Shift Happens

Howard Middle School

Then and Now

By Daphne Smith

“We Made The News Again”

• Student assaults teacher, sends her to the hospital • Howard Middle was on lockdown today student brings a gun to school • Student sets off the sprinkler, floods entire school building

“

We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

Or……..

“If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got.” -Moms Mably

The Data

07 – 08 Student Discipline

Expulsion = 81 Remand EVS = 658 Suspension = 898 In Sch. Sus. = 1352 Actions by Grade Level 6 th Grade = 486 7 th 8 th Grade = 914 Grade = 473 9 th 10 th Grade = 421 Grade = 363 11 th 12 th Grade = 203 Grade = 129

The Way We Were

• A Failing School • On the List to be taken over by the state for excessive number of suspensions (particularly for special ed students) • High Teacher Turnover Rate • Low Teacher Morale • Unmotivated Students

2007-2008 Policies

• No Assemblies allowed • Morning announcements took place 15 minutes over the intercom during 1 st block • No School Wide Behavior Plan, only ISS, Suspension, Evening School, or Washington Alternative Placement • No After School Clubs/Organizations • No In School Activities (Pep Rallies, Dances, etc)

What needed to change

• Entire Discipline System • Student Motivation • Faculty/Staff Attitude • Strict 07-08 policies regarding assemblies, in and out of school student activities • Academic Curriculum

“

The Times-They are a Changing”- Bob Dylan

• By Summer of 2008, administrative changes took place (new principal/new assistant principal) who were very much on board with revamping the discipline system • A group of Howard Middle staff (myself, special ed/regular ed, administration, school counselor, and reading interventionist) met throughout the summer to devise the needed changes for the 2008-2009 school year

What we came up with

• RTI 3 Tiered Behavior Model • Point system with levels of offense for referring a student for disciplinary measures • Creation of a discipline room and problem solving document for the student to complete upon referral to the discipline room • Creation of Short Term ISS, Reward System for students earning less than 5 discipline points each • Creation of M and M Groups, Literacy Block, and 8 th grade Math Remediation program • Proposal of a summer camp for targeted 6 th and 7 th grade students at risk for gang affiliation

Out with the Old, In with the New

• Old • No effective discipline system • No assemblies • No in school/after school student activities • Pause class (Teach/Re teach) • 6 blocks (Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Pause, Related Arts) • New • RTI Behavior Model • Morning assemblies in the auditorium • In School Pep Rallies, Talent Shows/Fashion Shows, Faculty/Student Games, Drama Club, Art Club, Debate Team • 5 Blocks (Language Arts, **M and M/Literacy Block, Remediation Math**, Math, Science, Social Studies, Related Arts)

Summer Camp-2008

• 10 Upcoming 7 the camp administrator th and 8 the 08-09 school year.

th grade boys attended a Weekend retreat aimed at teaching critical thinking skills and leadership skills in order to serve as mentors for fellow students during • Activities included: ropes course, hiking, archery, problem solving activities, and journal reflections prior to the camp and after • 3 Faculty chaperones attended as well as one

“Whole Lotta Shaking Going On”-Jerry Lee Lewis

• Of, utmost importance was to train the staff on new discipline system during the professional development activities prior to beginning the 08-09 school year.

• Staff needed incentives to buy in to the new plan and to change their mindset in a positive direction.

• The Staff In-Service began with the following Introduction:

CONGRATULATIONS HOWARD MIDDLE FOR MAKING AYP!!!!!!!!!!!!

In Addition, the following announcements were made

• Howard Middle achieved AYP for the first time in the school’s history • All Staff with the exception of 2 new administrators returned to Howard Middle for the first time in the school’s history • The Staff was served a Complimentary Continental Breakfast from Panera Bread for their efforts • Staff was informed that at the end of each month during the faculty meeting, there would be an award for the Faculty member who was voted Teacher of the Month (movie tickets, gift certificates, teacher supplies, etc)

What is PBS?

• Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is based on a problem solving model and aims to prevent inappropriate behavior through teaching and reinforcing appropriate behaviors.

School Wide PBS

Primary Prevention: Tier 1 (Universal)

• Involves system-wide efforts to prevent new cases of a condition or disorder • Works for over 80% of all students in a given school • It reduces the large numbers of office discipline referrals for minor problems. • Having a system for documenting the occurrence of problem behaviors (e.g., office discipline referrals) provides a way to determine which students need more intensive intervention .

Tier 2: Targeted Group

• Interventions are administered to small groups of students which require limited time and staff involvement.

• Interventions include social skills groups, group counseling, and/or mentoring programs.

Tier 3: Individual Student

• The PBS/RTI team needs to conduct a more in-depth analysis of the student’s data which at this point, would include all of the information examined in Tier 1 as well as the student’s response to and the fidelity of the Tier 2 interventions.

• In-depth analysis includes a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA), One on one classroom teacher consultation, Behavior/Mental Health Rating scale, and Direct observation

M and M Groups

• Focus on Emotional Intelligence • Daniel Goleman’s 5 part theory which categorizes how student and teacher perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors interact to promote or hinder appropriate social interaction

Emotional Intelligence

• Self Awareness • Self Control • Motivation • Empathy • Social Skills

The Stop Light

• Stop- State the problem and how you feel • Calm Down- Set a Positive Goal • Think Before you Act-Think of lots of solutions/consequences, go ahead and try the best plan .

The Hassle Log

• I am feeling _____________ • Tell the Problem __________ • What do I want to happen ____ • What can I do to make it happen_________________

400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 ISS SUS EXP DET EVE SCH NTP 2007 2008

6-8 TCAP Results-Language Arts

2005 Actual 2006 2007 2008 Projected 2009 2010 Advanced 2.1% 2.9% 8.1% 5.6% 17.9% 22.9% Proficient 49.3% 54.5% 61.4% 68.6% 69.2% 77.1% Prof/Adv 51.4% 57.4% 69.5% 74.2% 87.1% 100%

6-8 TCAP Results-Math

Actual Projected 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Advanced Proficient Prof/Adv 5.2% 53.5

% 58.7

% 8.4% 67.0% 11.0% 10.0% 23.4% 58.6% 63.3% 62.8% 64.3% 74.3% 72.7% 87.7% 28.4% 71.6% 100%

Think-Link Predictive Results (March test) vs. TCAP Results

Proficient/Advanced 6 th grade 7 th grade 8 th grade Total TL 2006 58% 58% 45% 53.7

% TCAP 2006 60.0

% 53.6

% 58.8

% 57.5

% TL 2007 67% 78% 61% 68.7

% TCAP 2007 61.7

% 70.7

% 77.2

% 69.9

% TL 2008 88% TCAP 2008 77.8

% 68% 78.8

% 65.8

% 77.5

% 77.6

% 74%

Results for Summer Camp Students

• 3 out of the 10 students were promoted to the 9 last year and a zero tolerance offense at school.

th grade Success Academy for exemplary behavior and grades.

• 1 student has received no zero tolerance incidents or in home arrests as compared to being arrested out of school twice • 1 student transferred to Orchard Knob Middle and became a starter for the Football team, was constantly placed in Washington Alternative last year.

• 1 student has only received 4 disciplinary referrals this entire school year.

• 1 student has received 3 referrals this entire school year as compared to last year when he was predominantly in evening school and suspended.

• 1 student has only received 1 referral the entire school year.

• 1 student has received no discipline referrals this school year and has maintained grades of B’s and C’s.

• 1 student has not been successful and continues to receive discipline referrals, ISS, Suspension, and evening school placement for disruptive and defiant behavior in the classroom.

Behavior Referral Comparison

• 2007-2008 school year • 6 th • 7 th grade-486 grade-914 • 8 th grade-473 • Total Referrals=1873 • 2008-2009 school year to date • 6 th • 7 th grade-688 grade-399 • 8 th grade-428 • Total Referrals=1515

Reading Levels for 6

th

7

th

grade and

• 6 th grade • Average reading grade level • August 2008: 4.7

• December 2008: 5.4

• 7 th grade • Average reading grade level • August 2008: 4.8

• December 2008: 5.7

• Boys: August= 4.2

• December= 5.0

• Girls: August= 5.0

• December= 5.5

• Boys: August= 5.1

• December= 5.6

• Girls: August= 4.6

• December= 5.8

America’s Choice-Math Mediation program for 8 th graders • Implemented in January of 2009 • Students have shown an 18% increase on the Percents Unit • Students have shown a 13.75% increase on the Fractions Unit

End of the Year Reward for students with no discipline referrals • There are 320 students currently enrolled at Howard Middle.

• Of the 320 students, 11 (6 on the last day of school • 20 (7 • 14 (8 th th th graders) will receive a Free IPOD graders) will receive a Free IPOD on the last day of school graders) will receive a Free IPOD on the last day of school

Closing Comments

• Did we completely resolve our behavioral/discipline issues? NO • Did our efforts reduce behavioral/discipline issues? YES • Over the past year, • Strong Teacher/Student Bonds were formed • Academic Gains were made and • Students’ lives were positively changed

Final Thoughts Regarding the Closing of Howard Middle • My Personal View V School Official View • 2 goals I hoped to accomplish today: • Showing how a supportive administrative team and devoted faculty can turn a failing school around • Alleviating some of the negative connotations and reputation my school has encountered • Placement for next school year