, exploration of new ideas, and application of specific design principles.
- Course Sequences:
- Intro to Digital Media, Photography, Independent Projects
- Intro to Digital Media, Graphic Design 1, Graphic Design 2

In our Engineering Design pathway, Introduction to Engineering Design and Introduction to STEM provide the foundational knowledge required for this pathway. Physics for Engineers and Advanced Engineering are the advanced and/or capstone courses that prepare students for the rigors of the curriculum they will encounter in college courses in this curricular area.
- Course Sequence:
- Intro to Engineering, Physics for Engineers, Advanced Engineering

Buckingham’s expected school-wide learning objectives and school staff integrate student use of media and technology skills throughout all academic courses to prepare students for success beyond high school and into college and career endeavors. A counselor meets with students to discuss career and college options. Four-year plans are reviewed annually to ensure proper course placement. Articulation and coordinated course offerings with Solano Community College give students a pathway to certification in these design-related fields.
Nadja Fitchhorn (Digital Design) and Cari Pouchnik (Engineering) serve as Buckingham’s representatives to the district CTE Advisory Committee.

BCCA encourages parents to be active stakeholders. Parents participate in monthly SHIELD parent group meetings, are encouraged to participate in workshops and seminars, network with other parents and provide varied support and assistance to instructional, coaching and support staff. Additionally, they organize fundraising and school-wide activities. In the end of the 19-20 school year, our parent meetings went virtual via zoom. We have continued to meet virtually during the 20-21 school year.

BCCA offers a wide variety of parent and community organizations that support the school in a myriad of ways. For example, parent volunteers who come forth to collate brochures and programs for events like Back To School Night and Open House, drive student-athletes to and from games and chaperone and drive to field trips, provide donations for student council and school events such as Back To School Bash, Winter Ball, various BCCA shows and concerts, Math Steeple Chase, Mad City Money, RoboKnights and much more. They work as coaches, game announcers, scorekeepers, team moms and dads, awards banquet organizers, photographers, snack shack volunteers, and outstanding fans at all our sporting events and thoughtful audiences at our music and theater performances. They participate on a variety of committees that are dedicated to improving our school (WASC, SHIELD Parent Advisory, LCAP, etc.).

The Buckingham SHIELD parent advisory represents all parents in the school community. Parents and staff are invited to join SHIELD and to participate in its operations and activities. Each year, SHIELD assistance has included giving teachers additional funds to purchase classroom supplies, sponsoring two campus beautification days, a clean-up day on campus, and providing many hours of volunteer assistance in many ways at various times throughout the year.

Our Athletics Boosters provide assistance throughout the year through activities and the distribution of athletic information. They provide food at games, conduct raffles, and work with sponsors to maintain BCCA’s sports fields and equipment. Their funding and support assists the students in being able to participate in SMAL and SJSCIF competitions.

This plan was developed by our School Safety committee and approved by that committee January 11, 2021, and shared with our parent advisory group on January 12, 2021.
Physical Plant: District maintenance staff ensures that the repairs necessary to keep the school in good repair and working order are completed in a timely manner. A work order process is used to ensure efficient service and that emergency repairs are given the highest priority.

Student Supervision: A full-time campus supervisor, three administrators, a twenty percent Teacher on Special Assignment as an administrator and rotating classified/certificated staff monitor school security and safety before, during, and after school. We also have 11 exterior camera feeds that provide administration and our campus supervisor the ability to monitor traffic on foot and in vehicles, address potential behavior or safety issues immediately which promotes a safe learning environment. All visitors to BCCA are expected to check in at the main office and wear a guest pass while on campus.

Emergency Procedures: Buckingham has a comprehensive plan (as part of the district's Standard Response Protocol) in the event of various emergencies, including but not limited to an intruder on campus, an earthquake, a fire etc. Buckingham has a Safety Committee to manage such emergencies, which includes the principal, assistant principals, counselor, athletic director, community relations coordinator, campus supervisor, school secretary, teachers, custodian and with our school psychologist, mental health clinician, and school nurse also available as needed. Staff members receive a Standard Response Protocol (SRP) handout outlining the procedures to take in the event of various emergencies. These procedures are reviewed from time to time at staff meetings and are practiced through monthly school-wide drills. Additionally, the Blackboard and School Mint systems can be used to contact staff, students and parents regarding emergency situations that occur. Each room has the emergency procedures poster and evacuation maps posted along with an emergency clipboard with current class rosters available for the teacher if needed.

Communications: We utilize the School Loop email system, and the web based newsletter platform Smore, for important communications. Our School Loop website is also a great source of information for students, parents, and staff. Our school's Facebook and Instagram pages communicate information about important events to students, staff, and the larger Vacaville community. We also have created a Facebook group for parents through our SHIELD parent organization. Data related to student achievement, discipline, and attendance are shared with staff through staff and Site Leadership Team meetings and to parents via SHIELD meetings. Our intercom system is used to communicate to students and staff during the school day and is imperative in emergency situations.

Positive Behavior Supports: Our expectations for student behavior are outlined thoroughly in our student handbook. These expectations are reinforced through a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Students are rewarded for good character traits in action with a PROP slip (People Reaching Outrageous Potential) by staff members who write a personalized note of appreciation on the back of the PROP slip. Students can then turn in their PROP slips at the end of the month to receive a prize. We also have been developing our Freshmen Forum program to help support freshmen students transition to high school academically, socially, and emotionally. This is facilitated by our upper class leadership students and faculty. We also recognize positive attendance and academic achievement throughout the school year. We also have a Service Learning Class that we have opened to juniors in which a large number of students do Service Projects on campus, which improves the environment, culture, academic and socio-emotional well being of our students. During virtual learning, we have also implemented a weekly drawing for students with perfect attendance as well as students who have participated in our Grit Guild (our social emotional learning Google classroom all students are enrolled in).

Student Discipline: Buckingham provides a progressive structure for student discipline in a Multi-Tiered System of Support. Students receive information about the discipline guidelines through the student handbook. These guidelines are reviewed at the beginning of every year in every class and are reinforced with our Positive Behavior Supports.

Mental Health Support: Our students' mental well-being is just as important as their physical well-being. Our two full time counselors provide both academic and emotional guidance for our students. We also refer students to our School Psychologist and Mental Health Clinician when necessary. Being a small school, our staff is much more able to identify changes in mental well-being in a student and make the appropriate referrals when needed. We hold events like Suicide Prevention Week, Red Ribbon Week, Anti-Bullying Week, and character lessons to support mental health. We have also created a new intervention schedule using FlexiSched that gives student choice to decide which intervention class will be of the most support to them (this has not been implemented in virtual learning but will be reinstated when students come back to campus). This provides not only academic support but wellness classes and mental health support classes that will be offered by our counselors and mental health clinician. We also have over twenty different clubs for students to pursue their interests and find support.

Object                                                  Unrestricted                    Restricted

1000 Certificated Salaries                      2,257,960.77                     1,873.27
2000 Classified Salaries                            398,517.69                        247.22
3000 Benefits                                           878,862.29                 224,002.27
4000 Materials & Supplies                          119,447.96                    4,190.48
5000 Operating Expenses & Services           198,807.30                    6,270.42

Less Object 3701-3702                              (28,053.27)                     (195.88)

Less Resource 1100                                     (9,100.74)