Technical Report - Los Angeles Unified School District

Transcription

Technical Report An Evaluation of the Elementary and Middle School AfterSchool Programs Operated by the Beyond the Bell Branch of the Los Angeles Unified School District and Its Partner Agencies 20072008 Interim Case Study Results Research Support Services April 2008 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report results from the close collaboration of a Research Support Services team that included the following individuals: Project Director & Author Dr. Steven Frankel Senior Consultant & Senior Author Dr. Maria del Pilar O’Cadiz Senior Consultant & Co‐Author Jill Grossbard Observers Adrienne Coppola Jasmine Grewal Elizabeth Kesner Joanna Kunes Gillian Massey Reyna Dayana Perez Gabriela Simeonova‐Kouzmanov Editor Joe Mabry, Inland Empire Consultants Grateful acknowledgement is also made to Wendy Cowen, a key member of the Beyond the Bell Branch staff, who managed logistical and contractual matters in a superbly efficient, effective and friendly manner. This study would not have been nearly as successful without her efforts. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 1
After-School All-Stars—Belvedere Middle School ...................................................................... 11
Art Share Los Angeles—Montara Elementary ............................................................................ 21
A World Fit for Kids!—Commonwealth Elementary .................................................................... 31
A World Fit for Kids!—Henry Middle School ............................................................................... 39
Boys and Girls Club—Evergreen Elementary ............................................................................. 47
Boys and Girls Club—Wilmington Middle School ....................................................................... 57
Brainfuse—Normont Elementary ................................................................................................ 65
Bresee Foundation—Virgil Middle School .................................................................................. 75
Carney Educational Services—Lillian Elementary ...................................................................... 85
Carney Educational Services—Loma Vista Elementary ............................................................. 95
Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School ........................................................ 107
Children Youth and Family Collaborative—61st Street Elementary .......................................... 119
City of San Fernando—Morningside Elementary ...................................................................... 129
Gang Alternative Program—Wilmington Park Elementary ....................................................... 137
Great Beginnings—Ritter Elementary ....................................................................................... 147
Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Liggett Elementary .................................................... 155
Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Van Nuys Middle School ........................................... 165
Kids Protectors of the Environment—Brockton Elementary ..................................................... 175
LACER—LeConte Middle School ............................................................................................. 183
Learning for Life—Woodlawn Elementary ................................................................................ 193
Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Malabar Elementary .......................................................... 201
Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Madison Middle School ..................................................... 211
Martin Luther King Legacy—Foshay Elementary ..................................................................... 221
Para Los Niños—Dena Elementary .......................................................................................... 231
South Bay Center for Counseling—186th Street Elementary ................................................... 241
Star Education, Inc.—Eshelman Elementary ............................................................................ 251
Team Prime Time—Webster Middle School ............................................................................. 261
Woodcraft Rangers—Woodcrest Elementary ........................................................................... 271
Woodcraft Rangers—Carver Middle School ............................................................................. 279
YWCA—Bethune Middle School ............................................................................................... 287
Appendix A—Case Study Documentation ................................................................................ 295
Table of Contents
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2007-2008 INTERIM CASE STUDY RESULTS
Methodology
The 30 after‐school programs for which case studies were constructed were selected from the 157 programs that were included in the 2007‐2008 Interim Survey Report. The 157 programs were sorted by agencies. A program site was randomly selected from each agency operating elementary programs and from each agency operating middle school programs. In all cases but one, agencies that operated both elementary and middle school after‐school programs had two sites selected. When the 30 sites were selected, a check was made with their agencies to determine if any of them were so atypical, or were functioning under such atypical conditions, that they should not be included. None of the sites had exclusions requested for them, so the initial sample was finalized. RSS then recruited and trained 7 observers; several of whom had previous observation experience and all of whom had experience working in inner‐city school, after‐school or agency settings. Most had advanced degrees or were working on them. Each of the 30 sites was visited five times during a 7‐week period by an observer. Visits lasted from about 2:45 to 6:00PM; and during each visit observers typically observed 4‐6 different activities for 20‐
30 minutes each. They recorded their observations on detailed four‐page structured observation protocols which included fill‐in‐the‐blank, forced choice, and open‐ended responses. These forms were later typed into one of two templates—one for homework/educational enrichment activities and the other for recreational, performing arts, and sports activities. During one of the five visits the site coordinator was interviewed using a detailed interview protocol. Site staff never knew the days when observers would arrive and each site was visited by 2‐4 different observers across the five visits. In addition to conducting the observations, RSS staff also gathered a large collection of informative materials from both the agencies and the sites and had the agency directors complete their own questionnaires. The result was a collection of materials for each of the 30 sites that included: •
20‐30 activity observations •
Site coordinator interviews •
Agency director questionnaires •
A collection of 20‐30 different documents that were typically used to communicate with parents and students •
A summary of statistical data taken from the LAUSD Student Profiles published on the LAUSD web site. •
Copies of the agency student, parent and staff survey data gathered for the 2007‐2008 Interim Survey Report. An RSS Senior Consultant, Dr. Pilar O’Cadiz, assembled and synthesized these materials into a “rough cut” of the case studies, each being typically 8‐12 pages in length. The rough cuts were then revised by Executive Summary
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two other senior staff members, Dr. Steven Frankel and Ms. Jill Grossbard, and sent to a professional editor/proofreader for final revisions. This resulted in the 2007‐2008 Interim Case Study Report. Each of the case studies was shared with the program’s agency director, along with the findings relating to the agency and programs reported in the 2006‐2007 Value‐Added Analysis Report and the 2007‐2008 Interim Survey Report. This was done in a meeting involving 3‐4 managers of the BTB program (including the Director, Mr. Harry Talbot) and members of the agency staff; the latter were offered the chance to refute or correct any of the information provided to them. No changes in the contents of any of the case studies have been requested. In fact, agency directors have been very positive about these meetings and several have suggested they become annual events. In May‐June 2008, these observations will be supplemented with an additional 36 case studies of after‐
school program sites managed by agencies. Some will be selected from those not represented in the 2007‐2008 Interim Case Study Report; and others will be selected because they did particularly well on the value‐added analyses reported in the 2006‐2007 Value‐Added Analysis Report. During the same period, the survey activities will be replicated for another 150 sites which will include both new ones and some that were previously selected. Findings
While the 30 case studies in this report are markedly different, there were some themes that were frequently repeated. These are summarized below. The organization of these findings largely reflects the organization of the case studies themselves. Enrollment All of the programs included in these 30 case studies enrolled predominantly students of color. Hispanic students were the largest ethnic group at most of the sites; and many of the sites were almost entirely populated by Hispanic students. The next largest group was African‐American students; but these seldom predominated, even if the sites were being operated by agencies such as the Martin Luther King Legacy and Bresee, that were originally founded to serve the needs of African‐American students. Asian, White, and Filipino students made up the remainders of the population at most sites with the combined totals for these groups seldom exceeding 10 percent. History and Philosophy Many of these sites were being managed by agencies with a long history of operating after‐school programs both in Los Angeles and in other parts of the nation. In addition, a surprising number of programs had been in operation for more than 20 years at the same schools; many of the programs were deeply rooted in their communities through their governance and by having site coordinators and staff who lived in the area surrounding the schools. The site coordinators we interviewed in sites such as these seemed to be very comfortable with their programs’ roles in their communities and confident that they were operating in their communities’ best interests. The philosophies of the agencies ranged from those seeking to provide balanced programs to others that emphasized sports, physical activities, performing and visual arts, or academics. In all but one case, programs provided the minimum hour of homework and academic support, regardless of the programs’ philosophies. Executive Summary
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Recruiting and Informative Materials Most of the sites have done a very effective job in creating recruiting materials that “sell” their programs to students and parents. Most also have parent information packages that answer most parents’ questions and address their concerns. Nearly all sites provide their materials in both English and Spanish versions. For the most part, the materials are written in a friendly, informal tone. The one exception we noted were the sites that threaten to turn children over to the police if parents aren’t there by a stipulated time (e.g., an hour after the program closes) to pick up their children. Scheduling Under the funding regulations, all BTB sites are required to be available to students and parents from the time school ends until at least 6PM every school day. Yet, according to the information materials provided to parents, it is not unusual for sites to declare that their programs end at 5:30 or 5:45; and sometimes even earlier on early‐release days when the after‐school programs get underway shortly after lunch. When brought to the attention of agency directors during debriefings, the response was invariably that this was a case of the program documentation being out‐of‐step with more recent practices; and that indeed their programs were open until 6PM every day, but sometimes with reduced staffing that reflects the decreasing numbers of students. We will monitor closing times during the May‐
June 2008 data collection cycle by having both our survey specialists and observers record whether the programs operate until 6PM. Disciplinary Policies Nearly all programs have written materials for students and parents that described progressive disciplinary policies that start with a verbal warning; move on to minor sanctions such as a “time out” or exclusion from the activity where the student got into trouble; go to parent notification; and finally to expulsion from the program for a specified period of time. At some of the sites where relations between the site coordinator and either a principal or assistant principal were particularly strong, mention was made of these parties informally discussing disciplinary problems encountered during or after school. Special Events and Culminating Activities Staff and students at virtually all sites spoke with enthusiasm of special events and culminating events (sometimes called culmination events) for which students prepare in advance; and to which parents and those in the host schools are invited. Because the observations for this study were conducted in the October‐November time period, most of the special events our observers saw were Halloween parties and a few fall sports events. These were uniformly well planned and highly popular. Also, a few sites used field trips as rewards for high attendance, good behavior, etc.; but none of these occurred on the days our observers visited. We anticipate that during the spring observations which will be conducted in May and June, we will observe a wider variety of special events. Site Staff and Volunteers There was typically sufficient staff to reach the 20:1 ratios mandated by BTB’s funding agencies, but some agencies brought that ratio under 10:1 by using funding obtained from other sources. About half the sites made use of volunteers (usually high school students and parents), but they usually seemed to be supplementary to the programs, rather than an integral part of them. A special category of volunteers whose presence was noted were teachers and librarians who stayed after school to provide Executive Summary
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tutoring or special assistance to some of the children. This was uniformly applauded and highly regarded where it was found, except for one case where a librarian stayed around to ensure that the after‐school children did not touch the books on all but one shelf of “her” library. Tasks that appeared to present considerable challenges were staff recruiting, retention, and training. Nearly all sites cited problems in attracting and retaining staff with the skills to run specialty programs related to the arts, sports, etc.; and several of the observations called into question the staff members’ abilities to help students with math and science activities. Several programs also mentioned the problems of staffing programs when staff called in sick; and losing staff members just after they had become highly effective members of the staff. These problems seemed to be particularly acute in the smaller agencies which can’t afford to hire recruiters. Nevertheless, programs seemed adequately staffed during most observations; and in most cases the staff were friendly and approachable to students and parents. As demonstrated through the survey data, these turn out to be some of the areas in which students and parents highly value these programs. Staff Management and Development Nearly all sites had a site coordinator that served only one site, while a few shared coordinators between sites. Agencies and programs varied widely in the amount of formal staff training that’s provided. Some agencies have well‐developed programs that assure that all staff receive training that goes well beyond the minimum required sessions. Others offer very little. There is strong agreement that behavior and classroom management is the most needed training area; especially for younger staff who have not been trained as teachers. Other areas for which training needs were expressed are assisting staff to gain a better understanding of the reading, language arts, and mathematics skills that students at the grade levels with which they work need to master. Still other programs expressed the need for training that provides staff with a career path that will permit them to progress from after‐
school program generalists to specialists or managers. Staff development is clearly an area in which the agencies serving multiple sites have an advantage, since they have the “critical mass” of staff that support being able to bring in training specialists and develop training programs. Relations with School This is a program area in which there is probably as much variation between programs operated by the same agency as there is between agencies. Among the 30 sites there were huge differences that substantially affected the effectiveness of the programs. At the highest end of the spectrum are programs in which the site coordinator or other key staff members are employed at the school during the school day as teachers, aides, coordinators, specialists, etc. In these cases, most of their programs appear to have close‐knit relationships with the schools administrators and teachers; and they often speak of being able to resolve problems with students, parents, and teachers informally and rapidly. The next rung on the relationship ladder is occupied by after‐school program coordinators and other key staff who have been associated with both their programs and their school for more than a decade (in some cases for several decades!). Such individuals may well know more about the dynamics of the school than the principal and most teachers. The middle rung of the ladder is occupied by program coordinators who have daily or weekly contacts with their school principals and have established strong professional relationships with them. The next‐
to‐the‐bottom rung is occupied by program coordinators who have a weak relationship with the Executive Summary
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principal, but are able to work through an assistant principal who has been granted authority over the program in critical areas such as scheduling and room use. At the bottom rung of the ladder are programs in which the relationships between site coordinators and administrators are largely nonexistent or hostile. The major areas in which site coordinators with poor school relationships often experienced the most difficulties were in room allocations to the after‐school programs (see the homework discussion below); coordinating the schedules of the school and after‐school programs; and recruiting additional students from the school (the most successful coordinators have a steady stream of student referrals from teachers and administrators). Not surprisingly, many of the site coordinators said that their greatest personal training need was in how to improve their relationships with teachers and administrators. Relations with Community The same kind of a success ladder can be used to typify relationships between site coordinators and the community. Among the most successful are those site coordinators who have grown up in the community in which they’re working and who—in some cases—are serving their second and third generations of students at the school. Discipline seems to be much more effective in these programs, since students are aware of the relationships between their parents and grandparents, and the site coordinator or other key staff. The next rungs of the ladder are occupied by site coordinators who have made strong efforts to become involved with students’ parents, others living in the community, and the local business community. These coordinators have mastered the art of marshalling community resources and sentiment to advance their programs, and attracting the prizes, additional financing, and audiences needed to help assure the success of their programs’ special events. At the bottom of the ladder were a few site coordinators who acknowledged that, although they had been at their sites for several years, they didn’t have any contacts in the local community and had only minimal knowledge of the neighborhoods surrounding them. The major areas in which those coordinators at the bottom of ladder appeared to be less effective were gauging parents’ reactions to rules and policies that were being put in place, assuring the success of the special events, and leveraging community support on the side of their after‐school programs in areas in which the schools’ interests did not always coincide with those of the after‐school programs. Attendance In terms of attendance, most agency directors and program coordinators were focusing most of their efforts on improving average daily attendance (ADA)—assuring that all the program seats are being filled by students every day. This isn’t surprising, since it is ADA that determines their levels of reimbursements; and therefore the numbers and kinds of staff, equipment, materials, and support services that will be available to them. Especially at the middle school levels, this often led in the past to the after‐school programs sponsoring special events to which all students in the school were invited, thus increasing their ADA on the days that these events were held; and adding to their total attendance days for the year. While, if abused, this practice runs counter to the federal and state regulations which require students to attend elementary after‐school programs for 5 days a week and middle school after‐
school programs for at least 3 days a week, the practice, if practiced judiciously, can be an effective recruiting mechanism; especially in middle schools in which parents are much less likely to compel their children to attend after‐school programs regularly. Observers found that sites that had waiting lists were more aggressive in enforcing minimum attendance requirements. However, the 5‐day and 3‐day regulations appear to be widely accepted as Executive Summary
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goals rather than as minimums; and they are largely enforced by dropping students from the programs due to excessive unexcused absences. On the other hand, it appears unlikely that many programs would exclude a third grader who attended a church‐sponsored program, or a team sports program, 1‐2 days a week, from the after‐school program on the other days, but this is what the present regulations seem to require. With the advent of increased concern over dosage (assuring that the programs seats are being filled by the same students every day), policies relating to excused and unexcused absences will inevitably become more strict, regardless of whether after‐school programs have waiting lists. This is because reports such as the 2006‐2007 Value‐Added Report, the previous value‐added report written by RSS last year, and other value‐added analyses of after‐school programs performed by LAUSD, LA’s BEST and UCLA, have clearly shown that one can only anticipate improved school performance on measures such as standardized tests when dosage increases to specified levels. In the 2006‐2007 Value‐Added Report, the minimum levels at which CST scores can be anticipated to increase, if programs are effective in these areas, are 120 days a year (3 days a week) for elementary students and 40 days a year (1 day a week) for middle school students. Given the financial stakes related to ADA, it is not surprising that most agency directors and program coordinators were more highly focused on it. However, all acknowledged the importance of dosage; and observers were often left with the impression that they were more than willing to address dosage directly—once their sites were out of danger of having their funding curtailed by poor ADA, and they had waiting lists from which students with low attendance could be replaced. Meeting attendance reporting requirements was reported by many site coordinators as being among their most difficult challenges. For the most part—particularly at the school sites—these procedures are being handled manually using the equivalent of roll books in much the same manner as they would have been conducted 100 years ago. Except in a few cases, little has been done by the agencies to automate these procedures by taking attendance using scan sheets, bar codes, ID cards, finger scanning, etc.; and the consolidation of attendance data are being accomplished manually using tools such as Microsoft Excel, when better alternatives such as on‐line attendance systems and database management systems are readily available. Again, as in the case of recruiting and training, some cooperative programs involving at least the smaller agencies would probably result in cost savings and increased accuracy. In particular, there are substantial disparities between the attendance estimates made informally by site coordinators and the substantially lower attendance reports submitted by agencies. Several observers speculated whether some of these disparities are due to ineffective attendance collection and tabulation procedures; and whether more automated systems might result in higher levels of reimbursements and better attendance statistics. Homework and Academic Enrichment While survey data indicated that homework completion was one of the most valued services provided by BTB programs—and observations showed that nearly all sites were meeting or exceeding the one‐
hour a day homework requirement—this was still the area in which there were the largest variances in quality between sites. The largest source of this variance was the setting in which students were completing their homework: While some sites made use of the schools’ classrooms for homework and academic activities, many others were not using them. In many programs, observers noted more than 100 students working on their homework or doing other “desktop” activities, while being crowded together in the outside school lunch area, a cafeteria, or 1‐2 Executive Summary
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large classrooms. With only a few exceptions, these settings were noisy and disruptive, and made it nearly impossible for program staff to provide effective homework assistance. What made these situations particularly ironic was that, invariably, the areas that were being used for students to complete homework en masse were surrounded by empty classrooms that could have been used to break the students up into groups of less than 20 in which the students’ homework and academic assistance needs could have been addressed much more effectively for essentially the same cost. In discussing these problems with agency directors and program coordinators, it became clear that this issue is the “third rail” that many of them are very reluctant to touch. They were fully aware of the protectiveness of teachers and other school staff regarding “their” classrooms, libraries, and labs; and most seemed willing to avoid difficult conversations with the principals on these problems rather than risk worsening their overall relations with their schools. Nevertheless, the contrasts in the quality and variety of academic support activities between the programs which have gained full use of their schools’ facilities, and those that have not, make it clear that this is a challenge that BTB and the agencies should address more aggressively. It is highly likely that BTB enrollments and dosage, and schools’ test scores and academic programs, are likely to benefit from more integrated use of the school facilities. Another source of variance was the level of planning that went into the homework and academic enrichment activities. At some sites, after‐school staff interact with teachers to find out what homework is being assigned and discuss how they can proceed in tandem together. In some cases they share anecdotes and perceptions of the kinds of support individual students need. In most cases where these levels of collaboration have been achieved, it seems to be in part because the after‐school programs are at least partially staffed by teachers from the school or other school employees, or because the site coordinator has worked at the school for many years and has developed strong relationships with the principal and with individual teachers. In other cases, teachers have students complete a homework assignment sheet that after‐school staff can examine; thus knowing which homework assignments students are responsible for completing. A few sites required program staff to complete formal lesson plans for academic enrichment activities; and others provided staff with some lesson plans they suggest be used. However, in more cases, homework and academic enrichment activities were ad hoc activities that were addressed day‐by‐day, and were based on the homework assignments with which the students arrive, and the teaching supplies available to the staff. Relatively few of the 30 sites provided students with access to the schools’ computer labs and libraries. Thus these high‐cost facilities were remaining largely unused after 3 PM; while BTB programs were being continually challenged to improve the quality and variety of the academic enrichment services they offered. Sites in which school librarians or IT directors serve on the after‐school program staffs, or have opted to stay around after school, are enjoying marked success in these areas. Finally, still another challenge area results from the kind of homework that is being assigned. For the most part, observers noted that homework assignments were mostly of the drill‐and‐practice variety, and presented the students with few intellectual challenges or opportunities for academic enrichment or group participation. Particularly in schools in which after‐school dosage rates are relatively high, teachers and after‐school staff should experiment with the notion of alternative homework assignments that are more challenging and interesting, and take advantage of the resources of the after‐school Executive Summary
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programs. In a similar vein, there were only a few instances in which we were told of after‐school staff being made aware of students’ interim test results so that they could plan more appropriate activities; or in which teachers and after‐school staff engaged in joint planning. These are other areas in which the academic effectiveness of after‐school programs could be substantially improved, while providing tangible benefits to the schools’ academic programs at the same time. Sports, Games, Performing & Visual Arts, and Other Enrichment Activities After spending more than 500 hours observing BTB programs, observers left with the conviction that the best of these programs were those that provided a finely‐honed balance between homework and academic enrichment, and other kinds of activities including sports, games, and the performing/visual arts. Further, both the observations and the survey data made it very clear that the latter are the kinds of activities that the students value the most highly. What many of the observations commented upon was the enthusiasm with which most students embraced these activities; and the satisfaction they demonstrated even in cases in which the observers found the activities to be routine. Several of the observations note younger children’s happiness in playing Duck, Duck, Goose; and others attest to the levels of involvement shown by students involved in dance, drama, and sports activities. One activity that was observed when staff were field testing the observation procedures was a bicycle club at a middle school program in which students would bring their bicycles to the after‐school program on Fridays and spend hours customizing them so that the resale value of some would probably be in excess of $1,000. The students worked cooperatively and with enthusiasm; and, just as impressively, some of the students told the observers that the local street gang (a large one with thousands of members) had given the students “safe passage” on Fridays so that they could safely ride their show bikes to and from school. Something else that was noteworthy was the atmosphere in which the sports activities were played. Observers noted that everyone got a chance to play, that coaches were helpful rather than demanding, and that students were truly supportive of each other. The major challenge that site coordinators cited was attracting and retaining the specialized staff needed to make these activities a success. But, unlike the case with classrooms, libraries, and labs, the schools seem to be willing to make their auditoriums, multi‐purpose rooms and outside areas available to the programs, helping to ensure the success of these activities. Perhaps this is because no individual staff member typically establishes “ownership” over them. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes What both the observations and surveys found is that the major strengths and successes of the BTB after‐school programs are: 1) keeping children safe until their parents get home; 2) ensuring that most students complete their homework; 3) providing students with a broader range of activities than they and their friends can do on their own; 4) forming bonds between students and adults who serve as role models; and 5) permitting more parents to support their families by working outside the home. In these five areas, nearly all of the programs are performing wonderfully and—with a cost to taxpayers of roughly $6 per child, per day—are highly cost‐effective. A formal cost‐benefit analysis of these five aspects of BTB after‐school programs would likely lead to evidence that the programs are saving taxpayers several dollars for every dollar the programs expend. Another area of success that the BTB after‐school programs enjoy is that they have become commoditized. In other words, when students change schools and move from some of the 500+ Beyond Executive Summary
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the Bell after‐school programs to others, they will generally receive the same benefits delivered in much the same way. For, despite being operated by more than 30 different agencies, the underlying legislation and the monitoring activities of BTB help to ensure that the experience is almost always high‐
quality and predictable, regardless of the programs attended. One need only contrast this situation with those that exist among private day care providers and tutoring programs to become convinced that Beyond the Bell is truly a beneficial partnership between the private and public sectors. As noted earlier, the challenge that affects students most negatively is the reluctance of many host schools to provide the after‐school programs with sufficient classroom space and access to libraries and computer labs, and the reluctance of BTB, agencies and site coordinators to press the issue. Other areas of concern are the need for more inter‐agency cooperative staffing and training opportunities; and the need to make the attendance taking and reporting procedures more accurate and less burdensome on the sites and agencies. Interestingly, the two most effective attendance recording systems were found in the largest and the smallest of the agencies; suggesting that there are probably off‐the‐shelf systems that are suitable for use with a wide variety of agencies. And finally, the most significant challenge still facing these programs is improving dosage, ADA and academic‐enrichment opportunities in the middle school programs. There were notable differences in the quality of the homework and academic‐enrichment activities noted by our observers in elementary vs. middle schools; and, as noted in the 2006‐2007 Value‐Added Analysis Report, the most successful examples of 6th grade students achieving high dosages and significantly improved CST scores were not found in the middle schools, but in elementary schools with 6th grade students. This suggests that the BTB after‐school middle school programs need to find out how to replicate the features and practices of these programs in middle school settings (without adversely affecting dosage), and how to extend the benefits to the seventh and eighth grades as well. We will probe this question in our spring 2008 observations and will ensure that elementary schools with sixth graders are adequately represented in the schools that are sampled. Executive Summary
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AFTER-SCHOOL ALL-STARS—BELVEDERE MIDDLE SCHOOL
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
School Demographics (2006-07)*:
Student Enrollment
Student Racial/Ethnicity
English Language Learners
Suspensions/Expulsions
Teaching Staff
Administrators
After School Program Provider Agency
(central office location)
Program Name
Total Enrollment (Reported by Site Coord.)
Average Daily ASP Attendance
(Reported by Site Coord.)
Waiting List
Site Staff—(reported by Site Coordinator)
Site Staff—(reported in site documents)
Belvedere Middle School
312 N. Record Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90063
Leo Salazar
2064
99.7% Hispanic; 0.1% African-American; 0.1%
White
831 Spanish
333/2 (Suspensions and Expulsions down from
2005-06)
88
9
After School All Stars
6501 Fountain Avenue
After School All Stars
130
130
No
8 Staff
8 Staff (including: 1 site coordinator, 7 after school
instructors)
Observation Data Summary
Total # of RSS Observers
Total # of Observations Forms Completed
Total # of Homework/Academic Enrichment Obs.
[Range of student group size observed]
Total # Activity Observations
[Range of student group size]
Description of Activities Observed
Types of Activities:
- Homework assistance (5)
- Academic enrichment (0)
- Math/science enrichment (0)
- Reading/language arts enrichment (1)
- Multimedia/digital technology/computer (1)
3
17
5
15-24
12
2-36
Observer Record (frequency)
-
Sports: competitive and non-competitive (4)
Sports: practice/drills/skill-building (4)
Arts and/or crafts (1)
Performing arts, rehearsal/instruction (5)
Health/well-being (0)
Other (2) [Free Play, Board Games, Poetry]
Fundamental Indicators of Program Quality:
Activity has clear goals and objectives - Yes (9)
Activity appropriate for age, genders, ethnicity - Yes (12)
Space is sufficient and appropriate for activity - Yes (12)
Necessary materials and equipment provided - Yes (11)
Youth are appropriately supervised - Yes (12)
Free from safety or environmental problems - Yes (12)
*Source: LAUSD School Profile [http://search.lausd.k12.ca.us/]
After-School All-Stars—Belvedere Middle School
No (3)
No (0)
No (0)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
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STAFF INTERVIEW, ADMINISTRATOR QUESTIONNAIRE AND ARTIFACT DATA
Program Design and Curriculum
Belvedere Middle School sits at the heart of East Los Angeles’ barrio, just south of Cesar Chavez Boulevard and east of Soto Street. In a predominately Hispanic immigrant working‐class neighborhood which historically has suffered from high gang activity, the school is populated nearly entirely by Hispanic students. The Belvedere Middle School after‐school program, operated by After‐School All‐Stars (ASAS), serves an important function of keeping youth involved in positive activity from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. Given that the area is an immigrant newcomer enclave, it is not surprising that nearly half of the 2,000 middle school students are classified as English Learners. The ASAS program provides a diverse array of enrichment activities in three main areas: 1) health, fitness, and nutrition; 2) visual and performing arts; 3) youth leadership and community service. The ASAS middle school program design embraces fundamental principles of youth development, as well as embodies some of the most current promising practices of the field. This is well demonstrated in the highly youth‐oriented recruitment materials included in the document packet. For example, the student enrollment brochure is simple yet “hip” in its presentation of the program offerings for Fall, 2007. Listed with graphic images are the following classes that students can check off as their preferred selection: Monday/Wednesday Axiology (Guitar Class): Learn how to play the newest songs from one of the best Guitarists. Be the next Jimmy Hendrix. The Lounge: Learn about your favorite musicians/rappers from a music genius. Watch Videos, Learn Poetry, Lyrics and Spoken Words. Belvedere Cheer: Learn Cheer moves and stunts from the Best Cheer Squad in East L.A. Perfect your moves and be in competitive Cheer competitions. Get Down Records: Think you got lyrical talent like Tupac, 50cent and Eminem???! Learn how to Write and Record your own music onto you own CD. Ga Ga Ga Get Down Records. Wii Fit (Gaming): Play the newest game system “The Nintendo Wii” Track your weight and get in shape while playing video games. Did I just see a Pig Fly??? Tuesday/Thursday Mr. Belvedere (Leadership): Here is your chance to tell the world what’s happenin’ in your area. Work on an All‐Star newspaper and put in your own stories & pictures.” Act A Fool: Ever wanted to learn the tools to be in Hollywood movies. Learn acting tips from a Real Hollywood Actor. Work on performances and acting lessons from the best. Turn Hollywood to Hollywood. After-School All-Stars—Belvedere Middle School
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Belvedere Soccer: Be a part of the best competitive soccer team in East L.A. Play against the best teams in your area. Think you’re the next David Beckham? Making the Band Season Three: Get your friends and start up your own Band. Be the next Ramones or Iron Maiden. Rock on Future Musicians, Rock On!!! The program application form also reflects a savvy youth focus. The cover reads, “How Can I Be Down!” The application cover sheet explains in clear language accessible to any 11 to 13‐year old: “Fill out the application; come at least 3 times a week; have someone pick you up; Are you ready!!!”; and then “Return application to the After‐School All‐Stars Office; 213‐305‐9732 for Questions”. Inside, students simply fill in their personal information and emergency contact; a release of liability is included with a place for the parent/guardian to sign; Student Medical and Health History. The entire application form is in both in English and Spanish. The program schedule is divided into three periods: Count Down which is the homework assistance hour that occurs daily, followed by a 20 minute snack period, and then the “Blast Off” which is the enrichment component of the ASAS program. A graphic and clear representation of the after school program schedule provides the following information: 3:00‐4:00 Count Down (every day) [Below this section there are squares. Three contain the teacher name, classroom, and grade level (7‐8th; 6th; 7‐8th ) where Count Down, or the homework assistance hour, takes place; additionally there are three squares that indicate recreational activities (Soccer Tues/Thurs; Boys Softball, and Girls Softball on the Outside Field for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders.] 4:00‐4:20 Snack (every day) 4:20‐5:25 Blast Off (Mon‐Fri) [There are two tracks Alpha & Omega, but only Alpha has classes listed along with the name of the instructor and room/location where the activity takes place: These classes are listed in columns but for the sake of space are listed here horizontally]. Monday Axiology (Guitar class); All‐Star Football (Boys); Belvedere Cheer; Get Down Records; The Lounge; Wii Fit Club; Girls Football Tuesday Girls Football; Act a Fool; Belvedere Cheer; Making the Band; Belvedere Soccer; Break Dancing Wednesday Girls Football; Axiology (Guitar class); All‐Star Football (Boys/Girls); Belvedere Cheer; Get Down Records; The Lounge; Wii Fit Club Thursday Girls Football; Act a Fool; Making the Band; Belvedere Cheer; Belvedere Soccer; Break Dancing [New, not included on original Fall ’07 brochure]. Friday Freestyle Fridays 5:25‐6:00 Pick‐up & Clean (every day) An additional program sample is included from a previous session which also shows weird food science, bird (zoology), painting, and skateboarding classes. Sample class materials include a student poem and poems by the artists Tupac Shakur and Rihanna (downloaded from the internet). Also included, a set of After-School All-Stars—Belvedere Middle School
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photocopied “play” money in $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 denominations featuring the faces of the ASAS staff that may be used as incentives for students [purpose unspecified]. The packet includes a DVD. A distinctive feature of the ASAS packet is inclusion of a 90‐page After‐School All‐Stars Program Leader Record Book, with the purpose of providing program leaders, “a means by which to do your best teaching!” The book includes helpful forms and information, such as: student roster; classroom seating chart; substitute teacher information; emergency procedures; student birthdays; percentage grader (a quick reference chart to quickly figure out percentage grades, as well as reference pages of instructional information such as proofreading marks, tricky spelling words and spelling rules, multiplication tables, math signs and symbols, states and capitals, etc…); record pages (to record daily classroom information including, attendance, tardies, behavior, homework, special projects, and individual accomplishments). This staff manual is an excellent example of how agencies can support their site level staff to deliver an organized, intentional program founded on professional expectations and sound principles of youth development. The ASAS curriculum design and pedagogical approach provides an exemplary middle school program. Site Staff and Volunteers
The Belvedere ASP has eight regular staff, including the site coordinator. Although there are no regular volunteers, the site coordinator reports that parents volunteer as chaperones whenever they have field trips or parties. For performances and parties, parents always contribute with food and help with set up and clean up. Staff Management and Development
The site coordinator works closely and regularly with his site staff by having daily meetings lasting 20 ‐30 minutes. At these meetings, they discuss what needs to be worked on (e.g., trash on the field). Any complaints that anyone has are also discussed at this time. The site coordinator makes sure that his site staff is prepared by requiring them to turn in their curriculum on a weekly basis. The site coordinator further expresses that he is very demanding of his staff and always asks them, “What can you bring to the table?” He looks for staff members who have the right skill, talent, and background. With regard to ASAS’ staff development, the agency administrator asserts that they “hold some incredible staff development weeks with facilitators who are leaders in the after school movement.” She adds that a distinctive feature of these training sessions is that they include high school students who graduated from the ASAS program, as they come back and work with younger peers to develop student leadership. Furthermore, the aforementioned staff manual included in the site document packet has a page on “Staff Color Checks” (Staff Evaluations) that clearly outlines a color code for assessing staff performance with the intention of ongoing improvement. The form states: All staff will be evaluated as a “Team” every other month and will receive a “Team” color on the last day of the month. […] The “Team” color that you receive will be based on ATTITUDE, LEADERSHIP, COMMITMENT, COMPASSION and the DESIRE to MOTIVATE and COLLABORATE collectively as a “Team”!!! The “Color Breakdown” is as follows: After-School All-Stars—Belvedere Middle School
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•
Green: “you are doing great” •
Yellow: “you are doing satisfactory work but you need to step up your game” •
Red: “you better think about your job and ask yourself if this is the right job for you” Rewards and consequences are also indicated: •
3 greens “you will be rewarded” •
1 yellow “Counsel” •
2 yellows “Write‐up” •
3 yellows “Possible Termination (shows no improvement) The sheet notes in bold at the bottom: “The benefits of color check will change attitudes and create a teamwork environment and allows oneself to develop stage 1. Give 100% or nothing!!!” The agency administrator also comments on the impact of their recent expansion to nine new sites in terms of ASAS staff supervision and support structure. She states: We started recruiting staff very early and getting them trained. We regionalized our sites and created a new position within our infrastructure, called Regional Mentors, who took lead roles in the expansion and monitoring of the quality of programming at the new sites. Relations with School
The site coordinator reports that his relationship with the Belvedere MS principal is “fantastic; dynamite.” Generally they speak to each other on a daily basis. The site coordinator explains that the program leaders are the ones who deal directly with the teachers since they are the ones working directly with students. He only speaks with the teachers directly if there is a serious problem. The agency administrator further elaborates on the ASAS model for collaboration with the school by saying: Because we hire full‐time site coordinators, and full‐time regional mentors, our staff spend a great deal of time working with the school Administrators/ Designees. Many of our site coordinators sit on school‐based committees and are truly viewed as part of the school team. Relations with Parents and Community
In order to maintain communication with the parents, students take home flyers with information about activities such as field trips, fundraising, and new program offerings. The ASAS program sponsors Parent Night at the school, too. Still, the site coordinator insists that the most effective and primary way to communicate with parents is in person every day when they come to check out their children. The site coordinator further emphasizes that he and his team make it a point not to just discuss problems or complaints with parents but to always offer positive reinforcement regarding their children, as well. With regard to his awareness of the surrounding community, the site coordinator has been working with the After‐School All‐Stars organization for five years and knows the area very well. He recognizes the importance of tying their after‐school program with the local community and is currently coordinating a number of community service projects for students (e.g., working with a local homeless shelter). He is After-School All-Stars—Belvedere Middle School
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working with the local Parks and Recreation department to hold their annual culmination show at Belvedere Park. To this end, the agency administrator attests, “Our culminating events always draw a large parent population. These events have been very successful this past year.” Attendance
The site coordinator estimates that, on average, there are approximately 130 students attending the after‐school program at Belvedere MS. Students are required to attend at least three times a week. If a student does not attend, a staff must first verify whether or not the student has left the program. If it is determined that the student has not dropped out and is still supposed to be enrolled in program, then staff member will inform the parent/guardian of absences. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The site coordinator at Belvedere MS prides himself on the diversity of his staff and upholds this as one of the program’s successes. By diversity, he means that not only are they able to perform and teach different subjects, but also they are experienced and talented at what they do. To secure such high quality staff, the site coordinator further explains that they conduct three rounds of interviews before hiring a new staff member. The first round is with him and the Belvedere school staff. The next round is with the After‐School All‐Star staff. Finally, an interview of potential staff is carried out with the participation of after‐school program students. This is a practice that helps ensure that the individual responds well to the youth and they, in turn, have a stake in their success as an activity leader. Another program success that the site coordinator recognizes is the nature of the ASP relationship with the administration at Belvedere MS. According to the site coordinator, the administration provides the program with phenomenal resources and is very supportive. Specifically, he identifies the P.E. teachers as very supportive and helpful. There is generally good communication on the campus between the After‐School All‐Stars and student groups such as the school’s Leadership Committee. For instance, the students on the Leadership Committee are helping the After‐School All‐Star students with the upcoming Halloween dance. Another particularly successful practice has been with the recruitment program which the site coordinator developed himself. That includes lunch hour recruitment using members of his staff and students to do performances (e.g., break dancing and cheerleading groups). The agency administrator further identified the success of this past year with 100 students celebrating a week‐long camping trip as a result of their successful completion of more than 100 hours of community service. Challenges
One of the challenges the site coordinator faces is related to the attrition rate experienced among the middle school students enrolling and attending the after‐school program; hence the recruitment program. This challenge is endemic in middle school programs. As the site coordinator affirms, it is an ongoing challenge to keep the curriculum of the after‐school program “fresh and zesty […] not to be boring in order to keep the students interested in enrolling and staying enrolled.” Another challenge is not having enough textbooks. Currently, students at the school keep one set of books at home and one set in the classroom, but since the after‐school program kids are not in their After-School All-Stars—Belvedere Middle School
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regular classrooms they have to use books from the All‐Star office library, and there are only a few textbooks available [to illustrate, one observer notes that on one afternoon, half a dozen students came in during the homework session asking to borrow textbooks]. A third challenge that the site coordinator faces is finding staff members who have what he is looking for in terms of being prepared and having something to bring to the table. Finally the site coordinator relates frustration with keeping quality staff. When he finds the right staff members, they too often do not stay long enough, making attrition of staff members a challenge as well. The agency administrator further elaborates on the impact of ASAS’ recent growth as a result of Proposition 49 funding and the need to recruit and retain new staff. She states: We started recruiting staff very early and getting them trained. We regionalized our sites and created a new position within our infrastructure, called Regional Mentors, who took lead roles in the expansion and monitoring of the quality of programming at the new sites. Such an infrastructure helps to keep staff well supported and may therefore help ameliorate the retention problem. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
Homework and Academic Enrichment
The ASAS program calls its homework hour the “Count Down” period. In the five homework observations completed on four different days at Belvedere, observers consistently noted that students appeared to be very focused and friendly with one another, and staff to be supportive and positive during “Count Down.” As one observation notes, “Staff member is friendly with students. He is young and creates an informal atmosphere in the classroom. ‘What’s up?’ he says to a student asking a question, using casual language.” Along these lines another observation notes, “[The] staff member is friendly with students and has a relaxed rapport with them. He is giving them extra math problems and riddles that he reads off of his laptop computer.” Staff reminded students that if homework was not complete they would not be able to participate in enrichment activities. Some students remained focused on homework and worked individually while others participated in the extra math problems and riddles the staff member gave them. Students worked independently and appeared capable of completing their homework unassisted. Due to the fact that homework is always checked, students worked very hard to complete all assignments. One observation notes: All students are working quietly on their homework. All students appear to have homework. Students are all very focused and all of them work independently. This group seems very mature and self directed. Students who stand in line to try on their uniforms [for a cheer activity] are smiling and speak to each other in a friendly and relaxed may. Girls show each other their shirts and comment on whether the size is appropriate. They are animated in line and appear to be happy. Individual or personalized tutoring sessions in certain subject areas were provided by regular school day teachers in designated classrooms. One homework section was observed in a classroom of a day time After-School All-Stars—Belvedere Middle School
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teacher. Interaction was casual and cheerful. The attendees knew one another and were sitting in locations of their choice. The program leader was still moving around to see that assignments were done and talked pleasantly with the students. The observer comments, “The engagement at the end of the hour is not as intense as it probably was at the beginning, but it is a positive and orderly place.” In one homework class for a cheer activity group of girls, students were observed sitting at the available desks and chairs. The rest of the students sat on the floor or on mats and did their homework on their laps. All students were observed to be “very disciplined and self‐directed. Students all worked well and independently; no one appeared incapable of handling the level of homework that they have”. Enrichment Activities
The enrichment activities offered by the ASAS program at Belvedere MS, as described in detail above, were diverse and youth oriented. The activities reflected this diversity and high level of youth engagement including five sports or recreation activities and six performing arts, multi‐media, musical and language arts (poetry) activities. All observations noted students engaged in meaningful and well directed activities where youth carried out active roles and all activities had a clear purpose. Students practiced playing instruments (guitars, drums); honed break dance skills; wrote and recited poetry; created challenging cheer formations; and played soccer and flag football. Observer notes are replete with examples of high engagement, quality staff‐youth guidance, and leadership development. The following excerpts of observational notes convey the quality enrichment offered to Belvedere’s middle school students: [Music] At the beginning of this practice, staff member goes over what the day’s practice will entail and what type of music he expects to hear. He speaks to the group as a whole and then as students are setting up their equipment he speaks to each one individually. Staff member speaks in a very friendly and caring tone. Students appear to be very self motivated [based upon] their level of enjoyment and passion for playing these instruments. This is an excellent music lesson for these students. They are learning new musical skills. They are being challenged to move beyond their competency and are self motivated to set goals for themselves. No students appear bored or disengaged and the staff member is paying full attention to their work. [Poetry] A staff member reads their poems with [students] out loud when they are done and also challenges them with poetry exercises that they complete at the chalkboard. The staff member works directly with each student on her poem. [Dance] The gym is the appropriate area for students to be practicing their break dancing skills. All students are engaged and focused on performing their very best skills. They feel comfortable seeking guidance and approval from staff member and comment on each other’s moves quite often. These dance moves do get the students breathing hard and trying to push their bodies physically to the limit. [On another day] The group is rehearsing moves and a routine for a performance in December. The instructor/program leader is very skilled and also a patient and encouraging teacher. This activity is challenging, particularly for the boys. These moves are tricky, require coordination, and just a little fearlessness. They need balance, determination, and a sense of rhythm. After-School All-Stars—Belvedere Middle School
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[Art Class] Today the students are working with pastels. The role of the program leader, who is also the coordinator, is to give suggestions to the students who are all doing individual portraits of friends, or of themselves. Any activity that encourages good fellowship and helps develop an expressive skill for 13 and 14 year old boys is a positive exercise Recreational activities also reflected a high level of staff guidance and student engagement. Observers made the following comments about several activities: [Cheerleading] Staff member is clear in her communication with the students in this cheer group. She is supportive and enthusiastic and very skilled at developing the skills of trust and focus that this group needs in order to work successfully as a unit. They are encouraging; when the girl on top keeps falling they say, “Come on, you can do it!” [Basketball] Students are friendly with one another. They share the basketball in the group that is dribbling and shooting baskets. They play in a relaxed and easy way together. Students also play cooperatively in the basketball game. These students are all engaged in the activity. The atmosphere is casual and fun. Students appear to enjoy what they are doing. All students observed are working together on a cooperative and agreeable manner. Students are smiling and laughing with a staff member while they play. They are clearly having fun playing with him. [Soccer] Students are playing soccer. The staff member is on the soccer field with students. He is comfortable and familiar with students, frequently speaks to them in Spanish, and gives students encouragement and guidance: “Let’s go! Bueno!” Students are playing easily and all students appear to know the game of soccer very well. Students are all physically coordinated and playing with relaxed confidence. Regarding the level of challenge during the cheerleading class, an observation notes: Students are very challenged by this cheerleading class, and in particular by working on this cheer pose. The girls must strike a pose at the very top of the cheer. There are three base girls who must hoist her up and hold her there. The group, as a whole, is consistently challenged to form a cradle with their collective arms to “cradle” the girls at the uppermost position of the cheer when she falls from her pose. If anyone of them should fail to concentrate or do their job incorrectly, then someone could get seriously hurt. The physical and mental strength of the students is challenged each time they go through this routine. The After‐School All‐Stars program, in both the observational data and documentation collected from the site, reflects a highly motivated staff with a program design and approach that is well conceived for the population served: urban immigrant middle school youth of Los Angeles. The program exemplifies the type of after‐school programming that can attract middle school youth and keep them engaged in positive activity while building a number of academic, social, and life skills. Not surprisingly, students rate the ASAS program with an “A” grade in sports, art, music, and drama opportunities provided, as well as keeping them safe and treating them nicely. The active effort to After-School All-Stars—Belvedere Middle School
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showcase student performances and invite parents to volunteer on field trips and events also explains the “A” grade given to the program in that aspect as well. Additionally the agency has been proactive in developing a strong staff support system that is regional and is accompanied by comprehensive training in state‐of‐the‐art youth development strategies and curriculum. This staff management and coaching effort is further enhanced by ongoing monthly team assessments and rewards described above. After‐School All‐Stars youth workers (as exemplified in this case study of Belvedere Middle School) are leaders in the field. The agency’s dynamic and imaginative approach to after‐school programming in the most challenging of urban middle school sites is a unique source of inspiration and experiential knowledge. This agency also provides an example of “importing” successful training and organizational procedures from a highly successful elementary after‐school program to middle school settings. This occurred with the hiring of the present agency director, who moved to ASAS from her previous position as Director of LA’s BEST; which had more than 140 school sites when she left. Thus, this case study shows that small agencies have much to learn from larger ones (as well as the other way around); and that procedures that are successful in elementary schools can often be effectively transferred to middle schools. The example of Belvedere requiring parent/adult sign‐outs for students is just one example that has been successfully implemented at this site. After-School All-Stars—Belvedere Middle School
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ART SHARE LOS ANGELES—MONTARA ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
-
Montara Avenue Elementary
10018 Montara Ave., South Gate, CA 90280
Doreen Evans
667
99% Hispanic; .3% White
346 (all Spanish)
4; 0 (Note: suspensions up from “1” previous
year; “0” three years prior)
38
2
Art Share Los Angeles
801 East 4th Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90013
BLAST Building Language and Art Skills
Together
126
85
-
YES
6 staff total
1 site coordinator, 1 assistant site coordinator, 4
after school instructors
-
4
22
13
[10-29 students]
9
[10-49 students]
Total # of Activity Observations
Total # of Enrichment Observations
- Multimedia/digital technology (1)
Activity has clear goals and objectives
Activity appropriate for age, genders, ethnicity
Space is sufficient and appropriate for activity
Necessary materials and equipment provided
Youth are appropriately supervised
Free from safety or environmental problems
-
Free play (2)
-
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
(9)
(9)
(8)
(8)
(8)
(9)
No
No
No
No
No
No
(0)
(0)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(0)
Art Share Los Angeles—Montara Elementary
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Montara Elementary serves 667 students—nearly all Hispanic—in one of the grittiest downtown areas of Los Angeles. As stated in the program materials, Art Share Los Angeles’ (ASLA) after‐school program—Build Literacy and Art Skills Together (BLAST)—mission is articulated in its program literature and by the program agency administrator as follows: We empower students to think and act critically about the world around them. By teaching students a variety of art genres, a set of skills, and, most importantly, a love for learning—we teach our participants to be active producers and creators of ideas, projects and movements rather than mere consumers and followers. According to the agency literature and staff, ASLA’s after‐school program works to involve students with their own learning process to motivate them to think critically about the world around them, while building academic skills and a sense self efficacy through a variety of experientially arts‐based and literacy projects and activities. To this end, BLAST participants at Montara Elementary after‐school program have the option of choosing between art courses such as video making, photography, installation, and spoken word/music. Participants do homework, participate in all lessons, learn, and have fun. At the end of each six‐month session, students showcase their work and performances at a venue provided by Art Share L.A., in the arts district of Los Angeles. The showcase (involving exhibits and performance) allows students to share their talents, skills, and conceptual ideas with parents and the community. Reflecting these programmatic components and goals, a flyer communicating open enrollment for 2007‐
2008 year (in both Spanish and English) states, “The Beyond the Bell BLAST Program at Montara Ave. School is now open for enrollment for the new school year 2007‐08. Students will have the opportunity to improve reading and writing skills, as well as choose courses in the arts of Dance, Music, Visual Art, Theater, and Creative Writing.” The agency administrator explains that the program staff works to coordinate its efforts closely with California State Language Arts Standards, as well as coordinate closely with the Montara teaching staff and administration to articulate its arts‐based literacy enrichment program with the schools academic goals. In this way, the program administrator asserts, “the needs of Montara students are met in the most efficient way possible.” BLAST provides a safe place for students after school, where they can grow academically and creatively. Working professional artists and teachers service a reported 150 students per session. Students have the opportunity to choose between five different art disciplines, receive help with homework, and engage in a district‐approved literacy program. The registration packet collected from the agency is very complete. It includes detailed descriptions of the program, its mission and the program approach, and a letter to parents regarding the nature of the BLAST curriculum and pedagogy. The letter states, “Our teachers and administrators work to create a program that fosters a love for learning and concept and skill building for ALL students.” The letter also clearly delineates the program’s attendance and behavioral policies and the registration packet includes a contract which incorporates positive and negative consequences. The letter assures parents and students, “our goal is to find resolutions and work together with students and their families first and Art Share Los Angeles—Montara Elementary
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foremost.” All materials directed to parents are provided in both English and Spanish (although some of the materials in Spanish could use editing for correct Spanish word usage and syntax). Two class syllabi included in the site document packet, for an introduction to “Art” class and another for “The Story Project Creative Writing Workshop”, reflect a professional approach to curriculum planning with a clear pedagogical orientation. Each class syllabus included learning objectives with sequential learning activities organized into a 14‐week schedule. Activity observations [summarized below] verify the quality of the curriculum, students’ engagement in arts‐based literacy, and enrichment activities offered and the general professionalism of the ASLA instructors. Site Staff and Volunteers
There are six regular ASLA staff working in the Montara Elementary after‐school program, including the site coordinator in addition to two regular parent volunteers. The two parent volunteers come every day from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m. The volunteers help at snack time and they also monitor student play on the playground. Staff Management and Development
The site coordinator reports that each month she holds a meeting with the Art Share LA staff to go over the upcoming school programs and events and to discuss any concerns or problems that staff might have (e.g., student discipline issues). As evidence of an ongoing staff and curriculum development effort, the materials packet from the site included instructional support and management forms. 1) Classroom Observation Form, which includes: •
Lesson goals and objectives •
Introduction/opening/activating background knowledge •
New material presentation •
Activities and strategies •
Formal and informal assessments •
Closure/conclusion •
SDAIE checklist with definitions of learning constructs and pedagogical strategies to work with English Learners (i.e., activating prior knowledge; schema building; appropriate language input/pace; meta cognitive development; bridging; modeling; contextualization; text re‐
presentation; Bloom’s Taxonomy; Teacher Enthusiasm; student engagement) [This is particularly relevant given that 50% of the Montara students are designated EL students] 2) A Performance Planning Form which asks instructors to describe the sequence of events and the rough details of the performance (include students). New staff development activities that have recently been implemented include a series of workshops, speakers, and teaching (pedagogy) classes. The agency administrator reports that “teachers were able to practice a variety of teaching and classroom management strategies as well as foster communication and community among BLAST teaching staff and administration.” Art Share Los Angeles—Montara Elementary
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Relations with School
The above mentioned staff development initiative has also been useful in supporting the after‐school program staff in aligning curriculum with California State Standards and the articulated BLAST Program goals with those at each individual site [including Montara, according the agency administrator]. The ALSA administrator illustrates concrete ways that they work to coordinate with the school curriculum and community: Our curriculum and program development is specifically linked to the school’s learning objectives and single student plans, as they are communicated by administration. We often offer classes or extra assistance in areas of specific need, again as indicated by administration. Clear examples are our writing class in Montara, or G.A.T.E. portfolio preparation in 32nd Street. Our close relationship with administration ensures that we participate in school activities like Back to School Night, college fairs, Christmas assemblies, etc. In addition, such close communication ensures that we support student health and well being—like special programming during Final Examination weeks. The on‐site coordinator works closely with school administration on a weekly, even daily basis, asserts the ASLA administrator; together, with the principal and vice principals at each site, ASLA teaching and administrative staff create a program that meets the specific needs of the school’s community of students, and simultaneously enhances students’ learning experiences and supports the objectives at school sites. She further explains: Focus meetings, and on‐going communication with administration, teachers, and parents allow for a program that is flexible enough to make the changes necessary to meet program objectives. For example, teachers and administration staff determined that our session data results indicated that students needed to focus more on homework. As a result, in the following session, BLAST was changed structurally to provide academic tutorial first and art instruction second. As a result, data now shows a dramatic change in homework completion. 93 percent of our students complete 95 percent of difficult homework, and 82 percent of our students complete 100 percent of all homework assigned, everyday. With regard to relations with the Montara School, the ASLA site coordinator further explains that she has worked at Montara for 16 years and therefore has very good relationships with all of the administration and teachers at Montara. She describes her relationship with the Montara Elementary School principal as “wonderful”, and asserts that they “work very well together.” This support for the school’s instructional goals is further evidenced by the inclusion of a Homework verification sheet, which students sign daily. If a student has no homework they must sign below the statement: “I hereby certify that I have no homework left to complete today” and write down their reason (e.g., Teacher didn’t assign HW, I already finished it, I forgot it). Relations with Parents and Community
ASLA staff communicates with parents primarily through face‐to‐face contact on a daily basis when they come to check out their children. According to the parent letter that accompanies the registration form, the policy of the BLAST program is for parents to “check‐in” with the site coordinator the last week of every month to sign attendance sheets and discuss the student’s progress (a two‐minute procedure). Occasionally, the program sends out flyers and letters to announce events or communicate information Art Share Los Angeles—Montara Elementary
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to parents and the community about the program (e.g., the After School BLAST culmination held June 27, 2007). The administrator emphasizes that at both of its program sites, “classroom management and discipline plans are designed to encourage communication with parents in viable ways.” The agency administrator further reports that on‐going communication with parents has been enhanced with the employment of the school site’s “Parent Coordinator” as the ASLA “Site Coordinator.” Parents work daily as volunteers for the program and have a parent committee designed to voice opinions, suggestions, and concerns. Indeed, the site coordinator states that she is very familiar with the school’s surrounding community, as she lives across the street from the school, and her own (now adult) children attended Montara. She has been able to secure various sponsors that donate both goods and money to the school. For instance, the carpeting in her resource room was donated by Master Mortgage Company. This same company also donated a TV for their raffle. A local building company recently donated money to buy Thanksgiving turkeys for families at the school. There is a local bakery that donates cakes they use as refreshments for parents attending after school events. Attendance
The site coordinator checks attendance weekly. If a student is absent many times a staff person calls the parents. If a student has more than five absences then the parents are called to check on whether the student is planning on returning to the after‐school program. If not, then the first name on the waiting list is contacted, (an effort is made to ensure that students of the same grade replaces a student that leaves). Indeed, in the site documents provided, a letter to the parents attached to the program registration form emphasizes the need for “timeliness and good attendance [that] will allow for the continuity necessary when learning new concepts and skills.” The letter further asserts, “We need to be able to know that we can count on your son/daughter everyday, in order to ensure that she/he will fully benefit from the program and services offered.” Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The agency program administrator states that the program successes are reflected in “clear and quantitative data” (e.g., grades, test scores, reading levels, etc.); emphasizing that ASLA “focuses on fostering in each student a love for learning.” To achieve this, Art Share LA, according the program administrator, follows a philosophy which “translates into practice in five distinct ways: (1) a student‐centered and intrinsically motivated learning environment; (2) consistent and reflective planning that considers student’s starting point, final goals/objectives, and possible obstacles along the way; (3) a variety of effective student‐centered teaching strategies; (4) formative, summative, and authentic assessments, and finally, (5) active reflection on student achievement and teaching effectiveness.” The program administrator asserts that this is not a babysitting program. She further elaborates on the fundamental pedagogical premise of the program as eliciting in students not only an affinity for learning but also a critical perspective and reflective capacity, with the long term objective of building active citizenship and leadership as expressed in the mission statement noted above. The administrator further explains: Our teaching practices are our personal commitment to make sure that every child experiences the most enriched curriculum through the widest variety of methodical approaches. As a staff we need to do very little to capitalize on these success. Student enthusiasm and positive feedback to peers further promotes our efforts to teachers at the school site, parents, and other students. Art Share Los Angeles—Montara Elementary
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To this end, the site coordinator reports several successful practices they have implemented this year. One example of a new successful practice to promote positive behavior is a prize box to reward good behavior at snack time. If students are well behaved during snack time they receive a ticket, which they can redeem for a prize: pencils, folders, rulers, and books. Another success cited is the Halloween party held by the ASP staff and students. The site coordinator held a raffle to show appreciation to the staff. In addition, the site coordinator reports that a new behavior improvement program she has implemented this year is to pass out certificates to reward students for attendance and good behavior in the ASP. This has proven to have a positive impact. She has noted students increased motivation to improve their attendance and behavior in order to receive certificates. Challenges
A basic challenge identified by the agency administrator is that the school has changed their student dismissal time schedule and their school calendar (from year‐round to traditional). The Montara site also recently experienced a change of administration, as did the ASLA 32nd Street site. “But, because ASLA staff maintain such a close communication with school administration at both sites,” the agency administrator reports, “they were able to plan ahead and foresee any difficulties. Both teaching and administrative staff were able to transition smoothly.” A significant challenge for ASLA this year has been its change of administrative leadership, as well as a change in Board leadership. The agency administrator attributes the fact that the transition in leadership went smoothly to the close communication maintained among all staff and administration, as they are consistently and collaboratively working towards achieving ASLA’s mission, goals, and objectives. One challenge that the agency reports experiencing is with its other school site, 32nd Street. As it is a magnet school, the majority of students are bused to the school site, making it difficult to keep students after school due to the transportation issue. To address the problem, ASLA has been working closely with parents to arrange for parent pick‐ups and car‐pooling and to locate funding for late buses that might transport students safely to their homes. At Montara, a frequent challenge that the ASLA program faces is when materials do not arrive on time (e.g., paints, art materials, writing materials) hence preventing the staff from implementing the programmed activities and adversely affecting the quality of the program experience for participating students which, in turn, can affect program attendance. [It was not explained what causes the delay in delivery of materials]. One item that the program could use, according to the site coordinator, is a computer in the resource room. Another challenge identified by the site coordinator is the frequency with which parents come late to pick up their children. For instance, on one early dismissal day when the after school program ended at 4:30 p.m., 11 students remained at school until 6:00 p.m. Given that the site coordinator expressed frustration at the parents not coming at the end of the programmed activities, she needs to understand that, by law, state‐funded programs need to remain open until 6:00pm., regardless of the start time of the program on minimum days. Art Share Los Angeles—Montara Elementary
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SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The 13 observations of homework and academic enrichment activities offered at Montara reflect a well organized and supportive period for students to complete assignments and get support from the after‐
school program staff. Homework assistance was observed in a variety of settings in the school, including the multipurpose room; outdoor lunch tables; in a music room; in the library; and regular classrooms. One instructor explained that they were in a new location (a staff development area), as her usual room had been turned into a book room. The program makes a concerted effort to address the needs of the high number of English Language Learners (50% of school population) by training staff in appropriate pedagogical methods such as SDAIE (specially designed academic instruction in English, a teaching approach intended for teaching non‐
English students various academic content). Also, observers were able to confirm that teachers worked one on one with students to support their academic skill development and that enrichment activities integrated academics in a variety of ways. For example, during an academic enrichment activity in which students play a game using their spelling and math skills to compete against each other, an observer notes, “Students are challenged to compete against their classmate. Some of the problems the staff comes up with are above grade level, to challenge the students to go beyond their known comprehension level.” The observation continues, “The after school staff encourages them to remember what they read and explains how reading can ‘help you get smarter’ so they should read on their own as well.” Students received guidance or direct instruction individually or in groups or worked independently on their homework. Observers remarked that instructors exhibited flexible and appropriate control of the students during this period. An observation notes: Staff member is kind, firm and has good control of this class. She sits with students at the tables and helps individuals with their homework (math and language arts, but primarily math). She gives positive reinforcement (e.g., good job; you’re a good leader so go help them). She gives gentle reprimands. The level of staff authority varied widely, ranging from between flexible/appropriate control to little authority: students moved around and talked excessively, or were disruptive as they took advantage of the instructors whose group control skills were less developed. One observation notes: There are a few students (5) that are acting up and being distracting to everyone else. Staff continues to be patient but corrects behavior. Students still don’t listen so she separates them, makes them put their heads down, and gives detention for those who continue to talk out of turn and be disrespectful. Staff praises positive behavior when it is demonstrated. In general, staff members were supportive of students and possessed the knowledge and skill needed to support students in their homework and academic development. Art Share Los Angeles—Montara Elementary
Page 27
Most observations noted that a routine was in place for checking student homework and verifying assignments with instructors. This was further evidenced in the site packet homework verification sheet mentioned above. Also, students who finished homework were offered alternative activities such as a spelling bee or arts and crafts. Individual students or groups of students received tutoring in specific areas of academic skill development and content. One observation notes: One student in particular appears to be struggling with his homework, writing his numbers in order. A staff person is helping him with this. Other students are being challenged to create a sentence on their own and illustrate it. The spellings of words they want to use are above their current level, but they are encouraged to “sound it out,” then corrected by staff. Students were also observed helping each other with assignments. Peer interactions were positive, friendly, and generally supportive. Student were generally focused and engaged in their homework, though this varied from student to student and across sessions. Students contributed to discussions and displayed an agreeable demeanor for the most part. None were hostile or intolerant towards each other beyond usual occasional disruptiveness of excited or restless children in the after‐school hours. The level of challenge posed by both homework and the alternative arts and crafts were moderate. However, students were not challenged to move beyond their current level of competency. Consequently, a few students appeared to be bored, disengaged, and disruptive. Another observation notes: Students are challenged to apply the knowledge they’ve gained this week to an assignment that culminates the work they’ve done. They must move beyond “parrot” learning and start to think critically about geography—putting their knowledge to use. Enrichment Activities
As stated previously, one of the hallmarks of the Art Share Los Angeles, BLAST after‐school program is the quality enrichment experiences offered with an intentional effort to address school learning objectives. As such, the site observation of activities reflected this focus. As noted in the Site Profile Table above, observers noted a range of academic enrichment and recreation activities occurring, from math and science; reading/language arts enrichment, multi‐media projects, sports, and health education, as well as opportunities for free play. Regarding an art project, an observation notes: Goals of the project are communicated at the beginning of the week, a quick reminder given, and students go straight to work without questions. Staff is positive and excited about the progress of the project. Staff walks around the room complimenting students’ coloring and design of shapes. Classroom rules hand above the whiteboard: 1) be on time and prepared to work; 2) stay focused; 3) everyone should actively participate; 4) positive and respectful; 5) be an active listener. Art Share Los Angeles—Montara Elementary
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An example of the high quality programming that ASLA offers is the African dance class, which combines cultural enrichment with a fun physical activity, as described below: Students in a dance class stand in rows in the center of multi‐purpose room and are dancing to African music. A staff member stands in front of them dancing, too. The teacher shows them steps—moving side to side, then step and bending side to side, then clapping, stepping and bending, finally stepping and lifting the back leg on alternate sides. Staff member is friendly with students, but is also in control of the class. She has their attention while teaching them dance movements and they appear to enjoy her instruction. Staff member laughs frequently. Students appear to enjoy each other while dancing. Students are moving and enjoying the class. They are laughing and smiling while they move. All appear to be having fun. The following observation reflects the program’s emphasis on the arts: Students are learning about art elements. This week their focus is on color. They draw abstract shapes and color each one a different color. When finished, they cut them out and glue them on a black piece of paper. Students are excited to continue their project before they even sit down. Everyone is focused intently on their coloring. Students also seek approval/praise from their instructor every so often to make sure that they are doing the project correctly. In general, observers gave high marks on items with regard to student engagement and staff support and encouragement of students. Staff were noted as being very friendly and positive throughout the observations, with nearly no instances of negative interaction between staff and students or among the students. An observation yields the following: Students are led by a staff member in 10 minutes of stretches and a race before going into the classroom. Once inside the classroom, students quickly review musical notes with staff member on the board. Students then take their places by the keyboards and practice memorizing the musical notes they just reviewed on the keyboard. Students appear to be very excited to be learning on a keyboard. I am told that this is the first time that most students have ever gotten the opportunity to play a real instrument. Excitement is evident as students engage in discussion and share comments freely with the staff member. The age of these students ranged from 6‐8. For students of this age group, learning musical notes and then actually applying it is a challenge. All students are completely engaged and up for the challenge. This is such a special and unique opportunity for these students. The students are given a certain amount of time practicing on the keyboard before switching with a partner. While each student takes his/her turn, they demonstrate excellent decision making skills and independence. Similarly: Before going into the classroom for their art activity, students are led in quick stretches and races. After the physical exercise, they are led into the classroom for their stained glass window art projects. Students have white sheets of construction Art Share Los Angeles—Montara Elementary
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paper on which they have drawn broken piece designs and are instructed to color the pieces very darkly with different colors. Class is rather small so students are scattered about with plenty of room to work quietly and independently. An observation notes: Staff takes time to compliment each student at the end of the game. She also says to the whole group, “I’m really impressed with your spelling skills and math. Keep up the good work.” She pulls an individual student aside while the rest of the class goes out to snack and says to him, “I knew you had it in you; you’re smart. Now you need to do that on your homework.” In one observation, however, although the instructor was well versed in the subject area, color mixing and painting, there were issues with their ability to maintain order in the classroom and carry out the art activity. The observer notes that the staff member was mild mannered and the class was completely out of control. Still to their credit, the observer continues, “Staff is consistently calm, but the students are not. A student yells at one point, ‘Quiet people! I want to paint!’ The instructor replies, “Exactly, you are wasting your own time.” Despite this staff person’s poor classroom management skills s/he was able to maintain calm and use a positive approach to encourage students to stay on task. The relationship with the school is positive and ASLA is deliberate in the way that they work to coordinate the after‐school program curriculum development in collaboration with school day teachers and their instructional goals. The consistency with which staff made an effort to promote positive relations with the youth was verified throughout the observations. The quality of communications to parents (both in English and Spanish) is attractive and informative, with regard to the ASLA educational philosophy, program goals, and curriculum design. Furthermore, the staff was observed to be well prepared and guided students with a positive youth development approach. Through active participation in arts and recreational activities that allow students to apply and practice literacy skills and review and expand content knowledge from the school day, the BLAST program participants appeared, during site observations and self report, to be happy with the program and engaged in meaningful activities from which they perceived themselves to be benefiting. Art Share, Los Angeles appears to provide a program that is highly organized and well suited for the predominantly immigrant students it serves, with diverse enrichment opportunities and small group and one‐on‐one academic/homework support. Art Share Los Angeles—Montara Elementary
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A WORLD FIT FOR KIDS!—COMMONWEALTH ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
Commonwealth Elementary
215 S. Commonwealth Avenue
Young Park
864
77.2% Hispanic, 8.9% Filipino, 8.1% Asian,
4.5% African-American, 1.2% White, 0.1 AL/Alsk
441 Spanish, 41 Filipino, 21 Other,
18 Korean, 1 Farsi, 1 Vietnamese
12;0 (Suspensions down from 2005/2006)
45
4
A World Fit For Kids!
678 S. La Fayette Park Place
140
125 to 130
Yes
8 Staff
10 Staff (including: 1 site coordinator, 6 after
school instructors, 1 Special Ed instructor, 1 site
assistant)
3
19
5
17-125 (on lunch benches during Home Work)
14
10-35
- Sports: competitive and non-competitive (7)
- Homework assistance
- Sports: practice/drills/skill-building (1)
- Academic enrichment
- Arts and/or crafts (2)
- Math/science enrichment
- Performing arts, rehearsal/instruction
- Reading/language arts enrichment
- Health/well-being (5)
- Multimedia/digital technology
- Free Play/other (3)
Activity has clear goals and objectives - Yes (13) No (1)
Activity appropriate for age, genders, ethnicity - Yes (14) No (0)
Space is sufficient and appropriate for activity - Yes (14) No (0)
Necessary materials and equipment provided - Yes (12) No (2)
Youth are appropriately supervised - Yes (14) No (0)
Free from safety or environmental problems - Yes (14) No (0)
A World Fit for Kids!—Commonwealth Elementary
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Commonwealth Elementary School is very diverse, with 864 students, predominantly Hispanic, Filipino, and Asian. A World Fit for Kids! (AWFFK!) asserts that they “put kids first” by creating programs that meet the following criteria: 1. Treat youth as resources to be developed by building on the strengths they already possess; 2. Focus on the whole child—the emotional, social, and cognitive, as well as physical dimensions of self; 3. Help youth envision possible futures for themselves; and 4. Provide them significant contact with a caring adult or young adult. The agency asserts that “Beyond our focus on youth, we have a focus on learning, a focus on empowerment, and a focus on development.” Because physical activity is active, interactive, highly emotional, and attractive to many students, it can become a vehicle for teaching healthy lifestyles, life skills, and values. According to the administrative questionnaire, the program observed begins with a 5 to 10 minute energy break (physical activity) to bring the students together with their coach/mentors to increase their energy level after sitting for most of the day. AWFFK! integrates fun, functional and formal physical activities, and teaching that healthful activity can be informal and innovative; it doesn’t require trips to the gym. Information provided by the site coordinator includes hours of the program which are: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 2:20pm‐5:30pm and on Tuesdays from 1:20‐5:30pm. The day is broken up in periods of activity as follows: Period 1 (1 hour) Homework help; at the end of the hour, students will be provided with a snack. Period 2 (1 hour) Main activity, which includes fun sports, arts and crafts, physical activity, drama, and other activities. Period 3 (1 hour) Recreation/parent pick up, which lets students choose their activity such as play ground games or board games, and also gives the parents the opportunity to pick up their child. Additional activities include sports tournaments and field trips. Rules were also included on the handout provided to the parents/guardians stating what is expected and required by students on a daily basis when attending the program. There is a permission form to attend the program, as well as release/consent information to be completed by the parents/guardians and turned back for filing. Handouts are given to the students to bring home to their parents/guardians to notify them of any events held by the “A World Fit For Kids!” program. A World Fit for Kids!—Commonwealth Elementary
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The site coordinator has implemented a “Student Concern Form”, which is to be filled out if a staff member and site supervisor are unable to resolve a serious problem with a child’s behavior. The areas of concern are based on the student commitment form which all students who attend the structured program sign when they register. The form is to be completed, photocopied, and then mailed home to the parent. The form is then to be returned to the site with the parent’s signature. The student concern procedure can be found at the bottom of the form. All forms are in both Spanish and English, as half of the school population consists of Spanish speaking learners of English whose parents may not have English literacy. Site Staff and Volunteers
The site coordinator states that there are eight staff members on site. No volunteers are working on the campus, but there are a few high school students who work as assistant coaches. Working with the staff varies from day to day. Different ideas are expressed among the staff and any concerns are addressed at the necessary time. Meetings are held on Fridays where the staff discusses issues, ideas and whatever else comes up on topic. “It’s where people can say anything that they have on their mind.” Staff Management and Development
No information is provided about this school’s staff management and development. Relations with School
The site coordinator interacts with the school administration almost on a daily basis; usually with the assistant principal. If there is ever a problem or a concern, the coordinator usually takes it to the assistant principal first. Communication with the school’s teaching staff is, “Good! I’ve had teachers telling me about issues with particular kids. I try to find out if they’re doing what they need to be doing for the after‐school program. In some cases, I talk with the teachers about the homework this is given, but not often.” According to the agency questionnaire, “AWFFK site coordinators have a strong relationship with the principals.” The following statement was made, “Occasionally we would prefer to make changes, but the principals are committed to the site coordinators at their schools, so we honor their preferences, even knowing we might have a stronger candidate for that site.” Relations with Parents and Community
Relationships and communication with the parents are mostly handled in the form of written and sometimes verbal communication. There is interaction between the parents, the site coordinator, and staff almost on a daily basis. “If we have concerns about the kids’ behavior, or sometimes it’s about field trips, or positive criticism, then we talk to the parents. Overall, communication is good. I try to communicate with them as much as possible. I ask how they are and how the kids are doing. I interact with the parents, in some way, on a daily basis,” says the site coordinator. The agency questionnaire states the following: We hired an elementary school parent coordinator who is now conducting family nutrition workshops that have been well attended. Families are reporting that they have changed their evening meals and now read nutritional labels while shopping—
family literacy at its finest! A World Fit for Kids!—Commonwealth Elementary
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Our parents are also becoming more active and are speaking about the benefits of the after‐school programming at community forums promoting physical education and physical activity at schools. They are becoming vocal advocates who recognize the benefits of their kids participating in multi‐dimensional programming that improves the emotional, mental, and physical health and well being of the students. Attendance
Attendance requirements provided in the information packet sent home to families require that students attend the program for five days a week for at least two hours a day. It also emphasizes that enrollment is limited and, hence, regular attendance is important. Students who receive three unexcused absences in a row are asked to leave the program. The site coordinator explains that he is willing to speak with the parents and be flexible, “If there is a reasonable excuse, then its okay. I explain the policy to the parents—that they [the students] can be dismissed from the program if they have too many absences.” There is a waiting list depending on the grade and the site coordinator will contact the parent if there is an opening. He reports that the after‐
school program sees an average of 125 to 135 students on a daily basis with even some days seeing 140 students. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
Information provided by the administrative questionnaire on new program developments demonstrates the high priority that AWFFK! gives to physical fitness and the healthy and holistic development of the child, as well as the education and involvement of the entire family. The agency administrator narrates their latest achievement: The students at our six elementary schools participated in a new physical activity project called ‘Marathon Kids’. They walked or jogged a minimum of 26 miles during our after‐school program between the end of October and mid‐March, then participated in a celebratory event at UCLA. The students at one of our schools had completed their 26 miles before Christmas and continued to log their miles until March, achieving far more than the program developers anticipated. Families became involved and started to track their activity in the evenings and weekends. The end result was that the kids improved their fitness levels and increased their amount of physical activity during the week, and families became more active together during the out‐of‐school time. The students are already tracking their miles for the ’07‐’08 school year and are planning and conducting healthy fundraisers (walkathons, etc.) to raise the money needed to pay for their bus transportation to their culminating event at UCLA in March. The site coordinator also acknowledged AWFFK!’s success in not allowing junk food in the after‐school program. He relates that it took some effort but the objective was finally achieved, “Oh man, junk food is out of the question here. I’m really proud to say that 95 percent of the students don’t bring junk food. I would say, ‘no junk food’, I would say it and say it, before they understood. Finally, they got the point. They don’t bring it anymore!” In addition, the site coordinator reports that he is keeping the students in a large group during homework time, so that staff can better supervise students. “In this way,” he adds, “if they need to go somewhere, they know to ask me or another coach.” A World Fit for Kids!—Commonwealth Elementary
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Challenges
Challenges faced by the site coordinator are trouble with some of the students playing on the jungle gym when there is no supervision. “Safety and junk food have been the biggest challenges,” he repeats. He also feels assured that at the school where he and his staff work, he can talk to the administration and has access to a supervisor to discuss “any problems, needs, successes, resources, and just anything overall.” The agency administrator identifies other challenges: •
Construction and lack of space for activities; •
Lack of classroom space for academic assistance; •
Principals changing and their lack of interest in after‐school program improvement; •
Funding for only 84 students when 120 attend every day! The administrator maintains a “can do” attitude and asserts, “We learned to do activities in the most restricted spaces. Overall, we’re still looking for solutions to these challenges.” In addition to the issues faced that are specific to Commonwealth, the agency administrator outlines some of the broader challenges that her agency faces in operating the state and federally funded after‐school programs: •
Understanding the state compliance issues and the changes from ADA that block grants, as well as how to deal with those changes (and stay in business); •
Dealing with the BTB reporting for expenditure and attendance and training new staff; •
The change in BTB personnel and the loss of critical information such as invoices and attendance; •
Understanding the one‐time funding that could be used for almost anything ‘except what really counts: programming to serve more kids.’ SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
Homework time for the entire program took place at the outdoor lunch tables. Students sat by grade level with one coach per class. The noise level was very high. Students sat close to each other and complained about personal space. Coaches provided a basket with paper, pencils, and extra work. The staff seemed to observe the students more than interact and give assistance. The students did not obey or show respect to the staff and it seemed to give the staff a sense of frustration. Regarding staff roles and interaction, little authority was shown, though observation was limited [Further observation is required to generalize about the homework climate]. One observation notes: They will take a look to see what the students are doing but then will continue [to talk among] themselves. Staff mostly observes students. Interestingly, the enrichment activity observations score highly with staff marked as highly interested and very supportive in their interaction with students. A World Fit for Kids!—Commonwealth Elementary
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One observation notes: Students are generally content. Some don’t really do their homework. They color or look and play with stickers. They have their homework out, but do other things.” Peer interaction between students seemed friendly and somewhat positive. Students felt comfortable enough to ask each other’s assistance with homework assignments. An observation notes: The general quality of interactions from students is somewhat friendly, but a bit aggressive with each other. They yell and scream over others’ voices. They seem a bit impatient, pointing their fingers at their faces and demanding that things be handed over. Students are focused on sharing pencils with each other. They communicate by yelling to each other. The voices are very loud. They do seem engaged with each other, but not with homework. Another observation notes: Students yell at each other when they talk. Their voice level is extremely high and contributes to an already loud area. One boy is observed yelling so hard to another kid that the kid throws a fist hit to his face. Students are engaged in playing with their Pokemon cards instead of doing the crossword puzzle that was given to them by one of the staff. They continue to yell and scream at each other when communicating, Engagement and enjoyment of activities was positive. Overall, students were focused on completing homework assignments. A few students who finished homework early found themselves growing restless and became disruptive.” Students felt comfortable asking questions and asking for assistance. An observer describes the general environment with the following comment, “They communicate by yelling to each other. Their voices are very loud, but they do seem engaged with each other, but not their homework. There was no evidence of elements of disguised learning. Students practiced oral skills, reading, writing, and math skills. The staff was mostly concerned with just getting the basic homework done. Hence, students were rarely challenged. Students were never challenged by staff to solve problems of higher competency or understanding. A few students appeared bored once homework was completed.” Challenges to move beyond their current level of competency and to set goals for themselves were not apparent. An observation notes: Coloring pages which are sometimes given once homework is complete are far too simple and pose no mental challenge to the students. Enrichment Activities
Activity/enrichment time was highly organized, with clear direction and support given to the students’ needs and desires. A World Fit for Kids!—Commonwealth Elementary
Page 36
The environment for the enrichment activities was limited to the space given. Soccer games were played on the asphalt which could be a danger from falling. Some materials were not available such as an actual volleyball for the game of volleyball. The lunch tables where arts and crafts were held are quite dirty. Staff were to observe and help students as they tried to thread the plastic strips. At times they would guide, but with minimal support. One observation noted during board and construction games: The staff is supervising the students. The two staff members in the room and the site coordinator are sitting in the corner of the room and are engaged in a casual personal conversation. Occasionally, the staff member reminds the students that they have a few more minutes left and that they have to clean up after themselves. Occasionally, the staff member communicates with the students in Spanish. During a volleyball game, the following very positive observation was made: Students are given excellent instruction and guidance. The staff member stands directly in the middle of the volleyball court and keeps his eye on the game constantly. The staff member shows great motivation for his students as he cheers and gives occasional tips for extra support. The after‐school staff showed support and motivation for some activities like the game of volleyball. The staff also showed good communication goals, purposes, and expectations. On average, students seemed very friendly with each other and interacted in a respectful, positive way. “Students are very supportive of one another and work together as a team. They cheer and make sure team mates are encouraged to play hard.” Students offered positive cheers and continued to laugh together and enjoyed playing with each other. “Peer interactions were positive and highly supportive as they jumped excitedly and clapped for each other.” Students were involved in activities, but managed to get distracted at times. Students enjoyed the activities, continued to cheer each other on and were comfortable in their surroundings. Students seemed to follow the instructor’s directions and stayed positive with little disruption. Math, English, and reading were not taught in these activities, but oral communication was practiced by students with encouragement and discussions about the games and events that were going on. Students took information from the coaches and learned new things about sports and physical activity. Students also learned about activity with big groups and were comfortable with each other as peers. Students were challenged by some activities, but sometimes appeared to be bored with others. The school staff challenged the students to play with accuracy and practice skills learned from the activities. Although, in most activities, students did not formally have the opportunity to develop leadership skills, there were more informal instances observed during sports activities where students did get to practice leadership roles. “Some students do take leadership roles and begin to direct team mates through the game. Students negotiate calls with staff members.” On another occasion, “students evolve as leaders in the game as the more experienced in playing basketball are expected to perform for the team.” A World Fit for Kids!—Commonwealth Elementary
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In another informal period of game playing, students were observed getting along with each other and naturally dividing into two groups: bingo and jumbling tower game. Physical activity was apparent with most enrichment activities, since they involve sports and outside activity. “Students are constantly moving,” one observation noted. This is emblematic of the AWFFK! program. The staff made sure the students were active and learning how to engage in team sports and physical activity, as well as learning how to communicate on a respectful level. The AWFFK! program’s strength is its emphasis on physical fitness and health awareness. This is a unique and valuable asset of the program, as it addresses so many desired outcomes both directly and indirectly, as well as how children learn to make the right choices, be informed, and to stay fit in both body and mind. Research points to how this also can positively impact academic performance and life outlook in children and even adults. However, like many other programs, this program appears to be hampered by the school not making appropriate space available to the program for activities such as homework assistance. This is somewhat ironic given that the school—like all others—consists of classrooms that are mostly unoccupied during the timeslot when homework assistance is scheduled. A World Fit for Kids!—Commonwealth Elementary
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A WORLD FIT FOR KIDS!—HENRY MIDDLE SCHOOL
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Patrick Henry Middle School
17340 San Jose Street
Granada Hills, CA 91344
Michael Bennett
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
1065
52.5% Hispanic; 21.7% White; 9.9 Asian;
9.8% African-American; 5.5% Filipino;
0.5% Al/Alsk;
76 Spanish; 21 Korean; 6 Filipino; 2 Farsi;
2 Vietnamese; 15 Other
81/1 (Suspensions down but expulsions are up
from 2005-06)
46
6
678 S. LaFayette Park Place
130
130
No
8 Staff
13 Staff (including: 1 site coordinator, 1 site
supervisor, 1 cred. tcher/lab instr., 10 coaches)
Total # Observations Forms Completed
2
16
3
9-22
13
12-52
- Performing arts, rehearsal/instruction (5)
- Multimedia/digital technology/computer
- Other (2) [Fitness Center]
A World Fit for Kids!—Henry Middle School
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Nestled in Granada Hills at the far northwest corner of Los Angeles County and LAUSD’s district boundaries, Patrick Henry Elementary School boasts a robust (over 1,000 students) and highly diverse student body with about 50 percent being Hispanic, about 25 percent being White, 10 percent being Asian, and 10 percent being African‐American. A World Fit For Kids! adopts a highly youth‐centered approach that focuses on the physical, mental, and psychological development of the youth they serve based on the following tenets: 1) We treat youth as resources to be developed by building on the strengths they already possess; 2) Focus on the whole child—the emotional, social, and cognitive, as well as physical dimensions of self; 3) Help youth envision possible futures for themselves; 4) Provide them significant contact with a caring adult or young adult. The program administrator elaborates on their approach stating, “Beyond our focus on youth, we have a focus on learning, a focus on empowerment, and a focus on development. Because physical activity is active, interactive, highly emotional, and attractive to many kids, it can become a vehicle for teaching (beyond healthy lifestyles) life skills and values.” Accordingly, the administrator explains how their program begins with a 5 to 10 minute energy break—physical activity—“to bring the kids together with their coach/mentors [in order] to increase their energy level after sitting for most of the day. [This is emblematic of how] AWFFK! integrates fun, functional, and formal physical activities, teaching that healthful activity can be informal and innovative; it does not require a trip to the gym”. The weekly schedule provided in the site document packet fully details the time frame, “coach” (program staff) assignments, and location of all activities throughout the week. Hours of the program operation are: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 3pm‐6pm and Tuesdays from 1:30‐6pm. AWFFK! understands the requirement of ASES programs to operate up until 6:00pm every school day, even on those days on which the school has early dismissal (as is the case at Henry, and many other LAUSD schools, on Tuesdays). There is a snack provided in the cafeteria daily from Monday through Friday at 4:30pm and on Tuesdays at 3:00pm. Each activity is scheduled in a block setting Monday through Friday at a specific time. The schedule also provides a contact name and phone number for parents’ reference. The program offers mostly physical fitness activities, many with an intentional academic enrichment and youth development component (as stated in the agency philosophy and approach outlined above). The specific activities in the Fall 2008 weekly schedule represent a wide range of youth‐oriented options, including performing arts (dance; drama) and other enrichment activities (Arts & Crafts, Karaoke, Computer Lab), recreational (Fitness Center cheer, team sports, skateboarding), and a Homework Club—also known as Studio 51, a more exciting name for middle schoolers—that takes place at a variety of intervals and duration periods appropriate for each type of activity. This variety in offerings and scheduling reflect the more dynamic and flexible design of the AWFFK! program appropriate for a middle school clientele. Hip Hop Tue 1:30‐4:30; Fri 3‐6pm Sports/Football Daily 3‐5:30; Tue 1:30‐5:30 Field or Gym Dance Class Tue 1:30‐3:30; Thur 3‐5:30 A World Fit for Kids!—Henry Middle School
Gym, Field, Corr. Rm Independence Hall Page 40
Rollerblading Tue 1:30‐3:00; Thur 3‐4:30 Racket Ball Courts Arts & Crafts Tue 3‐4:30 Rm 51 /Studio 51 H.W. Club/Studio 51 Daily 3‐6; Tue 1:30‐5:30 Rm 51 / (Ropes) Karaoke Friday Fridays 3‐4:00 Rm 51 /Studio 51 Fitness Club/DDR Daily 3‐6; Tue 1:30‐5:30 Mon 3‐6, Tue 1:30‐6, Thur 3‐6 Skateboarding Club provided by BBTB Youth Services B Ball Courts Computer Club Daily 3‐6; Tue 1:30‐5:30 Rm 9 Drama Club Mon, Thur, Fri 4:00‐5:30 Rm 51 /Studio 51 The schedule notes that the computer lab opens daily for 1 hour and 15 minutes after school in room 9 with Mr. Abraham (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 3:00‐4:00pm & Tuesday 1:30‐2:45pm). The fitness center is open daily from 3:00‐6:00pm and on Tuesdays from 1:30‐4:30pm. Evidently there is an agreement with the school to have a school or ASP staff supervise the computer lab and gym after school so that AWFFK! Members can take advantage of the school’s technology and recreational resources. An observer describes the Fitness Center as follows, “An excellent and exemplary exercise room to help instill a commitment to fitness.” The after‐school program policies are clearly communicated in the registration packet provided to parents/guardians. They state what is expected and required on a daily basis of students attending the program. There is a permission form to attend the program, as well as release/consent information to be completed by the parents/guardians at the time of enrollment in the program. A form entitled: “Patrick Henry Middle School After‐School Behavior Requirements”, which is to be signed by both the parent and the student stating that they “agree to all of the above rules and will do my best to adhere to them,” outlines six “Rules of Appropriate Conduct”. There are four consequences for a First through Fourth offense stating that a warning and a discipline letter will be sent home to be returned to the program signed by the parent with suspension from all after‐school activities as the 4th consequence. The form represents a very succinctly and well‐stated set of rules and procedures for ensuring compliance that is respectful of all. Also included in the site document packet are samples of flyers given to students to bring home to their parents/guardians to notify them of any events held by the “A World Fit For Kids!” program. Site Staff and Volunteers
The site coordinator states that there are seven regular staff members, a credentialed teacher who runs the computer program and three seasonal football coaches. Daily staff meetings are held when needed at 2:45pm in the Boy’s P.E office for staff to discuss immediate matters concerning that afternoon’s activities. If any other time is needed, the site coordinator finds the staff at break time or will wait until after 5:30pm to discuss issues with the staff. Staff Management and Development
The agency administrator explains how AWFFK! has worked to integrate a youth development approach into not only its curriculum with students, but also related to how they carry out program management and staff development as well. She provides a prime example how AWWFK! makes a concerted effort to carry out practices at all levels of the organization that are coherent with its stated mission of A World Fit for Kids!—Henry Middle School
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supporting the whole child, helping them connect to caring adults, as well as building confidence and leadership skills. In explaining their staff recruitment process, the following statement is made: Our middle school students actually determine the programs they want and the staff they want to conduct them. Our coordinator schedules an initial interview in our office, then the potential coach/mentor goes to the school and conducts an activity with the students. The students then meet and discuss the strengths and challenges of the candidate and make recommendations for the person to be hired. In this way, they take ownership of their program, pride in its success and feel more engaged in the process. It is working extremely well. This recognition that the program is about the youth is reflected in the way that AWFFK! calls its site staff “coaches”, as they are there to mentor, guide, and encourage youth. Also, students from the AWFFK! high school sites will work at elementary school sites as part of their program participation. Relations with School
The site coordinator characterizes her relationship with the school’s principal positively, but believes that it could be improved. Her goal this year was to achieve better communication, especially regarding what goes on in the program. She provided the school principal with a resource list including all after‐
school staff numbers, names, a map of activities, and the locations of the program’s activities. The site coordinator states that she does not talk with the staff unless she “runs into a staff member” in the office or if a few stay after school and she sees them then. There is little to no communication between the after‐school staff and the teaching staff. The after‐school staff does request the GPA information for all students who participate in the Football and Cheer program. That information is given to the staff by the school’s principal. According to the Agency Administrator Questionnaire, he/she feels that the site coordinators have a strong relationship with the principals. The following statement is made, “Occasionally we would prefer to make changes, but the principals are committed to the site coordinators at their schools, so we honor their preferences, knowing we might have a stronger candidate for that site.” Relations with Parents and Community
Relationships and communication with the parents are mostly handled in the form of written and verbal communications. There is mostly one‐on‐one interaction if and when the site coordinator sees the parents/guardians while picking up their children. The site coordinator does seek out permission and approval from the school’s principal if disciplinary phone calls are needed to be made about any of the students. Parents/ guardians are made aware of events being held by “A World Fit For Kids!” by flyers. Any and all consent forms are handled by flyers that need to be signed and returned to the staff. Our parents are also becoming more active and are speaking about the benefits of the after‐school programming at community forums promoting physical education and physical activity at schools. They are becoming vocal advocates who recognize the benefits of their kids participating in multi‐dimensional programming that improves the emotional, mental and physical health and well being of the students. According to the site coordinator, there is no established involvement between the after‐school program and the surrounding community. There was one fundraiser which included a local “Baja A World Fit for Kids!—Henry Middle School
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Fresh”, but other than that, the program is not familiar with any outside resources. This may be due to the fact that it is located in a more remote part of the county and district and farther away from the agency’s central office. Therefore, the site coordinator suggests that more community fundraising activities would be a way to involve parents, friends, and family members in supporting the program while growing resources for the enrichment activities. AWFFK! understands this, as evidenced in a flyer in their document packet, “Skateland Sign‐up Sheet”, which encourages the community to “Come support our cheer and hip hop teams!” He mentions that they need to come up with alternative fundraisers since they cannot sell chocolates or candies as it would contradict the program’s objective of promoting good nutrition and health. Attendance
The information packet that is sent home to families insists that students involved with the football, gym, rollerblading, Studio 51, and cheer activities sign in with their respective coach, as well as sign out of these activities. There is no information provided concerning how many days a student may be absent with or without permission. The site coordinator will confront and speak with any students that are seen leaving the campus. Students are allowed to be absent. If there is a serious issue regarding student’s absence or a student leaving, the site coordinator will seek the help of the school’s principal. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The site coordinator touted a performance of The Wizard of Oz by the Studio 51/theater program as one of the site’s greatest successes this year in that an estimated 90 people showed up to create an audience for the youth‐led production. The agency administrator shares some of the success they have accomplished this year with regard to the AWFFK!’s goal of promoting fitness and student self‐realization at the agency’s elementary school sites. Specifically cited is the FitnessGram testing at the beginning and end of the school year with the 4th and 5th grade students with the goal of providing students with a motivational and training tool for self improvement over the year. Also, students at the six elementary schools participated in a new physical activity project called ‘Marathon Kids’. They walked or jogged a minimum of 26 miles during their after‐school program between the end of October and mid March then participated in a celebratory event at UCLA. Challenges
Challenges faced by the site coordinator about the current program involve the actual support given and shown from the school staff. The coordinator and staff want to make sure that the school staff understands the program and what they are trying to do. Another concern expressed related to their uncertainty as to how to handle students who do not participate in the after‐school program but remain on campus. School staff is mostly gone by 4:00pm and student emergency cards are locked in the school’s office. The concern expressed is with what to do with a student should one become injured or need help. The agency administrator states the challenge of, “1) Construction and lack of space for activities; 2) Lack of classroom space for academic assistance; 3) Principals changing and their lack of interest in after‐
school because of program improvement; and 4) Funding for only 84 students when 120 attend every A World Fit for Kids!—Henry Middle School
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day!” To address these issues, the administrator comments: “We learned to do activities in the most restricted spaces. Overall, we’re still looking for solutions to these challenges.” Other challenges that the agency has faced on an overall operational level include: “1) Understanding the state compliance issues and the changes from ADA to block grants and how to deal with those changes (and stay in business); 2) Dealing with the BTB reporting for expenditure and attendance and training new staff; 3) The change in BTB personnel and the loss of critical information such as invoices and attendance; and 4) Understanding the one time funding that could be used for almost anything except what really counts…programming to serve more kids.” These issues have directly affected the agency’s ability to serve more students. As the site administrator states: “We intentionally did not add more than two new schools because of the anticipated staffing issues and our strategic growth plan, which was to expand our training division and limit our day‐to‐day operations.” SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The environment for the homework component of the program was observed to be adequate with it having enough space, necessary materials, and students appropriately monitored and supervised. One observation was held in a computer lab housing 32 computers located around the walls of the room with a networked teacher unit in the middle of the room. The staff seemed involved, supportive, and available for students during homework studies. Staff seemed to have students under control and they were able to stay on task to meet the daily goals that were set related to assignment completion. The staff showed enthusiasm and kept the students both involved and excited about the current activity. Peer interactions between students during homework time stayed positive, yet homework was mostly an individual task. Some students paired up with one another to work on an assignment, but mainly worked on their own material. Conversational exchanges between the students were motivated and highly supportive. One observation notes: The staff sits at a student desk in front of the room and encourages the students to sign in. She answers questions in a soft whisper. All of the students speak in a whisper, even those who approach her desk for help. The majority of her time is spent chatting softly with a student who sits in a chair next to her desk. Engagement and enjoyment of activities were positive. An observation notes, “All students were very engaged in working with their assignments; a few needed help with specific math questions or procedural computer issues.” Students remained calm and collected as each student finished all necessary work. One observation notes: As with all other activities at this site, students self‐select, even the homework activity. Students are independent agents. They appear here if they feel the need, leave when they are finished (or not), are congenial, comfortable and many are doing assignments. The supervisor sits at a desk and is available to help if asked. She A World Fit for Kids!—Henry Middle School
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does not circulate or challenge pupils although several are standing and talking—not disruptive, but not doing homework. Students practiced and showed understanding of verbal and writing skills on the homework. A certified teacher was available for help with any questions for students in one observation. Workbooks, computers, and handouts were used by students to complete assigned work. The degree of difficultly in coursework was viewed as relatively low. Students were given the opportunity to practice acquired skills and engage in higher learning after finishing assigned work. One observer, in commenting about the high quality of the homework help stated, “This program reinforces skills learned in math class, provides new drills, and gives students the chance to advance at their own pace.” Enrichment:
Activity/enrichment time is highly marked as being organized, with clear direction, and supportive to the students’ needs and desires. The environment for the enrichment activities gave the students the ability to move around and have personal space for stretching, practicing cheer moves, and other activities. Students mainly worked in groups while participating in the enrichment activities. Necessary materials (i.e., exercise equipment; sporting supplies) were provided and available. The staff kept involved in all student enrichment activities by motivating and encouraging students to strive for achievement in physical activity. Staff and students seemed comfortable with each other and were able to communicate easily about any concerns, good or bad. Staff showed encouragement and gave tips for the students to exercise and for future use. Students were highly motivated, which seemed to carry through in the constructive criticism and input given by one student to another. Students showed interest in the interactions among themselves and stayed involved in all group activities. At a cheer observation, the girls gave each other a “high‐five” after learning the steps, and the overall feelings were supportive and motivated. The level of engagement and enjoyment of activities was highly focused and lots of laughter, compassion, and excitement were observed. One observation notes, “At one point, students shouted and appeared to be enjoying the activity.” Another observer, when watching a theater practice for the play Hairspray stated, “The students are loving this activity! I can’t believe that these were some of the same students who were just doing homework in this room” The enrichment activities showed that the students were learning new ideas and skills. Direct instruction was given by the coaches/staff and students responded to the information provided. One observation notes: The staff interacts comfortably with the students. One student is being shown how to use the shoulder press machine. The teacher mentions that she takes the body mass index of each student and rewards students who have completed the use of the four machines with a free use of the dance machine. The staff reports that most A World Fit for Kids!—Henry Middle School
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students remain in the fitness center and don’t partake of the snacks because they report they are lactose intolerant and have peanut allergies. Students were challenged, overall, to practice and engage in listening, team work, and focused skill building, e.g., learning new cheers, dance moves, ball handling. The staff, or coaches, seemed to carry knowledge on the given subjects and showed enthusiasm with passing those skills on to their students. The following comment was made during a rollerblading group observation: Everyone enjoys this activity—it’s great exercise, provides the challenge of getting better and faster and offers a different kind of exercise. All participants are engaged—some showing off a little, some skating along, some trying to catch up. As with any well‐organized sports activities, leadership opportunities were present for skilled and motivated players. Students learned how to work as a team and stayed positive to meet the common goals of a team. The lesson of compromise and the role of responsibility were apparent in the inherent requirements of the collaborative activities that were being carried out. There were positive relationships among the students and adults that were doing them. The staff encouraged the students to strive for team success. Physical activity is a hallmark of this program. There is a well rounded, diverse system of different activities for each student to choose from. An observer writes regarding one such activity: “Great exercise, good leadership by the coach, and the test of competition.” The AWFFK! program’s strength is its emphasis on physical fitness and health awareness. This is a unique and valuable asset of the program, as it addresses so many desired outcomes directly and indirectly—how children learn to make the right choices, keep informed, and stay fit in both body and mind. Research points to how this also can positively impact academic performance, as well as life outlook in children and even adults. At the middle school level, AWFFK! has made a serious effort to make the program dynamic in both content and structure, keeping youth physically active, engaged in making choices, taking on leadership roles, as well as building knowledge about healthy choices for the mind, body, and spirit. In many ways, the program serves as a model for others struggling to attract middle schoolers to stay after school by making sure that they take ownership and that the program reflects and supports their vibrant and developing sense of self affirmation in the world. Hopefully, they can then make sure that it is a world fit for children like them. A World Fit for Kids!—Henry Middle School
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BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB—EVERGREEN ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
Evergreen Elementary
2730 Ganahl Street
Raul Navar
908
99.4% Hispanic, .3% Asian, .1 % Pac Is,
.1% White
583 Spanish, 2 Vietnamese
11; 0 (Suspension up form 2005/2006)
51
2
Boys & Girls Club
324 N. McConnell Ave
147
140
None (reported by Site Coordinator); but yes as
indicated in enrollment documents
7 Staff and 4 volunteers
18 total on staff list (1 Site Coord..; 1 Assist.
Coord.; 6 additional staff and 8 other
enrichment instructors—note, some may be
volunteers)
2
Total # Observation Forms Completed
20
Total # Homework/Academic Enrichment Obs.
7 (5/2)
16-50
13
36
- Homework Assistance ( )
- Academic Enrichment ( )
- Health/well-being
- Free Play /Other (2)
Boys and Girls Club—Evergreen Elementary
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The Boys and Girls Club (B&GC) of East Los Angeles program at Evergreen Elementary serves a population that is nearly entirely Hispanic. This is a high‐need immigrant community for which its homework help and enrichment components are potentially of great value. The B&GC mission statement included in the program enrollment package states: Our mission: to inspire and enable all young people and their families to realize their full potential as productive, healthy, responsible, and caring citizens in a culturally sensitive, safe place to learn and grow through ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals using life‐enhancing programs and character development experiences offering Hope and Opportunity. To achieve this mission, the agency administrator, explains, “We offer many programs besides homework assistance, such as science, sports and fitness, computer tech, the arts, character and leadership development, health and life skills, and more!” The B&GC maintains a strong youth development philosophy which is branded with the acronym, CLUB which stands for: a sense of COMPETENCE; a sense of LEADERSHIP; a sense of USEFULNESS; and a sense of BELONGING. According to the B&GC literature, the program focuses on the following areas of 21st Century skill building and competencies: Education & Technology: It enables youth to become proficient in basic educational disciplines, see goals, and embrace technology to achieve success in a career. Health & Life Skills: Develops young peoples’ capacity to engage in positive behaviors that nurture their own well being, set personal goals, and live successfully as self‐sufficient adults The Arts: Enables youth to develop their creativity and cultural awareness through knowledge and appreciation of the visual arts, crafts, performing arts, and creative writing Sports, Fitness & Recreation: Develops fitness, positive use of leisure time, skills for stress management, appreciation for the environment, and social skills Character and Leadership Development: Empowers youth to support and influence their club and community, sustain meaningful relationships with others, develop a positive self‐image and good character, participate in the democratic process, and respect their own and others’ cultural identities. In the literature provided by the site in the material packets, a detailed weekly breakdown of the ASP follows: 2:00‐2:30 Opening period during in which students sign in and begin doing their homework 3:00 to 4:00 The “Power Hour” for homework assistance 4:00 to 4:15 Snack 4:15 ‐‐‐ Students go to their choice of enrichment activity among the following youth appropriate “core program” offerings: Boys and Girls Club—Evergreen Elementary
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Every day Computer sports and games; homework help Monday Guitar Tuesday Breakdancing; Garden Club Wednesday Piano Thursday Hiphop/art Friday Drums/art These classes are advertised on colorful flyers, with illustrative graphics, that announce the day of week, time and location of each enrichment club. A breakdown of the rooms holding the respective activities is also included on this program information sheet (including small auditorium for drum, guitar and break‐dancing clubs). However, during observations it was noted that there were only two rooms available for use by the ASP. The list of staff for the program provided in the packet lists 18 people total (including the site coordinator and her assistant), with two tutors assigned to grade level groups (K‐1st, 2nd‐3rd, 4th‐5th), two staff assigned to a Technology room, two to an Arts and Crafts room, three to Recreation and Playground, five individuals teaching enrichment classes in the Music and Dance program (classes listed above), and one “Master Gardener” who leads the Gardening Club. Note that some individuals have more than one assignment (e.g., the assistant site coordinator also tutors the 4th‐5th grade group). A description of a pamphlet handed out to parents in the registration packet, states that the B&GC program focuses on strengthening students’ language arts and math skills through instruction and enrichment, with the assertion that staff makes an effort to bring B&GC principles to the program whenever possible. Site Staff and Volunteers
The site coordinator reports that there are seven staff (including herself) at the Evergreen B&GC program in addition to four volunteers. She explains the different roles and responsibility that staff and volunteers have by stating, “I have good communications with all of them. The volunteers help with homework; and if I see any problems with kids, they don’t discipline, I discipline. The staff takes care of that and the volunteers just help the kids with their work.” Staff Management and Development
With regard to her relationship with the site, the site coordinator remarks, “I have good communication with all of them. I don’t like to come down on them. They know why they were hired and I remind them of that. That’s what I say to them. I can always talk to my boss and tell her I don’t need someone if that person is not doing what they were hired to do.” A concern for the ongoing development of staff is expressed by the agency administrator who asserts, “We have attended training in the following areas: sports and fitness and conflict resolution. These training sessions are essential to our staff and program development.” In addition, the site coordinator confirms that she receives support from the agency administrator and her staff on site with the following statement, “To get support I would go to Anna (my boss) and Erica. Erica is my assistant, so I talk to her a lot. She is a big help to me. If I have an idea I talk it over with Erica and find out what she thinks before I talk it over with anybody else. Anna is pretty responsive, too. She has contact with the school principal sometimes, also through emails.” Boys and Girls Club—Evergreen Elementary
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Across B&GC sites, asserts the agency administrator, “The relationship that we have with our school site principals are that of mutual respect and admiration for our jobs. The principal and I speak on a daily basis and I keep him up to date on the current state of our program.” Similarly, the coordinator qualifies her relationship with the principal, Mr. Navar, at Evergreen as “good”. She reveals that as a school employee, in addition to her position with B&GC, “He’s my boss in the mornings too.” She adds that he is accessible and responsive: “He is very responsive. He’s a very good and very understanding person. I have communication with him about the program about once a week. For instance, when the restrooms are closed too early, or if we need a refrigerator for ice, I talk to him.” Since the site coordinator works at the school during the day, she is able to communicate with the children at lunch to inquire about absences. She further acknowledges the benefits of working at the school during the day: “I know all the teachers so I call the teachers to find out about homework assignments when the kids say they don’t have any. Most of the time I know what teachers give out. So, there is no way [students] are going tell me that [they] don’t have any homework. I know better. I’ve been here for 17 years.” In addition, with regard to monitoring student homework, she states, “We have a list of teachers’ extensions, so the staff knows to call and ask.” The site coordinator’s long standing history at this site must certainly help in maintaining good communication with the broader school community, based on her historical knowledge and acquired professional reputation. Relations with Parents and Community
Communication with parents is done verbally and via written flyers and letters (with Spanish versions provided). As an example, the materials packet included a flyer stipulating a mandatory parent meeting to discuss the rules for Proposition 49 school sites, club procedures for parents (field trips, signing out, pick up time, outside traffic concerns, etc), club programs, and upcoming events. The flyer also indicates that two meetings are held, one is in English at 5:00pm and a second is in Spanish at 5:30pm. The agency administrator further elaborates on this B&GC efforts to connect with parents and the community they serve: We held a Parent Orientation at our site that allowed parents to interact with staff; [also] allowing the staff to recruit parent volunteers […] We assess the needs of each community and implement programming that fits each community uniquely. The site coordinator reports that she has good communication with parents and she talks to them on a daily basis. She explains, “If kids have acted up that day, I tell the parents what happened and what we did about it. The parents like that. They come and look for me when they have questions.” A unique feature of the site document packet submitted to RSS by B&GC is a “Homework Help Contract” form which indicates the program’s commitment to communicating with parents about their child’s learning needs. The form is signed by the student (member), parent or guardian, and the Power Hour Supervisor, and outlines each person’s responsibility regarding homework assignments and their completion. The parent’s sign on the statement, “I commit to making sure/ he/she arrives on time, and has the materials needed to complete assignments. I also agree to provide help and/or information to the Power Hour Supervisor when needed.” Likewise, the student commits to keeping track of their assignments and completing them, and the Power Hour Supervisor commits to helping the student and to “conferring with parents, teachers and staff to make sure the member’s needs are address.” Boys and Girls Club—Evergreen Elementary
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Attendance
The membership application also highlights that “CHILDREN ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND 5 DAYS A WEEK”. This is reiterated in an additional information sheet titled “Boys & Girls Clubs Clubhouse vs. Boys & Girls Clubs ASES School Sites”, which explains to parents and students the different conditions of participation in either program. Whereas the Clubhouse is on a “walk‐in basis and attendance is not mandatory”, under the ASES program, it states that students must attend five days a week, “or can be dropped,” and that parents must notify the program when their child will be absent. Interestingly, in the item on program capacity under the ASES program, it states, “State funds 90 students. A Waiting List is allowed after that. Currently, Clubhouse is funding the remaining 90 students. This explains the high numbers of students served, an average of 140/day (as reported by the site coordinator). Despite these published and disseminated program policies on attendance, the site coordinator states, “I don’t have a waiting list. I don’t like to put kids on a waiting list. I don’t feel right about it. I’d rather deal with more kids. I mean… what if [a student] really needs help? I would just rather take them all and work with them then turn people away.” Although this stance is understandable, observers noted that the high number of children detracted from the quality of adult attention afforded and negatively affected the activities and work experience of the students. It was noted that the inadequate space for so many children made the rooms quite noisy and chaotic. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The agency administrator shares the success that the program has enjoyed this year: Our successes include: Building strong relationships with our students, students giving compliments about Boys and Girls Club programming, and receiving support from parents of The Boys and Girls Club members. We capitalized on these successes by recruiting parents to volunteer at our site. All in all, our program is a success and we are improving daily. The members really enjoy attending our programs and we recognize that our programs are very instrumental in the development of youth in the community. The site coordinator mentions individual children’s cases as presenting challenges to staff in the program. She expressed how she cares immensely about the well being of her students, which is reflected in the way she speaks about them. Her challenges range from dealing with students with anger management problems and students’ hardships, like dealing with loss of a parent, to regular academic difficulties students are having. One success story told by the site coordinator was her ability to get a student with an anger management problem who would not do homework to sit with her and complete his work, and come to her and tell her he was angry instead of hitting another student as a typical reaction. The most significant challenge the site coordinator identified the program faced this year was moving in and out of their primary facility. This challenge was frustrating to the students as well as the staff. The site coordinator explains, “We dealt with this challenge by adjusting to the moving and explaining to the students that this would be temporary.” The agency administrator also mentions the challenge of finding quality staff that has the required experience and education for working with youth in an after school setting, emphasizing that it is particularly difficult to find staff that specialize in a certain field such as technology, sports and fitness, or music. Boys and Girls Club—Evergreen Elementary
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The homework assistance expectations are described in a handout to parents in the registration packet state, Participation is based on following the site’s curriculum: doing homework for at least 90 minutes; snack time and then choosing an extracurricular activity or continuing with homework. Not following the schedule can lead to being dropped from the program. We are not responsible for completion of homework. We cannot force any child to do homework. The emphasis on the fact that the program staff, “cannot force” students to do their homework alludes to the possible parent expectation that after‐school programs are responsible for their children finishing their assignments. This is a common misconception that parents, and sometime teachers, have of the purpose of ASPs. One of the challenges that appeared in the observational data for the B&GC Evergreen after‐school program site was quality of learning environment and adult‐student relationships, specifically with regard to “classroom management”. Extreme noise levels in the space dedicated to the homework “Power Hour” was noted by the observers. For example, one observation notes: “The noise level and rowdiness of classrooms is very distracting.” The inability of staff to control the situation is illustrated in the following observation: Staff attempts numerous times to quiet down class. Turn off lights, yell to be quiet, but doesn’t work. One staff member gets up to kick out kids that are done with homework. The site coordinator has to come in to room with a bull horn to quiet the students down (after she leaves, noise level goes back up). Staff is having a hard time helping students with homework because they are constantly interrupted by students misbehaving. Another observation regarding the staff‐student relationship notes: The staff really do not hold much authority. The students do not listen and have to be told what to do over and over again. There doesn’t appear to be a system of discipline/consequences in place. I’m sitting at the back of the room and get a backpack thrown on me, then another. I’m out of the way of the backpacks and the students can get their bags, but they have no regard for the space around them or the adult sitting there, nor their instructors. One instructor sees what is happening and says nothing. However, another observation positively notes: The students in this group are quiet. Six students have finished their homework and are quietly playing a construction game while the rest of the students are finishing their homework. Limited space for the homework session seemed to have a negative impact on the environment. The homework “Power Hour” took place between two adjoining rooms from which the children moved Boys and Girls Club—Evergreen Elementary
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freely back and forth. The two rooms accommodated (at the time of one observation) 50 students at 8 tables, with folding chairs stacked to the side for kids to grab if they need a seat. Although there seemed to be enough chairs, there was not enough room at the tables for all the kids to comfortably do their homework and study. The staff sat at the ends of the tables and children walked up to them to get help. The site coordinator mentioned to the observer that they used to have more rooms but these were taken away [no explanation was given]. What is clear is that, throughout the homework periods observed, staff maintained little authority over the group of children during this homework period. Peer interactions, in general, were observed to be friendly. However, some peer interactions were aggressive with little or no staff intervention, as noted by the following: On four different occasions, students are witnessed pushing, kicking, or slapping each other. Normally this goes back and forth three or four times, then stops. All four times, it occurs between a boy and a girl. Students are not respectful, interrupting staff when they are talking to another student. Students needing assistance are instructed to sit at the u‐tables. Staff are being called repeatedly back to the tables after getting up to stop students from misbehaving. The room is noisy. The group being instructed by the site coordinator (10 students) is having a hard time doing work. There is some pushing and hitting between a few students. It goes unnoticed by staff or they choose to ignore it. It is difficult to discern the staff reaction as the violence is hard to miss. When students finished work they were allowed to engage in free play. Here is where the B&GC staff strengths shined with regard to sports and recreation activities. On one occasion, a staff member took the initiative to organize a basketball skill building drill activity during the homework hour with students who were done and allowed “free play”. The staff member turned this into a team building opportunity to teach life skills and relationship development to the students. The observation notes: The staff member has created a game that includes all students that wish to participate. He is extremely supportive of each student’s efforts to play and helps those that don’t know how. He’s positive when getting kids to follow his example so they start encouraging each other. This is an excellent display of leadership and initiative from this staff member. This particular example demonstrates that, despite the apparent disorganization of the homework hour, as well as the lack of authority that staff seemed to have with students, such conditions can be countered by the efforts of the staff to make the most of every learning opportunity. In addition to free play and recreational activities occurring during “Power Hour”, students received academic enrichment and support if they needed it and finished their homework. One staff member was observed actively involved in assisting students with math, reviewing the multiplication facts with a group of students. Another helped students with their spelling skills. Boys and Girls Club—Evergreen Elementary
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Enrichment Activities
The enrichment activities offered in the B&GC Fall 2007 program were gardening, guitar lessons, piano lessons, and drumming lessons. However, the observations only recorded one beginning guitar lesson session. These particular enrichment activities were just starting to enroll students during the observation period, which took place at the beginning of the school year. Activities observed were more of a free‐choice play. Recreation was outside where students chose which game they wanted to play. Board games and computer games were available, as well as a foosball table. The occasional arts/crafts project was observed. In this regard, the observed program activities did not reflect the program described in the schedule and flyers that were offered in the document packet. Staff interaction with students varied during the enrichment activity period. One observation notes: Staff is observing the students decorating and making positive comments on how wonderful a job each one of them is doing decorating the cups. Staff offers suggestions to decorate certain ways and appears interested in what the students are doing. Staff member has created a game that includes all students that wish to participate. He is extremely supportive of each student’s efforts to play and helps those that don’t know how. He’s positive and getting kids to follow his example so that they start encouraging each other. Students are excited and having fun while learning important team building skills. Ten minutes into the activity, they really start opening up and follow the staff member’s lead. They feel comfortable enough to suggest different games or alterations to the one they are playing. This is an excellent display of leadership and initiative from this staff member. Peer interactions were friendly and somewhat supportive. An observation notes the following: Students are sharing materials and working in the same areas without problems. The surrounding area is quite noisy, but this is not an impediment to the activity. Students comment on each other’s decorating and also explain to their neighbor how they did certain things to their cup (i.e., get the glitter to stay on the side). Students appear to be getting along. Attention is focused on shouting encouragements at their peers playing. All students thoroughly enjoy the activity [tetherball] as evidenced by their engagement, laughter, and smiling. Observations of students engaged in more challenging activities included a reading/math enrichment activity where students were working on computers in the “Leapfrog Learning Center” [a corner in a classroom with computers occupying a table]. Leapfrog combines educational games (i.e., geography, reading, etc.) with the concept of a hand‐held video game, similar to a small laptop. At the behest of the staff member supervising these students, math and reading games were being played. The positive learning experience for both students and staff was described thusly: Staff member is helping each student individually by helping them chose the appropriate level game and teaching them how to play. Students are following Boys and Girls Club—Evergreen Elementary
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directions. Staff member is dealing with loud noise due to yelling kids and other games being played in the same room, but handling the situation well. The level of difficulty spans from 1st‐6th grade the games are grade level appropriate for most students offering them practice on their existing skills as well as some new vocabulary and more challenging math questions The small group is taking interest in what each other is doing well. They are sharing the material and working together to read direction and solve math problems Another non‐recreational activity observed was an arts and crafts activity where students decorated cups with paint and glitter to make a gift for their parent or loved one. During a well organized activity (plenty of supplies, table area covered for easy clean up), students were highly “engaged and enjoying” the activity. The positive interaction of staff with students and of students with their peers was described by the following: Staff is observing the students decorating and making positive comments on how wonderful a job each one of them is doing decorating their cups. Staff offers suggestions to decorate certain ways and appears interested in what the students are doing. Students are sharing materials and working at the same area without problems. The surrounding area is quite noisy, but this is not an impediment to the activity. Students comment on each other’s decorating and also explain to their neighbor how they did certain things to their cup, i.e., get the glitter to stay on the side. Students are all engaged and enjoying the activity thoroughly, and follow all directions from staff, and are socializing with peers. In general, students were often highly engaged and for the most part enjoyed activities, behaving in an agreeable manner and receiving guidance from friendly and supportive staff. In summary, the Boys and Girls Club at Evergreen Elementary boasts many positive features: a dedicated site coordinator, exciting and youth appropriate enrichment activities, and a strong relationship with the school administration and faculty. Additionally, the program enjoys the institutional support of one of the largest historically established youth group‐serving entities in the community of East Los Angeles, and the nation. Consequently, the program has a very well articulated and holistic philosophy of youth character development, as exemplified in the CLUB approach. This is particularly important given that the program serves a community that is located in one of the areas where gang activity has been historically present and an attraction for youth who feel disenfranchised by the larger society. Having a strong foundational platform and dedicated leadership is a great asset to the program. Where the program seems to be in need of some improvement effort is classroom management of the homework and academic support activities, and providing more space so that students will not be in noisy, poorly managed workspaces. Boys and Girls Club—Evergreen Elementary
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BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB—WILMINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Wilmington Middle School
1700 Gulf Avenue
Wilmington, CA 90744
Veronica Aragon
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
2134
95.1% Hispanic; 1.9% African-American; 1.1% White;
1% Pac Isl; 0.5% Filipino; 0.3% Asian;
0.1% Al/Alsk
789 Spanish; 2 Other
627/4 (Suspensions and Expulsions up from 2005-06)
91
6
Boys & Girls Club
324 N. McConnell Ave
CLUB JAG “Jaguars Achieving Greatness”
160
160
No
13 staff and 1 volunteer
10 staff (including: 1 site coordinator, 1 tutor and 8
enrichment instructors, computer lab)
3
18
6
3-70
12
4-70
-
Other (7) [Cultural Awareness, Study Skills, Board
Games, Socializing, Raffle Game, Movie]
- Yes (11)
- Yes (12)
- Yes (11)
- Yes (11)
- Yes (12)
- Yes (12)
Boys and Girls Club—Wilmington Middle School
No (1)
No (0)
No (1)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
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STAFF INTERVIEW, ADMINSTRATOR QUESTIONAIRE, AND ARTIFACT DATA
Wilmington Middle School has 2,134 students, of which 95percent are Hispanic. Wilmington is a community that sits in the southwest region of LAUSD near Los Angeles Harbor, hence it is a very industrial area with high levels of poverty. The Boys and Girls Club of the Los Angeles Harbor (BGCLA Harbor) has a long history serving this community that spans over 70 years. It is with the ASES and 21st CCLC funding that the LA Harbor B&GC began to provide after‐school program services to youth at four school sites of the Los Angeles Unified School District, as opposed to at only one site. The four centers in the South Bay area are San Pedro, Cabrillo, the Port of Los Angeles, and Wilmington. The program at Wilmington M.S. is called CLUB JAG for Jaguars Achieving Greatness (a jaguar being the school mascot). This is evidently an effort to market the program to middle school students as something different; and a cool place to be. Program Design and Curriculum
The site document packet is somewhat sparse and offers no literature that conveys the mission, philosophy, or approach of the B&GC program. On the BGCLA Harbor website, however, the following mission statement is found: To provide a safe and wholesome environment dedicated to all youth in our community. Our goal is to develop positive values, high self‐esteem with a philosophy to nurture youth to reach their full potential as successful citizens. The packet includes a program schedule that states the program operates Monday thru Friday, from the time of school dismissal until 6:00pm. Power Hour starts immediately after school and runs for one hour. Following Power Hour the students are given a snack provided by the cafeteria and Beyond the Bell. The students who have not finished homework continue with Power Hour, while those students who have finished their homework move on to their enrichment activities. The ASP activities offered and the days that they occur are as follows: Daily (Monday‐Friday) Monday and Wednesday Homework Assistance Ballroom Dance Algebra Tutoring Computer Lab Sports Monday, Wednesday. and Friday Run Club Arts and Craft’s Guitar Lessons. The afternoon starts off with a “Circle of Love,” where members sit in a circle and discuss different topics and answer trivia questions. The agency administrator reports, “We also offer a Hip‐Hop Class and a Battle of the Grades program at our Middle School. These program activities give members an opportunity to express themselves creatively as well as allowing them to interact with other students.” Boys and Girls Club—Wilmington Middle School
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The program’s disciplinary policy clearly and succinctly outlined: 1st time verbal warning to the student 2nd time removed from area/activity and situation into a quiet time‐out area (student cafeteria) 3rd time student is taken to our on‐site administrator, who then calls their parents. A determination is made by staff, parent and administrator whether student is allowed to continue participating in CLUB JAG During the day, CLUB JAG is allowed to make announcements at the daily announcement time for its members to hear during school hours (a sample text of an announcement was provided). Special events may occur depending on the B&GC site. At the Wilmington MS B&GC after‐school program, a Harvest Fest Festival was sponsored. A flyer included in the site materials packet showed the event served to promote a fun and safe Halloween for students by providing a place to go and celebrate the holiday with games, food, and a picture booth. Flyers announcing the festival went home to parents. The site coordinator also mentions a soccer tournament that the program organizes and occasional field trips, such as to Knott’s Berry Farm, which students earn the right to participate in through accumulating tutor signatures upon completion of homework. Site Staff and Volunteers
There are 13 staff and 1 high school volunteer at this site. The site coordinator explains their respective roles, “They are all tutors. Then after [the homework period] they become arts and crafts, computer guy, and our guitar person.” In other words, staff helps students with the homework during Power Hour and then leads the various enrichment opportunities offered. The one volunteer helps younger youth with homework. Staff Management and Development
According to the agency administrator: “We have attended training in the following areas: sports and fitness and conflict resolution. This training is essential to our staff and program development.” The site coordinator did not mention any training or mentoring that she and her staff received from the B&GC. Relations with School
The site coordinator works at the school during the day and speaks with the principal daily about the ASP. The usual administrative contact is the assistant principal. “We’ve never had a problem that we’ve had to bring to the principal. The administration supports us; it’s always nice.” Regarding communication with teachers, the site coordinator adds, “Again, because I work here during the day, it’s one‐on‐one.” She reports that the communications that they have with the school administration and teachers is usually about homework, and issues staff or teachers may encounter. She offers the example of a student not completing homework or not understanding, in which case the staff would need clarification of the work that the teacher is assigning. The agency administrator further emphasizes that the relationship with the school site principals where B&GC operates programs, “are that of mutual respect and admiration for our jobs.” She further states Boys and Girls Club—Wilmington Middle School
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that she speaks with principals on a daily basis and affirms, “I keep them up‐to‐date on the current state of our program.” Relations with Parents and Community
A parent orientation held at the school site, according the agency administrator, allowed parents to interact with staff and for the program to recruit some parent volunteers.” The administrator further asserts, with regard to the B&GC effort, that they connect with and assess the needs of each community that they serve and implement programming that fits each community uniquely. The site coordinator further describes the interaction that staff have with parents of students in the after‐school program as, “they usually communicate verbally about academic issues mostly and occasional behavioral issues”. She points out that parents complain that students don’t finish homework. “As an established entity, B&GC already has many ties with the community”, states the site coordinator. Still they are able to secure resources from local business partners to enhance their program. For example, Hollywood Video sponsors the Friday movie viewings, movie nights, and a Harvest Fest. They donate treats and movie rentals for the students in the program. Attendance
When asked about a waiting list at the site, the coordinator comments, “I wish there was one.” She seems to be alluding to the fact that they are struggling with recruitment. She indicates that the site receives support from the agency in that regard, stating, “They help with the new ideas for retention.” She addresses absences with a phone call home, explaining that Wilmington MS Boys and Girls Club has an “open door policy” which means members are free to come and go as they please. The application form tells parents of this policy and asks them to please make sure children are aware of this policy and let them know what the parents expect of their own child. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The agency administrator expresses a positive outlook on the program’s ongoing development and shares the success that the program has enjoyed this year: Our successes include, building a strong relationships with our students, students giving compliments about Boys and Girls Club programming, and receiving support from parents of The Boys and Girls Club members. We capitalized on these successes by recruiting parents to volunteer at our site. All in all, our program is a success and we are improving daily. The members really enjoy attending our programs and we recognize that our programs are very instrumental in the development of youth in the community. The site coordinator also identifies three successes in the program this year: a soccer tournament; Harvest Fest; and the Knott’s Berry Farm field trip as an incentive for students who consistently complete their homework. In addition, she shares how the B&GC central office paid for the JAG CLUB banquet and sponsored medals for the soccer tournament. The site coordinator states that the program can be more successful by bringing in more programs that interest students Boys and Girls Club—Wilmington Middle School
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Challenges
The site coordinator explicitly expressed that “getting kids to stay in the program” is a challenge at Wilmington Middle School. In addition, she says that the custodial staff at the school does not help them maintain the site. “It’s hard to get them to clean up. We don’t pay them, there is no money for them.” The most significant challenge the site coordinator identified that the program faced this year was moving in and out of their primary facility. This challenge was frustrating to the students as well as the staff. The site coordinator explains, “We dealt with this challenge by adjusting to the moving and explaining to the students that this would be temporary.” The agency administrator also mentions the challenge of finding quality staff that have the required experience and education for working with youth in an after‐school setting, emphasizing that it is particularly difficult to find staff that specialize in a certain field such as technology, sports and fitness, or music. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
Every student was given an agenda at the beginning of school in which they filled in their homework and the tutor signed it off. From observations at the beginning of the after‐school program, the routine that appeared to be in place for homework was as follows: The first 5 minutes is spent getting students signed in, seated, and homework out to start working. One staff works at the sign‐in table. Other staff walk around instructing students what to do and helping those already started on homework. Staff are positive and non‐condescending to students; patient with students and allow them to figure out answers to questions on their own. No observed system to check homework was noted. Staff always appeared interested and supportive of students during the homework period. They walked around the room; making themselves available to the students who needed help. Staff management of the group was flexible/appropriate in terms of the level of control. No negativity was ever noted from staff. One observation notes: The three staff alternate roaming around the room (providing crowd control) and assisting individual students with homework. Staff randomly check with the students to ensure that homework has been completed. Staff listen intently to students’ questions and spend significant amount of time (in some cases) attempting to assist them. Then after they have moved on to the next student, they often return to students that they were helping previously to ensure that the students were able to complete the work. “Did you figure out how to get a common denominator?” one staff person asks a student. In one instance, a staff member works with a student to edit a writing assignment the student has completed. The staff person works through each sentence with the student. He explains each correction that he makes to the student’s work. Generally, the staff members circle the room, helping as many students as possible. Boys and Girls Club—Wilmington Middle School
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Peer interactions were generally friendly and relaxed as evidenced by the socializing noted by most observations. As one observer noted: “All students are respectful of one another. Those collaborating on work are attentive to each other, taking turns speaking, and no negativity is observed.” However, there were a few exceptions. An observation noted the following incident: By this time, students are spending a great deal of time interacting with peers. The interactions are largely social in nature. Two girls sit across the table from one another and talk quietly about their favorite television show. One student is observed taking off his shoes and forcing his friends to smell them. The other students yell at him and protest when a staff person reprimands the group. The students are quick to blame each other for noise and table movement. Another observation noted the following: Some students sit together and talk through the entire homework period. A group of girls is noticed having a heated discussion. One says to another, “She was talking about you!” Another student exclaims loudly, “God! I wasn’t talking about you. I was talking about someone else!” The discussion continues until the original accuser seems to give up and says to the accused, “You know what .. Hit me! Just hit me. Don’t be [expletive deleted] screamin’ at me!” The situation eventually dissipates without staff intervention. Other students exclude themselves from the commotion in the room and sit, working quietly, along the walls. The noise level during the homework period was often observed as “considerable” or “loud,” enough to make it distracting to the students trying to do their work. There was no observed solution to remedy this noise problem. The site coordinator explains, “Teachers always say that it’s too loud. How can students do their homework if it’s loud? But my response is, It’s not a study hall, they talk and help each other out.” Students were often observed as distracted and not on task. The only observed period of focused, quiet working time was seen in the classroom of a regular daytime teacher who is the algebra tutor for the students. Nearly all of the students in the cafeteria (the main meeting area and homework area) were disengaged at least some of the time during homework time. An observation notes: As the homework period draws to a close, the level of student engagement drops drastically. Students put away their homework without finishing it. More students get up and move about the room. Two students wrestle for a pencil rather than complete their work. The older students, especially, seem to face harsh criticism from their peers for focusing on homework. Students that are still working have moved away from others that are no longer engaged in homework. Enrichment Activities
A variety of enrichment activities were observed which reflected the program indicated in the schedule: running club; board games; computer lab; guitar lessons; video games; algebra enrichment; hula dancing; and sports. Staff supervised and observed most of the activities; guitar lessons and dancing Boys and Girls Club—Wilmington Middle School
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were directly instructed. Staff used appropriate/flexible control of groups and were supportive of students. The observation of the guitar class documented how the teacher remained very engaged with the students while teaching them new skills relevant to guitar playing. The observation notes: He is teaching students how to tune their guitar strings by ear. He encourages the students frequently and with excitement. He teaches the process step by step and then assists each individual student through the tuning process. He says, “Listen. Listen. Turn it a little more. Turn it towards 7 o’clock. Guys when do you need to tighten or loosen it? We tighten to make it higher, so tighten your string. Very nice! Your skills are amazing! You might need to get rid of those fingernails, though, so it’s easier to play.” Students were highly engaged and focused during this activity. An observation of a hula dance lesson yields the following observation: First, staff models the dance for the students. Then, she takes her time to go through each small section, teaching it bit by bit. In addition to teaching the steps, the staff person speaks to the students about the meanings for certain traditional hula movements. After teaching the entire dance, the teacher coaches the students while they dance the routine. She encourages the students to repeat it many times, and often dances along with the students. She remains engaged in the activity and often cues students when they forget certain moves. Staff maintains a calm demeanor despite one student’s continual efforts to undermine the activity. An observation of various activities on the computer showed the following: Staff spends his time walking around the room checking in with individual students. At one point, he gathers a group of wandering students around one computer and gets them interested in viewing complex images. He encourages the students to discuss all of the things that they observe in each image. Once the conversation is in motion, the staff member backs away and works with other students. Students frequently request assistance from the staff member. Students and staff often smile at each other and laugh together, making it a very comfortable atmosphere for all. Student level of support and focus on activities varied widely. The students were generally friendly. The interactions among peers varied depending on the type of activity. Those playing guitar were observed as being very friendly and cooperative, offering help to one another and verbally encouraging each other. On the other hand, students playing sports (football) were a bit different. An observation notes: Students talk quietly amongst their teams and practice throwing the ball back and forth. One student throws the ball toward a student, but the other student misses. The student that threw the ball yelled ‘Fetch!’ to the student that missed the ball. They argue about who should get the ball and eventually the staff directs someone to get the ball. The students resume play without much more conversation. Boys and Girls Club—Wilmington Middle School
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BRAINFUSE—NORMONT ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Normont Elementary
1001 W 253rd Street
Harbor City, CA 90710
Tracy Joseph
Principal
Student Enrollment
540
73.5% Hispanic; 19.8% African-American; 2%
Pac Is; 1.9% White; 1.5% Asian; 1.3% Filipino
197 Spanish
32/0 (Suspensions up from 2005-06)
31
2
Brainfuse
333 South Beaudry Ave., 20th Floor
LAUSD
180
175
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
Yes
9 Staff
15 Staff (including: 1 site coordinator, 12 Tutors,
1 PE instructor)
3
20
10
11-23
10
6-27
-
Activity has clear goals and objectives Activity appropriate for age, genders, ethnicity Space is sufficient and appropriate for activity Necessary materials and equipment provided Youth are appropriately supervised Free from safety or environmental problems *Source: LAUSD School Profile [http://search.lausd.k12.ca.us/]
-
Yes (9)
Other (2) [Various Activities, Study Skills ]
Yes (10)
Yes (10)
Yes (10)
Yes (10)
Yes (10)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (1)
Brainfuse—Normont Elementary
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Normont Elementary School has an enrollment of 540 students. It serves a diverse population of Hispanic and African‐American students. The Normont ES After‐School Program states the following as their program mission: Brainfuse follows the standards of excellence set by the National School‐Age Care Alliance (NSACA). We seek educational professionals who will build positive relationships with children and understand and respond to children’s needs, interests, and concerns. We view our after‐school programs as a continuous learning experience not only for the children but also for our instructors. Our goal is to provide a safe learning enrichment environment where all participants, both children and their parents, feel valued and welcomed everyday. The agency administrator makes the following statement: We pride ourselves in developing customized programs for each school; we do not subscribe to [the] one‐size fits all approach. Thus, each new school/program is a chance to explore and to find out the unique needs of the students/parents/teachers. The program customization is accomplished via discussion with the principal. The agency administrator states that the distinctive features of the offering are: keyboard instruction from a certified LAUSD teacher; computer instruction; renewed emphasis in literacy/math practice and enrichment; and cross‐disciplinary activities such as skits. There is a “Welcome” brochure in the materials packet that appears to be geared to new staff. It includes information related to student behavior management policies, daily operational policies, after‐
school instructor performance standards/job checklist/’don’ts”, as well as a first day checklist. In the materials packet are two different schedules noted as “tentative”. One is for 2007 and shows: 2:30‐2:45pm Snack time 2:45‐3:15pm Music/computer time 3:15‐4:00pm Language arts activities 4:00‐4:30pm Physical education 4:30‐5:25pm Math 5:25‐5:30pm Dismissal The other tentative schedule noted as a 2007‐2008 schedule shows the following: 2:30‐3:00pm Snack/homework 3:00‐3:30pm Computer/music or homework Brainfuse—Normont Elementary
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3:30‐4:00pm Language arts/physical education 4:00‐4:30pm Math 4:30‐5:45pm Library Also included in the materials packet are actual schedules from various staff members. Based upon a review of these schedules, it appears that individuals are running the sequence of activities as they wish without a uniform structure. Some activities will vary in terms of time allotted (i.e., snacks), or are combined with other activities (i.e., again snacks) or not be shown at all (i.e., once again, snacks). However, most schedules appear to allow 30 minutes for each activity. It is not clear from looking at the materials whether the program leaders are aware that the program must stay open until 6:00pm. A flyer included in the materials packet speaks of the key components of the program: •
Standards‐based remediation and enrichment activities in mathematics and language‐arts. •
Music instruction where students learn to play keyboards, appreciate music, and read sheet music. •
Art instruction where age‐appropriate art projects are assigned for enrichment purposes. •
Computer instruction where students develop computer skills including typing, internet usage, and PowerPoint slides developed by school staff. •
Homework assistance where students receive assistance with classroom work. •
Physical education where standards‐based games and age‐appropriate activities are offered to students. •
Snack time where a nutritious snack is offered to all students in the program. Within the materials packet, one can find a “suggested list of physical education activities” including Tiger Ball, Blob Tag, Kickball, Uncle Sam, and Four Square. Included for each activity is description of the physical activity, the goals of the activity (i.e., attention building; social interaction skills, sharing and caring skills), the equipment/materials needed, and directions as to how the game is played. Included in the materials packet is a form entitled, “Responsibility Is Mine”. It addresses behaviors that are expected of students. Both the child and the parent sign off on this form and it is in both English and Spanish. Also included in the materials packet can be found an announcement in both English and Spanish of a Halloween Festival and a monthly newsletter addressed to parents and guardians. Site Staff and Volunteers
Per the site coordinator, there are nine staff members and no volunteers. The staff for this program comes from the day school program. This greatly helps in terms of knowing what homework assignments are due and what help children need with these assignments. The roles of the staff include work in the following areas: Computers, Language Arts, Math, Music, Physical Education, and Library. Staff Management and Development
The agency administrator states that they have their strongest difficulty in finding staff with science/math backgrounds. An additional challenge that the agency administrator notes is the Brainfuse—Normont Elementary
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following, “Finding and motivating after‐school instructors who in turn will motivate and encourage students; also finding time to do professional development.” In terms of the agency administrator, the most promising new staff development activities carried out this year were regular meetings and teacher surveys. The technical assistance that the site coordinator would find most helpful, would be staff development—both in terms of content and finding time to do it. The agency administrator makes a comment that emergency training for program staff is unnecessary as most of the instructors are already LAUSD employees. Relations with School
The agency administrator states that the programs’ relationships with school principals are “very good to excellent.” The site coordinator does not indicate how often she talks with the principal, but states that most conversations with the principal relate to money. The site coordinator states that communication with teachers is mostly verbal and mostly one‐on‐one. The site coordinator reiterates that most communications with teachers relate to money. Relations with Parents and Community
The agency administrator states that most parent communications are via parent letters and school newsletters. The site coordinator states that most communication with parents is verbal and one‐on‐one. The site coordinator also says that she hasn’t had any discussions with parents aside from discussion of enrollment issues. It’s not clear if this means attendance issues or something else. The site coordinator states that there are no relationships with business and community members who don’t have children attending the program. Attendance
In answering the question about attendance, the site coordinator states, “Their attendance is pretty good because it’s babysitting. Their teachers don’t let them leave the program.” The site coordinator indicates that there is currently a waiting list because “they want us to have 180 students”. She further states, “If there are bad kids, we won’t take them back; we’ll give the chance to someone else.” Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
In describing the program strengths and successes, the agency administrator notes, “high student participation; including more proactive and interactive programming.” The site coordinator states, “We’ve had Brainfuse for three or four years. This is the first year that I am doing it. I used to do the paperwork. The kids are really learning, the ones that come to the program.” Brainfuse—Normont Elementary
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Challenges
The agency administrator states that their biggest challenges are obtaining permission to use school classrooms and working with the teachers. She states that they deal with the challenges by keeping an open communication channel with the principal and the teachers. The site coordinator corroborates this by the following comment: The only problem is that one of the day teachers did not want to share her classroom because she doesn’t like subs. The sub that we use for the ASP is actually a regular sub here. The teachers just think that they own their classrooms. When asked about challenges, the site coordinator says, “I couldn’t compare to last year, because this is my first year.” However, she does state that the agency could make the site even more successful if they were to… “delete the sign‐out form from the parent sign‐out sheet after 5pm. Everybody knows these kids because they are in the community. The sign‐out sheet really stresses me out because Beyond the Bell says that we have to have it.” SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
There were a total of 10 homework and academic enrichment observations during the survey period. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for students. Basic materials and equipment were provided. IT resources, such as PCs and internet access, were sometimes provided. The noise level was generally appropriate with no interruptions or distractions from others sharing the space nearby. Students were working individually and in groups. The space was free from any safety or environmental problems. Staff roles and interactions with students ranged from direction/instruction to guiding/coaching to supervising/observing. Staff was flexible and exerted appropriate control. The staff usually demonstrated a high level of interest in what students were doing, and staff members were generally highly supportive of students. There was a system or routine in place for staff to check if students had any homework and/or what their homework was for the day. One observation notes: The students are working individually on their homework. The teacher circulates and provides one‐on‐one assistance. The teacher points to the sound/spelling cards to assist a student with the spelling of the word ‘people’. The teacher asks another student to refer to the dictionary to check the spelling of another word. The teacher also provides assistance with math. There is a routine or system in place for checking if students have homework. Another observation noted something different: The teacher is sitting on her desk. The teacher does not provide direct instruction. Occasionally, the teacher asks students if they are “okay.” The students bring their homework to her desk when they’re finished. She briefly scans it and files it away. She notes when something is wrong. This is an individual homework activity. The Brainfuse—Normont Elementary
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students are not expected to work with one another. One student is being very distractive. He laughs loudly occasionally. The teacher reprimands him in Spanish. Few students read books after they finish with their homework. Peer interactions were very friendly, and very positive. Students were generally supportive of each other and accepted help from one another. No student was withdrawn from their work; they were all respectful of each other by keeping the noise level down. Students appeared to be somewhat focused and mostly engaged in their work. A few students were noted to be disengaged from their work. Enjoyment was visible and students worked agreeably. They appeared to be comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. One observation notes: All students are engaged in homework assignments and once they are complete they know exactly what to do next. Students appear comfortable enough to approach teacher with questions and walk around room for alternate activities when homework is complete. Homework assignments include both math and reading lessons. Students work from textbooks, workbooks, and worksheets. Another observation notes: Generally, there are minimal interactions between students. There are some side non‐academic conversations. A boy is playing with the large pockets of his pants. A girl keeps searching for something in her backpack. The teacher reminds her to stay focused. Students were using oral or silent reading, writing, and math skills. Students who had no homework or who finished early had learning materials or alternate activities available to them. Some students received direct instruction or tutoring individually. One observation notes: Although the students seem to be familiar with the concepts of verbs and adverbs, as evidenced by their eagerness to participate and shout out answers, the students are pushed to come up with additional answers to each question. Thus, it seems that they are being challenged to critically consider the questions and to realize that more than one answer may be appropriate. Students often pause before shouting out alternate answers to questions. Another observation notes: The homework assignments do not appear to be too challenging for students. Although some work together, none appear to be particularly challenged by anything. A few students wandered off to sharpen a pencil or grab extra paper when it wasn’t necessary. This seemed to be a way of taking a little break. Some would simply look around the classroom for a few minutes seemingly bored. Brainfuse—Normont Elementary
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A total of 10 enrichment activity observations were made during the survey period. Activities observed included computer games, computer skill building/word processing, arts and crafts, math/science enrichment, reading/language arts enrichment, study skills/test preparation, and sports (competitive and non‐competitive). Activities had clear goals and objectives. The activities appeared to be appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for the activities and necessary materials and equipment were provided to do the activity. Students were seen to be working individually and in groups. One observation notes: Students are engaged in playing educational computer games. The staff remains seated in the back of the room for most of the session, observing all of the students’ computers. On occasion, a student asks a question and the staff moves to help the student. In this case, she stands behind the student’s chair. The staff member smiles infrequently at the students and seems slightly frustrated by some questions. One student asks, “What’s 8 minus 5?” The teacher responds, “It’s 3. What’s so hard about that?” Later, though, the staff member cheers on the same student when he completes a level of his game. Students remain seated throughout the activity. Another observation notes: Youth are engaged in an arts & crafts activity. They are making a tissue paper pumpkin for Halloween. Parents are coming in to pick up students so the staff member is standing over by the doorway next to the sign‐out sheet speaking with some parents and supervising students at the same time. Even when parents are not in the library, staff still allows students to work alone and does not seem too interested in their progress. Peer interactions were friendly, positive, and supportive. Students were focused during the activities and were enjoying them. The students got along agreeably with staff and were comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Most students were engaged. Peer interactions varied widely. An observation notes: Occasionally, students ask each other questions about particular level of games. Otherwise, students do not interact during this time. The infrequent interactions are brief and usually no eye contact between the students is made . Students are all seated at their own computers and are staring intently at the screens. Students only look up when they need assistance, which occurs infrequently. Another observation notes: Brainfuse—Normont Elementary
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Students are very friendly with each other and share all materials with one another. They converse in a very warm and friendly tone about their Halloween costumes. Students are learning new art and fine motor skills. It does not appear that these students have very much experience working with tissue paper because some are having difficulties. Some students were doing oral or silent reading, writing, or math as part of their activities; others were not. Students appeared to be learning new information or developing new skills. Students usually did not receive direct instruction or individual instruction. An observation notes: The teacher shared that Brainfuse’s program is basically “an extension of their regular instructional day.” Students seem engaged and interested. There is a student who is using the Accelerated Reader software. She reads a book, and as soon as she completes a section takes a short quiz about it online. This activity is an example of differentiated instruction based on the software/ program that the teacher has chosen for each student. The programs/software ranges from supplementing the Math and Language Arts curriculum to English Language Development. Another observation notes: Students are playing a computer math game called “Gigi”. This game incorporates reading skills along with math skills. Students are expected to read a math word problem and then solve it. There are cartoon characters, fun songs, and a fun journey game. The school received a grant for this computer math program a few years back in order to raise students test scores. So far the school has seen a 16‐
percent increase in math scores! The opportunity to develop leadership skills was evident during the enrichment activities. Students had the opportunity to work independently. Youth took leadership roles and made decisions about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. Students were seen as learning or practicing important life skills. Depending on the enrichment activity observed, physical activity varied. Nutritional concepts and practices were not an integral part of any activities. One observation notes: Students are outside playing a game of Ultimate Frisbee. Once students begin playing the staff member takes a seat at a nearby bench and talks with a parent. Students do argue over certain plays; they claim that one team is cheating, not following the rules. However, they do cheer on and support their team mates. Some students become angry over the fact that others are cheating. It appears as though those that are accused of cheating simply are not taking the game very seriously. As a result of this dispute some students become disengaged in the activity and walk over to the staff member to complain. Staff member is still chatting with parent An observation toward the end of the day notes: Brainfuse—Normont Elementary
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The students are doing various activities in the library while they are waiting for their parents to pick them up. Each student is doing a different activity. In the last one hour of the program the students gather in the library and wait for their parents to pick them up. One of the staff members shared with me that the students usually finish their homework or, depending on their age, do color by the numbers or dot by dot. The students are basically waiting to be picked‐up. They are engaged in brief, non‐academic conversations. Because it does seem to operate as an extension of the regular school day, this program is very different than many of the others we observed. It benefits from students having frequent access to the computer lab, library, and trained teachers; but it does not seem to offer as rich a collection of physical activities, artistic opportunities, and other experiences that students are unlikely to encounter during the regular school day. Brainfuse—Normont Elementary
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BRESEE FOUNDATION—VIRGIL MIDDLE SCHOOL
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Virgil Middle School
152 N. Vermont Avenue
Ada Snethen Stevens
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
2768
88.8% Hispanic; 4.8% Filipino; 3.2% AfricanAmerican; 2.7% Asian; .5% White; .1 Al/Alsk
1174 Spanish; 35 Filipino; 28 Korean; 2 Russian;
62/0 (Suspensions and Expulsions are down from
2005-06)
130
9
Bresee Foundation
184 Bimini Place
110
110
No
20 Staff
18 Staff (including: 1 site coordinator; 1 director;
16 after school instructors)
2
16
8
2-36
8
11-45
-
Health/well-being (3
Other (5) [Study Skills, Leadership, Board
Games, Free Play]
Bresee Foundation—Virgil Middle School
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
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STAFF INTERVIEW, ADMINSTRATOR QUESTIONAIRE AND ARTIFACT DATA
The Virgil Middle School has an enrollment of 2,768 students and serves a predominantly Hispanic community. The vision of Bresee is: A community filled with hope where diverse people are working together towards discovering what it means to be created in the image of God, where love is expressed through compassion and justice, and where everyone is empowered and whole. The mission of Bresee is stated below: God called us to offer hope and wholeness and to work toward reconciliation, empowerment, and justice in our community through basic skills development, community and youth development, health services, and urban leadership training. A flyer included in the materials packet states: You are Welcome at Bresee! Bresee Community center opens its doors to welcome YOU, your friends and family to take advantage of the variety of service we offer. We are a resource center for job‐seekers, students, filmmakers, parents, and kids who just want to have fun! We ask for just $5 annual fee which can even be paid through volunteer service in cases of financial hardship. You are welcome to participate in: Learning Center Monday‐Friday 3:30‐6:30pm Individual and group study spaces, homework help, math tutoring, and educational enrichment workshops are provided to youth after school. Tutoring Room Monday – Friday 3:30‐6:30pm A place for reading mentors to meet one‐on‐one with youth; a library of books, and other resources are available for their use. Recreation Center Monday – Friday 3:30‐6:30pm Featuring a DJ booth, snack bar, youth “bank,” small movie theater, pool and foosball tables—all for youth. (Gym available next door for sports activities) Multimedia Studio Monday – Friday, by appt Industry‐standard film editing stations, cameras, and other equipment area available, along with the assistance of our multimedia staff Multipurpose Room and Board Rooms Well‐lit, functional spaces complete with kitchenettes. Fun youth workshops, youth job training, parenting classes, and other activities. Rooms available for community use for small donation. CyberHood Monday – Friday 3:30‐6:30pm Bresee Foundation—Virgil Middle School
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Internet access, learning software, and training workshops are offered to youth after school in the 28‐station lab. Community park Everyday, 8am‐dusk Featuring a jungle gym for climbing, natural habits for relaxing, and a slough that helps purify our community Health Clinic Monday – Friday 9:00am‐6:00pm Through a partnership with Queens Care, the clinic offers primary care services regardless of insurance status, as well as health education workshops and screenings. Cyber Café Monday‐ Friday 1‐9pm For use by members 16 yrs and up, its equipped with 15 computers, multimedia/office software, office supplies, resume paper, and caring, bilingual tech assistants. According to the agency administrator questionnaire, the activities and programs offered by the middle school program include: •
Homework assistance •
Reading program •
Tutoring •
College and career exploration, including help with college applications •
Technology training •
Computer lab •
Job training & placement •
Video production classes: Learn how to make a movie, documentary, TV show, etc. •
Workshops in art, poetry, dance, music, health issues, etc. •
Graphic design courses •
Financial literacy courses •
Nutrition workshops •
Recreation: foosball, pool table, snack bar •
Sports: basketball, soccer, volleyball •
DJ booth •
Young life program •
Trips & summer camps (Magic Mountain, Yosemite, etc.) The materials packet states that the Bresee Youth Center after‐school schedule is broken down and color coded to make it easy for students to understand what type of activity is available for them to participate in and at what time. Bresee Foundation—Virgil Middle School
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Also included are flyers advertising these activities and other events that students might be interested in outside of the ASP hours. They include: Baseball Clinic, Healthy Living Community Fair, and the 2nd Annual Youth Film Festival on social justice. In the registration packet is a letter to parents explaining the program, an academic release form (since the program is off site), and a list of requirements to join the ‘Bresee community.’ The following statements are made: •
Attend Bresee at least 3 day a week •
Commit to doing one hour of homework each day OR one hour of education work on the computer •
Participate in other enrichment activities the Bresee offers such as workshops and sports leagues. The general sequence of the after‐school program appears to be: 3:30‐4:15pm Youth Center Recreation Snack & Chat 4:15‐5:15pm Homework, Computers, JV Soccer Practice/Powerball 5:15‐5:30pm Announcements 5:30‐6:30pm Workshops/Small Groups/Open Youth Center A flyer in both English and Spanish offers “summer off‐track availability of the program. It addresses workshops such as film production, creative writing, Photoshop, art, sports, financial literacy, music, and computer design and modeling. Trips are noted to be Santa Monica Park, Griffith Park Hike, Olympic Swim Stadium, CA Science Center, and Last Day Party at the Park. Site Staff and Volunteers
According to the site coordinator, there is a staff of 20 with 15‐ 20 volunteers. The coordinator meets with the staff weekly and circulates among the sections every day to check on activities, respond to the needs of the program leaders and students, and she also supervises areas of the Youth Center. The site coordinator shares the results of her various training classes. Also, the coordinator drives and accompanies students on field trips and conducts parent support classes. Volunteers are recruited from UCLA and USC, and they assist with the mentoring program, math, English, and reading. They also help in the enrichment classes. It should be noted that the agency administrator is Fonda Whitehead. Based upon the information collected, it appears that she may also be the site coordinator for Virgil Middle School. Staff Management and Development
The agency administrator states, “This year we hosted financial literacy training, pension, and health workshops. We had team building workshops; we toured other facilities to give us more insight about improving our program. We did several fun events like bowling, going to the beach, and going to staff lunches.” Bresee Foundation—Virgil Middle School
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The agency administrator states, “Our relationship with the principal and vice principals are great! We are not on campus but we talk to them and keep them informed at least once per week. We collaborate with Virgil on a regular basis.” When asked about the kinds of efforts made to coordinate the after‐school programs with the unique needs of each site, the agency administrator stated, “We have made tremendous efforts. We had every staff that attends Virgil Middle school come to our facility for a tour and Q&A session. We hosted three tours thanks to the principal and the vice principal.” She also says, “We adopted Virgil Middle Schools math program for the 6th graders. They come to Bresee and receive the same after‐school math tutoring as Virgil Middle School. We also have a staff that goes to Virgil to help tutor in Math.” The site coordinator states that they have excellent relationships with the principal at Virgil. She goes on to tell us that the Bresee Foundation has been partners with Virgil since the early 90’s developing and building a strong bond. She has taken all principals, with whom she has worked, on tours of the facility, as she has all the teachers. The agency administrator (again, this may be the same individual who is the site coordinator) is on campus twice a week to meet and support students in the program and to see teachers about individual participants—all with the support of the administration. For operational support, she sees the assistant principal who provides continuous help and access. From the site coordinator interview, we see that Bresee has a strong connection with individual teachers and with the math department, which provides copies of assignments and textbooks. The site coordinator sees teachers at the school, when necessary, to follow up on students who are not succeeding. She also attends and makes herself available at the three parent conference evenings. Students are asked to show their homework assignments to the program leaders. Relations with Parents and Community
The agency administrator says, “We hosted a couple of Family Night events each year which over 200 individuals attend. We also take parents to festivals and events throughout the year.” Per the site coordinator interview, parents are called whenever it becomes necessary to speak about behavior problems or attendance. There would appear to be a commitment to keeping track of and following up with individual students. Parents also receive regular mailings about activities, parent and students support opportunities, and Family Nights sponsored by Bresee. Parents also complete field trip paperwork when needed. When addressing the question of involvement by the community with Bresee, the site coordinator notes: Bresee has a well‐established connection with the larger community as they are not only an after‐school program, but a community outreach center and a place where needy families can receive health services through their on‐site health clinic. Bresee offers Health Fair every year supported by local companies such as Vons. They provide free physicals to pupils in Student Run LA (not just after‐school participants). School nurses also can refer pupils to the clinic. Bresee Foundation—Virgil Middle School
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Bresee is in partnership with the LA Youth Leadership Council and offers workshops for all pupils on how to prepare for college, how to develop your skills to be a leader, or a better pupil, or parent. Bresee is its own 5013C. The center has received national recognition as a gang intervention program—showcasing its role as a faith‐
based, non‐profit organization. Attendance
The site coordinator states that, on average, 110 students participate in the after‐school program. Program leaders keep daily attendance sheets and let the coordinator know if there are students with excessive absences. Parents may receive telephone calls from the coordinator or a post card. There is no waiting list for the program. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The site coordinator cites, as a program strength/success, the fact that 30 percent of the program leaders and other staff (including herself) are former participants in the programs offered after school and at other times. She also believes that the relationship‐building efforts at Bresee truly provide a foundation for success for very disparate groups and families in the community, giving needy and/or disaffected students a chance at a future. The foundation has access to report cards at the school and the site coordinator feels that the follow‐up to help pupils with academic progress is another successful effort. Also, the site coordinator is proud of the success she has seen with the organization’s family case management component and the role the foundation plays in being a referral agency for “First Offenders” with the LAPD Wilshire and Rampart units and Juvenile Court System. Challenges
The agency administrator notes that one unique challenge that Bresee faces is that they are off‐site. The agency administrator also notes that they have been trying to make sure that the youth attend at least 3 to 5 times per week. In order to do this, they offer fun classes and incentives to help maintain attendance. This has worked for a core group of students but they still tend to have a problem in this area. The site coordinator states that she is, “…always concerned, if not discouraged, by the lack of parent recognition of what young people need from their parents and families to be successful”. She laments the failure of some parents to be aware of their children’s activities, difficulties, etc. She would like to see more parent involvement. As well, economic sustenance for such a large and multi‐dimensional organization takes constant effort at fundraising. She is very pleased to have the support of the BTB branch. Their location in the middle of two gang territories presents special challenges. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for students. The noise level was generally appropriate with no interruptions or distractions from others sharing the space nearby. Students were working individually and in groups. The space was free from any safety or environmental problems. One observation regarding computer support being used for assignments notes: Bresee Foundation—Virgil Middle School
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This is an excellent, engaging, and very popular locale for students to increase their computer skills and learn how to integrate computer support into regular assignments. As with most of what occurs at Bresee, the lab is designed to stimulate and support young people in an atmosphere of caring counselors who present excellent role models. Staff roles and interactions with students ranged from direction/instruction to guiding/coaching to supervising/observing. Staff was flexible and exerted appropriate control. The staff was very interested in and highly supportive of students. Staff members were able to assist the students with their homework. It was unclear whether or not there was a system or routine in place for staff to check if students had any homework and/or what their homework was for the day. One observation notes: Counselors seem very focused on helping participants, all 6th graders, with their math homework. Staff has communicated with Virgil teachers and has secured assignments for the current tracks. As many as six counselors come into the room to assist. All seem knowledgeable and acquainted with the homework assigned and work with the pupils in small groups and one‐on one. Another observation notes: The staff of three is led by a professional videographer/photographer who teaches a movie‐making class at Belmont High School each day. He is caring and patient, but clear in his role as supervisor of homework and/or project‐based assignments. He responds to questions along with the two other adults who are also available to help the class by explaining computer and homework questions; also, they occasionally remind students to work on homework, not on other activities. Peer interactions were very friendly, and very positive. Students were highly supportive of each other and accepted help from one another. Students were not withdrawn from their work; and they were all respectful of each other by keeping the noise level down. An observation notes: Although there are conversations at times between students, most are concentrating on their computer work and thus do not engage with other pupils unless they might be doing a similar assignment; in all cases, they are friendly and cooperative. Students appeared highly focused and engaged in their work; enjoyment was visible, with students expressing interest and excitement. With two exceptions, students followed staff directions and worked with peers in a highly agreeable manner. They appeared to be very comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Students were using oral or silent reading, writing, and math skills. Students who had no homework or who finished early had learning materials or alternate activities available to them. Students received direct instruction individually and in groups. It remains unclear as to whether students received tutoring in specific subject areas. Some, but not all students appeared to receive this tutoring. An observation notes: Bresee Foundation—Virgil Middle School
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The lab experience is well‐supervised with multiple knowledgeable adults. Students are focused on their work which could be a report, a story or a more complicated computer‐based presentation. If they do not have specific homework for which computer support is necessary, they are moving ahead on a variety of paced instructional programs designed to increase their keyboarding or computer facility. Most staff members were quality checking students’ homework. One observation notes: The staff’s role in this program is to provide tutoring in the specific subjects of math and English. The tutor prompted the students to focus on the correct process instead of just the answer, by posing non‐academic questions. Real life examples were introduced in solving mathematical equations. The student was encouraged to think through the process and access prior knowledge. Enrichment Activities
A total of eight enrichment activity observations were made during the survey period. Activities observed included health/well‐being (group counseling/discussion), computer games, board/table/card games, sports (competitive and non‐competitive), and free play. Activities had clear goals and objectives. The activities appeared to be appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for the activities and necessary materials and equipment were provided to do the activity. Students were seen to be working generally as a whole group. Staff roles and interactions with students varied from guiding/coaching to supervising/observing. All staff maintained flexible/appropriate control over the students and appeared to be interested in the activity. They were supportive and sufficiently skilled in the activities enough to lead them. Staff members generally communicated the goals, purposes, and expectations of each activity. During a group discussion, an observation notes: The role of staff is to establish an atmosphere of trust and comfort so that participants can feel free to speak about their opinions and feelings. The staff does this very well and the pupils respond. Today’s topic was benign, so I cannot comment on the skill level of staff to deal with personal or controversial issues (e.g., drug use, family problems, etc); this is the only program visited where “group” is a standard activity. Counselors appear to have training in this. Peer interactions were, overall, very friendly, very positive, and highly supportive. Most students were highly focused during the activities and showed high enjoyment of activities. The students got along very agreeably with staff and were very comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Students were engaged. One observation notes: It is clear which pupils are comfortable, verbal, and interested in commenting; others take more time and need the support and encouragement of the coach to bring out Bresee Foundation—Virgil Middle School
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their points of view. Everyone is positive and nobody makes fun of others’ contributions. In fact that is one of ground rules covered at the beginning of the session.” Another observation notes: The students are 100 percent engaged in their respective activities on the computer. When they no longer need to use the computers they leave this area for another more casual environment—the game room next door. During a sports competition, an observer interacted with a staff member and commented that the counselor watching with her was not totally sure that everyone playing actually had no homework or were regular attendees. The opportunity to develop leadership skills was evident during the enrichment activities. Observers answered “yes” when asked about students having the opportunity to work independently. Students were seen as learning or practicing important life skills. An observation notes: In this setting there are opportunities for young people to gain confidence and observe what happens when their point of view is valued by others. This day the consensus was the (1) this group was comfortable with the structure of the Bresee program, (2) they wanted a greater variety of activities, more video games in the common room, (3) enjoyed field trips (would like more), and (4) would attend activities on Saturday if they liked them. Overall, physical activity does not appear to be a key part of this program. Bresee Foundation—Virgil Middle School
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CARNEY EDUCATIONAL SERVICES—LILLIAN ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Lillian Elementary
5909 Lillian Street
Susan Ahern
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
672
99.1% Hispanic; 0.7% African-American;
0.1% Al/Alsk
451 Spanish
2/0 (Suspensions down from 2005-06)
39
3
Carney Educational Services
3441 Ocean Blvd.,
Glendale, CA 91208
100
100
Yes
6 Staff
7 Staff (including: 1 site coordinator and 6
after school instructor)
3
20
5
14-22
15
8-45
-
Other (9) [Board Games, Halloween
Celebration, Building, Games, Cooking]
Carney Educational Services—Lillian Elementary
No (2)
No (1)
No (0)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
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Lillian Elementary School has a student enrollment of 672 and serves an almost entirely Hispanic community. Program Design and Curriculum
The mission of Carney Educational Services is “to enlighten and inspire young people by providing dynamic and exciting opportunities for success, while cultivating self‐esteem, leadership, and respect to help build healthier communities”. The agency administrator states that some of the distinctive features of their elementary offerings include music (keyboards, guitar), photography, and sign language. Since Carney Educational Services has developed its own test prep materials for the state standard tests, they also use these materials in their after‐school programs to help prepare the students for test taking season. In the materials packet provided, there is a registration form, as well as program information related to eligibility; program hours and meeting place; program rules; consequences, and food and safety regulations. A flyer for the Carney after‐school program tells parents that the program offers “three hours of free after school activities to all students enrolled in the school.” It speaks of “fun activities with your friends”, “extra help with your homework”, and “free snacks”. Some of the activities offered on the flyer are: dance classes, cooking, arts & crafts, sports, and Fun Fridays! Within the materials packet can be found two sample eight‐week lesson plans—one is for arts and crafts, and the other is for cooking. The lesson plan table provides space for staff to detail the activity’s theme, outcome, content, strategies for learning, and assessment of the activity. There is also a space to communicate the California State Standards being addressed with each activity. The table explains each required field that is to be completed for each day of the week. Title/Theme Unifying idea that is a recurrent element Content/Strategies What will the students learn? How will the students learn? Outcomes What will the students be able to do? (e.g. leap across the stage) Site Staff and Volunteers
The site coordinator states that there are six staff members and no volunteers. Staff Management and Development
The agency administrator points out that the amount of staff they needed for this year was more substantial than in previous years. She explains how CES was able to address this challenge: Our agency took steps to prepare ourselves starting in June. We were fortunate to have the majority of our staff from the previous year return. We also started recruiting and interviewing during the summer break. We found new sources in which to advertise, and we also attended several job fairs. The agency administrator states: Carney Educational Services—Lillian Elementary
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This year we have had a more intentional approach to training. Because we do get feedback from principals regularly, we have been coordinating our training topics around the concerns of the principals. The biggest concern is generally classroom management, so we have regular training concerning this topic. We have also done a lot more one‐on‐one training with staff members at the site. Because enrichment curriculum needs to be aligned with the state standards, training for curriculum development has also been a focus. The site coordinator states that the staff help students with homework. They also give enrichment classes in subjects such as cooking, arts, sports, science, and dance. Additionally, they take snack count. Relations with School
The agency administrator further details the high degree of importance that CES gives to the relationship with the site principal: One of the requirements of our site coordinators is to develop a relationship with the principal and office staff at each school. Site coordinators are required to touch base with the principal at least once a week. If the principals’ schedules don’t allow for a formal visit once a week, the site coordinator is required to leave a note in their box. Also, all Carney office staff members that visit school sites are also required to check in with the principal during their visit. The site coordinator states that she speaks with the principal at least one or twice per week. She states that one topic of discussion is not having classrooms, especially when the weather is changing. The site coordinator indicates that her relationship with the principal is challenging. She states: She is new since last school year, and she has not been happy about this program being here in this school. Last year we had the carnival, and she told me that we were just guests here. It’s been difficult for me to talk to her. This year when the school year started she asked what were we doing here; she got into an argument with the program director. This is why we don’t really have rooms to put our kids in. The site coordinator states that discussions with teachers are usually verbal. The staff will visit the classrooms or usually the teachers will come over to the program. Usually the conversation relates to a homework problem to which they must find a solution. It is the number one topic discussed with teachers. Discussions also occur about a child’s behavior. Usually discussions are one‐on‐one, but sometimes they are meetings. At times, a memo is written to a group of teachers. Relations with Parents and Community
The agency administrator states: Several times per semester, our programs have showcases, tournaments, and community dinners to highlight enrichment activities in our programs. These events also allow our program to show the community what is going on in our programs. These events have benefited our programs by garnering parent support. By getting parents to attend these events, we are able to get the parents more involved on a daily basis. Carney Educational Services—Lillian Elementary
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The site coordinator states that communication with parents is both verbal and written. Homework, as noted before, is the number one issue that she discusses with parents. In terms of community involvement, the site coordinator states that last year some students from USC donated crafts for Easter. Additionally, some parents who don’t have students in the program donated pens with the little earth on top of it. Also, last year for the Christmas program, vendors from the swap meet donated toys such as dolls and toy cars. Attendance
Per the site coordinator, there are about one hundred students in this after‐school program. There is more attendance Monday thru Thursdays. On Fridays, there is a decrease in attendance and they don’t focus on the homework. [It is not clear if the decrease in Friday attendance is due to the lack of focus on homework or if there is a lack of focus on homework because Fridays is a lower attendance day]. In terms of absences, they have a roster, and if the site coordinator sees a pattern, she will start to talk to the parents to see if there is a problem. She also informs them that there is a waiting list and asks if the problem is going to continue. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
Referring to all of the Carney programs, the agency administrator cites positive feedback as a sign of success: One of our biggest successes this year has been happy principals and administrators. Carney Educational Services provides Principal Observation Forms to each principal once a semester [in order] to get feedback on how we are doing with our programs. From the observation forms that we have gotten back this Fall, we have had nothing but positive comments. We’ve been able to capitalize on this success by working more closely with the daytime staff which allows our program to be more integrated into the normal school day. She goes on to say that Beyond the Bell has been very supportive in their efforts as an after‐school provider. Anytime that they have questions or need assistance at their school sites, Beyond the Bell has been very quick to respond to their needs. This assistance has been invaluable to the agency in running great after‐school programs. The site coordinator states: The people know our responsibility is to our kids. They know that we keep an eye on them and also are there as a friend. Many parents already have their kids in the program so they keep on recommending us because the staff is good. I would also say that since I live around here, I notice that students look up to me; I get a really good feeling. They respect you; they see you as a role model. It’s a good satisfaction. Some kids have it tough and you can be there for them and give them good advice…The other satisfaction that I get: I know that they are safe. It’s gratifying that they are in a safe environment and they interact with other friends. Carney Educational Services—Lillian Elementary
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Challenges
The agency administrator identifies the biggest challenge this year for CES as trying to obtain the appropriate space from the school site to run the after‐school programs. She explains the situation and how the Beyond the Bell staff has been helpful in resolving the problem: Several of our sites received extra funding to expand the daily attendance numbers. This has been good for our sites because we have had substantial waiting lists at many of our sites. To accommodate these extra students, we have been in need of extra classrooms. Although we have happy principals at our sites, this still remains a big issue. To deal with this challenge, we have been meeting regularly with the principals that have been hesitant in providing more rooms. We have also met with day time staff members to inform them about new training sessions that we are providing for staff members and new procedures that we have in place to help with classroom maintenance. Beyond the Bell has also sent Traveling Program Supervisors to these sites to support us in our efforts. Per the agency administrator, the most challenging aspect of their relationship with Beyond the Bell is the dissemination of information. Although information does get to them in a timely manner, it’s not always the correct information, or it changes after they have already made adjustments to accommodate the original information. The site coordinator states that her most difficult challenge is her principal. She states, “She should forget that we are Carney; she should think about the kids; it’s all about the kids.” SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The physical space was outside at the lunch tables. Basic materials and equipment were provided. IT resources, such as PCs and internet access, were not provided. The noise level was loud, with interruptions or distractions from others sharing the space nearby. Students were working individually. The space was typically free from any safety or environmental problems. However, one observer came to the site shortly after the numerous wildfires of 2007, and commented, “The day is extremely hot. The air quality is poor due to recent numerous fires. There is standing water on the cement ground from the tables being hosed off.” Staff roles and interactions with students was, overall, supervising/observing. Staff was flexible and exerted appropriate control. Staff was interested in what students were doing and were supportive of students. There appeared to be a system in place for staff to check if students had any homework and/or what their homework was for the day. An observation notes: Staff member walks around table stopping to answer question. Stops to comment on coloring activity some students are doing since they are done with their homework. Staff appears interested in what students are doing through her interaction with them, listening attentively. No observation of verbal encouragement, but staff is helpful. When students are done they must go up to staff and have their homework checked before being given an alternative activity. Carney Educational Services—Lillian Elementary
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Staff is prepared and has alternative activity materials. They are respectful of one another and do not display any negative interactions with staff nor each other. The alternative activities consisted of coloring and playing with building blocks. The students had worked on math worksheet for homework. Another observation notes: Staff member creates a relaxed and friendly atmosphere with students. Students appear comfortable and are polite to staff member, calling him “Mr.” When a staff member asks students to clean up they comply right away by returning books and board games to the basket. Most students are either doing homework or playing board games (Scrabble, chess, Candyland, Mancala) or doing puzzles. Some students are reading. All students are engaged and appear content. Staff member helps a student with science, using textbook, working one on one. Both boys and girls are observed reading books. Peer interactions were very friendly, and very positive. Students were highly supportive of each other and accepted help from one another. Students did not speak softly, nor recognized other students’ need to focus on homework. One observation notes: Students work on their homework or play games and are cooperative and friendly together. Students smile and interact comfortably with regularity. Three male students doing homework share information. The students playing board games are cooperative and work together. Students were highly focused and engaged in their work. Enjoyment is visible and students generally worked agreeably. Students appeared to be very comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. One observation noted: There are baskets in each area on one of the tables with board games and coloring supplies for students who have finished their homework. There is no apparent routine or system in place for verifying student homework. Students are respectful of staff member: when he asks students to put things away they comply right away. When a group of students who is done with their homework and playing Mancala get a little loud, the staff member quiets them down easily. Students raise their hands when they have questions or they go up to staff member. Students practice cursive writing, reading, spelling, and math. Students were using oral or silent reading, writing, and math skills. Students who had no homework or who finished early had learning materials or alternate activities available to them. Students received direct instruction individually. Students were not receiving tutoring in specific subject areas. There existed a moderate level of challenge in terms of critical thinking, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, and decision making. Staff members were quality checking students’ homework. Carney Educational Services—Lillian Elementary
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One observation notes: All students appear to be capable of completing their homework. Occasionally, students will approach the staff member to ask a question or to show her their worksheet. None of the students appear to be anxious or struggling with their homework. Another observation notes: All students are either doing homework or playing board games. More than half of the students play games, indicating they have completed their homework and that the level of challenge is manageable for them. Enrichment Activities
A total of 15 enrichment activity observations were made during the survey period. Activities observed included arts and crafts, board/table/card games or puzzles, cooking, nutrition, and dancing. Activities had clear goals and objectives. The activities appeared to be appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for the activities, and necessary materials and equipment were provided to do the activity. Students were seen to be working both individually and in groups. Staff roles and interactions with students typically varied from direct instruction to guiding/ coaching to supervising/observing. All staff maintained flexible/appropriate control over the students and appeared to be very interested in the activity. They were highly supportive and were sufficiently skilled in the activities which they led. Overall, staff communicated their goals, purposes, and expectations. One observation notes: Students are creating Halloween trick or treat bags. Staff is comfortable and helpful with students. Staff [is heard saying], “There’s more stuff here for you to choose, guys.” Students are respectful to staff and refer to her as “Miss” when they ask questions. This activity of creating trick or treat bags is not especially challenging but the students are focused on the task and appear to enjoy doing it. Another observation is different: Staff seems distant from the children. She does nothing. She basically stands around and observes. One girl started crying for some unknown reason and she sent her to get a drink of water. When she came back she asked, “Are you feeling better now?” The students seem to be minimally enjoying themselves. They don’t show too much enthusiasm. An observer made the following comment as she saw staff and students get ready to leave toward the end of the day: Carney Educational Services—Lillian Elementary
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At 5:15 students who have not been picked up are taken to the office to call parents to come get them. Program ends at 5:15. Staff’s role is to observe children while they wait for parents. Staff is walking around, engaging in short conversations with students, but do not seem very attentive/ or listening critically. Peer interactions were, overall, very friendly and highly supportive. Most students were highly focused during the activities and were showing high enjoyment of activities. The students got along very agreeably with staff and were very comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Students were engaged. An observation notes: Students are making omelets. Staff member cracks the eggs in a bowl and students approach where she is standing one by one to whisk the mixture. Students drop in ham and cheese and continue to mix. Staff member is calm; she speaks slowly and clearly to students. Students are respectful; they sit quietly at their tables while she explains what they are going to do and they are attentive when she gives them instructions. Students are very focused on this cooking activity. They appear interested to learn how to cook an omelet. Overall, students were not doing oral or silent reading, writing, or math as part of their activities. Some students appeared to be learning new information or developing new skills. One observation notes: Snack is provided for all students. Site coordinator uses this time to hand out a fruit to each student, leading to an impromptu nutrition lesson on the benefits of fruit. Another example of learning is commented upon below: Using Connex [similar to Legos but uses a different method of connecting parts, more complex] and working in groups, students are given a set of pictures displaying different ideas of things to build. Students must decide as a group which item to build and work together to build it. Staff began activity with expectations for the groups. He also provided a review of the rules he expects students to follow. He’s supportive of students’ efforts and encourages them to work together. Students are using materials that will ultimately build their math skill, communication skills, and cooperation. Students are given free range to collaborate on the project as they see fit. Cooperation is a skill they are working on. The critical thinking the students must apply when breaking down the picture and trying to put it together is an important life skill to have in any given genre of activity. One observation notes: The project of putting together the complex item (i.e., one group is building a Ferris wheel) without proper instructions/manual presents a fairly hard challenge to the students. They must utilize not only their own skill in building, but work with others to complete the project. Another observation notes: Students who play with the “connectors” are challenged to play with accuracy or else their structure will not stay standing. The students with the Uno game are not too Carney Educational Services—Lillian Elementary
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challenged. They seem like they have played before and have become good at the game. One observation notes: Students are now eating some cookies that they have made with the staff. Staff asks questions to students regarding the ingredients they used to bake the cookies. She asks if they can name the ingredients used. Students did learn important life skills. They learned more about what happens in the kitchen. Regarding physical activity, an observation notes: Students are participating in dance. The instructor is currently teaching them the chicken dance and monster mash. Instructor incorporated counting steps and moves to allow students more control of the dances. Staff is enthusiastic and participating along with student. Students are being challenged to physically coordinate their bodies in new ways, which is more difficult for some than others. Carney Educational Services—Lillian Elementary
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CARNEY EDUCATIONAL SERVICES—LOMA VISTA ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Loma Vista Elementary
3629 E. 58th Street
Maywood, CA 90270
Carmen Hernandez
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
904
99% Hispanic; 0.4% African-American; 0.3%
Pac Is; 0.1% Filipino; 0.1% Al/Alsk
628 Spanish
55
2
3441 Ocean Blvd.,
Glendale, CA 91208
90
80-90
No
5 Staff and 2 Volunteers
5 Staff (including: 1 site coordinator and 4 afterschool instructors)
2
16
5
14-63
11
14-63
-
Other (7) [cultural awareness, board games,
free play, movies, games]
No (4)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
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Loma Vista Elementary is located in the small city of Maywood, southeast of downtown Los Angeles (adjacent to the city of Bell). It is a primarily immigrant Hispanic community. The school has 904 students. In the registration packet sent to parents, there is a detailed, bullet‐point handout that describes the after‐school program that Carney Educational Services (CES) provides and answers to typical questions parents may have. The handout stipulates the CES after‐school program will provide homework help and academic assistance, a free snack, enrichment classes such as art, dance, and sports, as well as “Fun Friday” activities and events. For working immigrant parents, these kinds of services, offered both free and daily, may signify the difference between a family’s ability to work to provide for the basic needs of its members and parents being forced to leave their children unattended during the after‐school hours. The program hours are daily from 2:10‐5:30pm, except Tuesdays which are early dismissal days. This is the case in many LAUSD elementary schools where teachers have a staff planning/development day. On these days, the program hours extend from 1:30 to 5:30pm. Reflecting the CES program administrator’s understanding and adherence to the ASES legislative requirement that the program remain open until 6:00pm (regardless of its start up time), a separate handout in the materials packet stipulates that pick up is until 5:30 and the program ends at 6:00 pm. Reflecting a family‐friendly approach, the parent information sheet poses frequently asked questions that parents might have, and their answers: •
Will all homework be completed? - Due to time constraints, all homework may not be completed. However, special arrangements can be made by speaking with the Coordinator about your concerns •
What if I need to take my child out of the program - To withdraw a registered child from the program, you must turn in a signed note to the Coordinator. •
How will my child be supervised? - Students will remain in the supervision of Carney staff members until authorized parents or guardians pick them up. All program information and registration materials are translated into Spanish. Carney Program rules and consequences are also detailed in the registration packet. Parents and students are required to read and sign an acknowledgment of their understanding of these rules. The program rules are listed as follows: •
Student will respect himself/herself, others and objects. •
Student will keep his/her hands, feet and objects to himself/ herself. •
Student will use nice words and treat others nicely. Carney Educational Services—Loma Vista Elementary
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•
Students will listen to all the Carney Educational services’ staff. •
Parent/guardian will pick up their child on time. Consequences: •
Each day, students can get three warnings (verbal or written). •
After the third warning, student will get a citation (a note or call home to the parent) plus a consequence set by the teacher. •
If a student gets more than three citations, the student will be suspended from the program. •
Late pick up—families are given three warnings for late pick ups. After the 3rd warning, the student will be suspended from the program. Another CES hand‐out lists a student code of conduct for them to sign as well. In it a student pledges to the following behaviors: •
I will listen carefully. •
I will follow directions the first time they are given. •
I will work quietly and not disturb others. •
I will show respect. I will be kind with my words and actions. •
I will show respect to school and personal property. •
I will work and play safely. •
I will keep my hands to myself. •
I will complete my work or homework on time. •
I will always do my best. The site document packet includes two sample 8‐week lesson plans filled out by the staff members. The lesson plan table provides space for staff to detail the activities’ theme, outcome, content, strategies for learning, and assessment of the activity. There is also a space to communicate the California State Standards being addressed with each activity. The table explains each required field that is to be completed for each day of the week. Title/Theme—Unifying idea that is a recurrent element (e.g., Prima Donnas) Outcomes—What will the students be able to do? (e.g., leap across the stage) Content—What will the students learn? (e.g., place feet correctly for take off) Strategies—How will the students learn? Assessment—How will the learning be showcased or evaluated? (e.g., test, presentation) Carney Educational Services—Loma Vista Elementary
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The two sample completed lesson plans that have been provided reveal a cursory concern for completing each item on the lesson plan with items stated very succinctly. The agency administrator points to the variety of enrichment offerings as one of the distinctive features of the CES elementary program. These activities include music (keyboards, guitar), photography, and sign language. She further highlights the particular expertise that CES has with regard to the state’s content standards: Since Carney Educational Services has developed our own test prep materials for the state standard tests, we also utilize these materials in our after‐school programs to help prepare the students for test taking season. Site Staff and Volunteers
The Site Coordinator describes the after‐school program staff at Loma Vista elementary as being made up of five program staff and two volunteers. The volunteers are two older siblings of participants in the program who help with homework. Each [staff] is in charge of specific enrichment activities. One staff does math, another crafts and dance, another does both writing and cooking. She indicates that limited space is an issue for them as it is not always adequate for the activities that they do with the children. Staff Management and Development
The agency administrator points out that the amount of staff they needed for this year was more substantial than in previous years. She explains how CES was able to address this challenge: Our agency took steps to prepare ourselves starting in June. We were fortunate to have the majority of our staff from the previous year return. We also started recruiting and interviewing during the summer break. We found new sources in which to advertise and we also attended several job fairs. In addition, CES has geared up its staff development effort to address both school site and state grant requirements. The administrator elaborates: This year we have had a more intentional approach to training. Because we do get feedback from principals regularly, we have been coordinating our training topics around the concerns of the principals. The biggest concern is generally classroom management, so we have regular training concerning this topic. We have also done a lot more one‐on‐one trainings with staff members at the site. Because enrichment curriculum needs to be aligned with the state standards, training for curriculum development has also been a focus. Opportunities to send staff members to training are identified as the technical assistance that would be most helpful for the agency, as well as obtaining after‐school program staff assistance concerning how to deal with principal issues. Relations with School
Related to the above request for more technical assistance, the agency administrator argues that since principals play such an integral role in the success of an after‐school program, “it would be very helpful to have more forums in which principals and agencies meet together to discuss the roles and responsibilities, or both, as required by the grant and Beyond the Bell.” Carney Educational Services—Loma Vista Elementary
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The agency administrator further details the high degree of importance that CES gives to the relationship with the site principal: One of the requirements of our site coordinators is to develop a relationship with the principal and office staff at each school. Site coordinators are required to touch base with the principal at least once a week. If the principals’ schedules don’t allow for a formal visit once a week, the site coordinator is required to leave a note in their box. Also, any Carney office staff member that visits school sites are also required to check in with the principal during their visit. The site coordinator supported this requirement in her interview and reported that she speaks with the principal once a week or more based on issues that may have come up. The main administrative contact is the principal at Loma Vista Elementary; however, last year the AP was the main contact. Conversations with the principal usually center around getting rooms for the program. According to the site coordinator, the teachers at the school are unwilling to share their rooms. The site coordinator characterized the principal as being very cooperative, particularly in working on their greatest issue which is lack of rooms. The site coordinator is the liaison between staff and the regular day teachers. She attends staff meetings at the school and communicates verbally with the teachers if there is a need to address an issue. Communications with the teachers are based on the particular need at the time. One consistent communication effort that the site coordinator finds she needs to do is to remind teachers that she needs their lesson plans in order for the program staff to align their activities with the school day. On occasion, when prompted by the teacher, other staff will communicate with teachers regarding a specific issue. Relations with Parents and Community
Most of the communication with parents is done verbally, states the site coordinator who says that she speaks with the parents when they come to pick up their children if an issue has arisen. The issues addressed are usually about behavior that occurred that day. Homework usually is not an issue with parents because students tend to complete it. There are no parent meetings held; communication is done one‐on‐one. The site coordinator also expressed that notes are usually not used because they are “unreliable.” If a parent is not called, or talked with directly, the issue will not get resolved. Regarding parent out‐reach, the agency administrator explains the value of culminating events and other program activities that invite the family to share the program’s accomplishments: Several times per semester, our programs have showcases, tournaments and community dinners to highlight enrichment activities in our programs. These events also allow our program to show the community what is going on in our programs. These events have benefited our programs by garnering parent support. By getting parents to attend these events, we are able to get the parents more involved on a daily basis. When queried about connections to the community or knowledge of community resources, the site coordinator did not know of any ties established with businesses, organizations, and/or community members. Carney Educational Services—Loma Vista Elementary
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Attendance
Enrollment for the after‐school program at Loma Vista is limited to160 students. Absences are addressed by talking to the parents in person or via a phone call home. An absence may be excused if the student has a note from their parent. Additionally, some of the students are absent regularly because they participate in another after‐school tutoring program called ELP. Each staff has over 20 students and the site coordinator says there is a waiting list in the works. Sign in at the onset of the program is important. The registration packet reminds parents to keep in mind, “If your registered child is not counted when attendance is taken, Carney Educational Services is relieved of responsibility of that student.” Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The Carney agency administrator sites positive feedback as a sign of success: One of our biggest successes this year has been happy principals and administrators. Carney Educational Services provides Principal Observation Forms to each principal once a semester [in order] to get feedback on how we are doing with our programs. From the observation forms that we have gotten back this Fall, we have had nothing but positive comments. We’ve been able to capitalize on this success by working more closely with the daytime staff which allows our program to be more integrated into the normal school day. According to the site coordinator, the three most important successes at her site have been: •
Building relationships with staff and students. It brings students back to Carney; they want to come back. •
Students’ increased feeling of success, confidence they’ve achieved something. Staff praises improvements and acknowledges students hard work. •
Students realizing Carney is a privilege and perform accordingly; they know it's something that sets them apart. The site coordinator noted the help received by one of the lead staff with the Carney Agency as being instrumental in talking to the principal at Loma Vista Elementary in order to improve support for the program. However, she attributes most of the success to the Carney staff within the school. The Challenges
The agency administrator identifies the biggest challenge this year for CES as being obtaining the appropriate space from the school site to run the after‐school programs. She explains the situation and how the BTB staff has been helpful in resolving the problem: Several of our sites received extra funding to expand the daily attendance numbers. This has been good for our sites because we have had substantial waiting list at many of our sites. To accommodate these extra students, we have been in need of extra classrooms. Although we have happy principals at our sites, this still remains a big issue. To deal with this challenge, we have been meeting regularly with the principals that have been hesitant in providing more rooms. We have also met with day time staff members to inform them about new training that we are providing for Carney Educational Services—Loma Vista Elementary
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staff members and new procedures that we have in place to help with classroom maintenance. Beyond the Bell has also sent Traveling Program Supervisors to these sites to support us in our efforts. The biggest problem conveyed by the site coordinator in her interview was the teachers' unwillingness to share their rooms. However, more recently, the principal has said she would address the issue. This statement reflects the site coordinator’s perception that the school does not give importance to Carney or make it a priority to accommodate the program on its campus. Finally, not having enough staff if someone calls in sick or has to leave early has presented a problem. The site coordinator maintains that more staff is needed to comply with their 20 to 1 student/staff ratio. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The site coordinator states that the responsibility falls on the student to show staff their homework. Some students have planners that staff can check. All five observations noted that the homework session took place outside on the lunch tables. This environment proved to not always provide the most ideal conditions. For example, one day an observation noted: It is slightly windy and some students’ worksheets got blown off the table. Space is noisy because students are socializing. Also, another group of students from a different program are eating snack at adjacent tables. Noise is amplified by the awning trapping sound in the area. Students are working individually or in class groups/pairs. During another observation: During the allotted time for homework, the staff members are placed at the ends of the tables and students are to get up and go to them when they need help with their work. The staff seems unenthusiastic and not interested in the work the students are doing. They do answer the questions and are helpful when prompted for help. There is one staff member eating during this time at the end of her table. The students that are finished before the homework time is up are allowed to play board games. Due to the noise and uncomfortable conditions, one staff member took the initiative to move her particular group to do homework in the kindergarten area, on the other side of the building, and adjacent to the lunch tables. An observation noted that students were well treated and able to get the support they need in this improved setting stating. Additionally: Staff is amicable with students, and is able to assist the students still doing homework because the noise level in this area is significantly lower than the other homework area. Students are listening and following all directions given by staff member, i.e., ‘please keep it down,’, ‘show me your work.’ Carney Educational Services—Loma Vista Elementary
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Staff roles during homework time appeared to be mostly supervising/observing and, on occasion, guiding/coaching students. Staff management of activity groups was flexible with the appropriate use of control. Staff interest in what students were doing varied widely. However, staff members did not display any negativity. There was no apparent routine or system in place for verifying student’s homework. An observation notes: Staff appear somewhat disengaged from students. They are watching them but not taking interest in their activities/homework. One staff member is sitting at the end of a table surrounded by six students who are socializing and not doing homework. During one observation, a particular staff member is not saying anything to students, allowing them to stay off task and not work on their homework. Staff members spoke English and Spanish with students. They were generally friendly, but in control. Students were respectful to staff calling them “Miss.” For example, one student was heard politely telling the activity leader, “We’re almost done, Miss.” When staff members spoke, the students quieted down and listened. When the staff asked students to line up, they complied right away. Although there seemed to be positive adult student relationships at this site, various observations point to staff not showing enthusiasm. Peer interactions were generally very friendly and relaxed and the students appeared to be having a good time. Students spoke and interacted with each other in a generally positive manner. Students were generally supportive of each other and worked collaboratively on their homework. None were excluded or withdrawn from the work they were doing. No negative interactions were observed. As represented in three separate observations of students enjoying their shared time together, the climate at Loma Vista is positive and nurturing for youth. An observation noted: Students appear happy and converse with each other while doing homework. They help each other with homework as well. There are lots of smiles and friendly chatter. Fifth grade students near by (girls) are all doing math worksheets while talking about teachers they like and dislike and subjects they like and dislike. One student sneezes and several other students say, “bless you.” Two boys are sharing Pokemon cards and drawing together. Other students share Halloween toys (spider and pumpkin rings). Students doing work are quiet and concentrating on work. The students on the play set are respectful of peers still doing work and are keeping their noise level to a minimum. The apparatus on the play set are being shared and students are taking turns. All appear to be friendly and getting along. A game of tag is started on the play ground and students are laughing and enjoying themselves. Students are friendly with one another and socializing, which is a major cause of the inappropriate noise level. Students appear to be positive in their interactions. However, some are disrespectful in their insistence of being loud and disrupting to students trying to do work. Students remained somewhat focused on their tasks with some really enjoying the homework/activities they were doing. Few appeared disengaged with homework. Students generally worked agreeably with each other and staff. The students doing their work were focused and appeared comfortable asking for assistance on their homework. No one appeared to be struggling. A handful of students asked for help Carney Educational Services—Loma Vista Elementary
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by raising their hands and a staff member helped them. It always appeared to be math that the staff members were helping the students with. In looking at the level of challenge, an observation noted: The homework seems at or below the skill level of the children. Few questions are asked of the staff. Students seem uninterested in the work they are doing and wanting to finish so that they can play games. Another observation noted: A few students merely sit and eat or watch the others. There is very little in the way of challenging activities observed as students are mostly playing fun games like Candyland. Enrichment Activities
Twelve different enrichment activities were observed, including free play on playground, basketball, tetherball, handball, jump rope; salsa dancing, watching a movie (due to inclement weather caused by the wildfires—students were not allowed outside); board games; puzzles; Halloween fun day—whipped cream eating and bubblegum blowing contest; marshmallow drop race, and hot potato. Learning to salsa dance, students were also exposed to the cultures and history behind the music and dances. Children listened to music and identified the instruments, then were given a brief oral history of the beginning of salsa, asked some questions, and then taught to salsa dance. The history of salsa and its origins were explained at a level appropriate for this age group. Instructors explained goals of the activity at the beginning so students understood what they were learning and why. For the most part, staff followed through with all the goals. “Halloween Fun Friday” is described as follows: Students are playing games outside on the playground. This particular game involves 2nd graders who sit across from each other on the outside lunch tables. Staff member passes out small paper plates then covers it up with a small mound of whipped cream. The object of the contest is to eat all the whipped cream off the plate, pick up the gum ball, chew it and blow a bubble. The students are to do this with their hands clasped behind their backs. The boys go first, then the girls. Students are comfortable together and very friendly. They cheer each other on as the others eat the whipped cream, then blow bubbles. Student comments include, “Make a bubble! Make a bubble! Hurry!” Two boys have their arms around each other, they are very sweet to one another. They laugh, squeal and smile frequently. Depending upon the type of activity, observations of staff members ranged from supervising/observing to guiding/coaching to direct instruction. During the free play and board game activities, staff mostly supervised. During the “Halloween Fun Friday” activities, the staff’s role was to guide students during games. The salsa dancing lesson was the only activity observed that involves direct instruction from the staff member to students. Students were leaning to dance salsa, as well as learning the cultures and history Carney Educational Services—Loma Vista Elementary
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behind the music and dance itself. Children listened to music and identified the instruments, then were given a brief oral history of the beginning of salsa. Students asked some questions and then were taught the class. A good example of disguised learning was seen during this observation. The level of engagement of students was high during this activity and the following observation was made: Students are thoroughly enjoying the content and the staff interaction. Over excitement shows with some students wanting to move forward with the activity faster than planned because they want to hear more music and dance. Staff generally appeared somewhat interested and maintained appropriate control. During the fun day activities and salsa dancing, staff demonstrated passion and a high degree of involvement in the activities, as exemplified in this statement: Staff is relaxed with students, this is Friday and called “Fun Fridays” so the atmosphere is casual. Staff members sometimes join students in playing basketball, handball and tether ball. Another observation noted: On many different occasions, staff are not paying full attention to the students. They do not interact with them on the playground or when they are brought back to the lunch tables to wait for their parents. The only interaction is negative when there is a harsh tone yelling at students to line up and hurry up to leave the playground. Some students are sitting or playing alone—unknown if it is by choice or not. However, no attempt is made by the staff to include them with the others or play with them. The children playing in groups appear self reliant. They are able to start games on their own because the staff is showing no interest in playing with them. However, occasional comments from observers did note the disinterest of staff in what students were doing during the free play activities. Staff members were observed on different occasions not paying full attention to the students. They did not play or interact with them on the playground, or when brought back to the lunch tables to wait for their parents. The only negative interaction is when there is a harsh tone yelling at students to line up and hurry up to leave the playground. One observation noted: During this activity it seemed that the key role of the staff member was to keep the students occupied. There was little enthusiasm with the interactions with the students. Staff member seemed to be passing time. But at the end of the afternoon, all is calm. The closing period of the after‐school program is described as follows: As students are walking out to the play area, staff reminds them to behave or they will have to sit it out; these are the only instructions given to students. While on the playground, staff walk around observing students. One staff stops to play basketball with some students and starts a game of lightening (a free throw/shooting contest) with the students. The other staff member stops for five minutes to play tether ball Carney Educational Services—Loma Vista Elementary
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with some of the students. The third staff member stands by the gate entrance to the play area with the sign‐out sheet, talking to parents as they come in and sign out their child. Hence, the CES program at Loma Vista ended in a relaxed manner. Student interactions were friendly, supportive, and positive. No negativity was observed. One observation noted: Students are friendly to one another and appear to enjoy each others’ company. In one group (students jumping rope), students take turns easily with turning the rope, jumping in the middle and deciding what game to play. In another group, boys are laughing and running after the ball and appear to be enjoying themselves. In a third group, (tetherball) the female student is showing the younger male student how to play. She is patient and helpful with him. Students are generally very friendly and get along. They cheer each other on, are encouraging and having a good time together. Students quickly resolve their differences: e.g. two girls get into an argument, Student 1‐ “Miss, she pushed me!” Student 2‐ “ I didn’t push you!” The moment quickly passes and the girls get back in the game without further incident. While playing games, the students appear to enjoy one another’s company and socialize. There are no quarrels observed. Everyone is friendly and respectful of one another. In particular, the group of four female students playing bingo are in a disagreement and come to a fair solution very calmly by negotiating. The level of student engagement varied depending on the activity. The more interested the staff members were and the more involved the activity was, the more students were focused and interested in participating. In general, students remained engaged and seemed to enjoy all the activities they participated in while conversing socially about the activities with their friends. Carney Educational Services—Loma Vista Elementary
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CARNEY EDUCATIONAL SERVICES—BURROUGHS MIDDLE SCHOOL
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Burroughs Middle School
600 S. McCadden Place
Mirta McKay
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
1739
42.7% Hispanic; 32.7% Asian; 14.7% AfricanAmerican; 5.2% White; 3.9% Filipino,
0.7% AL/Alsk;
259 Spanish; 151 Korean; 6 Filipino; 2 Russian; 1
Farsi; 1 Cantonese; 21 Other
346/1 (Suspensions and expulsions down from
2005-06)
72
9
3441 Ocean Blvd.,
Glendale, CA 91208
115
115
No
8 Staff
8 Staff (including: 1 site coordinator and 7 after
school instructors)
-
Homework assistance (3)
Academic enrichment (0)
Math/science enrichment (1)
Reading/language arts enrichment (0)
Multimedia/digital technology/computer (0)
2
22
3
4-30
19
4-71
-
-
Other (7) [Science, X-Box, Movie, Face
Painting, Snack, Focus Activity]
Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School
No (6)
No (2)
No (0)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
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Burroughs Middle School has a student enrollment of 1,739 and serves a diverse Hispanic, Asian and African‐American community. At the very top of the Carney Educational Service’s after‐school program application is the statement, Help Students Help Themselves. The program rules, consequences, and food and safety regulations are clearly outlined. In the body of the application, there is a short description of what the Carney Educational Service (CES) program is and what it provides for students. CES was founded in 1992 by Michael Carney. Over the past decade CES has helped hundreds of thousands of students with their schooling needs. In addition to providing after‐school programs, CES is the publisher of numerous educational books and games. We also offer one‐on‐one tutoring, SES tutoring, SAT 1/CAT6/CAT9 and CASEE Prep. CES strongly believes in the education of every child, from those needing extra help to those needing extra challenges. We put your child first. CES continues to experience rapid growth. With over 300 tutors/ teachers and a library of exciting and educational curricula, our motto is “Help Students Help Themselves”. The agency administrator states: Some of the distinctive features of our middle school programs include music recording, film, martial arts, recycling club, wrestling, and dance. We are also focusing on academics at the middle school level as well. Most of our middle schools also offer an Academic Club for students who need extra help in this area. Carney Educational Services has always been very intentional in how we coordinate our programs with the needs of each school site. At the end of each school year, Program Directors meet with each principal to see what enrichment activities worked and what activities the principal would like to implement for the upcoming year. We also discuss test scores and academics to see how our program can work together with the school day to help the principal achieve the academic goals for the upcoming year. We also put a plan together with each principal for after‐school safety and discipline. Carney Educational Services after‐school programs run Monday through Friday at 52+ schools located in the metropolitan Los Angeles area, the Antelope Valley, and the San Fernando Valley. They service over 5,000 children during what is considered to be the most critical hours of a child’s day. All staff members at Carney Educational Services are provided with ongoing training and new ideas in the field of after‐
school programming. They “strive to ensure the very best experience for our students.” Flyers provided in the materials packet also outline the motto of the program at this particular site. One flyer portrays the theme (as mentioned by the site coordinator) of this year’s program as, “Hoopla 07‐
08: Where Learning and Creativity Merge!” Another flyer outlines the mission and values of the CES after‐school program at John Burroughs Middle School. Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School
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Mission: To provide a safe environment for students to enjoy learning as a creative adventure •
We value creativity, dreams, imagination. •
We value excellence in programming. •
We value social responsibility. •
We value honesty, integrity and respect. •
We value attention to students’ emotional and academic needs. The goals of the staff members are outlined in another flyer: Bursting with energy, excitement and extravagance. Bursting at the seams with an electrifying commitment to giving and sharing our skills and many talents with the next generation. The staff for “Hoopla0708!” is a dream team with vision and goals. We are individuals with passion for the arts and academia. We are an ensemble cast, each with a different part that must be executed with zest and vigor. And, as an ensemble we will work together to provide an outstanding program for our students and their families. We will help to stimulate the students desire to learn so that their teachers will recognize that we are a support and not a hindrance to their efforts. The staff of CES After School at John Burroughs will do what we can to help each and every student succeed. There are eight goals stated for this program. They are: to develop students’ thirst for knowledge; to provide students with a sense of hope; to increase academic achievement; to incorporate the state standards of learning; to create life‐long learners; to improve student’s social skills; to build confidence and self‐esteem; and to introduce students to a variety of career choices. Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School
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The daily schedule as presented to the staff on a flyer is the following: 2:45pm Staff arrives; sign in; gather materials 2:49pm Student final bell for regular day 2:50‐3:00pm Students meet in MPR; sign in; receive ID card 3:00‐4:00pm Session One activity 4:00‐4:15pm Snack/ break 4:15‐ 5:30pm Session Two activity 5:30pm Everyone reconvenes in the MPR. Students who are left may work on homework, play board games, or help a teacher. Teachers should prepare materials for the following day Every Thursday from 5:30‐5:45pm, the staff meet as a group. During the meetings, they discuss the challenges and successes of the week, as well as any upcoming events. Comments, questions and concerns are addressed at this time. Supply requests are also to be turned in at this time. Prior to major events, the staff may need to meet longer, and a commitment is made to staff to notify them in advance if this need exists. Five flyers were provided in the materials packet advertising the different activities the program offers. These flyers are bright and colorful, as if meant to be posted for everyone to see. The activities offered are the “Tres Jolie” Dance Team; “JB Lightning” Soccer Team; “The Hollywood Group” Young Filmmakers Club; “Muse Machine” Musical Theater Troupe; “Virtuosity” Artists Academy; “Genius” Cool Weird Science Club; “CES University” Academic All‐Stars Team and Homework Assistance; “JB Bears” Football and Basketball Teams; and “Fun Fridays” to “hang out with your friends!” A handout for parents advertising the same activities is available as well. On a separate sheet/flyer are the names of the staff members, their positions in the program, and what they will teach the students. An example of the welcome notice to students is provided. The notice emphasizes having fun, but also having guidelines to keep things running smoothly, and provides the students with the “CES10” guidelines of behavior. Students must fill out a “Student Enrichment Activity Sheet” on which they select the two activities they will participate in every day in the program. The following guidelines must be read, understood, and signed by the students: I understand that, everyday I am in the program, I must attend the activity I have chosen and participate fully. I understand that I may change my choices only after speaking with both the instructors and the site coordinator. I understand that I must meet my teacher and sign in to my class on time. I understand that I must bring a note if I will be late because I have to attend tutoring, go to the library, meet with a teacher or any other JB staff member. I understand that I must check in with my teacher everyday to receive my ID card. If I do not have an ID card I will be asked by Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School
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school security and school administration to exit the red gate and leave the campus. I understand that I must follow the guidelines of the program. Also included in the Burroughs Middle School site materials is an example of an eight‐week lesson plan dating from October 22nd through December 14th. Each lesson is divided into three parts: theme, which is the unifying idea that is a recurrent element (the main idea of the lesson in one word); content/strategies, which answer questions such as “What will the students learn? How will students learn? (list steps, activities and give details)”, and outcomes, answering the question, “What will the students be able to do? (e.g. leap across stage, paint a picture, make a movie, etc.).” The lesson provided is well thought out and articulated in a succinct manner. However, the goals and new vocabulary sections of the lesson plans are not filled out. Two sheets in the materials packet are examples of the actions staff and students must take when a disciplinary action is enforced. The student receives a written citation notice explaining the incident and must have it signed by their teacher and parents. Students are also given a “Student Behavior Reflection Sheet.” In this document, the students are to fill out the spaces available to explain the rule broken, what happened, why they did it, and what could have been done about it. The teacher then inserts comments and signs it. Site Staff and Volunteers
The number of regular staff at Burroughs Middle school in the Carney Educational Services program, as reported by the site coordinator, is eight, including the site coordinator. There are no volunteers noted for the program. The site coordinator works with her staff by holding meetings every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. These meetings generally last 30 minutes. The meetings take place in the multi‐purpose room. Significant issues, such as behavioral problems with students, are discussed. They also discuss needs for the program, such as supplies and space issues. Additionally, at these meetings, the site coordinator presents her program for “Fun Friday.” Each week she comes up with a different activity for the staff and students to participate in, such as last week’s Halloween Carnival (costumes, food, face painting, music and dancing). The agency administrator questionnaire states that the amount of staff needed for this year was more substantial than in previous years. However, the agency took steps to prepare ourselves starting in June. The agency administrator states that they were “fortunate to have the majority or our staff from the previous year return.” They also started recruiting and interviewing during the summer break. They found new sources in which to advertise and also attended several job fairs. The agency administrator further states: We are having the most difficulty finding staff with specialty skills. Particularly, at the middle school level, we have been raising the bar with the type of enrichment activities that we offer. We have found that middle school students want to learn new skills and be introduced to new professions. In order to do this, we are looking for staff who are experts in culinary arts, film, dance, photography, etc. However, this type of expertise requires higher rates of pay, so we have to find ways to fit these staff members into our budgets. It is also hard to find experts in these fields who also have a background in working with students. Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School
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Staff Management and Development
The agency administrator states, “This year we have had a more intentional approach to training. Because we do get feedback from principals regularly, we have been coordinating our training topics around the concerns of the principals. The biggest concern is generally classroom management, so we have regular trainings concerning this topic. We have also done a lot more one‐on‐one trainings with staff members at the site. Because the enrichment curriculum needs to be aligned with the state standards, training for curriculum development has also been a focus.” The agency administrator goes on to say that in terms of technical assistance, “most helpful for our agency would be more opportunities to send staff members to training and assistance with principal issues. Since principals play such an integral role in the success of an after‐school program, it would be very helpful to have more forums in which principals and agencies meet together to discuss the roles and responsibilities of both as required by the grant and Beyond the Bell. Relations with School
The agency administrator states that: One of the requirements of our site coordinators is to develop a relationship with the principal and office staff at each school. Our site coordinators are required to touch base with the principal at least once a week. If principal schedules don’t allow for a formal visit once a week, the site coordinator is required to leave a note in their box. Also, any Carney office staff member who visits school sites is also required to check in with the principal during their visit. The site coordinator states that she works primarily with the assistant principal who is also the Dean of Extracurricular Activities. She described her relationship with the assistant principal as “very good.” The assistant principal is very open, and has an open‐door policy with her. The AP communicates very well, and she really supports the after‐school program. The site coordinator goes on to say that the AP “defends the Carney after school‐program if, for instance, the program gets blamed for something unjustly.” According to the site coordinator, the relationship she has with the regular day teachers is building. She goes on to state that every now and then she will see the teachers on Teacher Development Days. She is working hard to develop more of a relationship with the teachers, so that there is more of a bridge between the school curriculum and the after‐school program. She asks that her staff members meet with two of the school teachers each week to see what they are working on during regular school hours, in order to try to include those lessons in what they are doing after school. The site coordinator sees the Carney after‐school program as an “extension of the school community, not just a place to hang out after school.” Relations with Parents and Community
The agency administrator states that the program’s culminating projects are a way for them to reach out to parents and the community for support. She goes on to say: Several times per semester, our programs have showcases, tournaments, and community dinners to highlight enrichment activities in our programs. These events also allow our program to show the community what is going on in our programs. These events have benefited our programs by garnering parent support. By getting Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School
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parents to attend these events, we are able to get the parents more involved on a daily basis. The site coordinator is not familiar with the community outside of the campus. She cites time restrictions, as well as not knowing where to go, as reasons she has not made more contact with those outside of the campus. She states that she would like to pass out flyers in the neighborhood to invite those who live nearby to their December performances, so that neighbors can be more aware of the after‐school program and the students enrolled in it. Attendance
The site coordinator tells us that if students do not attend, a letter is sent home to let the parents know that their child has not been attending. The first thing is to determine whether or not the parents even know that their child has been absent (students are required to attend nine hours a week, or three days). So far this year, the site coordinator has not needed to send any letters home. The site coordinator reports that, on average, there is an attendance of 115 students [NOTE: the site capacity was just recently increased to 200]. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The agency administrator cites positive feedback as a sign of success. She states: One of our biggest successes this year has been happy principals and administrators. Carney Educational Services provides Principal Observation Forms to each principal once a semester to get feedback on how we are doing with our programs. From the observation forms that we have gotten back this fall, we have had nothing but positive comments. We’ve been able to capitalize on this success by working more closely with the daytime staff which allows our program to be more integrated into the normal school day. When asked what her successes at this site had been so far, the site coordinator cites three successes since she started this year as the cite coordinator at Burroughs Middle School. Her first example of success comes from the dance class she teaches. She has a student who is overweight who has had difficulty all year doing a somersault. The site coordinator had been working with her and when she finally accomplished doing a somersault, not only was the student herself pleased, but all the other girls were enthusiastic and cheered for her. Another success involved dealing with a student who was untruthful. The site coordinator had to approach the student in a way so that he recognized he was wrong. In order to do this, she had to “walk him through the steps” until she could see in his eyes that he understood. The third success that the site coordinator mentions is creating a program with its own vision, goals, and mission statement. The site coordinator was an instructor here last year. She says that the program was uninspiring to the degree that there was turnover of staff practically every month. When she was assigned the site coordinator position, she spent her summer really thinking about how to make the program a success. She really thought about what she wanted to accomplish this year. One of her ideas was to come up with a theme for the year which is now the program, “Hoopla 07‐08.” Hoopla, the site coordinator says, means “doing things in a new and grand way.” She also wanted to create a program that the staff would be proud of and not to have such a high turnover. Additionally, she wanted to hire the “A‐Team,” to have “super heroes” for staff members. To that end, she was able to participate in the hiring of her staff and that made a big difference. She states that she “hired great staff this year.” Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School
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The site coordinator says she relies primarily on the AP at Burroughs Middle School and her program director at Carney Educational Services for support. Challenges
According to the agency administrator: Our biggest challenge this year has been getting the appropriate space from the school site to run our after‐school programs. Several of our sites received extra funding to expand the daily attendance numbers. This has been good for our sites because we have had a substantial waiting list at many of our sites. To accommodate these extra students, we have been in need of extra classrooms. Although we have happy principals at our sites, this still remains a big issue. To deal with this challenge, we have been meeting regularly with the principals that have been hesitant in providing more rooms. We have also met with day‐time staff members to inform them about new training that we are providing for staff members and new procedures that we have in place to help with classroom maintenance. Beyond the Bell has also sent Traveling Program Supervisors to these sites to support us in our efforts. The site coordinator cites a major challenge at Burroughs Middle School’s after‐school program as space—they are not provided with rooms to use and, therefore, have to mainly use the multi‐purpose room and the teacher’s lounge. When asked why they do not have classrooms, the site coordinator replied that most teacher here do not allow the after‐school program to use their rooms. The site coordinator comments that they have outgrown the teacher’s lounge for use as a homework space with the amount of students who currently participate. Also, the art teacher only has a very small space to use that is curtained off on one end of the multipurpose room. In actuality, this is a storage space, so it is not ideal. A second challenge also related to the space issue is physical storage space. The after‐
school program has no place to store items. There are no shelves or carts. A third challenge is the lack of supplies and the current ordering policy with Carney. Currently, if staff members want supplies right away they have to pay for these supplies themselves and obtain reimbursement. Most staff members cannot afford to pay for supplies and wait to be reimbursed. The site coordinator also noted the need for textbooks (math, science, and language arts). She would love to have a library‐type area with shelving to put books and supplies in. The site coordinator states that “the administration at Carney Educational Services needs to have more of an understanding of what happens on the school sites.” In other words, she gets procedures handed down to her from the top that sound good in principle, but their application is very difficult. She says that the main office at Carney wants her to “meet the numbers” of greater enrollment (they recently upped her program capacity to 200), but if they cannot provide supplies for the teachers to use, they lose both teachers and students. As an example, the site coordinator said that they had a film teacher at the beginning of the year who left because she did not have any supplies with which to teach. They have been without a film teacher for a month and the students are always asking her if they have a teacher yet. Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School
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Of the three observations of homework and academic enrichment activities, two were of students working in the correct venue for homework assistance (the faculty lounge). The other one was observing students outside at the football field who were doing homework. It is unclear why homework was being done outside. This discrepancy affected the quality of the work students were doing. Staff member play a supervising/observing role during homework/academic enrichment. For the most part, staff is supportive. They generally have a flexible/appropriate style of control over the students and have a system in place to check the students’ work. Students were friendly, positive, and supportive of each other. They appeared to be agreeable in terms of following the direction of staff and were comfortable asking questions of staff. An observation notes that a staff member made a general announcement at beginning of homework session, saying he will check each student off as he/she completes their work. The staff member was helpful and he handed out textbooks as needed (e.g., 6th and 7th grade math texts were needed; also 7th grade science texts were needed). There was a friendly and polite rapport between staff and students. Students always raised their hands when they had a question. One observation of a homework/academic enrichment activity in the faculty lounge states: Students were friendly to one another, yet they allowed each other to work independently and concentrate. The room was quiet and conducive to study. Students offered assistance (e.g., one female student told another, ‘If you need help on how to do it, I can show you.’). The students observed at the football field did not appear to be enjoying their work. Many were disengaged. The staff member supervising this group mostly ignored them. There was little control of the group, and there was not an apparent system or routine in place for staff to check students’ homework. Another observation notes: I am not sure whether the parents or the staff is assisting the students working on their homework. In any case, it doesn’t seem that an adult is providing sufficient assistance to these students. Other students on the field often communicated with the students who were working on their homework and distracted them even further. Students were using oral or silent reading, writing, or math skills as part of their homework or alternate activity. Students do not receive tutoring in specific subject areas. Students demonstrated a somewhat low level of challenge in terms of critical thinking, gathering information, synthesizing plans, solving problems, and making decisions. Some quality checking of homework was occurring. Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School
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There were 19 enrichment activities observed during the five site visits. Enrichment activities include science, sports‐ football, basketball, video games, Halloween party‐ face painting, movie, dance, arts and crafts, and musical theater. The physical space is sufficient and appropriate for each activity. Necessary materials and equipment are provided to do each activity. Students are working both individually and in groups. The role of staff in the activities varies depending on the activity. They range from direct instruction, to observing and supervising, to guiding and coaching. The level of control over the group varied somewhat. Staff interest in the students and activity also varies. Activities such as the dance team practice required more attention from the staff, whereas the movie viewing was more of a supervising activity. The staff were sufficiently skilled, and were generally supportive. Referring to a science activity, one observation notes the following: On the white board there are two diagrams showing two rectangles with measurements and student names listed next to each diagram, dividing the students into two groups. Students in each group have a piece of cardboard and have drawn lines on it like the diagram on the whiteboard. Students are cutting the cardboard out along the lines. Eventually students cut out the rectangles and fold them into an enclosed box shape. Staff member gives each group a nail to pierce the folded cardboard with. Staff member has a stack of magnets he intends to use. It was difficult to determine what exactly this activity was and what might be taking place, owing to the lack of leadership on the part of the staff member and the continual misbehavior of the students. After 20 minutes of observation, all that was accomplished was a cardboard rectangle being cut out, folded into a square and pierced with a nail. Referring to the Halloween party that the students had, one observation comments: These six staff members are all dressed up in Halloween costumes and create a supportive, relaxed, casual, and fun atmosphere for the students. They are all getting into the spirit of creating a fun and positive experience for the students by helping them in various ways: two staff members paint student faces; one staff member stands at the food table and passes out pizza and drinks; one staff member sits with the students in the Halloween movie; and two others circulate among the students and interact in a friendly, positive way. It appears that the non‐academic activities garner the most attention from the students. The few science activities observed kept students somewhat interested, but sometimes they had very little focus. In fact, the observation was made that one of the activities seemed to have no point, nor proper instruction from the teacher. Not surprisingly, the students were completely disrespectful during this activity. When watching a science video on the brain, most students appeared to be paying attention. However, a few were disengaged, and at least one student had her head down on the table, not paying attention. Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School
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The dance teams and the sports teams appear the best instructed and most interesting to the students. The art classes also maintained the interest of the students. Students’ interactions, for the most part, remained very friendly and generally supportive. On a few occasions there were verbal altercations between students, calling each other names, or threatening others, but no physical violence ever occurred. An observation states: This is a large group of students and they interact with enthusiasm and excitement. A large group of girls (16+) dance together, doing a routine of steps they have learned (most likely they are in the dance class together). They are having fun, laughing and smiling while they dance. Another group of students (9‐12) is having their faces painted on one side of the tables. Another large group of students is spread out among the chairs and tables eating. All students are socializing and appear to be enjoying themselves. One girl runs by chasing a boy and shoves him (this happens twice); he is laughing and she looks mad. Students are all very excited for this special activity ‐ a Halloween party. There is a very high energy and happy faces all around. The students waiting to have their faces painted confer with each other about their choices. There are lots of smiles and laughter in this group of students. Some students have plates of food and eat while they wait [to get there faces painted]; others dance to the music while they wait. In teaching the dance team, an observation comments: Staff member has a very positive attitude and consistently encourages the students. The students appear to be enjoying themselves doing this activity and they clearly like and respect staff member. Students consistently follow staff member’s directions and appear eager to be doing the dance routine with her. While observing students in the art class making masks, the observer comments that the “staff member is the school’s art teacher. She encourages the students by praising their art when walking between the desks. She tells one female student, “You are really great with design. We should talk about it when you decide to really take it seriously.” One observation during a basketball game notes: Students are cooperative and play well together. Students laugh and smile dribbling the ball, and shooting baskets. When they get the ball from the opposing players they laugh. Students are playful with each other. When a student takes the ball away from an opposing team, the first student says, “What are you doing?” The other smiles, “I’m taking the ball!” and he dribbles it away. Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School
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In another sports observation, the following is noted, The students are outside on the football field. They are playing football. This is a showcase game; most of their parents are here to watch them. The students are wearing football jerseys. The observation further states, “The coach told me that he used to play for the NFL. He is guiding and coaching the students as they play football.” Opportunities to develop leadership generally were not apparent. Opportunities for physical activity varied depending upon the activity (e.g., sports vs. arts and crafts). Carney Educational Services—Burroughs Middle School
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CHILDREN YOUTH AND FAMILY COLLABORATIVE—61ST STREET ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
61st Elementary School
6020 S. Figueroa Street
Elsa Guarneri
897
White; 0.1% Filipino
558 Spanish
48
2
Children Youth and Family Collaborative
1200 W. 37th Place
90
75-80
No
5 Staff
9 Staff (including: 1 site coordinator, 1 asst site
coordinator, 7 after school instructors)
2
18
11
9-57
7
10-37
-
Other (2) [Jump Rope, Free Play]
No (3)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
No (2)
No (0)
Children Youth and Family Collaborative—61st Street Elementary
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61st Street Elementary is located in a highly urban and diverse neighborhood immediately west of the 110 freeway directly south of downtown Los Angeles. The school’s 897 students are about 85 percent Hispanic and 15 percent African‐American. The agency providing after‐school programming at this site is Children Youth and Family Collaborative (CYFC) [A Project of Advancement Through Opportunity and Knowledge, Inc.]. CYFC was originally founded in partnership with the United Methodist Church and the Department of Children and Family Services to enhance services for young people who are preparing to emancipate from the foster care system. Today, CYFC operates various programs to support youth at different stages in their lives. The after‐school program at 61st Elementary (for students K‐5th grade), according to the CYFC website, is dedicated to academic intervention, focusing on their current academic needs. Youth are tutored and assisted in homework in a positive and welcoming environment. The agency argues that by intervening at the elementary level, CYFC can assist in establishing an academic proficiency in basic and primary skills for students before they move on to complex subjects that are based on these primary skills. Early intervention could lead to enhanced educational achievement. The agency administrator describes the program as offering a variety of distinctive and, as she states, “accomplished” features. “One of the most noted features of our program,” the administrator asserts, “is its tutoring model. Under this model, participants are given individualized or small group tutoring activities that focus solely on their academic needs as noted by an initial assessment. This feature allows for us to work with students on the areas they need the most attention.” The student program application is given out in packet form with the following items included: greeting letter signed by both the school principal and the CYFC CEO/President explaining the goals of the program and basic information and the services afforded; a student contract stating that the student is responsible for duties listed and will abide by rules set forth by program; program schedule; and various other forms. For example, one form asks for personal information from the student, “in order to assist [CYFC] in matching [the student] with a Volunteer Mentor and Young Adults.” It seeks to identify the student’s special interests by asking the student personal “true/false” statements (i.e., I’m very punctual and like things to be scheduled and organized). Students are to answer: sometimes, not true, or true.) Flyers are sent out by CYFC informing parents and students of upcoming events around the area and information regarding the program. Children Youth and Family Collaborative—61st Street Elementary
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The CYFC Handbook gives an example of a daily schedule as follows: 2:45‐3:00 Sign in 3:00‐4:15 Homework assistance and tutorial time 4:15‐4:30 Nutrition 4:30‐5:30 Enrichment/mentoring Workshops 5:30‐6:30 Reflection and dismissal In the case of an early dismissal schedule, there is an extra 15 minutes of homework assistance/tutorial time, as well as the addition of an extra enrichment exercise which is listed as Rap Session and Journaling from 4:15‐5:30. The CYFC Student Handbook [A glossy, 25‐page color booklet] further elaborates on the organization’s vision for participants of the after‐school program: CYFC wants to give your child the tools to achieve great things both in and out of school. By providing tutoring, mentoring, and extra enrichment activities, we hope to help your child bring up and maintain his or her grades, develop his or her character, and be prepared for any personal or academic challenges that he or she may face in the years to come. Academic Centers will provide support and services to all enrolled students. Our main goal is to help your child develop his or her full potential, both inside and outside the classroom, through: Academic Remediation, Tutoring and Enrichment Cultural Enrichment Activates Workshops and Field Trips Providing Role Models Providing Emotional Support Social Skills Development Activities Career Advice Character Development Activities The CYCF Handbook also provides codes of conduct, behavior conduct, incentives and rewards, disciplinary actions, attendance policy, other after‐school activities which may conflict, arrival and dismissal procedures, nutrition and phone usage, staff and student contact sheet, grade trackers, student daily planner, tips for academic success, and tips and information on college applications An example of an enrichment activity titled Unit 1: Friendship Counts, states as its goals the following: •
Create norms for behavior during Enrichment activities. •
Discuss how to communicate and express ourselves when we feel angry or hurt. Children Youth and Family Collaborative—61st Street Elementary
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•
Play and create a Social Skills game that students can use to participate in problem solving strategies. The enrichment curriculum sample provided shows the ways that the unit addresses California State Standards specific to each grade level; the materials needed; and 12 days of planned activities that are literacy based (including the reading of three picture books), group reading, reflection and writing, development of games to practice social skills and strategies to guide student interaction, and self expression with coherent, complete sentences, and creativity evolved from group discussions which outline the overall goal of listening and speaking skills. This sample curriculum reflects a comprehensive approach to carrying out enrichment that is well planned and tied intentionally to school academic goals and to the developmental goals that the after‐
school program seeks to promote. In addition, tutoring worksheets for grades first through fourth covering basic math and language arts content and skill practice are included in the site packet. Site Staff and Volunteers
The Site Coordinator explains that at the 61st Street School there are five ASP staff and no volunteers. Three tutors come two to three days a week. Tutors mainly work on homework assistance. The site coordinator and program supervisor are currently working on developing a tutoring model for the program that better meets student needs in coordination with the regular day school. Currently, regular day school teachers are used to help with homework assistance and tutoring. The two staff members (site coordinator and assistant) help with dealing with parents, logistics, snack, working on the bigger picture of the program, and helping make sure the program is running smoothly and efficiently. Staff Management and Development
The CYFC administrator indicates that their greatest staffing challenge is “finding tutors who are highly skilled in the area of mathematics.” With regard to staff development, the agency administrator highlighted training offered to CYFC staff which focused on “expanding the focus of supplemental activities for children at all grade skill levels and aligning exciting new activities with the California state standards.” Hence, there is a conscious effort on the part of CYFC administrators to further enhance the enrichment component of the program while working to align the ASP curriculum with school’s academic goals. Relations with School
The CYFC administrative representative articulates a clear standard of high expectations for the site coordinator to work closely with the school principal. The administrator comments: The relationship with our site coordinators and school principals is generally one of open and consistent dialogue, and one of mutual respect for the children and the job we are both trying to accomplish. However, the site coordinator clarifies that she does not deal directly with the principal, but rather with the assistant principal. She adds that contact with this school representative often results in negative feedback, as the vice principal mostly communicates that the after‐school program is “doing something wrong” or that it “isn’t doing a good job.” She adds that it is difficult for the ASP to secure the support it needs from the school. For example, the program needs a room but is having difficulty getting one. The room they use is an off‐track classroom and, hence, they have to change rooms every time the teacher Children Youth and Family Collaborative—61st Street Elementary
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comes back on track. She explains that they were having to use a bungalow but it was taken away since it is being used as the school office at the time. The after‐school staff communicates with the school teachers both verbally and by written means. The coordinator made clear that she never talks with a specific teacher but rather communicates with teachers at the school through memos on an as‐needed basis. She further states that teachers will usually address staff rather than an ASP staff approaching a teacher. For example, teaching staff might express concerns such as homework not being completed and letting staff know of any incidents involving students. Relations with Parents and Community
Interestingly, the site coordinator expresses a desire to hold parent meetings, but explains that this has not been possible, since no room is available during the day and staff are not able to meet at 6pm, when the after‐school program lets out. Verbal, one‐on‐one meetings with parents are held as students are picked up when time allows them to occur. The assistant site coordinator speaks fluent Spanish so there is no communication barrier. Most issues discussed with parents are related to student discipline, more so than about homework. The site coordinator states that she does address struggles with homework with parents. She tries to give an update to parents as much as possible. She states that she is open to questions from parents as well and acknowledges student good behavior to parents. Most concerns expressed by parents, according to the site coordinator, have to do with bullying. From the agency administrator perspective, efforts to make connections with parents are under way. The administrator comments: We have conducted parent outreach activities that have focused on increasing and improving family literacy. This has allowed for parents to take more interest in the success of their child in our program. [She may be referring to the district‐led RIF (Reading is Fundamental) program which distributes books and involves parents in reading to their children]. In general, the site coordinator does not indicate any specific ties of the after‐school program to community resources, although the CYFC organization as a whole might; she is not sure either way. Attendance
The site coordinator explains that the after‐school program attendance varies depending on the track that is off at any given period. 61st Street Elementary is a four‐track school. The site coordinator estimates that an average of 75‐80 students a month attend the after‐school program with a few off‐
track students attending (up to 5). She indicates that they have no formal system for addressing student absences. Staff just take note when they notice that a student is absent and mention it to them upon their return to the program. This casual approach contrasts with the attendance expectations clearly stated in the CYFC Handbook: •
Students are expected to miss no more than three days of program a month without a written excuse from a parent or guardian. If you know ahead of time that you will not be able to attend the program, please have your parent or guardian notify the site coordinator Children Youth and Family Collaborative—61st Street Elementary
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•
If you have been absent from the program for an extended period of time without a written excuse from a parent or guardian, the site coordinator will call your parent or guardian to notify him or her about the absences before officially removing you from the program. •
If you should wish to return to the program after a prolonged absence, your parent or guardian must express his or her desire for you to return by contacting the site coordinator in person, by phone, or in writing. The cover letter to the student registration/information packet states: “It is recommended that each student attend the after‐school program at least three times per week, and we are more than happy to serve them every school day. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The CYFC after‐school program site coordinator at 61st Street Elementary had only been at the school for two months at the time of the interview site visit (October 2007). Nevertheless, according to the relatively new site coordinator, successes accomplished include the following: securing a room for the program to operate, solving the staffing issue with sufficient staff hired, helping the school reach its academic goals (i.e., the Assistance Principal “insinuated that program may have helped test scores go up”). Additionally, the agency administrator comments on program successes which include support from parents, administration, and school site staff. She highlights that “several parents offered their support and time in assisting us with some of the activities that have occurred with students; this has been a noted success of the program.” Challenges
The site coordinator identifies as challenges space limitations and poor communication with the assistant principal, as well as the fact that there is not enough staff to run program as well as she would like. The agency administrator cites the “rotating facilities usage schedule” as the most significant challenged faced at the CYFC 61st Street School site. This reflects the site coordinator’s concern of the impact of the year‐round schedule on the space available to the after‐school program: “Under this schedule there was constant moving and alternating of classroom facilities on campus that we could use to provide our services to students,” she explains. CYFC states that it addressed this challenge by maintaining a communication with school site administration about the program needs, while keeping a positive and flexible attitude. This situation was further exacerbated by the fact that construction is currently under way at the school site, and therefore, there is no consistent space on campus for programming to take place. The administrator points out, “However, with the aide of the site administration we have creatively managed to find spacing on campus when needed.” This statement differs from the perspective of the site coordinator who communicated that space continued to be an issue. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The site coordinator states that staff was aware of what homework students had based upon what each student told them. No formal system was in place. The student sign‐in sheet indicated two categories: students who had homework and those who didn’t. Children Youth and Family Collaborative—61st Street Elementary
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From all eleven observations, the following was found. Classroom size varied, as well as did the general state of cleanliness and availability of space. Some days students were doing homework in large, clean classrooms. Other days, there were up to twenty students sitting on the floor while the rest of the students were at desks. One report states that homework was being done in the staff lounge. These observations support the concerns expressed by the site coordinator regarding space issues that the ASP faces at this site. Most of the homework/academic enrichment observations were of students working on math homework/worksheets. Sometimes they were seen working with English worksheets. This focus on worksheets as an activity of the after‐school academic enrichment component was reflected in the document packet which includes several sample “tutoring worksheets” (as they are labeled). The nature of staff interaction with students ranged from supervising/observing to direct instruction to guiding/coaching. At times, staff members were noted to have little authority as students were observed to be out of control on some occasions; while other staff had students under full control as they worked with them. Staff were further observed reminding students to stay on task and to keep a controlled, soft voice inside the classroom. Their encouragement appeared to have little effect on student behavior. Observers commented that staff seemed to spend a lot of time trying to get control of the group instead of helping with homework. When the classroom was in order, the staff walked around and assisted students as needed. In general, staff was encouraging and their communication with students was positive. Staff‐student interactions noted include: Observation is focused around the staff member. Her demeanor and her positive attitude is contagious. When a student approaches her for help, she is playful and helpful at the same time. Students walk away smiling after they receive help from her. Most of the students tend to go to her for assistance rather than the other three staff members. She also checks the quality of the rest of the work to make sure students are doing their homework right. Staff member is friendly and relaxed with students. He works most specifically with 2‐3 students on language arts at the whiteboard. Staff member speaks frequently in Spanish. Staff member is eager to help students and has good energy and rapport with them. They smile together and enjoy each other. Staff member is supportive and says “Good, good” frequently while working with boys at the whiteboard. Staff member is calm and in control of students. When one boy is being disruptive, staff member asks calmly, “What’s up?” A second staff member arrives a little later and helps students individually as needed. Staff roles were to provide assistance to students who needed help on homework. Staff was having trouble keeping students quiet. The method used was yelling for students to “Listen!” or “Be quiet!” Staff had the ability to help with homework, but most of their time was spent telling students to be quiet. The demeanor of staff is strict, but students aren’t fazed or intimidated by it—perhaps that is why they are not listening either. Peer interaction was observed to be very friendly and generally supportive. Students became loud or unruly at times, mostly followed by the staff trying to get them back on task and reminding students to Children Youth and Family Collaborative—61st Street Elementary
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calm down. Most students interacted with one another in a positive manner, while some distracted others in the classroom. For the most part, students were socializing and talking a lot, but also doing homework and staying on task. At all times, students seemed comfortable with asking questions and either seeking a tutor/staff member or a friend to help. Students seemed to enjoy the interaction with the staff members and most of the activities. When students were done with assigned work, they continued to the playground, socialized with friends in the classroom, or participated in other leisure or unstructured activities such as coloring and drawing. Noise levels seemed to stay consistently high. The level of challenge in the homework varied widely. Most students appeared capable of doing their homework and felt comfortable asking for help when needed. An observation notes: One staff member checks every student’s work before they are allowed to get a different worksheet. Students are challenged to complete grade level appropriate math problems. If a student desires, he/she may try a more difficult math worksheet. Enrichment Activities
Activities of nine observations included free play on the playground, sports, math/science, reading/language arts enrichment, and arts and crafts. Arts and craft projects included journal covers and ghost cut‐outs to create trick or treat bags. Activities had clear goals and objectives that seemed to be followed. Activities were also appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. The students’ were generally focused and engaged, and overall they seemed to enjoy the activities. The physical environment was sufficient for the students needs. All supplies and materials were provided for the students who were mostly encouraged to work together in groups. The focus on group activity promoted a high level of social interaction between multiple students at any given time. Peer interactions ran high and they seemed to maintain a very friendly response. Students were heard expressing opinions and coming up with solutions among themselves. There were the occasional disruptions (such as boys pushing), but a staff member was then identified and asked to handle the situation. Staff were observed having difficulty leading activities and controlling the group. An example of students’ lack of focus and staff lack of control witnessed during an arts and crafts activity: Staff gives instructions periodically as new students enter the activity room from the homework room. Staff appears to have little authority. They stop the activity in the middle of it, turn out the lights and make students put their heads down. As soon as the activity is resumed students go back to being loud. Another observation notes that students were engaged in a simple art activity involving coloring and cutting out a ghost outline to decorate a trick‐or‐treat bag. The observation notes: Children Youth and Family Collaborative—61st Street Elementary
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Staff has little authority. They yell commands and instructions out first trying to communicate in a normal volume. Staff communicates objectives and directions to students after materials are passed out. Students appear to be friendly toward their neighbors. There are no observed negative interactions among peers. Students are only disrespectful of staff by not listening or following directions. It was also noted that staff were sometimes late and were not present at all times. Hence, there were some cases where adequate supervision of students was lacking. When staff were present, they were not always intentional about providing guidance and input to student activity but rather played a passive supervisory role, walking around the playground with little interaction with students. It seemed that there was a predominance of unstructured activity, with limited intent or purpose; where the staff role was only to supervise. In some instances, students quickly lost interest or were left to improvise their free play. One observation noted: From 2:30pm‐2:40pm students are at tables outdoors. They are agitated, appear bored and lack self control. At 2:40 pm, students move to the playground. At the playground they are more engaged, content, and running around. In terms of challenge, students were drawing covers for their journals based upon one of two question: 1) What animal would you like to be?, or 2) What celebrity would you have at your birthday party? After the cover was done, students wrote about the topic they chose to draw. The staff member specified that at least four sentences must be written. She comments: Having to think of hypothetical situations and write about them is a bit challenging for some of the students. It is hard for them to step out of reality or what could actually happen into fantasy. A few are not doing any work at all and seem bored. One student has his head on his backpack that is on the table, about to go to sleep. Managing groups of children engaged in diverse activities requires a unique set of staff competencies. It seems from the observational data that the CYFC staff at the 61st Street elementary school program need to develop more effective strategies for engaging youth in diverse enrichment activities. Some more intentional curriculum with more interesting and challenging content, along with focused staff training and ongoing mentoring and guidance, may ameliorate some of the above noted challenges. Children Youth and Family Collaborative—61st Street Elementary
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CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—MORNINGSIDE ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
Morningside Elementary
576 N. Maclay Avenue
San Fernando, CA 91340
Nick Vasquez
974
99.3% Hispanic; .3% Asian; .2% White; .1%
African-American; .1% Filipino
48
1
City of San Fernando
28 Park Avenue
San Fernando, CA 91340
After School Community Enrichment Program
90
90
Yes
6 Staff
6 Staff (Including: 1 site coordinator, 5 after
school instructors)
-
2
18
12
10-28
6
11-67
Sports: competitive and non-competitive(1)
Other (4) [Free Play, Games, Daily opening
snack]
City of San Fernando—Morningside Elementary
No (2)
No (0)
No (0)
No (2)
No (0)
No (0)
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The City of San Fernando Department of Recreation operates its after‐school community enrichment program at Morningside Elementary in the heart of the Hispanic immigrant community (99% of which are Hispanic) in the northern end of the San Fernando Valley. The city has a long history of serving this hard working immigrant community whose children benefit greatly from the CSF’s after‐school program’s cultural responsiveness and welcoming approach to the community, exemplified by the program’s name. In the welcome letter to parents, the City of San Fernando Department of Recreation and Community Services After‐School Community Enrichment Program is described as requiring the collaboration of schools, government agencies, and the parents. The letter assures parents that the Morningside after‐school program staff is there for them. It states: Welcome to the City of San Fernando Department of Recreation and Community Services After School Community Enrichment Program. The work we have ahead is very important and long awaited. The education and social benefits that your child will be part of are many. My staff and I look forward to working with your child’s school and you to provide your child a better quality of life. The following information will answer many of your questions; however, for those questions or concerns left unanswered, please do not hesitate to address them to the ASP staff or to my office, not to your child’s school office or teacher, due to their own tasks and responsibilities. Supporting this concept, the after‐school staff members are called “Grade Counselors” and are assigned a grade level cohort to support and guide. Daily Schedule 2:05‐2:25 Sign in and snacks 2:26‐2:35 Restroom and water 2:36‐2:50 Fluency Builder (daily) 2:51‐4:30 Homework assistance 4:31‐5:00 Enrichment activity 5:01‐5:10 Clean up 5:11‐6:00 Sign out Daily Schedule with Early Dismissal 1:06‐ 2:05 Sign out/games and general supervision Included in the materials packet is a letter to the parents and teachers with a breakdown of classroom usage by group. The program is described as having two components: Education and Enrichment, which include the following activities: Educational Component Enrichment Component Literacy Program Arts & Crafts City of San Fernando—Morningside Elementary
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Homework Assistance Cultural Activities Reading Program Math, Science & Beyond Games & Sports Special Events and Field Trips Also included in the materials packet are detailed lesson plans for October 22 through November 2nd. The lessons are broken into specific different activities for each of three grade level groups (1st ‐2nd; 3rd; 4th ‐5th) in each of the program areas: Monday‐literacy; Tuesday‐cooperative games; Wednesday‐arts and crafts; Thursday‐math and science, and Friday‐counselor’s choice [Fall Showcase Practice]. Sometimes there is not a division between grade levels. For example, for cooperative games on Tuesday, the program states, “Choose a game for the entire group to participate in, [and then adds] “Fall Showcase Practice.” Various worksheets attached are published materials with literacy skills practice, such as sequencing, reading comprehension, basic math addition practice sheets, and science enrichment, such as a graphic representation of the “Pumpkin Life Cycle.” It seems that activity themes are around holidays of Halloween and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). On one day, for example, the 3rd through 5th graders are making Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls. An example of the weekly newsletter is attached as well. It highlights the week’s activities and the programming for the upcoming weeks. The newsletter also serves to remind parents of the information contained in the parent agreement form, and provides general contact information for them to reach program staff. The newsletter recognizes student who participated in the “Walk for Life” walk‐a‐thon and thanks parents for helping in the “Halloween Carnival” which was held October 31st. Site Staff and Volunteers
There are six staff members in the CSF Community Enrichment After School Program. The site coordinator reports in the summer there are also volunteers staffing the program; and during the school year some parents volunteer. The staff members’ roles are to help the students with homework and teach them new assignments. The agency administrator states that one of the program successes this year has been that the city was “able to provide school sites with competent staff which enables our program to function efficiently and effectively with students, parents, and school administration.” Staff Management and Development
The agency administrator did not to respond to the question regarding the nature of staff development efforts that have taken place with in the City of San Fernando on behalf of the ASP staff this year. In previous years, however, the program director has reported that after‐school program staff participates in the city’s Recreation Department training programs. With regard to the support and mentoring that staff receive, the site coordinator explains that the city administrators who manage the after‐school program may support the staff in their conversations with teachers or principals. She explains, “They tell us how to handle situations. I would say they provide situational direction.” City of San Fernando—Morningside Elementary
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The agency administrator asserts that operating their program on school premises serves to reinforce their efforts in helping the students with homework, stating, “Speaking from the perspective of the City Department of Recreation, the administrator recognizes that being able to provide programming at the school facility offers a safety and security measure.” Having a safe facility,” he emphasizes, “allows staff to assist, teach and perform their daily duties.” He adds, “The site coordinator and principal relationship is highly prioritized at CSF after‐school sites.” He emphasizes the importance of establishing trust by ensuring the school principal that “the coordinators are capable of performing their duties without the presence of supervisors.” The role of this relationship, however, seems to be perceived as that of keeping the principal informed if any problem arises, in which case, “they are informed as soon as possible and are assured that each problem is handled appropriately”. The site coordinator reports that she meets with the school principal on occasion. Her main contact is with the vice‐principal with whom she speaks daily. These communications are usually about classroom assignments and safety. The site coordinator communicates with the classroom teachers both through written and verbal means. These communications are frequently about classroom cleanliness reminders to the staff. In an effort to protect teachers, the welcome letter reminds parents to contact staff when they have questions or concerns not the regular day teachers and administration, recognizing and respecting the teachers own tasks and responsibilities. Relations with Parents and Community
“The parents are always willing to help out and support the activities and the programs that the city provides for their children, the site,” states the coordinator. The close communication with parents is evidenced in the information included in the materials packet such as the parental agreement (distributed in both English and Spanish) describing the logistics of the program and having parents initial after each section acknowledging their understanding of the program expectations for their child and for their adherence to program policy. There is, for example, a parent code of conduct for ASCEP that parents are to initial acknowledging their understanding of the rules and consequences for their child and what is expected from the parents. One line that the parents have to initial states, “I will support and communicate with the after‐school program staff.” Which is followed by this statement, “If I identify any problems or I have concerns, I will calmly seek solutions at a proper time and location, refraining from confrontations in front of the children.” A final item states that parents understand that the program implements a late fee policy charging $10 for every half hour a parent is late picking up their child. According to the site coordinator, parent communication is done when parents come to pick up their children or come early to observe an activity. Parent communications are about 50 percent regarding homework and academics and 50 percent behavioral. The site coordinator did not have any information to give regarding community involvement or support. The weekly newsletter, distributed every Friday, does contain information of upcoming events, field trips, weekly activities, and general registration. City of San Fernando—Morningside Elementary
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Attendance
The site coordinator reports an average of 90 students daily. The program has experienced an influx of track D students for the first time. The site coordinator calls the parents after three absences. The mandatory 15 hours is reiterated in the welcome letter to parents as well as the parental agreement. Students are required to sign in and be signed out by parents or designated adults on the child’s emergency form. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The site coordinator lists the Winter Variety Show and the Spring Talent Show as successful accomplishments this past year. Some challenges listed by the site coordinator are a lack of supplies that the program at Morningside Elementary needs and lack of classroom space that the program is allowed to use. She also mentions new board games given, stating that the staff members had to bring their own games from home a while ago to share with students at the program. The site coordinator also believes that additional support from the agency, like more funding and quicker disbursement of funds, would help alleviate some challenges and make the site more successful. The agency director agrees that one challenge the schools have faced and are still facing is the lack of space to provide adequate supervision to each group. Some sites are operating programs all in one area which, at times, makes it hard to give the full attention that each of the groups need. According to the program activities at Morningside, classrooms available to the program are dispersed across the campus and include the student cafeteria. One room is at the north end of the campus, while another room is in the middle on the second floor, and a third room is on the south end of the first floor of the building. There is one room in a bungalow on the far south end of the campus. In addition, from the agency perspective, the administrator reports that, “The challenge we face is the staff. The turnover rate is very high and it is due to the pay, school and/or other means of employment. We are always hiring to make sure the program continues and is successful. We have trouble finding those with the qualifications to fill the positions when they come up. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
A high number of homework and academic enrichment activities were observed at Morningside ASCEP (12 activities in total). Space was generally adequate. However, one observation notes: The classroom has no chairs and the children (8 year olds) are working on the floor. The room is being prepared to be a haunted house and is half finished. It is not quite clear why facilities are such a problem at this site. Many of the buildings are beautifully new; the school has had many renovations since the 1971 earthquake. The site coordinator says he was able to decipher who had homework and what it was by asking students from the same class. Across the homework observations, it was noted that the staff usually had appropriate control. On a few occasions observers commented about two different staff members, in particular, whom they had observed. One maintained strict control over the students, which seemed to be more than in most after‐school classrooms. The other staff member was young, inexperienced, and uncomfortable with her small group, allowing them to wander as she appeared a little nervous. City of San Fernando—Morningside Elementary
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Aside from these two staff members, most were interested in the students and their work, providing support and help to the students. One observation notes: The leader was less than exemplary in her handling of this activity [homework assistance]. The site coordinator, still seated at his table doing his paperwork, had to speak loudly to the group and to the leader telling her to divide the class between two tables so that the noise and disruption can be reduced. She is not seen leaving her seat visually to check work or ask questions of the pupils. It was noted that, for the homework period of first graders, there was no work to do or a classroom space available to them for the day. An observation notes: For these 14 first graders, the afternoon is a desert of intellectual activity; they are left to their rudimentary or invented games; inventing games to keep occupied in the sun may be the only challenge for them this Friday. In another observation, “Most of the homework appears to be (as expected) reinforcement of the day’s lessons or worksheets, or review.” Although, homework was not intended to present new material most times at the elementary level, an observation notes, “any possible opportunity to encourage students to think about, explain, or verbalize their homework is not taken by the activity leader.” The “laid‐back demeanor of the leader” seemed to be accepted by the coordinator “who hangs out in the cafeteria for the homework period and is totally comfortable with what goes one with both groups—
one more appropriately engaged than the other. Peer interactions were generally friendly, positive, and supportive. Interactions were also determined by the climate of the classroom. If the staff member engaged the students or maintained appropriate control, the students acted in the appropriate manner. However, when a staff member presented him/herself in an overly relaxed mood or a disinterested way, students took advantage of the opportunity to socialize with one another. Some observations note that, even with a lack of order (or even a classroom space for that matter) many students were able to work on homework, several of them sharing assignments or working independently. In all groups, students remained focused and engaged, worked agreeably, and appeared comfortable asking for assistance. One observation notes: The students are so engaged in their homework or other assignments that they do not interact all that much—but there is no dissention, no extraneous conversations, just small children engaged in various written and art activities. They raise their hands for questions and wait patiently to be noticed. Regarding the level of challenge, an observation notes: Such a long day, indeed, challenges these children to think, speak, react, and work with effort and concentration. They do pretty well, but there is a less‐than‐jovial feeling in the room. I am sure that parents appreciate the care and hard work of this staff, and no child suffers, but they don’t have a lot of fun either. City of San Fernando—Morningside Elementary
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Enrichment activities included sports, reading, free play, and arts and crafts. During these activities, staff appeared to be only somewhat interested in the students and what they were doing. They maintained appropriate control of their groups and were often only somewhat supportive. Peer interactions were somewhat friendly and supportive during most activities, and very supportive and friendly during a game of “Hang Man” during free play, in which the students were divided into two teams and appeared to be having a lot of fun. An observation notes: They are jumping and cheering for team mates who guess the correct letter. They tell each other what to say at times. Although the students do not know how to spell many words, they engage with their team in guessing. Another observation during a sports activity noted: Interaction is as one would expect with a large elementary group on the yard—little ones stay away from the bigger kids. Most students are playing at something, enjoying themselves, racing, and chasing. Occasionally they get into minor disagreements. Leaders take care to keep kids from being too rough or getting into more serious arguments. For the most part, students were engaged and focused during the different activities; and they enjoyed themselves. The only activity to offer any sort of challenge to the students was the game of “Hang Man” when a difficult word would arise. Opportunities to build leadership were not observed. Physical activity occurred during free play and by choice, but not in an organized intentional fashion. During a free play/sports activity, one observation notes: This is the final activity of the day and the children enjoy being outside with only peripheral supervision. They are focused on their games, or sit in the covered lunch area with friends and talk or play their own games. Unlike other programs, these kids do not stay with their leader but mingle together. The After School Community Enrichment Program at Morningside Elementary is well organized and appears to be meeting the basic needs of students and the community. The fact that it is operated by the city’s Department of Recreation makes it easier for the parents to see the program as part of the broader community context, as evidenced in the community events reported in the newsletter. Students see the program as important in providing a safe place, free from bullying, that keeps them out of trouble, where they are treated with respect and where they can get homework help, some reinforcement of math skills (evidenced in the math worksheets in the packets), play sports and games, as well as learn new things. All of this was indicated by the students giving ASCEP an “A” rating on those program aspects in the RSS student survey administered in Fall, 2007. However, the issues regarding space at the school site and the apparent limited level of communication and involvement of teachers and school administration may be a consequence of the school seeing the program as outside of its purview. City of San Fernando—Morningside Elementary
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GANG ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM—WILMINGTON PARK ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Wilmington Park Elementary
1140 Mahar Avenue
Wilmington, CA 90744
Debra Bina
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
1145
White; 0.4% Pac Is; 0.3% Al/Alsk; 0.1% Asian
523 Spanish
28/2 (Suspensions and Expulsions up from 200506)
62
2
Gang Alternative Program
P.O. Box 408
San Pedro, CA 90733
GAP
145
140-145
Yes
9 Staff (including: 1 site coordinator, 7 after
school instructors, 1 tutor)
2
18
7
3-57
11
8-34
-
Activity has clear goals and objectives Activity appropriate for age, genders, ethnicity Space is sufficient and appropriate for activity Necessary materials and equipment provided Youth are appropriately supervised Free from safety or environmental problems *Source: LAUSD School Profile [http://search.lausd.k12.ca.us/]
Other (4) [Board Games, Homework
Assistance, Simon Says]
Yes (10)
Yes (11)
Yes (11)
Yes (11)
Yes (11)
Yes (11)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
Gang Alternative Program—Wilmington Park Elementary
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The Gang Alternative Program (GAP) has operated programs serving youth in the Wilmington area of southwest Los Angeles—a highly industrialized and low‐income immigrant community that is now predominantly Hispanic—since 1986. The program has followed the vision: “To eliminate the base of gang membership by having a generation of young people say ‘No’ to gangs and ‘Yes’ to positive lifestyle choices;” and the mission “To prevent young people from joining gangs”. With the LAUSD Beyond the Bell Branch’s ongoing efforts to secure more state and federal funding to expand after‐school program services to all schools in the district serving high need populations, GAP joined the BTB consortium of provider agencies. Among its after‐school program sites is Wilmington Park Elementary with a predominantly Hispanic student population (one‐half designated English Learners). In its colorful brochure (printed on glossy paper), the GAP Program Description recognizes the partnership with BTBB and indicates that the purpose of the ASP is to “keep students safe and improve their chances of succeeding in a loving and supportive environment.” Additional program goals stated are: •
To raise students’ literacy levels and, therefore, enable them to be successful students. •
To bring students and families together in order to create a positive environment beyond the student’s regular school day. •
To provide enrichment activities that are both fun and engaging for all students. The program administrator notes with regard to the community they serve: At some of our sites we have a high population of African‐American or Hispanic students. In turn, we provide culturally respectful events. For example, we have Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Also, we make an effort to expose the students to programs they might not have, such as yoga or tae kwon do. In the document packet collected from the site, a sample weekly schedule of program activities is printed in color and details the activity schedule for each day of the week. The schedule of activities listed for “the week of October 29, 2007 to November 2, 2007 (Monday‐Friday) include: 2:45‐3:45pm Homework 3:45‐4:00pm Snack 4:00‐4:40pm Arts and Crafts, Science, Nutrition, Math (Zero Zone), Dance/Movement, Drill Team, Health and Fitness (some of these activities are offered to all grade levels at the same time; other activities are offered by specific grade level at different times &/or on different days) 4:15‐5:15pm All grade levels participate in Drill Team which includes “music and mixing routines”. 4:00‐4:40pm Health and Fitness is offered to all grade levels; each day Monday through Friday, a different activity is offered: Jump Rope, Kickball, Baseball, Handball, and Soccer game. Gang Alternative Program—Wilmington Park Elementary
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There are no other activities specified in the after‐school program schedule after 4:40pm, although a flyer announcing the GAP program states that it operates daily 2:30‐6:00 pm. The flyer notes, “One hundred thirty‐eight (138) students are registered in person on a first‐come‐first‐served basis.” It adds that students must be registered in order to attend and be Wilmington Park students. It also states that the program is free of charge and there is a waiting list for any students who were not able to register on time. The GAP registration packet includes a student registration form and a list of after‐school program rules that specify expectations for the different areas of the program such as the Playground, Homework, Classroom or Multi‐purpose Room, Cafeteria and Auditorium. For example, under Homework, it states, “Homework time should be used for homework, not to talk to your friends or play around.” Additionally, special enrichment classes have their own enrolment forms such as the Drill Team Class and Yoga Class. Interestingly, the Yoga class sign‐up form invites students to “Bring your mom, dad, grandma, aunt, uncle, or friend and learn the exercise that is sweeping the nation. Together, you will experience techniques that athletes and movie stars practice every day. Bring your family and get ready to stretch! There is a $20.00 fee per month for students who enroll. The class is offered 4:00pm to 5:00pm every Thursday.” This is a very unique program offering in that the community adults are invited to join and that there is a fee required. In this manner, it is more of an auxiliary activity to the regular scheduled after‐school program classes. This unique GAP program feature represents an interesting way to involve the larger community, while supporting parents’ involvement with their child, providing services without misusing the state after‐school program funds. Site Staff and Volunteers
According to the site coordinator, the GAP after‐school program at Wilmington Park has 7 staff and 20 volunteers. The volunteers are high school students. One of the staff members works only three days of the week. The high school volunteers help out in a variety of ways depending upon the time that they come to the program, but generally help with snacks, math, reading, and clean‐up. The staff prepare in advance for leading the different assigned classes. On Friday, they report to the site coordinator the specific activities they are going to do for their class the following week. Staff Management and Development
The agency administrator identifies hiring and retention as the most difficult aspect of staff management and development. Many people want or need to work more than three to four hours per day, which is what they can offer their after‐school program staff. GAP provides its staff with ongoing orientation and training. The new staff development activities carried out this year by GAP were Missing and Exploited Children, Child Abuse Awareness, and Mandatory Reporting Procedures training. Relations with School
The program administrator affirms that the GAP site coordinators generally have a very good working relationship with the school site principal. The administrator explains this by saying, “For example, four out of our five site coordinators work at the schools in the morning and this allows for a strong and Gang Alternative Program—Wilmington Park Elementary
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supportive working relationship.” She states further that the principal of the program has problems with the kids or the principal asks her how the program is doing. To keep the principal informed on the program’s operations, each month she gets a packet with what has been planned for that month. The site coordinator states that communication with teachers is both written and verbal, on a one‐on‐one basis and mostly concerns homework issues. She adds, “If they have a problem, they approach me.” Relations with Parents and Community
The site coordinator reports that most communication with parents also occurs one‐on‐one, although sometimes the program sends flyers home (e.g., to let parents know about yoga and cooking classes being offered). The program administrator point to parents’ attendance at the Reading is Fundamental (RIF) book distribution events that GAP sponsors in coordination with BTB, as well as special holiday events such as the Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas performance. There is also community outreach through the Wilmington Holiday Parade with some of the fifth grade students. The site document packet includes a colorful flyer that identifies GAP/ Youth Services as the sponsors of upcoming RIF events, stating, “every child in the GAP program and in South Youth Services will receive a free book.” The site coordinator was not able to identify specific community partners, stating, “Maybe GAP has established ties with local businesses, but I don’t know.” The site document packet includes a notice of GAP collaboration with South Youth Services for a canned food drive in honor of Character Counts Citizenship Month. Also, the site administrator points out that the GAP program participated in the Wilmington Holiday Parade with some of the fifth grade students. Attendance
The site coordinator confirms that the GAP program at Wilmington Park operates at full capacity at all times with at least 140 (and sometimes 145) students attending daily. On the after‐school program rules distributed with the registration packet, it specifically states: Students who have three (3) unexcused absences will be suspended from the program.[…] A student cannot attend the after‐school program if he or she was absent from school that day. Students are allowed ten (10) excused (illness, medical appointments, religious classes, or religious holidays) absences during the school year. The site coordinator elaborates on the nature of student attendance at the program by stating: The students are not absent frequently, so there is no need to constantly contact the parents. The students like the program. Sometimes they are absent based upon religious or sports attendance reasons. Sometimes they have to travel outside of the country, to go to Mexico or Guatemala. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
One of the successes that the GAP program administrator cites is the establishment of a positive reputation that has resulted in waiting lists at four out of five of the GAP after‐school program sites. The administrator further attributes the programs’ success in the community to additional program Gang Alternative Program—Wilmington Park Elementary
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enrichment offerings such as yoga, tae kwon do, dance, scrap booking, flower‐making, cheerleading, cooking, and music lessons. The site coordinator identifies three important successes this year related to student performance and participation: •
Book distribution—it happens three times per year. The principal read to the students and they were all quiet and respectful. I was so proud of them. •
When the Agency Director visited our site—the kids were great—everything went perfectly. •
All of the kids participated in sport games with Youth Services. The agency administrator identifies the most significant challenge that the GAP after‐school program sites faced this year was the requirement to be open the first day of school. She explains, “In the past, we registered students the first week and opened the program the following week. This allowed us ample time to complete the enrollment process and create attendance rosters, emergency contact lists, etc.” Additionally, from the agency perspective, the significant challenge is staff turnover from the summer. The administrator points out, “Many of our staff members return to work with us at our after‐
school program, but inevitably we lose staff members over the summer when we are not operating.” The site coordinator states that the challenge faced at the site level is the high number of first graders who cannot read. She has taken the initiative to address this challenge working with the GAP program volunteers so that they can focus their effort on helping them with reading. She is happy to report that, as a result, students have increased their scores by 20 percent. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
There were seven homework observations completed for this site, including one identified as an academic enrichment activity in which students worked with a staff person who drilled them with multiplication flash cards. Most homework activity occurred in the school cafeteria, which some observers noted was not entirely conducive to doing homework. One observation notes: The noise level remained distracting for the entirety of the 20 minute observation period. Staff management of students is little to no authority. Students are noisy, getting up and talking. Nonetheless, the staff members were observed to be interested and ready to assist students. An observation notes, “They walk up and down the lunch table aisles checking work and stopping to assist those students with questions or correct mistakes that they notice (quality checking).” The high level of noise and inconsistent student engagement was noted: Staff seems to not be bothered by the noise and lack of focus on homework by many students. No attempt is made to quiet down the students. Students are unfocused and distracted by one another. Their homework is getting done, but it is interspersed with conversations about the work they are doing, television shows, or the on‐goings at school that day. During another homework period, a different environment is described, as an observation notes: Gang Alternative Program—Wilmington Park Elementary
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The classroom provides enough seating for each student to have a personal work place. Staff is highly effective. The classroom is quiet while students are working. Staff member moves around helping various students struggling with work and utilizes the number charts and letter charts on the walls to help children understand the concepts in their homework. Praises the students for staying quiet (positive reinforcement of their behavior and work ethic). Praises them for getting the right answer. [The staff] Shows enthusiasm with tone and demeanor when talking with students. There is a routine or system in place for checking if students have homework and they bring it to the teacher when completed to be checked. There are several students offering and giving help to peers with their homework. Students converse socially but are distracted only for a moment then return to their work. There is a friendly demeanor in all their interactions. The students even turn to smile at me in the back of the classroom—a very happy group. Students are working, for the most part, diligently and focused on finishing their work. Other observations noted the high competency of staff in supporting student’s academic development through direct instruction in the form of homework assistance. One observation notes: Staff member is able to provide alternative ways of thinking so that the student may be able to better answer their own question. The homework appears challenging for some students. There area lot of questions being fielded by the staff member. In general, observations reflected a consistent quality in the manner with which staff supported students in completing their homework in both caring and pedagogically appropriate ways. For example, the comment is made, “staff is positive when correcting mistakes on homework, and helps student work through it.” However, one observation noted the following: Students are completing assignments from their regular day teachers. Assistance is given only when needed or when a mistake is noticed by the staff member. Coloring sheets are available for those who finish before the period is up. In an alternate academic enrichment activity, a staff person is observed using multiplication flash cards to test students’ knowledge. An observation noted the quality of the adult/student interaction: She is supportive of them and congratulates each correct answer with a “good job” and assists students in figuring out the answers to problems they don’t know. Encourages them to practice, then she’ll come back and test again later today. […] Staff is challenging students to move beyond their current capabilities and challenge themselves to recognize answers to multiplication problems quickly and without writing it out. Another observation notes: The homework appears challenging for some students. There are a lot of questions being fielded by the staff member. Level seems appropriate, not too difficult, but allowing students to think critically about what they are doing rather than straight regurgitation of facts. Gang Alternative Program—Wilmington Park Elementary
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In general, staff members were highly supportive of students during the homework period. Students were engaged and friendly with each other. Although, for the most part, staff were flexible and exhibited appropriate control of the group, there were two instances where “little authority” was shown. It suggests that this was a staff development issue and not so much a general problem of the program’s organization of its homework session. In terms of student engagement and enjoyment of students, the following was noted: Students are focused when it’s their turn. Appear nervous or anxious by their fidgeting movements sitting on hands or kicking of legs back and forth while seated. At first a child is shy to say they don’t know an answer, but is reassured by the staff members response that its okay to be wrong. When looking at the level of challenge, an observation notes: Staff is challenging students to move beyond their current capabilities and challenge themselves to recognize answers to multiplication problems quickly and without writing them out. The problems/flash cards seem to be above student comprehension. Another observation notes: A female student is tutoring two male students in math. She points to a worksheet and asks, “How many fives are there in twenty?” She holds her workbook up and points to a grid. It seems that the female student is supervising the other two students because when the teacher passes by, she collects their papers and gives them to the teacher. The female student says to teacher, “Read it!” Enrichment Activities
The 11 activity observations made of the GAP program at Wilmington Park Elementary included math/science enrichment, health and nutrition class, dance, arts and crafts, competitive sports, and less structured board games and playground activity. During an enrichment activity, students played a math game with boys vs. girls in a competition based on who can solve the problem first. However, the rules had not been spelled out correctly, so students were confused on how to play the game until a couple of rounds were played. It seemed that the staff member was making up the game as it went along, since new rules were introduced in the middle of the game. In this particular case, the activity did not seem to be well organized or conducted (it is over controlled), as one observation noted: Staff member does not give any words of encouragement and establishes a point deduction system—a point is taken from the team if you talk out of turn or answer without raising your hand. Staff is unforgiving and taking away points for the slightest movement that makes noise. This takes away from the students’ enthusiasm in the activity, although students are enjoying the competition of the game. Students would like to contribute but staff member limits participation by making the game a “one vs. one” situation. This aspect makes it hard for some to get involved and they become disengaged with the whole activity. The questions asked Gang Alternative Program—Wilmington Park Elementary
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by the staff member range from simple to above grade level (or students’ competency level). In nutrition class, students were introduced to a new concept—a food pyramid—and were given a worksheet of the food pyramid with blanks to be filled in. The staff was observed facilitating an open discussion about what students like to eat and what they should eat. Example pictures gave students a visual of what grains, fruits, protein, etc. looked like. The notion of correct portions was discussed. While students colored their pyramids, staff continued to prompt students to answer questions about the nutrition content they had just discussed. An observation notes: The concepts did not seem difficult when staff first presented them. But it was evident that not many students were able to recognize or even name many fruits. They were being challenged to learn new information pertinent to them. Students are learning important nutritional information about fruits that will help them make healthy life choices in the future. At the end, staff encourages students to share information with family and reviews what they went over/summarizes the lesson. The observer particularly noted the quality of adult/student and peer interactions as highly positive and supportive, while maintaining serious engagement with the course content. It was noted: Students are encouraged to help each other out when discussing what each aspect of the food pyramid contains and share crayons. Staff is knowledgeable and able to answer all questions directed at her. She is encouraging and uses positive reinforcement (with words) to get all the students to continue their good work. Staff member maintains a good level of control and command of the class without having to raise her voice. Staff appears interested in the subject and concerned with students’ retention of the information. The students are respectful of the space and each other. When they need help, they can turn to their neighbor and get it (this was noticed occurring several times). In particular, several students praised another student for their excellent work on their food pyramid and coloring. Students are enjoying learning about different healthy foods and the worksheet they have give them something to do while conversing about the topic of nutrition. Everyone is participating on some level. Students are respectful and following all instruction from staff. In one observation students engaged in various physical exercises (such as jumping jacks, stretches, short runs) outside in the play yard. The college student volunteer led the activity and demonstrated the physical exercise prior to asking them to repeat it, while also encouraging the students to “get water” after each set of physical exercises. The students were observed becoming very excited when the activity leader announced that they were to race jumping sideways along an S‐shaped mini‐track, exclaiming in unison, “Yeah!” An art activity consisted of making a Halloween mural. The observer noted the students’ general enjoyment of the art project and positive encouragement they received from staff while doing this activity. An observation noted: Gang Alternative Program—Wilmington Park Elementary
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Staff walk around praising artwork and students’ creativity with phrases such as “I like it”; “Good job”; “Ooh, that’s scary! Very Halloween!” Students appear to be having fun with this activity. They especially enjoy the different material they are able to use. The paint and brushes over stencils seem most popular. Some students ask for assistance with cutting construction paper to use, but work independently other than that. Students in the movement/dance class were encouraged by the instructor to perform accurately, setting high expectations for their performance effort. As one observation noted, “She is stern when students do not put in 100 percent effort and makes them do it again.” Still, students enjoyed the exercise and felt comfortable enough with staff to ask for reinstruction if they didn’t understand how to perform exercises correctly. Also, observations during the final part of the afternoon indicated that students were able to choose what they wanted to do during the final hour of the program. Students were captured in a variety of unstructured activities such as playing board games, flash cards, reading, drawing, or engaged in physical activity such as playing handball, in order to keep them occupied until parents come to get them. Some students who had not finished their homework were completing it at this time (not an option; required by staff). The observer notes that although it was an unstructured period, staff remained engaged and supportive of students. An observation noted: At this time, staff primarily supervise students playing games until they are picked up but all are observed interacting with the students and not each other. They appear interested and attentive to students’ needs and questions. Students are generally friendly and cooperative. Some volunteer to help staff clean up. Some extra worksheets are made available to those students who wish to do them and practice their math or language arts skills. One observation was made of a supplemental homework assistance section for students who did not finish during the regular homework portion of the program. They received homework tutoring from three high school volunteers, mostly in math. The observer notes the high quality interaction that the young tutors have with their younger peers: One of the volunteers says, “You have to count how many blue jays are in the picture. You have three blue ones and two yellow birds.” A few students are not enjoying the activity and seem to be rather disengaged. One of the volunteers (a high school student) seems to be very involved with the students. He asks the students to re‐read the directions to their homework assignment. Once they have re‐read the directions, he asks them guiding questions such as, “What word in the sentence tells you that this happened before, that it’s not happening now?” The above instance of youth mentoring highlights the extraordinary opportunities that after‐school programs offer for older youth to serve their communities and gain experience. Younger students, in turn, receive the mentoring and academic support that they need. The GAP program staff, in their highly nurturing approach to working with the students at Wilmington Park Elementary, as well as the fun and engaging enrichment activities offered, demonstrate the agency’s commitment to supporting the youth they serve on to the right path—away from ill influences Gang Alternative Program—Wilmington Park Elementary
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that beset their community, giving them access to the caring adults and older peers that can contribute to their healthy development and academic success. Three distinct features of this program merit repeating: 1) the attempt to integrate enrichment classes open to other youth and adults in the community (i.e., yoga and RIF); 2) the use of high school student volunteers to increase the amount of support students get in completing homework and receiving tutoring in skill areas they need to address; and 3) the consistent collaborative relationship with the campus’ Youth Services program as evidenced in the literature and flyers provided in the site document packet. Gang Alternative Program—Wilmington Park Elementary
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GREAT BEGINNINGS—RITTER ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
- Multimedia/digital technology/Computer (0)
Ritter Elementary
11108 Watts Avenue
Carolin McKie
400
76.5% Hispanic; 23.3% African-American; .3%
White
210 Spanish
38/2 (suspensions and expulsions up from 200506)
23
3
Great Beginnings
3311 W. Manchester Blvd., Ste 301
Inglewood, CA 90305
21st Century Community Learning Centers
86
86
Yes
4 Staff (including 1 site coordinator and 3 site
staff)
4
22
12
9-35
10
8-23
- Other (2) [Leadership, Movie]
No (0)
No (3)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
Great Beginnings—Ritter Elementary
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Ritter Elementary School has a student enrollment of 400 and serves a diverse community. About 76 percent of the students are Hispanic and 23% are African‐American. The mission of Great Beginnings, Inc. (GBBB) is “to improve the health and well‐being of women, adolescents, and children by promoting healthy lifestyles and increasing life skills for children and families”. It is further stated that, “GBBB provides services to more than 7,000 African American and Hispanic clients each year. These clients live in some of the most economically depressed areas in Los Angeles County and many are living at or below poverty.” The school schedule differs on Tuesday (early release day), but on other days, it is generally as follows: 2:10‐3:05pm Homework and Attendance 3:10‐3:30pm Snack 3:35‐4:35pm Literacy or Math 4:40‐5:40pm Drama or Journalism or Art & Crafts or Psychomotor or Physical Education or Book Club 5:45‐6:00pm Clean‐up and Dismissal Included in the materials packet is an agreement that both the parent and child must sign related to attendance, sign‐out procedures, and disciplinary procedures. Both the sign‐out and disciplinary procedures speak of consequences for committing a specific act or failing to follow a specific procedure. Suspension and expulsion are the two options noted depending upon the activity. This document is in both English and Spanish. Site Staff and Volunteers
This program has four regular staff members and five volunteers. It is not clear if the roles are differentiated. A general statement is made by the site coordinator that “they take roll call; they supervise and see who needs help with their homework”. She goes on to say that there are different classrooms so she has divided up the students. The site coordinator says that “it works better that way”. The site coordinator also states, “We do reading for about ten minutes; the kids that finished their homework do reading. I also have extra work for them, like reading and math.” The agency stated: “Distinctive features of our programs include hiring staff that attend college with a major in science, and who are very passionate about the subjects they teach. In addition, staff is very motivated and caring about working with the students.” Staff Management and Development
The staff development activity that the agency highlighted was “providing the Ray Trinidad trainings.” They also said: Our program recruits year‐round with monthly celebrations, special holiday events (Mothers Day, Valentines, Thanksgiving, etc.). Our parents help with the Reading is Fundamental book Great Beginnings—Ritter Elementary
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distribution. We also have an open door policy allowing the parents or care givers to observe the students at any time. We also have displays of the students art work for all to see. The students participate in all activities throughout the after school period.. Relations with School
When asked about how often she speaks to the school’s principal and what matters they discuss, the site coordinator states: I talk to her almost every day. We talk about activities; recently I asked about a haunted house in the auditorium. Sometimes we talk about what activities we are going to do; I ask for permission. Or we speak about problems with the bathroom; I ask that there is enough toilet paper; and other things. If there are problems in the classrooms, I let her know. Communication with the classroom teachers is done verbally every day. It’s done one‐on‐one. The site coordinator has seen staff talking with teachers about homework and other academic issues. The most frequent subjects of their communications are about math, language, and spelling words. The staff knows what homework the students are required to do each day by an information package that the teachers give them. Relations with Parents and Community
The site coordinator speaks with parents when they pick up their children. The most frequent communication is about reading problems. The site coordinator states: I tell them to do more reading at home and they do agree. We are doing reading here, but I tell them that they need to do more reading at home. I understand that sometimes they don’t know the language, but I say that they need to talk to them in Spanish. At times, the site coordinator needs to talk with parents about language. She states, “The kids in upper grades, sometimes the vocabulary they use is not the vocabulary that they are supposed to use. I give them warnings.” The site coordinator tells us that the parents were very happy when she came in. She also says that she has been there for 26 years. She goes on to say, “I was the parents’ TA when they were coming here; now I see their kids here in the program. It’s a matter of talking to these kids. It’s about showing the kids what is right and what is wrong.” In the materials packet, a letter from the program director asks companies for donations of items and/or funds for the children and their families. The letter further states that their goal is to provide at least 200 food baskets to clients for Thanksgiving and 250 families with food baskets and toys for children for the Christmas holiday. When asked about what kinds of ties the program has established with businesses and community members who don’t have children attending the program, the site coordinator says, “I want to go to the Hometown Buffet, but I am waiting for the letter from my boss. I want them to come and read to the Great Beginnings—Ritter Elementary
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children. They used to come before, but now I have to present another letter. I want to go to other places, like Wal‐Mart and K‐Mart.” In terms of what organizations have contributed to the program, the site coordinator speaks of a certificate that was received from Hometown Buffet. She says, “That’s it. I used it to buy things for my kids, like flashcards.” Attendance
About 86 students attend the program. There is a waiting list. Students who need tutoring get priority for entrance to the program. The site coordinator says, “I like to get the kids that really need it and want it.” In terms of absences, the site coordinator tells us that parents have to have an excuse from a doctor after three days or their children will be dropped out of the program because there is a waiting list. The site coordinator also says that the children are “always here; we don’t have absences.” Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
When asked about the most important successes that have been accomplished at the site in the past year, the site coordinator says: Their homework and their obedience has improved. They have been really respectful. I tell the kids that if I scold them it’s not because I am mean; it’s because I care for you. They sit there and they listen, and I tell the parents too and they understand. A lot of the parents I’ve known for a long time. They trust me. Challenges
When asked about challenges, the site coordinator says: Last year there was one teacher who was really hard to get along with. She is no longer here. When I first got here I was really strict with the kids; they used to eat a lot of candies. Other than that I don’t have any other problems. I was really strict when I first came in about candy eating and after a while they stopped. I guess they understood. When asked about what would make her program even more successful, the site coordinator says that would be hiring another staff member to provide extra attention to and support for the children. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
There were a total of 12 homework and academic enrichment observations during the survey period. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for students. Basic materials and equipment were provided. IT resources, such as PCs and internet access, were not provided. Most observations stated that the noise level was appropriate with no interruptions or distractions from others sharing the space nearby. Students were working mostly individually. The space was free from any safety or environmental problems. Great Beginnings—Ritter Elementary
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Staff roles and interactions with students ranged from direct instruction to guiding/coaching. Staff members were flexible and exerted appropriate control. Staff were interested and highly supportive. Staff assisted students with their homework. There was a routine in place for staff to check if students had any homework and what their homework was for the day. One observation notes: Staff members are friendly yet firm with students. Staff members are kind and gentle, at times placing their hands on the heads or patting the backs of students. Staff members are helpful and encouraging, asking, “Who needs help here?” as well as saying, “Mira, Jerry, I’m very proud of you.” Staff members speak in Spanish and English to students, about half and half. Many students finish their homework early and do extra activities (read, draw), indicating that they have a manageable amount of homework Another observation notes: Staff members are both calm and kind and in control of both groups. One staff member sits on bench to the side of lunch tables and students approach her with questions. (5th graders) The other staff member circulates around his group (only 8 students) and helps individuals (4th graders). Students are focused and work steadily. Most students are still doing their homework for this full period. They need the full hour to complete their assignments Another observation states the following: Staff raises her voice about frequently. She loudly points out and reprimands individuals that she feels are disrupting the group. “You need to keep your mouth shut!,” she says to another student. At times this staff sits down at the head of one table and a few students come to ask her questions about the work. She praises students that manage to finish their work and sit quietly. Students spend a great deal of time talking with one another and trying to copy others’ work, seemingly, so as to avoid being reprimanded by the staff for not completing it. There is a great deal of noise and movement occurring in the room, making it difficult to focus. Peer interactions were most often seen as very friendly. Students spoke and interacted with each other respectfully, listened attentively to one another, took turns, and encouraged each other. The atmosphere was very positive. Students offered and accepted help from one another. No student was withdrawn, and none were excluded, ignored, or picked upon. Students were not at all negative in their interactions. Some students spoke softly and recognized other students’ need to focus on homework; others did not. An observation notes: Most of the students work independently, reading silently. One student is reading aloud to another student. The students are completing their packets with ease. They are working at a moderate pace, asking for minimal assistance, with a spelling word or two. Great Beginnings—Ritter Elementary
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Students appeared to be focused on what they were doing. For the most part, students appeared to enjoy their activities. Students followed staff directions and worked with peers in an agreeable manner. Students appeared to be comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. An observation notes: The staff member provides guidance to students who ask for help. Her group is large, but she is able to effectively supervise them. I have never seen students so excited about helping each other with homework. Everyone is 100 percent engaged, counting on their fingers in math, practicing their penmanship, or working on long vowel sounds on their worksheets. I am surprised at the level of focus of these 1st and 2nd graders. Ms. Vallejo gives direct instruction in Spanish. Students used oral or silent reading, writing, and math skills. Worksheets, computer software, textbooks or other reading materials were used. Students who had no homework or who finished early had learning materials or alternate activities available to them. Students received direct instruction individually. Students did not appear to receive this tutoring in specific subject areas. The level of challenge appeared to be moderate in terms of critical thinking, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, and decision making. Students were challenged to work or play with precision and accuracy. A few students appeared to be bored or operated with little thought or involvement. Only some staff members were quality checking students’ homework. An observation notes: Students are all engaged in homework. None of the students appears to be overly taxed by the level of work; all appear to be comfortable with their level of homework. All students are doing homework up until snack time; no student finishes early. Enrichment Activities
A total of 10 enrichment activities were observed. Activities observed included arts and crafts, study skills/test preparation, watching a movie, performing arts/drama, reading/language arts enrichment, math/science enrichment, reading, and sports (practice/drill/skill building). Activities had clear goals and objectives. The activities appeared to be appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for the activities. Necessary materials and equipment were provided. Students were seen to be working individually and in groups. Staff roles and interactions with students varied and covered a wide range of roles. Generally, staff maintained flexible and appropriate control over the students. Staff appeared to be very interested in the students. Most staff were supportive of students. Staff were also sufficiently skilled in the activities enough to lead them successfully. Staff members communicated goals, purposes, and expectations. An observation notes: Great Beginnings—Ritter Elementary
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Students are continuing to work on their homework assignments, as well as do extra assignments that the staff member puts up on the board. Staff member is in control of this class. She is kind, yet firm. She sits at table at front of room and students approach her with questions. Students in this class are focused and mostly appear content. This class appears to be focused and sufficiently challenged by their homework. Another observation notes: Students are participating in a Reading/Drama activity. They are reading aloud and acting out The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Students acting out the story have each been given a piece of poster board, with a phrase and picture from the story on it, to wear during the story. Staff assists the reader with sounding out words while he is reading. She verbally prompts students and makes hand gestures at them when it is their turn to turn and display the boards. “Cállate!,” [Shut up] she yells at one student that is talking during the performance. Repeatedly, the staff loudly chastises individual students for talking and failing to listen for their parts. She is visibly frustrated, as her face turns red and her voice sounds weary. “You’re so hard‐
headed,” she says to a student that has not yet finished his homework. Many students are talking loudly during the performance and not paying attention to the story. Most of them miss their turns to act out a portion of the story. Students are told repeatedly to pay attention and stop talking, yet they continue to ignore the activity. An observation further notes: Students are given photocopies of pre‐drawn Sesame Street characters to color. The staff hands out the worksheets to the students and says several times, “Remember, the best one is going get a star and hung up on the wall. I’m going to get my stars.” However, she does not clearly explain what she means by the “best.” Then, she spends the remainder of the time with her back to the students as she sweeps the auditorium floor. Students finish the activity quickly. They do not seem to have any difficulty in completing the task. Peer interactions were very friendly. They were positive in terms of speaking and interacting with each other respectfully, listening attentively to each other, taking turns, and encouraging each other. Students were also supportive in terms of offering and accepting help from one another and working collaboratively. Students were highly focused and enjoyed activities. All students were engaged. Peer interactions were not at all negative and no students displayed any intolerant or hostile behavior toward each other. An observation notes: Students are doing an art project—making a pumpkin face on paper. Staff member is relaxed and familiar with the students in this class (using the Spanish word “mija”.) Students are comfortable with staff member and appear to like her as well, smiling frequently at her and she at them. All students are engaged in the project of making a pumpkin face. In spite of the fact that the activity seems better suited to younger students, these 5th graders appear to be enjoying themselves. Great Beginnings—Ritter Elementary
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Some students did oral or silent reading, writing, or math as part of their activities. Specific content areas such as math, history, and science were sometimes integrated into activities. Some students appeared to be learning new information or developing new skills. Students usually received instruction both individually and in groups. One observation notes: Students are learning a choreographed, rhythmic clap and dance. The students seem to generally enjoy one another. In the course of this activity students implicitly learn basic counting skills, vocabulary enhancement, memory skills, and hand/eye coordination. Explicitly, students are given historical information about various musical styles, dances, and artists. Students had the opportunity to develop leadership skills. They worked independently. Youth took leadership roles and made decisions about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. Students were seen as learning or practicing important life skills. Depending upon the enrichment activity observed, physical activity varied. Nutritional concepts and practices were not an integral part of any activities. An observation notes: Students are doing psychomotor activities on the playground. Staff direct students and tell them what they will do next. There is no disguised learning here. Students simply run back and forth, touch teachers’ hands and run back in line. Great Beginnings—Ritter Elementary
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KEEP YOUTH DOING SOMETHING (KYDS)—LIGGETT ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Liggett Elementary
9373 Moonbeam Avenue,
Panorama City 91402
Usafi Diamond
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
1083
90.2% Hispanic; 1.6% White; 2.8% AfricanAmerican; 3.6% Filipino; 1.4% Asian
702 Spanish; 9 Filipino; 2 Vietnamese; 17 other
17/0 (Suspensions up by 5 from 2005-06)
56
2
Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)
6740 Kester Ave., Ste. 200
Van Nuys, CA 91405
Keep Youth Doing Something
110
95-110
Yes
8 Staff
8 Staff (Including:1 Site Coordinator, 1 Site
Supervisor, 5 after school instructors, 1 security
2
15
5
14-33
10
10-71
- Health/well-being
- Other (3) [Board Games, Free Play]
No (1)
No (1)
Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Liggett Elementary
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Liggett Elementary School has a student enrollment of 1,083 and serves a largely Hispanic community. The agency administrator states: We mold our after‐school program to meet the specific wishes and needs of each elementary program site. For example, one principal requested that we provide mostly fitness‐related activities; another requested language arts; another requested as much math as we could slip in after school; yet another requested the arts. Included in the materials packet is a letter to parents, in both English and Spanish, explaining the program: The students enrolled at Liggett Elementary will benefit from the Los Angeles Unified School District and Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS), Inc., providing a FREE after‐
school program. The program will be supervised and administered by KYDS, a non‐
profit, community‐based organization. The program will offer a daily snack, homework help, and enrichment activities, beginning immediately after school and continue until 6:00 pm. Parents or authorized guardians may pick up their children at any time before 6:00pm. All students attending Camellia Elementary are eligible for the program. Program activities include: homework assistance, academic support, indoor and outdoor recreation and sports, special interest clubs, reading time, family literacy, field trips, special events, service‐learning projects, arts and crafts, guest speakers, etc. Nutritious snacks are provided daily. The KYDS after‐school program is designed to ensure that students are safe after school, improve their academic achievement, and have fun. In addition, the enrichment activities enhance the academics provided during the regular school day. A flyer, written in both English and Spanish, advertising the program and enrollment is also included in the site materials packet and describes key points of the program (i.e., free homework assistance; snacks; enrichment activities), as well as the hours of operation of the program. A statement about eligibility for the program is also made. A notice home to parents regarding the pick‐up policy is in the materials packet. It appears that they have had several problems with parents abusing the 6:00pm pick‐up time by picking up their children later than 6:00pm several times a week. The notice sternly reminds parents they must pick up their children at or before 6:00pm. It further notifies parents that repeated abuse of this pick‐up time requirement may result in their children losing their place in the program and being placed at the end of the waiting list. A weekly calendar depicting the time frame and activities done at the ASP is included in the materials packet. The schedule is as follows: 2:00 to 2:15pm Check‐in time 2:15‐3:15pm Homework hour supervised by all staff. Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Liggett Elementary
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3:15‐3:30pm Snack is served. 3:30 and 4:30pm Students participate in different activities (there is recreation, arts and crafts, academic games and tutoring, and academic enrichment; Fridays are noted as “Fun Friday”). 4:30pm Students are on the blacktop playing games. The KYDS rules and regulations are clearly outlined in a handout that is signed by students and parents to verify they have read and understand the rules. •
We will always be prepared to work. •
We will always ask permission to leave the room •
We will remain in our seats ready to work unless given permission to get up •
We will keep our hand to ourselves at ALL times •
We will be respectful of others •
We will obey all school rules A section of the rules and regulations states the process for infractions. The following statement is included, “Please note that depending on the severity of the behavior, all consequences may not apply or follow any particular order.” The steps of discipline listed are as follows: •
Verbal warning •
Students will be benched and given work or trash to pick up •
Parents will be notified of the student’s behavior •
Students will be suspended from the program and a conference with parents will be needed in order for student to return. Principal will be notified. •
Student will be dropped from the current enrollment list and placed at the bottom of the waiting list. The rules and regulations also state that “the KYDS after‐school program provides a nutritious snack daily, which may be supplemented by food brought from home. If you choose to provide additional food, please send it to school with your child in a lunch bag.” The rules and regulations close with three safety policies. These policies are: 1. The students are not permitted to leave school grounds, for any reason, until they are picked up by the designated parent or guardian. All children are to chick in with the KYDS ASP right after school. 2. Students must be picked up before the program ends. No children can remain after 6:00pm. 3. Any student not picked up before 6pm will be subjected to being picked up by police and transported to the nearest police station while parents are located. Please do not put your child through this! Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Liggett Elementary
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A form for an individualized behavior plan is included in the packet of materials. This form allows space for appropriate behavior, positive support, corrective action, and relationship‐building strategies to be written out for a particular child if the need should arise. A few examples of the KYDS completed lesson plan template are included. Each lesson has a clear objective/goal. The “class showcase” is the space available for a teacher to write what it is that the children will have accomplished at the end of the lesson period, (whether the lesson spans one day or five days). The rest of the template has space to write out what the leader will do and what the students will do at different points in the lesson. Site Staff and Volunteers
According to the agency administrator, “It has been difficult to hire enough qualified applicants as required by the new contracts. In the past we had many applicants who did not have college degrees but did have experience working with children. Frankly, they did better than the applicants we have to hire now who have the degree but often have no experience.” The agency administrator goes on to say that “there is a higher turnover with many after‐school program staff going from one program provider to another”. As reported in the site coordinator interview, there are seven program leaders (or “coaches”) and herself. They meet every day 15 minutes before students are dismissed from their regular classes to discuss the calendar, any special needs, go over the day’s schedule, etc. One coach circulates among the grade level groups (each coach has his/her own groups), covers classes when necessary, and knows what is going on in each room, every day. She helps out when groups are combined and responds to the leaders’ requests for more supplies, or other needs. At the time of the site coordinator interview, there were two high school volunteers (former Liggett students) who liked to assist with athletic activities each day. The site coordinator notes, “They set up equipment, helped with the games, as well as with the coordination with Youth Services, intersession facilities and so on.” Staff Management and Development
When asked to respond to the question about the most promising new staff development activities carried out this year, the agency administrator reported, “Training for film programs and fitness programs.” In terms of technical assistance that would be most welcome, the agency administrator states: Training in how to maximize each grant. With all of the new rules, we have difficulty knowing what is permitted and what isn’t. We seem to find out after the fact that what was OK for the last few years no longer is. In terms of technical assistance that she finds unnecessary at the time, she says, “Written materials are great! Meetings are time consuming and leave more questions unanswered.” Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Liggett Elementary
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The agency administrator reports that the relationships between the site coordinators and their principals are good. In order to coordinate the after‐school program with the needs of the school, “We have been flexible and willing to tailor our program to each site’s needs and each principal’s wishes.” The site coordinator considers her relationship with the principal to be very close and she appreciates the principal’s interest in KYDS activities. The principal is very visible and visits the program from time to time. The site coordinator and the principal speak almost every day to keep each other informed about what is happening. The site coordinator reports, “Currently there is an effort to have the teacher provide on Monday a list of homework for the week. It has been difficult to put this idea into practice. Meanwhile, memos and notes about children, homework, and missing assignments are placed in teachers’ mailboxes and from time to time, student runners deliver notes to teachers who stay late. Also, children sit in clusters during homework time according to their regular teacher and tell the coaches what the homework is.” Relations with Parents and Community
In terms of outreach activities, the agency administrator states, “We focused on recruiting incoming 6th graders by doing presentations at school orientations which help attendance at the middle school level.” The site coordinator interview form notes, “A good deal of parent communication takes place at dismissal with the coaches and with Michelle [the site coordinator]. The coordinator will speak directly to parents of misbehaving pupils and she can also suspend pupils if necessary. This is very rare she says. Michelle also sends flyers home for a broad variety of special activities held at Liggett for the KYDS program, such as their art show, drill team performances, and the occasional field trip. Activities take place every six weeks with the track change. We also see discussion about community involvement with the KYDS program at Liggett Elementary in the site coordinator interview. The following comments were made, “There are a few local businesses that support the KYDS with reduced price items, coupons, and special offers. They include Radio Shack, Little Cesar’s Pizza, and a Chinese restaurant that provides food for special evening events (the parent‐
owner has a child in the program). According to the site coordinator, KYDS does not participate in any direct fundraising nor does she know of any connections with community service organizations, corporate groups, etc.” Attendance
Open enrollment for KYDS was advertised in the weekly newsletter sent home by the school. The average daily attendance is 95‐110 students and there is a waiting list. According to the site coordinator interview, “program leaders keep weekly rosters and sign‐ins and if there is an attendance problem they refer the matter to the site coordinator who checks in the office and contacts parents by telephone from information included on the KYDS emergency cards. She reports she has only had to do this two times in four year. Most kids who are enrolled come every day.” Tracks change every six weeks and two tracks are on while one track is off‐track. When the tracks change, so do the participants. After one week with the new groups, the site coordinator carefully reviews the rosters to see if there are any openings. If so, she moves students off the waiting list. She says her principal wants to stop using the waiting list, but she doesn’t see how that can work well. Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Liggett Elementary
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Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The agency administrator states, “We have been able to bring more quality activities to the school programs such as field trips, assemblies, rock climbing walls, etc.” The site coordinator reports that she is very proud of the involvement KYDS has in the graduation/culmination ceremony at Liggett, presenting “graduates” of KYDS with certificates and special recognition for their participation. Also, beginning soon, Reading is Fundamental will become part of the KYDS curriculum. The coordinator feels this will add another academic support activity and will improve quality of time spent at KYDS by participants. It is noted that, “Sports teams are very active and participants are excited every day to compete; they like their coaches and they like to play team sports. Also, the annual haunted house (for Halloween) is a source of much excitement and engagement—all the groups are responsible for contributing decorations, ideas, and activities at the event.” In terms of support that she has, the site coordinator reports having weekly meetings with the site director who is supportive and encouraging and helps her keep in touch with what the other sites are doing. She is able to air her concerns and ask questions of the site director. The site coordinator says the director always has her telephone on and she can be reached easily and will immediately respond. Challenges
When asked what the most significant challenge at the school sites were, the agency administrator responded, “Principals change and a supportive school suddenly thinks an after‐school program is a nuisance.” It is also noted that securing classroom or even indoor space has been a challenge on some campuses. The following statement was made, “We resorted to trading TA services or supplies for classroom space by making deals with the teachers individually. At one site we still only have the auditorium which we share with the other after‐school program on campus.” The agency administrator cited a significant agency challenge as: Meeting the new demands of the contracts (the new attendance reporting procedure, having to hire employees with 60 college units or site coordinators with AA degrees). We have had to increase the pay scale for site coordinators and program leaders leaving less for supplies and program events. We have had to interview and hire all year long as the turnover is higher than in the past, and our staff has had to spend more time on paperwork for BTB than in the past. The biggest challenge reported by the site coordinator, “is working with special education students who present behavioral and academic difficulties that some program leaders find they cannot deal with; they feel special needs children take away the program leader’s attention from the rest of their group and diminish the cohesiveness.” The site coordinator also states: Facilities and their equitable use is an ongoing challenge. Some teachers cooperate and may even be supportive of the KYDS program, others are adamant that they do Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Liggett Elementary
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not want the groups in their classroom. Also, KYDS has to share blacktop space and classroom space with p.m. intersession classes, and the field with Youth Services (although YS is not nearly as big a problem as the classroom space issue). Michelle did not know exactly what the principal might do to help out with this problem. Additional support that the site coordinator could identify would be more funds for field trips, specially trained rotating staff for activities such as dance and art, and aides to help with special education students. The agency administrator also states that the most challenging aspect of their relationship with Beyond the Bell is, “Requirements and expectations keep changing. The attendance reporting requirements take an enormous amount of time.” SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The physical space is sufficient and appropriate for students. Basic materials and equipment are provided. IT resources, such as PCs and internet access, are not provided. The noise level is generally appropriate with no interruptions or distractions from other sharing the space nearby. Staff role and interaction with students in every observation was one of guiding/coaching, and one of high interest in and high support of the students and their work. Staff is flexible and exerts appropriate control. Staff members are able to assist students and there is no negativity evident in the interactions. An observation notes: There was one staff person assisting the 1st and 2nd grade table and one staff helping 3rd grade. The staff members assisted students with their homework, speaking a combination of English and Spanish to the students. Michelle, the site coordinator also helped. The staff members were patient when helping the students who appeared distracted and asked if they were in need of help. The staff maintained 100 percent caring control over the students. The students who sat quietly earned first place in the snack line when it was time to eat outside. Another observation comments: I was impressed with (1) the number of pupils who had homework, (2) the attentiveness of the coach in assisting pupils, and (3) the focus of the pupils. This is a cohesive group with an excellent coach. The majority of the observers felt that there was a system or routine in place for staff to check if students have any homework and/or what their homework is for the day. Peer interactions were very friendly, and generally positive. Students were supportive of each other and accepted help from one another. No students were withdrawn from their work and they were all respectful of each other by keeping the noise level down. An observation states: Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Liggett Elementary
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For the end of a day that started for some at 7am, the interactions between students were pleasantly positive and cheerful, with occasional quibbling about spelling and what students really meant when they used an incorrect letter. The cooperative attitude of the class reflected a history of good relationships in the group. Students appeared focused and engaged in their work. Some enjoyment was visible and, for the most part, students worked agreeably and were comfortable asking for assistance from the leaders or other students. Observation comments included the following remarks: All pupils were engaged and the coach was careful to include everyone. The activity moved along at a good pace and pupils were interested and engaged; although there was a declining enthusiasm at the end. Even the most gifted leader had difficulty (I was told) on this day when everyone had to be kept indoors [because of the wildfires and poor air quality]. Most of the instruction is direct. The staff provides assistance when the students need it. One staff member taught a student how to use the process of elimination to find the answer to the question, ‘Will Pam sit on the cut, cat, or cot?’ The student didn’t know what a cot was although there was a picture after the question. A student was learning how to subtract two digits from two digits. One staff showed a group of students how to count on their fingers in order to find the answer for the blank space in the equation 9 x ___=36 (nine times what equals 36). Students were using oral or silent reading, writing, and math skills. Students who had no homework or who finished early had learning materials or alternate activities available to them. Students do not generally receive tutoring in specific subject areas. The level of challenge appeared to vary, but remained less than average, in terms of critical thinking, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, and decision making. Students were challenged to work or play with precision and accuracy at a moderately high level. Students were generally not observed to be challenged to move beyond their current competency level and set goals for themselves. Enrichment Activities
A total of 10 enrichment activity observations were done during the survey period. Activities observed included arts and crafts, sports‐ soccer, relay race, football, basketball, capture the flag, free play; board games, carom, dance, and cheer. The activities had clear goals and objectives. The activities appeared to be appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. The physical space is sufficient and appropriate for the activities and necessary materials and equipment are provided to do the activity. Students are seen to be working individually, in pairs, and in groups. Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Liggett Elementary
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Staff role and interaction with students varied from direct instruction to guiding/coaching to just supervising. All staff maintained flexible appropriate control over the students and appeared interested in the activity. They were supportive and skilled in the activities enough to lead them. Referring to board games being played by both the KYDS and YS students, an observation comments: The role of the KYDS and YS coaches is to see that the pupils play fair; that everyone gets a change to play; that those waiting do not get disruptive; and to answer any questions about the competitions. Everyone playing while I watched did not need any help understanding the game. I think they were carom lifers, and pretty competitive. Other observation comments include: Everyone was having a good time, coaches included. They had a pleasant and comfortable manner with the kids, who listened when they needed to, and ran around the courts the rest of the time. Pupils are treated well. The coaches knew all the names and they took care to involve everyone in this football‐like event; the girls were included in catching the footballs as much as the boys. The role of the staff is to supervise the group, keep kids from getting too rough, look out for the younger ones, make sure everyone is honest, blow the whistle at the appropriate time, and give candy or other awards to the winners. Peer interactions were, overall, very friendly and highly supportive. Most students were focused during the activities and were enjoying the activity. The students got along agreeably with staff and were comfortable in seeking assistance from staff or peers. In terms of peer interactions, the following observation comments were made: The students were deeply engaged in what they were doing. They were careful when placing their beads in their chosen colored pattern. Some called me over to share in the excitement of their finished product. [Arts and crafts activity] The students called each other out by name with encouraging comments and requests to kick/pass the ball…The students enjoy the activity, some are laughing so hard that they can barely return the ball. They are each fully involved whether or not the ball is coming to them because they are paying attention to determine if it’s coming their way. Interactions are boisterous but friendly, competitive but cooperative, and everybody has a good time unless you get your flag snatched early on at every game, as the 1st graders usually do. Thanksgiving puppets are being made, and an observer notes: Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Liggett Elementary
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Each one is focused on her project; they have selected this activity and like art and coloring. The most animated moment I saw was when the leader asked them to name their pilgrim and Indians. ‘What would you name a pilgrim?’ Additional references are made to history and lore about the first Thanksgiving; there is discussion about the role of the Indians and about the dinner menu and how it differs from our food now. The opportunity to develop leadership skills was not evident during the enrichment activities Observers did not observe opportunities for students to work independently, take leadership roles, or make decisions about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. They don’t define roles for each other and what they expect from staff. Students are not seen as learning or practicing important life skills. Depending on the enrichment activity observed, physical activity varied. Nutritional concepts and practices were not an integral part of any of the activities. Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Liggett Elementary
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KEEP YOUTH DOING SOMETHING (KYDS)—VAN NUYS MIDDLE SCHOOL
School Site Profile
School Site
(Location)
Principal
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
Van Nuys Middle School
5435 Vesper Ave.,
Van Nuys, CA 91411
Sandra Cruz
1,373
83% Hispanic; 7.6%White; 5% AfricanAmerican;
2% Asian; 1.9% Filipino
533 Spanish; 2 Korean; 2 Farsi;
6 Filipino; 16Armenian; 16 Other
394/0 (Suspension down from 2005-06)
61
5
Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)
6740 Kester Ave., Ste. 200
Van Nuys CA 91405
Keep Youth Doing Something
120
120 more or less
No
8 Staff
9 Staff (Including: 1 Site Coordinator, 7 after
school instructors, 1 security)
2
5
9-50
12
7-29
Other (3) [Computer Games, Free Play, Cooking]
Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Van Nuys Middle School
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Van Nuys Middle School has a student enrollment of 1,373 and serves a largely Hispanic community, with Whites being the next most predominant group. When asked about the distinctive features of the middle school program offerings, the agency administrator states: We mold the after‐school program to meet the specific wishes or needs of each middle school site. One site requested a drum line; another requested three hours of tutoring, four days per week. In the introductory letter from KYDS, the statement is made, “The KYDS’ after‐school program is designed to ensure that students are safe after school, improve their academic achievement, and have fun. In addition, the enrichment activities enhance the academics provided during the regular school day.” Overall, it appears that the schedule stays consistent month to month with the exception of arts and crafts. The program begins at 3:00pm (with the exception of Thursday when the program begins at 2:15pm). The schedule is as follows: 3:00 Check‐in 3:30‐4:30 Tutoring (as needed) or sports or marital arts or computer skills, or arts and crafts (i.e., animation class, fine arts, scrap booking, jewelry making or film making) or cooking club 4:30 Snack 4:30 or 5:00‐5:45 Homework hour (depending on the monthly schedule) 5:45pm Beautification or clean‐up (may be the same activity) 6:00pm Closing time The KYDS rules and regulations included in the middle school packet appears to be the same as the one in the elementary school packet, even though the Beyond the Bell document (also included in the packet) appears to differentiate both sign‐in and sign‐out for elementary and middle schools. The rules and regulations form is signed by students and parents to verify they have read and understand the rules. Clauses on this form include: •
We will always be prepared to work. •
We will always ask permission to leave the room. •
We will remain in our seats ready to work unless given permission to get up. •
We will keep our hand to ourselves at ALL times. Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Van Nuys Middle School
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•
We will be respectful of others. •
We will obey all school rules. A section of the rules and regulations states the process for infractions. The following statement is included, “Please note that depending on the severity of the behavior, all consequences may not apply or follow any particular order.” The steps of discipline listed are as follows: •
Verbal warning •
Students will be benched and given work or trash to pick up. •
Parents will be notified of the student’s behavior. •
Students will be suspended from the program and a conference with parents will be needed in order for student to return. Principal will be notified. •
Student will be dropped from the current enrollment list and placed at the bottom of the waiting list. The rules and regulations also state that “the KYDS after‐school program provides a nutritious snack daily, which may be supplemented by food brought from home. If you choose to provide additional food, please send it to school with your child in a lunch bag.” The rules and regulations close with three safety policies. These policies are: 4. The students are not permitted to leave school grounds, for any reason, until they are picked up by the designated parent or guardian. All children are to chick in with the KYDS ASP right after school. 5. Students must be picked up before the program ends. No children can remain after 6:00pm. 6. Any student not picked up before 6pm will be subjected to being picked up by police and transported to the nearest Police station while parents are located. Please do not put your child through this!” Enclosed in the materials packet are two examples of a course syllabus. One is for martial arts and the other one is for soccer. Also included in the materials packet is a brief description of a scrap booking class and an extensive “roadmap outline” for a program called FreshiFilmworx which is about digital filmmaking and the Internet. This program runs twice a week for 10 weeks and has two lessons per week. Site Staff and Volunteers
According to the agency administrator, “It has been difficult to hire enough qualified applicants as required by the new contracts. In the past we had many applicants who did not have college degrees but did have experience working with children. Frankly, they did better than the applicants we have to hire now who have the degree but often have no experience.” The agency administrator goes on to say that “there is a higher turnover with many after school program staff going from one program provider to another.” Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Van Nuys Middle School
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Per the site coordinator, there are eight staff members at this site. The program is supposed to have a high school volunteer, but the site coordinator states that she does not show up most days. Their sports coach is assisted by the coach for the Youth Services Program. The site coordinator also states, “There is a person who teaches leadership, computer and martial arts classes; there is a check‐in/check‐out person. We have an art instructor and the school’s chef teaches cooking class three days a week. He is paid by KYDS.” Staff Management and Development
When asked to respond to the question about the most promising new staff development activities carried out this year the agency administrator reported, “Training for film programs and fitness programs.” In terms of technical assistance that would be most welcome, the agency administrator states: Training in how to maximize each grant. With all of the new rules, we have difficulty knowing what is permitted and what isn’t. We seem to find out after the fact that what was OK for the last few years no longer is. In terms of technical assistance that she finds unnecessary at the time, she says, “Written materials are great! Meetings are time consuming and leave more questions unanswered.” Relations with School
The agency administrator reports that the relationships between the site coordinators and their principals are “good.” In order to coordinate the after‐school program with the needs of the school, “We have been flexible and willing to tailor our program to each site’s needs and each principal’s wishes. The agency administrator says, “They have been flexible and willing to tailor our program to each sites needs and each principal’s wishes.” When asked how he would describe his relationship with the school principal, the site coordinator states that he communicates with the Assistant Principal of Counseling Services. When asked about communication with the students’ classroom teachers, particularly related to homework, the site coordinator says, “We do not communicate with the teachers regarding homework, since it is not a mandate of our program. The students are free to do their homework or not do it. We encourage them, but we don’t force them.” Relations with Parents and Community
The agency administrator states that KYDS has focused “on recruiting incoming 6th graders by doing presentations at school orientations which help attendance at the middle school level.” The site coordinator says that the staff communicates verbally with parents. Communication takes place if a child is misbehaving. He states, “It is hard to get parents to come out, so we don’t have formal meetings.” He goes on to say that, “There are four bilingual staff members who can communicate to parents who don’t speak English.” Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Van Nuys Middle School
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Attendance
The site coordinator states that, on average, approximately 120 students attend the program. He goes on to say: Since the program is not mandatory, if they leave early or don’t sign in, it’s okay. We just ask them to not sign in if they have completed their visits with regular classroom teacher. This way we won’t be looking for students who are somewhere else on campus. If the above statement is accurate, and the rules and regulations form enclosed in the materials packet coincides with what is distributed at the middle school level, then the written safety rules and the actual way that the program runs differ. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The agency administrator states, “We have been able to bring more quality activities to the school programs such as field trips, assemblies, rock climbing walls etc. At the middle school level, these events helped raise after school program attendance.” The site coordinator indicated that he was not yet able to answer this question as he had only worked at the site for one month at the time of his interview. Challenges
When asked what the most significant challenges at the school sites were, the agency administrator responded, “Principals change and a supportive school suddenly thinks an after school program is a nuisance.” It is also noted that securing classroom or even indoor space has been a challenge on some campuses. The following statement is made, “We resorted to trading TA services or supplies for classroom space by making deals with the teachers individually. At one site we still only have the auditorium which we share with the other after‐school program on campus.” The agency administrator cited a significant agency challenge as, “Meeting the new demands of the contracts (the new attendance reporting procedure, having to hire employees with 60 college units or site coordinators with AA degrees). We have had to increase the pay scale for site coordinators and program leaders leaving less for supplies and program events. We have had to interview and hire all year long as the turnover is higher than in the past, and our staff has had to spend more time on paperwork for BTB than in the past.” The site coordinator states that a challenge that he and his staff face is that “…there is loose authority by the program leaders. The geographic logistics of the school are not good for rounding up students. There are lots of alcoves.” The site coordinator makes the following statement when he is asked what he would do if able to obtain additional support: I need two more aides. Most of the staff come in at 3:00pm in the afternoon. On shortened days, it is a problem, like today. We are all in one room. The teachers are meeting in the computer room where we have our computer group. We need more supplies for art. I need sports equipment and cooking supplies. We need to hire two regular day teachers because, like at the high schools, the kids need to see an Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Van Nuys Middle School
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authority figure who can make a complaint to their parents and handle the girls who like to talk back to adults. We can tell the parents, but the kids know that it is just an after‐school program. The teachers they have to see in class. I would like the teachers to offer a test taking/study skills course. The agency administrator also states that the most challenging aspect of their relationship with Beyond the Bell is, “Requirements and expectations keep changing. The attendance reporting requirements take an enormous amount of time.” SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
There were a total of five homework and academic enrichment observations during the survey period. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for students. Basic materials and equipment were provided. IT resources, such as PCs and internet access, were not provided in four out of the five observations. The noise level was generally appropriate with no interruptions or distractions from others sharing the space nearby. Students worked individually. The space was free from any safety or environmental problems. An observation of the computer lab notes: This is a very popular activity and every computer is busy. Interaction between students is limited; interaction with the computer and the instructor is much more prevalent; all positive. Students were definitely gaining new information about computer programs. Another observation notes: During multiple visits, I have consistently seen three areas of campus where pupils to do their homework; some use the student cafeteria if they need table space, solitude or have a group project; a gaggle of young ladies use a corner of the athletic field where they sit cross‐legged and complete assignments, and after the snack break there is an “official” homework hour where pupils are divided into two groups: those with materials and those without—they use two classrooms. Staff who supervise the classroom areas are capable and attentive to the needs of the kids and entirely able to assist—one is a credentialed teacher. Pupils are very engaged in the satellite locations, less so in the groups although the adult present keeps them on task. Staff roles and interactions with students were guiding/coaching. Staff was flexible and exerted appropriate control. Staff was very interested in and highly supportive of what students were doing. It was unclear whether or not there was a system or routine in place for staff to check if students had any homework and/or what their homework was for the day. One observation states: The students self report whether they have homework. No one asked the students if they had homework during the period of this observation. During this homework session the staff member helped one student who sat next to her. He assists the kids Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Van Nuys Middle School
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who need the most homework help, while this group of students needs less homework help. Regarding program structure, an observation notes: The final hour of this program also offers homework help as an option; the use of the first hour was entirely voluntary and gave participants the chance to spend even more time with their studies in a quiet location; the level of challenge was not easy to determine. Peer interactions were very friendly, and very positive. Students were highly supportive of each other and accepted help from one another. No student was withdrawn from their work. It was unclear from observations whether students spoke softly and recognized other students’ need to focus on homework. Students appeared highly focused and mostly engaged in their work. Enjoyment was visible and students worked very agreeably. They appeared to be highly comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. An observation notes: Students who did not have homework were given math worksheets. The staff is constantly interrupted by walkie‐talkie request to send a student out for parent pick up. The tutor showed a student how to do several math problems, then allowed the student to do it by herself. The teacher is explaining how to reduce fractions to one student. Another staff member is observing (one on one) as students do their homework. Students used oral or silent reading, writing, and math skills. Some students who had no homework or who finished early had learning materials or alternate activities available to them; some did not. Some students received direct instruction individually. It was unclear by observations whether or not students received tutoring in specific subject areas. An observation notes: It is 5:10pm. One student has been staring at his homework paper titled ‘Factoring’ for the past 10 minutes. He is counting on his fingers, but has not written anything on his paper nor asked the staff for help. A moderate level of challenge existed in terms of critical thinking, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, and decision making. Students were moderately challenged to work or play with precision and accuracy. Students were also generally moderately challenged to move beyond their current competency level and set goals for themselves. Generally, staff members were quality checking students’ homework, but some were not. One observation notes, “Some assignments are quite challenging (projects, research, algebra, essays) and some quite routine.” Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Van Nuys Middle School
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A total of 12 enrichment activity observations were made during the survey period. Activities observed included sports( competitive and non‐competitive, as well as practice/drills/skill building), arts and crafts, computer skill‐building/word processing, computer games, cooking and preparing food, and free play. The activities had clear goals and objectives. The activities appeared to be appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for the activities and necessary materials and equipment were provided to do the activity. Students were seen to be working both individually and in groups. Staff roles and interactions with students varied from direct instruction to guiding/coaching to supervising/observing. Staff maintained flexible and appropriate control over the students and appeared to be very interested in the activity. They were highly supportive and well skilled in the activities enough to lead them. Students contributed to discussions, offered their ideas, and commented on the activity. Generally, staff members communicated the goals, purposes, and expectations. An observation notes: Six students played video games. The remainder were either typing handwritten notes, editing information already on the computer, or searching the internet for pictures. The room houses over 36 eMac computers. At times, a student using the computer would ask the team teacher for help. He immediately stops what he is doing to assist them. They are clearly enjoying themselves. Students edit/type on their keyboards or played video games. Another observation notes: This group is learning basic cartooning skills. This is an entertaining activity with skilled instruction provided by a college student. She demonstrates techniques and then goes from table to table checking on the drawings of the participants. The atmosphere is fun, positive, and encouraging. Peer interactions were, overall, very friendly, very positive, and highly supportive. Most students were highly focused during the activities and showed high enjoyment of activities. The students got along very agreeably with staff and were very comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Students were engaged. One observation notes: This is the arts and crafts activity program where various seasonal items are constructed. The instructor is very capable and enjoys working with this small group of enthusiastic girls; she demonstrates, explains, answers questions, makes suggestions and so forth. At the beginning of projects, there is direct instruction and some math calculations needed to correctly follow the patterns. After that, the girls help each other and get assistance from the leader. At some point in the year, the Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Van Nuys Middle School
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leader tells me the girls will plan a community service or charitable project where they give items to a convalescent home, shelter or other needy facility. Another observation notes: This is the martial arts group. These ten boys and girls receive skilled instruction in basic self‐defense and learn techniques from a variety of genres: judo, karate, jujitsu, aikido, tae kwon do, and so forth. The instructor leads exercises tailored to the varying skill levels of the participants. This group meets three times each week; the instructor clearly is knowledgeable both about martial arts. All participants are engaged and focused on the instruction; the teacher watches carefully, encourages or cautions as necessary, and receives excellent attention. Some students did oral or silent reading, writing, or math as part of their activities; others did not. Some students appeared to be learning new information or developing new skills. Students usually received direct instruction individually or in groups. One observation notes: In the MAC computer lab, two days each week, pupils can participate in scrap booking. The MAC lab has 32 stations in a cool, well‐lit facility; a teacher networking station is available also. The instructor, who is enthusiastic and proud of her activity, moves around the room helping students with questions and stopping from time to time to address the whole class with a hint or suggestion. Students learn or reinforce a number of skills: computer graphic manipulation and word processing, research strategies, layout and design, current events, editing, etc. Another observation notes: Some students are answering homework questions on the educational website “Study Island”. One girl is answering questions related to parallelism. Another is answering questions related to root words and affixes. Another student is doing research on FEMA—what to do during an earthquake, for his science class. The room has 36 eMac computers. The instructor is teaching a student how to fill in a graphic organizer for her English class. He is also teaching her how to interpret a graph, using position versus time, for a skateboard question in her English homework notebook. The level of challenge varied, but was relatively high in terms of thinking critically, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, or making decisions. Students were substantially challenged to move beyond their current level of competency and set goals for themselves. One observation notes: The instructor was very involved in what the students were doing. The staff person is assisting the students with measuring their geometric design using a ruler. Two point perspective is being taught. Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Van Nuys Middle School
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The opportunity to develop leadership skills was sometimes evident during the enrichment activities Some students had the opportunity to work independently, and youth took leadership roles and made decisions about what they’re doing. They didn’t define roles for each other and what they expect from staff. Students were generally not observed learning or practicing important life skills. An observation notes: Today they are toasting prepared sandwich buns and then assembling cheese, meat, pickles, cucumbers, onions, etc. They have also made Alfredo sauce, French toast, shrimp scampi, and several other dishes this term. The area where the manager worked was a little cramped and pupils had to move around to get a good view; it would really be difficult to instruct a group much larger than this one. The manager is an excellent teacher, explaining, questioning, helping pupils recall material and techniques learned earlier. He has a good sense of humor and obviously enjoys working with the students. Students are very positive, eager to learn (and taste!), and pleased to tell visitors about prior accomplishments. This is a good life skills activity. Depending on the enrichment activity observed, physical activity varied. Keep Youth Doing Something (KYDS)—Van Nuys Middle School
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KIDS PROTECTORS OF THE ENVIRONMENT—BROCKTON ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Brockton Elementary
1309 Armacost Ave
Kim Lattimore
Principal
309
80.9% Hispanic; 7.4% White;
5.2% African-American; 3.9% Asian; 1.9%
Filipino; 0.6% Al/Alsk
154 Spanish; 2 Russian; 2 Farsi; 4 Other
22
2
Kids Protectors of the Environment
1801 Avenue of the Stars, Ste. 310
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
100
100
Yes
10 Staff
after school instructors)
3
25
14
6-31
11
4-24
-
Other (3) [Film Production, Nutrition Activity,
Jump Rope]
Kids Protectors of the Environment—Brockton Elementary
No (3)
No (0)
No (0)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
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Brockton Elementary School has a student enrollment of 309 and serves a largely Hispanic community. The agency administrator feels that they offer top quality programs and states, “The distinctive features of our elementary program offerings focused on homework assistance, providing supplementary materials, and additional choices offered during recreation.” Per the agency administrator, efforts are made to coordinate the after‐school programs with the unique needs of each site. They accomplish this by holding site meetings to discuss needs. A statement is made in the materials binder that “the KPE staff helps children with homework assistance. Our trained instructors understand the academic requirements for each grade level. Individual instruction is part of the homework period.” The Brockton Avenue KPE after school program goals are as follows: •
Enhance academic achievement •
Offer a variety of learning opportunities •
Encourage literacy •
Promote physical activity •
Model and encourage acceptable behavior Students communicate their daily homework via a student study plan in the front of their homework book. Staff checks this study plan. The Kids Protectors of the Environment (KPE) program schedule in the materials binder states the following: 2:40‐3:40pm Homework hour 3:45‐4:00pm Snack 4:05‐4:35pm Enrichment 4:40‐5:00pm Outdoor recreation 5:00‐5:30pm Indoor Choices The KPE materials binder includes policies and procedures related to homework (i.e., students are to work on their homework during homework hour); release (i.e., students are to be released only to persons designated by the parents), end of day (students stay in their assigned rooms until 5:30pm), late pick ups (i.e., students are to be picked up no later than 6:00pm), and activity level (i.e., students are to be exposed to activities at their grade level). Site Staff and Volunteers
There is a staff of ten for this site. In every classroom there are two adults. In kindergarten, there are four adults. There were no volunteers at the time of the site coordinator interview, but volunteers from the Core L.A will be assisting with reading, dance, and art. Kids Protectors of the Environment—Brockton Elementary
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There is a staff meeting for 30 minutes every day. The goal of this meeting is to collaborate to see what can be done better. The site coordinator notes that one example of a topic that may be dealt with during these meetings is kindness. The site coordinator notes that students often confide in the after‐school program staff members rather than their regular teachers. He does not indicate how this communication is then handled. Staff Management and Development
In terms of actual staff management and development activities, none are noted. However, the agency administrator does state, “The most promising new staff development activities carried out this year were staff organizing a newsletter to parents and developed social activities involving parents.” Relations with School
The agency administrator states that the principals have personally indicated their positive relationships with their site coordinators for all of the KPE programs. The site coordinator speaks with the principal on a daily basis. They usually discuss students with behavior or homework issues. They will sometimes discuss administrative issues. In describing his relationship with the school principal, the site coordinator states, I think it’s good for me because I work here. I feel like her right‐hand man here. She will inquire on how everything is going. She’ll mention that paper just sits there on the office and she will bring it to us. The children like to use the paper for drawing. She also has drawing content projects for us. The site coordinator states that staff members communicate regularly with the students’ classroom teachers. He states that because they have two staff members in each classroom, it allows for one staff member to get out and talk with the teacher. They talk about textbooks and about how they can have good communication both ways. The staff members also have questionnaires that they use with classroom teachers. Relations with Parents and Community
The site coordinator states that the staff communicates with parents on a daily basis. He says that the parents come with questions on how their children are doing. The site coordinator goes on to say that the only time that he approaches parents is when the kids are misbehaving. At times, the parents also tell the site coordinator that a child is having some issues at home. The site coordinator states: We talk mouth to mouth; they will come to me. We talk to them on their level; we don’t talk down to them. We use the vocabulary that they will understand, because they know when someone is talking down to them; it’s not right. It’s to the point that I’ve received about 10 invitations to first communions. In the materials binder there is a “KPE Newsletter” for Fall, 2007 that appears to be geared to parents. Kids Protectors of the Environment—Brockton Elementary
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The site coordinator indicates that he is extremely familiar with the community because he knows people from business in the area. He goes on to say that they try to spread the word around about their program. The site coordinator specifically notes that: We are trying to get some papers together legally to have donations come in. Some will donate glue and pencils now. Here, some homes have businesses (he points to the homes located in front of the school). Business will inquire and they give us discounts. The site coordinator has personally solicited donations from a local art store of notebooks for students. He also says that occasionally the site has visits from local police officers. These officers provide safety tips and information to the students. Attendance
The maximum enrollment for the program is 100 students; and most days 90 students participate in the program. There is a waiting list. Children are taken from the waiting list in order of when they applied. The only time that they do not follow the waiting list directly is when “a mother is pleading and the principal authorizes to include the child because he really needs help.” In terms of absences, the site coordinator notes that staff will ask the parents what the problem is, why the student is absent; show them the application; remind them that after four days of absence, the child can be dropped from the program, and also remind them that there is a long waiting list. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The agency administrator states that some of the successes experienced this year that didn’t show up in the quantitative data were parent involvement and personalized contact with parents. To capitalize on these successes, the agency administrator held additional staff meetings, distributed weekly staff bulletins, and weekly detailed students reports completed by the site coordinators. The site coordinator cites four specific successes for this school: •
His students placed 1st and 13th in an art contest for child abuse awareness. It should be notes that the site coordinator is, himself, a visual artist and so he encourages the students to express themselves through drawing and painting. He found out about this contest and had his students apply for it. •
Activities in art, music, literature, and photography. •
Improvements in study efforts that are specifically due to the after‐school program at Brockton. •
A parent program in which they are given instructions on how to help their children with homework. One specific success that the site coordinator discusses is related to the art contest noted above. He states, “One girl was very timid, but when she saw that her drawings were good and won she got more confident and even her grades went up.” The agency administrator states that the most substantial benefits of their partnership with Beyond the Bell is the reliable support they offer in the event that there are school concerns. Kids Protectors of the Environment—Brockton Elementary
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Challenges
Some of the challenges faced by the site coordinator are: •
The construction at the school site which has hindered availability of space for the after‐school program. •
The lack of resources, both money and supplies •
Parents often being late in picking up their children. The site coordinator elaborates that there is a lack of space right now and that they need to “have the kids spread out more and not be so congested. It’s the space that’s really the main challenge. Children feel crowded in this room because this room is also being used for storage.” The site coordinator also notes that they need more supplies, particularly for art lessons. In addition, he states that he would like the staff to get some sort of training by their “literacy coach and math coaches so that they have strategies to teach, so that they can help more.” He states that the district is integrating Into English with Open Court reading. Lastly, the site coordinator states that he could use some computers that work. He states that there are four computers in one of his classrooms, but they do not work. The agency administrator notes that the most significant challenges the school sites in her program have faced this year have been hiring and training new staff. These challenges have been dealt with by providing in‐service training by the KPE staff on a regular basis. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for students to do their homework. Basic materials and equipment were provided. IT resources, such as PCs and internet access, were not provided. In general, the noise level was appropriate with no interruptions or distractions from others sharing the space. The role of the staff varied between guiding/coaching and direct instruction. Generally, staff exercised flexible and appropriate control over the group. The staff appeared to be very interested in and highly supportive of the students. Overall, there appears to be a system or routine in place for staff to check if students have any homework and/or what their homework is for the day. Observer comments about staff include the following comments: Staff are very supportive and walk around making sure students are on task and understanding the assignments. They make sure homework assignments are done correctly and show extra attention to those students who appear easily distracted. It is evident that these staff members are aware of the short attention span these young ones have and are very accommodating by taking a small bathroom break. All assignments are grade level appropriate and do not pose too much of a challenge. Most students are able to finish on their own without assistance. Staff members ask to see completed assignments before they put it away in backpacks and move on to their alternative activity. Kids Protectors of the Environment—Brockton Elementary
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Staff goes around as students get situated in their seat and begin working. One student asks teacher to help him and he goes to student and says, “Where’s your homework, I can’t correct what I can’t see.” Then he’ll continue to walk and assist students as needed. Another staff sits at a round table with kids and assists. The site coordinator seems to do all the help in keeping students under control. Students are enjoying their homework activity. The site coordinator walks around and asks students challenging questions that allow students to think critically in their math work. Concerning staff members who are having difficulty managing a group, an observer notes: Staff members seat themselves at a table of students in order to assist them. Unfortunately, classroom management skills are not evident and students are misbehaving. Some students get up to walk across the classroom and bother friends. Some students tease others across from them. Staff are ignoring most of this disruptive behavior while they assist one student at a time with homework. Students are rude and disruptive. The overall level of interaction is rather negative and staff do not seem as concerned. Peer interactions were very friendly and very positive. Students were somewhat supportive of each other, offering and accepting help from one another. Some students spoke softly and recognized other students’ need to focus on home. Other students did not demonstrate the same awareness. One observation notes: There is constant chatter, mostly friendly. Some students are arguing with each other or tattling to the staff (“You’re in big trouble!”). Most students were focused, appeared to enjoy their work, and were generally comfortable in asking questions or seeking general assistance from each other and the adults around them. An observation notes: Students will whisper to each other; they are not loud. They talk about their math homework and explain why their answer is correct to the math problem(s). Others will think momentarily to provide his neighbor with help in solving the math problem. They work individually to do their homework, but inquire as a group about their homework. Students are using oral or silent reading, writing and math skills as part of their homework or alternate activity. Some students who have no homework or who finish early have learning materials or alternate activities available to them (e.g., board games). Others do not move on to alternate activities. Another observation notes, “Students work on math worksheets; also on practicing printing and spelling.” Overall, students were somewhat challenged to think critically, gather information, synthesize plans, problem solve, or make decisions. Additionally, some students were moderately challenged to move Kids Protectors of the Environment—Brockton Elementary
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beyond their current level of competency and set goals for themselves. For the most part, staff was quality checking the students’ homework. Enrichment Activities
A total of 11 enrichment activity observations were made during the survey period. Most activities observed fell into the arts and crafts category, and included drawing, cutting, pasting, and film production. Some sports activities were observed. Observers felt that some activities had clear goals and objectives; while others did not. The activities appeared to be appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for the activities, and necessary materials and equipment were provided to do the activity. Students were seen working individually, in pairs, and in groups. The space was free from environmental problems. Staff roles and interactions with students varied from direct instruction to guiding/coaching. All staff maintained flexible and appropriate control over the students and appeared to be very interested in the activities. They were highly supportive and adequately skilled in the activities enough to lead them. An observation noted on one activity: Students are jumping rope for one activity. They chant: “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around, Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground.” One staff member and one student turn the jump rope and the other students take turns jumping in and doing the chant, jumping, turning and touching the ground without missing a step. Staff member turns rope for students with one other student. Staff member is patient and kind with these little ones. Students are clearly enjoying themselves jumping rope. Peer interactions were friendly, positive, and supportive. Most students were focused during the activities and were enjoying themselves. The students got along agreeably with staff and were comfortable in seeking assistance from staff or peers. An observer saw students working on the Halloween posters and says that they appeared enthusiastic to share their ideas. One observation notes: Students are drawing cartoon characters on white rolled up paper. Some draw free hand and others draw by tracing from a book. Students are excited and fully engaged in this project. The staff adds excitement by saying that tomorrow they will run them like film. Students become more engaged and are “into” their drawings. The level of challenge is somewhat high because students must decide what they want their film to contain. They are challenged on their own without the staff involvement. Another observation is of a nutrition activity: Students are friendly with each other and talk as they make lists of foods. They help each other out with their lists. One student asks “How do you spell vegetable?” and another students spells the word. Yet another student asks, “Is chocolate bad?” and the students discuss together what they think. Kids Protectors of the Environment—Brockton Elementary
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An observer notes that after a few students finish working on a poster project early, they ask, “What do I do now?” They get up, walk around the room, and disrupt other students doing homework. Some observers noted that students were using oral or silent reading, writing, or math skills as part of their activities. Students received direct instruction individually, in small groups, and as a whole group. Observers reported a moderate level of challenge in terms of thinking critically, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, and making decisions. Students were also sometimes challenged in terms of moving beyond their current level of competency and setting goals for themselves. During the nutrition activity mentioned earlier, a staff member discussed with the students which were healthy versus non‐healthy foods. He then asked students to make a list on a piece of paper of good foods and bad foods. Staff member spoke in Spanish at times with the students. This did not appear to be a particularly challenging activity, and took a long time to accomplish the task of making a list of healthy and non‐healthy foods. Another observer comments that a particular activity seemed too basic for some students. She goes on to say, “This becomes apparent as they become restless, disengaged, and begin wandering around the room.” Some students were given the opportunity to work independently, as well as take leadership roles and make decisions about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. Physical activity was not significantly noted during the observations. This was likely due to the number of activities that fell into the arts and crafts category. The question does arise as to how much physical activity is a part of this program based upon the number of activities that were not “physical” in nature. Kids Protectors of the Environment—Brockton Elementary
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LACER—LECONTE MIDDLE SCHOOL
ASP Site Profile
School Site
(location)
-
Principal
Student Enrollment
-
-
Teaching Staff
Administrators
-
Program Name
Waiting List
-
LeConte Middle School
1316 N. Bronson Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90028
Donald Foote
1748
82.1% Spanish, 9.4% White, 2.3% Asian,
4.1% Filipino, 1.7% African-American
693 Spanish, 80 Armenian, 11 Korean,
17 other
460; 0 (Suspension down from 2005/2006)
88
10
LACER –Literacy, Arts, Culture and
Education and Recreation
1718 N. Cherokee Ave., Suite A
Hollywood, CA 90028
Hollywood Stars After School Program
130
120-130
No
18 Staff (3 tutors; 2 security; 2 sound)
- 2
- 21
- 6
- 5-27
- 15
- 4 – 150 (with medium groups of 18 and 28)
- Health/well-being
- Free play/other (4) [i.e. Skateboarding; circle
time]
LACER—LeConte Middle School
No (2)
No (0)
No (0)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
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LeConte Middle school serves 1,742 students who are predominantly Hispanic and White. The LACER After‐School Program at Le Conte Middle School is an established program, operating since 1995 (founded by Sharon Sticker with a number of community partners), offering an arts and literacy base that features an array of enrichment activities to middle school participants, including: •
Homework & Literacy Assistance •
Computer Instruction •
Dance Classes •
Field Trips: “City as Classroom” •
Organized Sports and Tournaments •
Filmmaking •
Theater Workshops/Drama Classes •
Visual Arts Workshops •
Music Instruction •
Reading and Writing Club To accommodate the school’s early dismissal on selected Tuesdays, the program operates from 1:45‐
5:00pm; otherwise, it is running from 3:15 pm to 6:00 pm [15 minutes short of the required 3 hours daily]. Each day at the Hollywood Stars LACER after‐school program at Le Conte Middle school, “youth are welcomed by staff, sign‐in with artists/instructors, get a snack, and as a full group, attend our Opening Meeting.” Program staff, according to the agency administrator, “work with the youth on concepts of respect, accepting difference, diversity, and much more.” She explains that the Opening Meeting has evolved into an important developmental component of their program: This Opening Meeting is held every day and over the course of the year we have found youth become more accepting of each other, commit to community projects, as well as attend the program on a more regular basis. This meeting is also where youth find out about field trips, upcoming special events, share winning scores from a tournament, demonstrate musical skills and play a guitar solo in front of peers, or read a recently created spoken word piece. Our youth are taught by professional artists and teachers and we strive to have one instructor or artist for every 10 students. The program brochure (black ink on ivory colored paper ) features photos of youth involved in martial arts, playing musical instruments, drama, and sports, and outlines the program’s mission and goals which reflect both academic and developmental focus and desired outcomes: •
To teach students to respect themselves, their peers, their elders, their schools, and their community. LACER—LeConte Middle School
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•
Provide homework assistance and an opportunity to improve literacy and instill a love of reading. •
To provide new experiences, especially in the arts, with various workshops, classes and field trips. •
To provide caring adults as role models and mentors to demonstrate that adults do care about young people. In addition, the “City as Classroom” program offers students activities and field trips which expose them to the cultural resources that exist in Los Angeles. Computer classes are also offered that teach students basic keyboarding and different software and word processing programs (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Site Staff and Volunteers
The LACER program at Le Conte is very well staffed and includes a program director (on site), a youth service coordinator who serves as a program assistant and a basketball instructor; a homework coordinator and tutor; an individual assigned to “Security/Safe Passages”; specialized instructors in soccer, art theater, dance, computer education, film (2) and sound art (3, drum, bass; recording & production) and “Animal Planet”. All staff charged with delivering the Arts component are professional working artists: writers, actors, dancers, and musicians, who rotate among the four after school sites LACER operates. Staff Management and Development
LACER staff receives regular staff development from the agency leadership. Samples of several 7‐week lesson plans in the materials packet demonstrate the level of planning that staff engages in prior to each 7‐week module. Lesson plans include learning objectives, equipment needed, rules and expectations of students, and target vocabulary. Lesson planning forms included in the LACER material packet ask staff to give a curriculum outline with the days per week they plan to teach the class; their overall learning goals for students (i.e., “my students will know and be able to do the following…”), and how they plan to accomplish their goals. They must describe activities for each of the seven weeks and also provide a list of “35 vocabulary terms that are key to your class (an average of three per week),” and prompts them to “think carefully and ask yourself the question: what terms do my students need each week to meet the goals of my class?” And finally, in their weekly plan they are asked to identify weekly goals and a summary of “what will your students do?” The agency administrator further elaborates on the excellent orientation and training that LACER provides it staff: We have regularly scheduled meetings for the sports & recreation, homework and math programs. The instructors that work within these areas (at all schools) meet with our Director of Education to solve problems and discuss best practices. This year we held two LACER‐wide staff training sessions. In September we worked on creating compelling curriculums, and took care of housekeeping issues like fingerprinting and TB testing. In January, we focused on mandated reporting issues, youth/mentor relationships, our employee policy, as well as a ‘best practices’ component. We invited one of our best theater instructors to lead a workshop that best demonstrated a workshop structure as well as offering a great deal of activities that focus on harmony and tolerance that instructors can take back to their students. LACER—LeConte Middle School
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In this way, LACER youth, in middle school or high school, in basketball or dance, receive great information and participate in activities that build community. Relations with School
The site coordinator and program administrator report an “excellent” relationship with the new school principal who is very supportive of the LACER program. The connection between the program and the regular school day is further strengthened through the participation of classroom teachers in the LACER tutoring component. The agency administrator points to the mutual benefit received from a good working relationship with the school: These relationships are key as we use classrooms, the field, auditorium, band room, gyms, and library at each of the schools for our after‐school offerings. Our day‐time recruitments, class visits, announcements, and lunch‐time shows are all essential to keeping youth involved in the after‐school program. Relations with Parents and Community
Communications with parents are maintained through mailings and letters sent home with students as well as parent meetings. If a regular student is absent for two weeks then the LACER staff calls home. The site coordinator makes an effort to connect to other community resources in support of families through partnerships with the Healthy Start Office who provide counseling for students and LA Bridges Program. The agency director notes that the increased gang activity in the schools’ neighborhood has been a challenge and has led to the assignment of a security person at their after‐school program sites. This security staff works with local law enforcement, school police, and school administration to collaborate on solutions. In addition, they have adopted a LACER‐wide theme for the year of harmony and tolerance. The site administrator asserts that as part of this thematic orientation, “All instructors know to look for any opportunity to discuss related issues and have tailored each of their curriculums to include these themes.” The site coordinator reports that parents help to maintain campus security due to the shortage of staff and the risks due to the presence of gangs in the area. Still, parental support is limited, and the coordinator expresses a need for greater support in ensuring the security of the site during the after‐school hours. LACER staff makes a visible effort to reach out to parents and engage them as well. For example, staff were even observed orienting a parent on how fractions are taught in American schools so that they can better assist their child with their homework, since they learned differently in Mexico. The ways LACER connects with parents are varied and deliberate. They include: •
Regular parent meetings at each of the LACER sites; •
500 youth and parents joined at a Dodger night; •
The parents attended the Music Hall student performances, an annual fundraiser; and •
LACER staff work to create programming specifically for parents to attend or participate in; hundreds of parents attended the play, “Earth Pop,” the Spelling Bee, the House of Blues recital, Family Day at the beach, as well as trips to amusement parks and museums throughout the year. LACER—LeConte Middle School
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Furthermore, LACER staff demonstrated bilingual competence communicating with parents and students in Spanish when required. Samples of enrollment forms and program brochures and other information provided in Spanish were included in the materials packet submitted to RSS. LACER has an excellent record of securing support for the broader community (outside LAUSD), with a history of working with Los Angeles City Council Member Jackie Goldberg and other volunteers from the community, as well as securing support from a number of private and corporate donors and foundations and public resources (e.g., California Arts Council, Hot Topic clothing store, Wiengart Foundation), in addition to the state ASES and 21st CCLC funding received through BTBB/LAUSD. A glossy full‐color program from a November 4th 2007 fundraiser Super Star Celebration event attests to this success and the professional image of the LACER program. Attendance
There is no waiting list at this site as “everyone is welcome,” states the site coordinator. The site coordinator reports that if a student who is a “regular attendee” misses for two weeks, staff calls their home “or asks their friends.” Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
One of the challenges noted by the program administrator is that a new executive director was hired to head LACER in April 2007. She reports that senior staff and site directors worked together to make sure the program continued to operate smoothly as the new executive director settled in. Furthermore, during this same period, LACER expanded its programs to high school. She elaborates regarding how they met the challenges of this past year: “We worked carefully to keep the focus on the youth we serve, continuing to re‐evaluate the distribution of staff time and resources, and make sure our instructors and artists were well supported.” The agency administrator points to several highlights of the year: •
Earth Pop (March)—Youth from the LACER’s Irving Stars wrote and produced an environmental thriller titled “Earth Pop” that was presented at Irving M.S. Youth from all the LACER programs attended the show during the week‐long run. The play incorporated the year’s theme of ‘environment’ by telling the story of a group of ‘trashers’—youth that carelessly toss trash everywhere they go—until one of them becomes trapped in a toxic tidal wave while surfing and disappears. The lobby and the actual auditorium were home to art installations depicting oil spills, recycling information, and interactive centers to learn about our city’s resources for managing waste. Several environmental groups set up booths outside the Irving M.S. Auditorium before the play, providing youth and their families information on storm drains, planting trees, and becoming environmentally active in the community. •
Spelling Bee (May)—Youth from all four LACER middle schools studied a word list created by our literacy and reading experts that included vocabulary words needed for 6th through college level reading. Each school held a Spelling Bee contest to determine the top three spellers that went on to a LACER‐wide spelling bee held at the Los Feliz Public Library. First, second, and third prizes were awarded after the contest, that was attended by parents, community, and youth from all four middle school programs. •
House of Blues Recital (June)—In this annual event, students in Guitar and Drums performed at the House of Blues Music Hall in a recital that was attended by the parents, program youth, and staff at each of the LACER schools. LACER—LeConte Middle School
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•
Family Day (in June)—Youth from all programs traveled to Zuma Beach for a day of games, good food, and a chance to meet young people from all over Los Angeles. LACER directors, staff, artists, and many parents got involved to make this all‐day experience at the beach so rewarding. •
The Annual Celebration takes place in November where youth from all programs collaborate on a show featuring performances by the best of what LACER has to offer in film, theater, dance and spoken word. Youth help out in numerous aspects of the event: as ambassadors, ushers, co‐directors, award presenters, and translators. Program Culminations are celebrated at the end of the year or the end of the track by presenting a ‘culmination’ to the families, school staff, and community, with awards presented for attendance, achievement, and participation. Students in the performing arts presented the best of what they had been working on all year. The homework club and art workshops, reports the agency administrator, took over the school auditorium lobby where students created a gallery to display the span of their work in an exhibit. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The after‐school program at LeConte Middle School began in a large room where the homework assistance took place. There, all students who were signed in for the day met, and the site coordinator and staff made announcements prior to starting the day’s activities. After participating in other activities, students could return to the homework room to get help or to complete their work independently. Tutoring took place on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday in the library. The site coordinator attributed increased attendance in the after‐school program to the tutoring program which meets needs voiced by parents. Four observations of homework assistance were conducted. At two homework sessions, there was a ratio of 1 adult to 13 to 15 students. During these general homework assistance sessions the homework program leader made an effort to connect with every student who asked for help. One tutoring session was observed with only five students with two staff, including a parent who was helping her daughter with math homework. A positive atmosphere was maintained with clear expectations that students work on homework while receiving the help they need. However, one observation notes: There are three staff and two regular LeConte teachers (pre‐Algebra and Algebra). The math instructor attempts to recruit students to his table for assistance. One staff member is typing a paper titled, My Talent, for a student. There appears to be so much non‐focused activity taking place considering that there are five adults in the room. The teacher keeps asking students to sit down and behave. At 4:00pm, the staff asks the students if they signed in. The math teacher, whose students reflect mostly “F” grades announces that she will give back one‐half of the points missed if the students attend today’s homework session. There is no mention of points being given for quality work in the session. LACER—LeConte Middle School
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The space was described as appropriate for conducting homework activities and, in general, the noise level was appropriate except for one afternoon when the section of the library where students were being tutored was “cramped” and that the tutoring session appeared “chaotic” with students talking loudly and at times shouting to friends. In general, students received the help they needed for completing homework. Two math teachers from the school (Pre‐Algebra and Algebra) were present during one of the observations. Although, on one day students were focused on doing their homework, another day “the majority of students were unmotivated” while only a few did their homework. The site coordinator reports that participation in the tutoring component of the program has increased and that this has had a positive impact on student’s academic achievement. Interestingly, only 41 percent of 297 students surveyed report that they feel LACER does a great job helping them with their homework (with 44% reporting good and 14% reporting not so good). This suggests that a good number of students were not getting their academic support needs met through the after‐school program, whatever the reason may be, which may or may not be in the purview of the LACER program to address. An academic enrichment activity called “Animal Planet” was observed, with a ratio of 5 adults to 27 students (or 1 to 5). While, in the other homework and tutoring sessions, students worked in a variety of configurations: individually, in pairs, and mixed groups. For the Animal Planet Activity they worked as a whole group, as they received direct instruction on the needs, life activities, care, and background of various animals. On the day of the observation, a cat was brought and students, particularly girls, were highly engaged in a discussion of the proper care of that domestic pet with the activity leader posing questions and challenging students to think about the topic of discussion. LACER’s Math program continued to impress students and teachers with its high attendance and success in raising grades at the two middle schools where it has been implemented. An observation notes: The work (math) seems very difficult to one student. Her mom and a staff help her. Her mom says that in Mexico she learned how to add fractions in a shorter way using mental math. She says that this is why she is having difficulty helping her daughter at home—because she is not knowledgeable about doing it the long way that is being taught in the American school system. Enrichment Activities
Observations of 15 different activities reflected the wide range of enrichment activities that the LACER program at Le Conte offers its middle school students and included: two circle time and snack time sessions; two computer gaming and skill building activities; six different visual and performing arts activities; three sports activities (soccer, basketball and skateboarding); and one special event, the annual Halloween dance. After signing in to their respective activities for the day—e.g., Soccer Game Zone, Homework Club, Computer Lab, Dance, Sound Art, Etch a Sketch, or Basketball—students sat in an assembly‐like fashion and listened attentively to the announcements of the day. During circle time they had an opportunity to ask staff questions clarifying their roles in the upcoming activities and to eat a snack. The room was colorfully decorated with student paintings and posters on the wall. The general atmosphere was relaxed and music played in the background. The staff interacted appropriately with the middle school youth as they were given choices and a voice. As one observation notes, “They are learning to make decisions.” LACER—LeConte Middle School
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An observation of a drawing class yields the following: The art instructor is patiently teaching a student how to draw a duck. “Work on the feet” he tells her as she gives up. Disguised learning is introduced as the instructor asks a student to draw a cylinder like a can, a square, and a cube. “Basic shapes to make a body”, he says. Gradation of colors and techniques are introduced. Computer based activities took place in a lab with 36 computers. The lab is very popular among students (17 students were observed on one day and 28 on a second day). In general, once students completed their homework, they were permitted to work on classroom projects for school, learn computer graphics, practice keyboarding, and play computer games. Students in the lab appeared highly focused and engaged. In one observation, the lab leader, described as a skilled instructor, moved around the room supporting students individually. However, on another occasion, the staff member was observed merely supervising and manning the sign‐out sheets for computers and headphones, while students quietly used the computers. Students at LeConte engaged in a variety of physical activities from dance to skateboarding. During the Soccer Game Zone, some team members practiced drills in preparation for an upcoming competition under the guidance of two skilled coaches. The basketball class was less structured and basically consisted of students playing freely under the supervision of a staff person with no organized practices or formal games. The skateboarding class used an obstacle course to challenge students to improve their skills in the sport. One of the hallmarks of the LACER program is its integration of the visual and performing arts into the after‐school program curriculum, with actual artists leading activities. The LeConte site, therefore, boasts a wide range of arts enrichment offerings. One observation noted: Students ask what is meant by an ensemble. They are engaged in the activity when it is their turn and question the instructor when they are not playing. The teacher is writing beats on the board. He is illustrating to the young men how many beats and measures they should be playing. He teaches tempo, counting, etc. The students are cognizant of the ¾ and 1/8 counts. The school auditorium was used for the dance class, where nine female students were highly engaged in learning a dance routine and rehearsing it six times under the guidance of a supportive and skilled instructor who told them “You are all beautiful.” A drumming class with a small group of six highly engaged students practiced and developed drumming skills and learned to read the percussion portion of a piece of music. In another class called “Sound Art”, with only four male students, the music instructor showed students how to count beats, teaching them about measures and tempo. A rehearsal for the performance of the play “Hairspray” was taking place in the same room used for the Homework Club. Students enjoyed rehearsing the performance, interacting with each other positively and exchanging ideas for dance steps under the instructors’ guidance. Visual art and manual art classes included a drawing class, a jewelry making class, and glass painting class (called Etch a Sketch). One art class was conducted in Spanish by the site coordinator as the students were all English language LACER—LeConte Middle School
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learners. The serious effort that LACER program makes to support students’ literacy and language development was exemplified by a colorful LACER Literacy Program newsletter that featured poetry and articles written by LACER students from its four after‐school program sites and a general LACER NEWs newsletter that reported on the 2007 LACER Spelling Bee competition with the final round taking place among the winning students from all four sites and a LeConte student winning 2nd place. LACER staff were continually oriented by the administration around principles of youth development as stated in the mission of the organization. In general, the staff at Le Conte were very supportive of students, maintaining flexible and appropriate control and interacting with youth in a positive fashion. For example, while most students worked diligently in a drawing class, one student—due to her lack of confidence in her artistic skill—required one‐on‐one instruction. In general, throughout the enrichment and academic support activities observed, the staff held students to high standards even in non‐
academic activities, as an observer noted of the performing arts instructor, “The students are expected to perform their roles to perfection.” Instructors engaged students in dialogue, they listened, and “took their view into consideration” and responded to questions. The atmosphere was relaxed and students interacted with each other positively. The classrooms and spaces used for the LACER activities at Le Conte were, for the most part, sufficient and appropriate. The students were provided with the necessary materials and equipment they needed to work on their homework, realize projects, and engage in the various activities that were offered. The physical environment at Le Conte was enhanced by the student art work and multicultural and music posters. The Halloween dance event was well run. Art projects by the LACER art class and Animal Planet groups were displayed and used to decorate the small gym where it was held. In addition to the LACER program participants, the dance was open to the larger school population, demonstrating an effort to connect to the wider school community. LACER—LeConte Middle School
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LEARNING FOR LIFE—WOODLAWN ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Woodlawn Elementary
6314 Woodlawn Ave.
Bell, CA 90201
Natividad Rozsa
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
971
98.8% Hispanic; .4% White; .2% AfricanAmerican; .1 Pacific Islander; .2 Other
597 Spanish
30/0 (Suspension up from 200-06)
52
2
Learning For Life
47
45-47
No
4 Staff
5 Staff (including; 1 site coordinator and 4 after
school instructors)
3
18
10
4-28
8
3-17
Other (4) [Coloring, Discussion on safety, Kinetics,
Discussion on Four Seasons]
No (5)
No (1)
No (0)
No (2)
No (0)
No (0)
Learning For Life—Woodlawn Elementary
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Woodlawn Elementary School has an enrollment of 971 students and serves a predominantly Hispanic community. The Learning for Life mission statement says: The mission of Learning for Life is to serve others by helping to instill values of good character, participating citizenship, and personal fitness in your people, and in other ways prepare them to make ethical choices in their lifetimes for achieving their full potential. Learning for Life is a non‐traditional community outreach to schools, geared for kindergarten through twelfth grade classes. The program focuses on life skills that enable participants to: •
Enhance their self‐esteem and self‐confidence •
Build self‐reliance and self‐discipline •
Develop a sense of personal and social responsibility •
Appreciate the value of respecting others and helping others •
Develop pride in both physical and mental growth •
Become fully participating citizens in their communities According to the agency administrator, at the core of Learning for Life’s program is Character Education. She states: Our Elementary (K‐5) program components consist of 61 lesson plans per grade that are designed to reinforce social, ethical, and academic skills. The core character traits taught are: Respect, Responsibility, Trust, Caring, Courage, Citizenship, Perseverance, and Self‐Discipline. In addition to our character education component, Learning for Life’s Cabrillo Beach Youth Waterfront Sports Center offers youth in our program field trip opportunities to participate in swimming, boating, and arts and crafts in San Pedro, California. It is known as the Hub of Learning for Life’s outdoor activities. The program schedule varies depending upon the day, but is generally structured as: 1) attendance; 2) homework; 3) break; 4) finish homework or activity (i.e., read a book to the group); 5) clean up and dismissal. Of interest is that the schedule given to us shows dismissal at 4:30pm. The agency administrator says that Woodlawn’s students are primarily Hispanic, with a majority of students coming from monolingual Spanish homes. Because of the language challenge and large amount of homework, most students require more time with the completion of their homework. The staff has modified the program’s schedule adding more time during the homework assistance in order to fulfill the needs of the students. Learning For Life—Woodlawn Elementary
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Site Staff and Volunteers
The site coordinator states that there are four regular staff members at Woodlawn Elementary School, including herself. Three of these staff members come every day and one staff member comes three times per week. Currently, there are no volunteers in the program. The site coordinator goes on to say that she and her staff hold daily meetings. The staff arrives 40 minutes before the program begins to go over the lesson plans for the week, discuss the theme of the week, and go over which materials to use. In addition, at the end of the day, the staff coordinator and her team check in to discuss any problems that occurred, concerns, etc. The agency administrator states that in addition to the onsite weekly meetings and M‐PACT trainings, they have incorporated a bi‐annual staff retreat effective in 2008. It is their hope that this will help with staff retention (prevent “burn‐out”) as it should serve to motivate, reenergize, and ignite passion. Relations with School
The agency administrator says that it has been more challenging for their Woodlawn site coordinator (who works off campus during school hours) to build a strong relationship with the principal. The site coordinator corroborates this by saying that she really does not know the Woodlawn Elementary principal and has never met the principal personally. She deals primarily with the assistant principal. She says that her relationship with the assistant principal is really good. The site coordinator states that her communication with the teachers depends upon the needs of the individual student. The communication is always verbal. The program staff know what homework the students are required to do by a weekly packet that the students receive which outlines what and when that week’s homework is due. If, during the homework period, a student consistently says that he has no homework, then she will ask the student’s teacher directly. Relations with Parents and Community
The site coordinator communicates with parents in person every day when they come to check out their children. Sometimes she will sit down with them to talk about an upcoming event she would like them to be aware of (e.g., an upcoming 5k Walk/Fundraiser). The site coordinator is new to the program, having been here six months, and as yet has not developed a great familiarity with the school community outside of the parents, teachers, and students. She has not yet used community resources to enhance this program. Attendance
Average daily attendance at the program is 45 to 47 students. If there are more than three or four consecutive absences, the site coordinator will call the home and speak to the parents to determine the reason for the student’s absence and whether or not the student is returning to the program. If the student is not returning, they are dropped from the program. However, the site coordinator states that this is not usually a problem and says that in the six months that she has been with the program, no one has been dropped. The site coordinator says that most students attend the program regularly and participate in it five days per week. Learning For Life—Woodlawn Elementary
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The agency administrator says that the most significant challenges that Learning for Life faces is recruitment of qualified staff, staff retention, and learning a new attendance/funding procedure. She has met these challenges by partnering with local community colleges, CalSac, and Beyond the Bell attendance/funding staff. The agency administrator also states, “Despite the staff turn‐over at our Woodlawn site, we were successful in relationship building and forming stronger ties with the city of Bell’s Homework Club and Youth Services.” She says that the elementary participants have benefited/capitalized greatly from the program and that these “successes helped to provide a more trusting, secure, supportive, and fun environment for the children.” The site coordinator thinks that one of her big successes has been implementing the Character Building Program. She sees changes in the behavior of students that reflect some of the ideas they are trying to teach in this program, such as good manners, safety, etc. There are two real problem students who were practically impossible to change in terms of behavior and she says that she really sees a dramatic change in one of them. Challenges
The agency administrator says that building and maintaining strong relationships with school administrators, coping with the loss of staff, and developing consistency in programming are her challenges. In terms of how she deals with these challenges, we are told that she maintains close contact with staff, providing hands‐on onsite technical assistance, and facilitating onsite meetings to address concerns. The site coordinator states that, when she first arrived, she found it very challenging to get to know all of the students and to learn their names. She devised a seating chart for herself and had the students sit in the same seats during the homework section of the program so that she could learn their names. The site coordinator now knows the name of every student in the program. She also states that it was challenging to implement the program in general. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for students. Basic materials and equipment were provided. IT resources, such as PCs and internet access, were not provided. The noise level was high overall, with interruptions or distractions from others sharing the space nearby. Students were working individually and in groups. The space was free from any safety or environmental problems. Staff roles and interactions with students ranged from direction instruction to guiding/coaching to supervising/observing. Some staff was seen as flexible and exerting appropriate control. Other staff members were seen as having little authority. Some staff members appeared to be very interested in what students were doing and supportive of them. Staff members were able to assist students with their homework. There is mixed reaction among observers as to whether or not there was a system or routine in place for staff to check if students had any homework and/or what their homework was for the day. Learning For Life—Woodlawn Elementary
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One observation notes: The role of the staff here is direct instruction and to pay attention to this small group. He is soft spoken and is standing next to the students to assist them in any way. The level of engagement is at a minimum. Students are easily distracted. However, the staff member is very friendly with the children. The children show enjoyment to be around him. There are no elements of disguised learning here. The staff challenges the students to think for themselves. Another observation states: Staff is sitting with one student, assisting with math problems. Staff reads questions aloud to student and prompts her to use her fingers to count. Sometimes staff completes the problem on her own piece of paper and has the student copy her work. Some students are making the best of not being able to play outside by playing Tic‐Tac‐Toe. Students remain focused when staff is working with them directly. Yet another observation notes the following: Staff sits with students and works one‐on‐one with one student until the child leaves to go home. She coaches the student by starting sentences for the student and asking her to complete them. Although she is very supportive and takes a great deal of time with the students, it seems that the staff struggles with some basic reading and math concepts. Most of the students in this group are working on the same packet of homework, so they sit together and collaborate. Students are asked to read passages and then use context clues to answer related questions. They seem to have difficulty with the task, as they require the staff to read the passage and questions aloud with them. Peer interactions were generally friendly. Some students spoke and interacted with each other respectfully, listened attentively to one another, and took turns and encouraged each other. However, the opposite was also observed. How students offered and accepted help from one another also varied widely. No student was withdrawn or excluded, ignored, or picked upon. Students interactions ranged from positive to very negative. Students did not speak softly or recognized other students’ need to focus on homework. An observation states: Staff are not supportive of students’ homework. She focuses on supervising the students rather than helping. There is no interaction with any of the children. Students speak to each other in an aggressive manner. Arguing and complaining about each other. They are very loud and seem to talk about other things not related to academics. There is no disguised learning talking place. Another observation notes: Most of the students have finished homework by now and have chosen books to read. Thus, the staff spends most of her time during this period policing other Learning For Life—Woodlawn Elementary
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groups of students. Some students are reading quietly to themselves. A couple of the students, though, are fighting with each other. The books chosen by the students are mostly picture books with sparse, simple writing. Although there are other more age‐appropriate books from which to choose, the children tend to grab the easy ones with a lot of colorful illustrations, since no staff person is guiding the children to choose challenging books or providing reading assistance. Students appeared to be somewhat focused on what they were doing. Students appeared to generally enjoy their activities. Students followed staff directions and worked with peers in a somewhat agreeable manner. Students appeared to be very comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Students used oral or silent reading, writing, and math skills. Worksheets, computer software, textbooks, and other reading materials were used. Students who had no homework or who finished early had learning materials or alternate activities available to them. Students received no direct instruction or received direct instruction individually. There is mixed reaction by observers as to whether or not students received tutoring in specific subject areas. Some students appeared to receive this tutoring and some students did not. A moderate level of challenge was observed in terms of critical thinking, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, and decision making. Students were only somewhat challenged to work or play with precision and accuracy. Students were observed to be moderately challenged to move beyond their current competency level and set goals for themselves. Some staff members were quality checking students’ homework, but other staff members were not. An observation notes: The role of the staff is quite distant and separated from the students. They walk around tables and children without assisting them. One staff is sitting and writing on her own papers. Another staff was actually assisting a student with a lesson plan but was busy for some time in the school’s office. Students are not minding their homework. There is no level of challenge at all. Students are disengaged. Enrichment Activities
A total of eight enrichment activity observations were made during the survey period. Activities observed included arts and crafts, kinetics, safety, and sports (both competitive and non‐competitive). Some activities had clear goals and objectives, while others did not. The activities appeared to be appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for the activities. Some observers noted that necessary materials and equipment were provided to do an activity; others did not. Students were seen working individually and in groups. Staff roles and interactions with students varied from guiding/coaching to supervising/observing. Staff generally maintained flexible and appropriate control over the students. Some staff members were seen as having little authority. Staff appeared to be either very interested in the students or mostly ignored them. Overall, they were somewhat supportive. Staff was viewed as being adequately skilled in Learning For Life—Woodlawn Elementary
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the activities enough to lead them successfully. Staff members did not communicate the goals, purposes, and expectations. One observation notes: This activity has no clear title, but students are engaged in drawing and coloring original pictures. Once about every fifteen minutes the staff approaches the group working at this station and tells them to calm down. Otherwise, staff is not directly involved with the students. Staff provides no initial instructions or direction for the students and does not examine their work. Another observation notes: Students are observed picking on one another frequently. The two older children are usually standing up and towering over the smaller ones. They taunt the younger ones and make fun of their pictures. Sometimes they even taunt each other about their pictures. Another observation notes: Some of the younger students seem to stay pretty engaged in working on their drawings. They sit bent over their papers with pencils and crayons. On the one hand, the older kids are moving around a lot and being destructive with the crayons. Two students are stabbing their papers with crayons, seemingly in order to poke holes in their papers to match the holes in the tables. All of the students seem to find the holes in the table a deterrent to their work. The students shift positions frequently, trying to find a hard, flat surface on which to draw. Students were not observed doing oral or silent reading, writing, or math as part of their activities. Specific content areas such as math, history, and science are not integrated into activities. Students did not appear to be learning new information or developing new skills. Students usually received instruction as a whole group. The level of challenge varied, but was somewhat low in terms of thinking critically, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, or making decisions. Some students were challenged to move beyond their current level of competency and set goals for themselves. Some staff members were quality checking homework and some staff were not. One observation notes: Students are preparing to start a theme: weather. They will be cutting. Students are somewhat challenged; they are coloring and pasting a thermometer. Their interactions are agreeable. They are challenged because staff don’t really explain it to them. Another observation notes: Learning For Life—Woodlawn Elementary
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Students don’t seem to be enjoying the activity too much. One girl is starting to dance instead and is rocking her body to a tune. They look as if they would rather be doing something else. Students had some opportunity to develop leadership skills. Students had the opportunity to work independently. Youth took leadership roles and made decisions about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. Students were not seen as learning or practicing important life skills. Most of the activities observed were not very physical in nature. Therefore, depending upon the enrichment activity observed, physical activity varied. Nutritional concepts and practices were not an integral part of any activities that were observed. Learning For Life—Woodlawn Elementary
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LOS ANGELES CONSERVATION CORPS—MALABAR ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
Malabar Elementary
3200 E. Malabar Street
Jorge Rios
893
99.8% Hispanic; .2% African-American
544 Spanish
52
3
605 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste 450
LA Conservation Corps
112
112
Yes
11 Staff
school instructors)
2
21
8
11-18
13
10-21
-
Other (5) [rainforest, completion of bulletin Board,
hula hoop]
*Source: LAUSD School Profile [http://search.lausd.k12.ca.us/] Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Malabar Elementary
No (0)
No (0)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
No (1)
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Malabar Elementary, an elementary school serving 893 students, nearly all of whom are Hispanic, sits in an unincorporated area of East Los Angeles nestled between Monterey Park, the City of Commerce, and Montebello. Los Angeles Conservation Corps (LACC) after‐school program (formerly Building Up LA) has a long history of serving the most disenfranchised communities and their youth populations in Los Angeles (since 1986). Therefore, it is not surprising that they are willing to go to the farthest ends of the city to address the after‐school needs of the children in those communities with the least services available to them. The LACC mission broadly defines the agency in this light: Los Angeles Conservation Corps trains youth 3 to 23 to care for themselves, the community, and the environment by participating in classroom and service activities. Since its establishment in 1986, the LACC has developed into the largest nonprofit youth Corps in the nation, but our mission remains to serve and uplift the diverse communities of Los Angeles while conserving our natural and human environments. According to the agency administrator responsible for overseeing the numerous after‐school programs they have been charged with operating, the most distinctive features of the LACC elementary program this past year has been the implementation of the Scholastic Literacy program—a partnership with Scholastic Publications that connects literature with enrichment activities—and the Connections Training which has proven to be foundational in the development of the elementary school academic enrichment program. “Providing a structured curriculum and grade level appropriate experiential learning activities for our site staff to follow,” the administrator explains, “has proven to be most helpful in [improving] program delivery.” The site coordinator describes the daily schedule at Malabar: Program leaders are responsible for their grade level group; in this role they sign pupils in, move them to their rooms, and conduct homework help for one hour. After the snack break they continue with their group and direct either an arts/crafts class or a sports activity. They remain with the group until parents pick them up. Program leaders also help with snack, take over when staff is absent, deliver material, supervise [program activities], talk to parents at dismissal, and keep records. Attached to the registration form (also provided in Spanish) is an outline of the program’s schedule. It is broken down by time: 2:30‐2:45 Program begins ‐ physical activity ‐ roll call (15 min) 2:45‐3:45 Homework assistance (60 min) 3:45‐4:00 Snack, physical activity (15 min) 4:00‐5:00 Academic enrichment, CLUB program (60 min) 5:00‐5:30 Parent pick up (30min) 5:30 End of program Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Malabar Elementary
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A letter from the ASP to the parents included in the site document packet reminds them of early dismissals at 1:30pm on Tuesdays. On that day, the program ends at 4:00pm. Enrichment activities include arts and crafts, computer lab, book reading activities, and sports. There is also a worksheet representing the “Connections: Life in the Rainforest” activity. It is a published activity developed by “RichCraft” [an independent after‐school curriculum development consulting firm] to create hands‐on experiences for children reading a select set of Scholastics books. This particular activity has children, after reading the book Life in the Rain Forest, creating a Rainforest diorama and a Save the Rainforest commercial. Site Staff and Volunteers
The site coordinator identifies the site as having, besides herself, nine program leaders, and one site director who serves two other schools. LACC, like many other large agencies serving multiple sites for BTB, has an additional layer of administration between the agency central office and the school sites. This position is often called “Traveling Program Supervisor” or, as in this case, “Site Director.” Program leaders are responsible for their grade level group. In this role, they sign pupils in, move them to their rooms, and conduct homework help for one hour. After the snack break, they continue with their group and direct either an arts/crafts class or a sports activity. They remain with the group until parents pick them up. Program leaders also help with the snacks, take over when staff is absent, deliver materials, supervise, talk to parents at dismissal time, and keep records. There have been only a few volunteers—one last term—who primarily helped out with a special education pupil; the program has about ten special education students. In response to the question as to whether the proliferation of ASPs (with the onset of Proposition 48) has affected the recruiting pool, the agency administrator communicated that she did not believe that their programs were as affected as other programs, as more than 70 percent of LACC site staff are LAUSD instructional day employees at the schools. This helps the program retain quality staff who are familiar with the school culture and the students. She explains, “Because 70 percent of our after‐school site staff work at that particular school during the instructional day, the site staff have insight into the unique needs of each school.” The site coordinator asserts that she feels very comfortable asking for help from the site director, requesting her “intervention or ideas about how to take care of issues.” However, during her three years as coordinator, she states that she has had only a few occasions where she has had to ask for assistance. The site director also serves as a liaison with the central agency management and works to keep site staff and the school principal informed of agency policy, program changes, and other related matters. Staff Management and Development
The agency administrator points out that the resources for training and professional development for site staff were abundant this year—most likely due to the surplus funding from the ASES roll out of new programs. The administrator poses the question as to whether or not this influx of resources into staff development will make a difference in staff competencies and performance and, hence, the quality of programs. She muses, “It’s too early to tell.” Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Malabar Elementary
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The following are reported by the agency administrator as the most promising new staff development activities conducted this year: •
Professional development site staff training provided by EduCare Foundation •
Leadership and mentoring training for site staff provided by Fulcrum Learning Systems •
Coaching and mentoring training for site staff provided by Doug Luffborough •
Activity training (C.R.A.T.E.) for site staff provided by provided by Fulcrum Learning Systems •
Scholastic Literacy Program training, for site staff at three elementary schools and six middle schools At the site level, the coordinator expresses her pride in the smooth running nature of the after‐school program at Malabar. She attributes this to the lack of turnover in the program leader positions and their close relationship with one another. She states that she has never been turned down for any task she asks the leaders to perform. Relations with School
The site coordinator reports that she has had excellent relationships with Malabar principals: “The current principal spoke to us during the interview and told the coordinator that she could not leave for at least two years because she knows all the kids, all the teachers, and runs a wonderful program. The new principal has observed the classes and has been very supportive.” This positive relationship between principals and site coordinators at the LACC sites is corroborated by the agency administrator in their interview. The site coordinator is the full‐time computer support assistant during the regular school day. Most of her communication with teachers happens during the school day and she is easily accessible for the teachers because of her presence at the school. “Program leaders know the 2nd‐3rd grade level teachers of their pupils and ask [the site coordinator] to assist them if they sense a problem with missing assignments or misunderstandings about homework.” Relations with Parents and Community
The site coordinator stated, “most of the communication with parents occurs at dismissal time; program leaders get to know the parents this way every day.” If there is a behavior or absence problem the coordinator will make additional contact (usually by phone). For special events, a flyer or notice will be sent home to parents. In regard to the larger school community and neighboring businesses or organizations, the site coordinator at Malabar Elementary is unaware of any connections the ASP may have. She states that neither the coordinator, site director, nor the school administration participate in any fund‐raising to specifically support the after‐school program. The agency administrator relates how this year’s parent outreach activities included “Reading is Fundamental” parent workshops around family literacy. Also, a Parent Liaison position was created at Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Malabar Elementary
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many of their middle schools to support the 6th grade program. She elaborates further on LACC’s recent parent outreach and community collaboration efforts: “Our commitment to collaborate with the school community and other partners to provide the most appropriate and meaningful experience for the student participants was especially strong this year.” She points to the Scholastic Literacy project implemented at LACC elementary schools. In addition to several curriculum and program enhancements initiated at the middle school sites, she points to the agency’s continued collaboration with SeaLab’s marine education program thru the Traveling Tide pool and comments that the field trips to the facility in Redondo Beach are “hugely successful.” She adds, “the partnership with BTB’s RIF Family Literacy Project helped us focus effort on increasing the literacy skill level of our after‐school program participants.” Such efforts only serve to enhance the program quality and positively affect the lives of the youth and families served. Attendance
The site coordinator reports a daily average of 112 students present at the Malabar elementary program. If students are absent more than three days, parents are contacted. Program leaders and the coordinator receive information from participants and teachers about children who have moved or left the program. The coordinator follows up with the office and calls parents. When an enrolled student has been verified as leaving the program, the coordinator takes a count of all sections, contacts the parent of the wait listed child to update the application, and then moves the next child on the waiting list in to an opening. Over a year’s time, approximately 20 children move off the waiting list and become newly active participants. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The agency administrator defines the program’s success this year as primarily connected to the concerted outreach efforts that LACC has carried out. She asserts, “Our commitment to collaborate with the school community and other partners to provide the most appropriate and meaningful experience for the student participants was especially strong this year.” Examples of program enhancements at the elementary school level include: 1) the Scholastic Literacy project at elementary schools; 2) continued collaboration with SeaLab’s marine education program through the Traveling Tidepool and field‐trips to the facility in Redondo Beach, which she describes as, “hugely successful”; and 3) RIF Family Literacy Project that helped focus effort on increasing the literacy skill level of after‐
school program participants. She also alludes to the potential benefits of increased resources and, as noted above, efforts dedicated to staff development this year. From the site coordinator’s perspective, the program has been very successful in providing academic support through homework help for a wide cross‐section of Malabar students, which she believes has been the foundation for the program’s success. Furthermore, she confirms that the program is very popular with the community, another reflection of its success. She also lists the following as further successes at her site: 1) the collaboration she gets from reliable and experienced staff (i.e., low turnover) in implementing a well organized and smoothly running program; and 2) the Arts and Crafts activities that are interesting and engaging for the children. She particularly appreciates the effort that the program leaders make to create fun craft projects and games. She finds all leaders to be caring, responsible, and very positive role models for the children attending Malibar’s after‐school program. Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Malabar Elementary
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Challenges
From the site coordinator’s interview, the Malabar staff has been particularly challenged this year by their efforts to include a number of students with special needs. She would like more one‐on‐one volunteers or aides to work with these children, as they take up a great deal of time. She further, and appropriately, adds that the young college students who are typically the program leaders are not always prepared to deal with special needs children. Indeed, a very specific set of skills and knowledge base are required, but it is possible for young staff to acquire the skill and knowledge with some focused training [e.g., “Kids Included Together” training manual and modules]. The site coordinator would also like to offer more alternative activities to keep up the interest levels during the long afternoons. Her greatest challenge was dealing with a very difficult and demanding parent, but she got excellent support from both the site director and the agency director. The site director is there to help resolve difficulties and to keep the site coordinator in touch with agency policy, changes, etc. She feels totally comfortable asking for intervention or ideas about how to take care of issues; although, during her three years as coordinator she has had only a few occasions where she has had to ask for assistance. One site challenge cited by the agency administrator is that participation in the CPM evaluation process—required by the State and conducted by the CDE After‐School Partnerships Office which oversees all ASES and 21stCCLC grants—has necessitated a focus on additional issues related to program implementation, documentation, and record keeping. She further asserts that the biggest challenge for the agency this year has been with regard to spending the carry‐over funds from the Year 1 ASES implementation in a meaningful and appropriate way. She in good humor claims: “It is a good problem to have, but a challenge nonetheless!” This is more an issue of the time frame of the ASES release of funds and program year, along with the state’s policy and LAUSD’s procedures for expending one year of program budget in a much shorter time period. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
In the eight observations conducted at Malabar of homework and other academic enrichment activities, the majority of observations noted that the homework period was conducted in the regular day teacher classrooms. The day‐time teacher stayed the entire homework period, supporting student’s remedial learning and academic skill development. The role of the staff member ranged from supervision/observation, to guidance/coaching, to direct instruction given to students. Across all observations, the staff member used flexible and appropriate control strategies to work with various configurations of student groups. Program leaders were supportive, interested, and capable of assisting all the students with their work. One observation notes: The group leader is very skilled in assisting pupils with homework. She walks around the room, checks assignments, and laments the interruption of excessive staff development going on with the regular teachers, as it upsets the uniformity of homework assignments after school. Peer interactions were friendly and supportive. Students sometimes had trouble quieting down, but remained focused once they get on task. Students appeared comfortable asking for assistance, followed instructions, and got along with peers in an agreeable manner. One observation includes: Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Malabar Elementary
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Students are mostly friendly with one another, although a few have small disagreements about sharing materials. Group leader cautions the group several times about too much talking. While the group is familiar with established routine and assemble into groups with their regular teacher (mixed 3rd and 4th grades), they do not settle into much productive work. There is a good deal of talking and not much homework activity. Group leader is more interested in keeping the noise level low than in working with individual students or small groups. She never leaves her desk. Review and correction of homework provided support for daytime classroom instruction. Interestingly, observers noted that regular school day teachers who remained with the class commented that each year the level of visible improvement by after‐school participants has increased. One of the teachers has been working with the after‐school program for 3½ years. Enrichment Activities
Thirteen observations of different types of enrichment and recreation activities were observed: arts and crafts, Scholastics‐Rainforest, “Simon says” physical activity, softball, basketball, sack race, and hula‐
hoop. Throughout the activities observed, staff employed appropriate behavior guidance of the groups of children in all activities. They were skilled in the particular activities that they led. The method of instruction varied appropriately depending upon activity (i.e., observing students playing basketball with direct instruction, or guiding them in an art project or game of “Simon says”). The staff all appeared very interested and highly supportive of the students in their individual groups during activities. One observation notes: This leader is one of the most competent in the program and works very well with 1st grade pupils. She is clear in her instructions, firm but fair, has a sense of humor, but is always in charge. Pupils respond well to her and are comfortable in their in‐room and out‐of‐class settings. Additional comments on the positive and productive environment maintained throughout the Malabar after‐school program by virtue of the quality of the staff and the range of their skill sets in working with children in an after‐school setting were noted: This leader does an excellent job and cares very much to have good control, while carrying out fun activities and maintaining an attentive group. She is not totally comfortable helping with homework, but she is highly motivated and wonderful at crafts. Peer interactions were very friendly and positive, highly supportive, and without negativity. The students’ level of engagement was generally very focused in all activities. Their level of enjoyment was high. Students appeared comfortable asking for assistance from staff and peers. Students also contributed to discussions and enthusiastically offered their ideas during activities. Illustrating this, an observation of a Scholastics literacy enrichment activity in which the students are making rainforest dioramas noted: Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Malabar Elementary
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These pupils work well together; they are all familiar with each other and with various character traits and personality issues. There are not many unknowns between these kids. The leader truly enjoys her work although she does lose patience on occasion, and I feel she is a little nervous having me observe her—for the 3rd time! The students share ideas with each other. One tells the other member of her group to cut out a piece of material from the pre‐packaged kit to create a turquoise colored snake and place it in the rainforest. Everyone is fully engaged in decorating their rainforests. They all want me to look at their projects. One group insists that I listen to a mini‐presentation on the rainforest. It was awesome! A sack race was observed. The students were standing in plastic sacks. They held the two handles and hopped around. They were racing. The prize was $1.00 (fake) to buy food at the school’s festival. The observation notes: The students are calling to each other to show their friends how far or how high they can jump. They are asking their peers to compete—jumping from one end of the grass to the next. The students never seem to tire. They are like little “Ever Ready battery bunnies”. They are fully engaged. Elements of disguised learning were observed in small group activities. This type of disguised learning was noted with the following statement: Staff is explaining the three layers of a rainforest: canopy, undergrowth, and the forest floor. She writes the words on the board so that the students can keep the layers in mind as they were creating their dioramas. A few of the activities offered the opportunity to showcase leadership abilities. Some students emerged as the leader through group activities where no leader was assigned. To this effect, one observation commented upon the value of learning about “working as a team, an important life skill, stating that contributing to and taking pride in a finished product builds self‐esteem.” She notes how the school supports this program effort when observing that a main office bulletin board very colorfully and attractively, “champions and highlights the activities of the after‐school program in a positive way, giving notice to a special group of students. It was a win‐win for the students, their leader and the LACC program.” The strong academic and enrichment components of the Malabar after‐school program operated by LACC are achieved with a high level of participation of teachers in homework assistance and the academic support component. This distinctive program feature works to tie the after‐school curriculum inextricably with the school day and fosters a sense of common purpose and overall effectiveness of the school community in striving to reach shared goals for advancing student learning and fostering healthy developmental outcomes. This general positive learning environment is also achieved by the good staff relations evidenced to observers and reported by the site coordinator. Furthermore, the site has effective attendance monitoring, with good practices in place, regarding the process for addressing absences and ensuring that maximum number of students are served [i.e., through monitoring of absenteeism and protocol for waiting list]. The enhanced academic enrichment which LACC carried out recently through the Scholastics literacy enrichment program has also worked to advance the program goals. Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Malabar Elementary
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Finally, LACC’s on‐going effort to develop and support staff from the agency level will most certainly build on the staff competency and affect program quality. The students at Malabar recognize that they are getting excellent homework help and are treated well by staff who speak nicely to them. There are ample opportunities to engage in sports and games while at the program, thus providing a balance that many other after‐school programs might wish to emulate. Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Malabar Elementary
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LOS ANGELES CONSERVATION CORPS—MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Madison Middle School
13000 Hart Street
No. Hollywood, CA 91605
Estelle Baptiste
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
2006
72.8% Hispanic; 19.8% White;
3.1% African-American; 1.9% Filipino; 1.6%
Asian; 0.4% Pac Is; 0.1 Al/Ask
651 Spanish; 138 Armenian; 23 Other;
4 Russian; 3 Filipino; 1Korean;
1 Vietnamese
91
10
Los Angeles Conservation Corps
605 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste 450
LA Conservation Corps
200
200
No
8 Staff
after school instructors)
3
21
2
4-5
19
7-22
-
Other (5) [games, board games, caroms, lock
down due to gang activity]
Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Madison Middle School
No (3)
No (0)
No (0)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
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Madison Middle School, in the heart of North Hollywood, serves about 2,000 students who are predominantly Hispanic and White. However, the school also includes some African‐American and Asian students, as well as 140 Armenian speaking students and 650 students who speak Spanish and are learning English. Los Angeles Conservation Corps (LACC) after‐school program (formerly Building Up LA), is one of the more established after‐school program providers on middle school sites in LAUSD. Their existence dates back to the state and federal after‐school funding initiatives, with over two decades of service to the youth and communities of LAUSD. The agency operates various programs with the following mission: Los Angeles Conservation Corps trains youth 3 to 23 to care for themselves, the community, and the environment by participating in classroom and service activities. Since its establishment in 1986, the LACC has developed into the largest nonprofit youth corps in the nation, but our mission remains to serve and uplift the diverse communities of Los Angeles while conserving our natural and human environments. Faithful to its mission, LACC has sought to address the ongoing and emerging needs of LA’s youth, as stated in the agency’s literature presenting the purpose behind the after‐school program at Madison Middle School as, “special times call for specialized attention.” Hence, LACC outlines the current challenges facing 6th graders in LAUSD while presenting the solutions offered by LACC: Starting Sixth Grade: It’s the first major transition students face, and studies show children have many concerns about the impending challenges of middle school. ‐‐ tougher academic demands than in elementary school ‐‐ larger schools and classroom sizes ‐‐ accountability to different teachers ‐‐ interacting with new students Sixth graders can no longer rely on the support of nurturing elementary school teachers. They need to learn self‐reliance to move from class to class on their own, keep organized, complete assignments, and achieve academic success. According to the National Association of Secondary School Principals, such challenges can be eased by engaging sixth graders in school activities and providing them with homework assistance. Los Angeles Conservation Corps’ After School Program agency literature states that it: […] can help ensure the social and academic success of your sixth grade students transitioning into middle school. Our after‐school clubs are designed especially to meet the needs of sixth graders: ‐‐ 5 day a week activities to quickly socialize them as a member of your campus ‐‐ homework assistance to develop their academic abilities and study skills Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Madison Middle School
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‐‐ language and cultural assistance clubs tailored to English learners ‐‐ increased level of structured interaction with students their age ‐‐ safe and nurturing service deliverers trained to lead age‐appropriate activities Through its after‐school program (for elementary and middle school students), LACC aims to provide “a safe and nurturing after‐school program providing homework assistance. Currently LACC operates programs on more than 20 LAUSD campuses annually, including Madison Middle School.” According to the flyers and program schedule provided in the site document packet, the LACC at Madison MS after‐school program offers a variety of clubs/activities either carried out by “Program Leaders” (LACC youth workers) or credentialed teachers from the school (as part of the Teacher Homework & Enrichment). The Program Leaders offer arts and crafts; sports; 6th grade club; drill team; dance; all tailored to the specific needs of the 6th grade and middle school age group as outlined above. The program begins at 3:05pm. The schedule is below: Homework assistance 3:10‐3:55pm Snack from 4:00‐4:20pm Enrichment 4:20‐5:15pm Parent pick up 5:20pm until 6:00pm The Teacher Homework & Enrichment (T.H.E.) program offers: 1) SRLA/computer lab, 2) recreation and games, 3) cadets, 4) drill team, 5) homework help, 6) Math lab, 7) ceramics, and 8) film club/sports. The program schedule identifies each of these enrichment opportunities and the days they are offered Monday, Wednesday, Thursday by 12 different instructors with two assigned to Computer Lab in two different rooms. A total of 22 staff and teachers work to make the LACC program happen. On the registration form there is a box to mark for a club program or T.H.E. (Teacher Homework & Enrichment) program which employs credentialed teachers from the school to provide homework help for students who seek and require academic support in order to succeed in school. It also provides teachers the opportunity to share with their students their own hobbies, interests, talents, and passions. The agency administrator describes this as a distinctive feature of the LACC middle school program and one the key factors to its success: Our Teacher Homework and Enrichment (THE) program connects the instructional day school personnel with the after‐school program. Teachers provide homework assistance and club activities including model cars, movie making, technology, music, ceramics, and even yoga. The 6th grade program is designed to bridge the gap between elementary and middle after‐school programs, and to address the issue of middle school participant “dosage” by building program loyalty early on so that students keep coming later when they are in 7th and 8th grade. All program materials geared for parents are also provided in Spanish as almost three‐quarters of the school population is Hispanic with many parents being monolingual Spanish speakers. Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Madison Middle School
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Site Staff and Volunteers
The site coordinator identifies eight staff members as Program Leaders. There is an Arts and Craft instructor, three 6th grade leaders, a sports leader, a drill team leader, and a paid security person in addition to a site supervisor. There is a coordinator at the site who acts as a liaison with the teachers working in the T.H.E. program. The agency administrator explains the LACC staff recruitment pool and how it helps to foment retention and close ties to the school. In response to the question of whether the recent proliferation of ASP’s has affected staff recruitment, she states that it did not seem to, “as more than 70 percent of LACC site staff are LAUSD instructional day employees at the schools. Because 70 percent of the after‐school site staff work at that particular school during the instructional day, the site staff have insight into the unique needs of each school.” Staff Management and Development
The agency administrator affirms that the resources for training and professional development for site staff were abundant this year [most likely due to the surplus funding from the ASES roll out of new programs]. The administrator poses the question, “Will it make a difference? … too early to tell.” The following are reported by the agency administrator as the most promising new staff development activities conducted this year: •
Professional development site staff training provided by Educare Foundation •
Leadership and mentoring training for site staff provided by Fulcrum Learning Systems •
Coaching and mentoring training for site staff provided by Doug Luffborough •
Activity training (C.R.A.T.E.) for site staff provided by Fulcrum Learning Systems •
Scholastic Literacy Program training for site staff at three elementary schools and six middle schools. The agency administrator reports some trouble recruiting part‐time site supervisors with the skill level and maturity to effectively manage the day‐to‐day activities at the school sites. . Relations with School
The Site Coordinator relates that she and the assistant principal speak frequently about “getting access to locations or permission to do certain activities.” She has been at the site for six years and has developed a good working relationship with the administration and teachers. As such, there are no problems with the school administration, according to the ASP coordinator who exclaims, “We have awesome administrators!” Communication with student’s teachers is typically done one‐on‐one, or via written memos or verbal messages, when staff have specific questions or concerns. In addition, whole group meetings are held with after‐school program staff and teachers during after‐school work time. These meetings are mostly concerned with the paperwork involved in managing the T.H.E. program [which pays teachers stipends to work at the ASP]. ASP staff are continually communicating and collaborating with the school on Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Madison Middle School
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events and in their efforts to address the California State standards in core subjects through enrichment and homework support. Relations with Parents and Community
The site coordinator explains that communication with parents is done primarily via phone conversations with the subject of such communications broken down as consisting of 50 percent behavioral problems; 30 percent homework, and 20 percent other, such as a student injury on the playground. The agency administrator relates how this year parent outreach activities included “Reading is Fundamental” parent workshops around family literacy. Also, a Parent Liaison position was created at many of the middle schools to support the 6th grade program. She elaborates further on LACC’s recent parent outreach and community collaboration efforts: Our commitment to collaborate with the school community and other partners to provide the most appropriate and meaningful experience for the student participants was especially strong this year. The Scholastic Literacy project at our elementary schools, Fulcrum Learning Systems CLIMB ON leadership and academic mentoring program for 17 of our middle schools, the FreshiFilx film‐making program at three middle schools, and the Wilderness Awareness field trips to the national forest and local nature centers were highlights for the students this year. Our continued collaboration with SeaLab’s marine education program through the Traveling Tide pool and field trips to the facility in Redondo Beach were again hugely successful. Twelve lending library projects at our middle schools and the partnership with BTB’s Reading is Fundamental (RIF) family literacy project helped us focus efforts on increasing the literacy skill level of our after‐school program participants. Such efforts only serve to enhance the program quality and positively affect the lives of the youth and families served. Attendance
The site coordinator confirms that Madison LACC after‐school program has “very good attendance” as the students are required to attend at least three days a week [the state and BTB requirement for middle school ASP participation] with an average of 200 students attending each day (about 10% of the school population). If a student is absent, the program leader asks them why they were absent the next day. No consequence is stated by the site coordinator for repeated absences, and since there is no enrollment form in the document submitted to RSS, it is not clear what the policy is for LACC. The site coordinator, however, did indicate that there is no waiting list; everyone is accepted. Evidently student recruitment is not a problem at this site. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The agency administrator cites the following two significant successes for their program this year: 1) commitment to collaboration with the school community and other partners to improve program quality; and 2) working with a variety of partners to enhance students’ enrichment experience, family literacy, and the general program quality. Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Madison Middle School
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The site coordinator states emphatically, “We have a great program!” adding that they have excellent student participation. She also highlights that the Fulcrum leadership program and film club are particularly successful, “The kids make movies and produce short films. We have guest speakers.” Challenges
The site coordinator identifies the major challenge for their program as providing field trips for the kids within the allotted time after school. The site coordinator suggests that support from the agency could be shown by “bringing the field trips to the kids if they can’t go on them; for example, the Sea Lab with a marine biology curriculum,” and taking the students on field trips on the weekends. She also suggests that her program could benefit from 1) more outside programs to help build on current program activities and 2) making Fulcrum a year‐round program. Safety is cited emphatically by the agency administrator as a particular challenge at this middle school facility, as this school, like many others in the district, is located in an area prone to violence and other dangers during the after‐school hours which, unfortunately, result in all too real consequences. She explains, “Safety issues at the middle school sites continue to be a significant challenge. We pay for a security person at each of the schools, and at several middle schools we have two security personnel. Even with such measures, there was a fatal shooting at Drew Middle School during the after‐school program this past year.” She further asserts that there is a general negative effect: “Safety, or lack thereof, impacts staffing, attendance, school support, etc.” This issue is further corroborated by one of the RSS observation comments regarding an incident at Madison Middle School: The site coordinator dispatched the AP to the soccer field. The soccer coach shared with the site coordinator that a few gang member are on campus trying to recruit a student. The gang members have physically threatened the student. The site coordinator explained to me that the ASP after 4:00 pm is conducted in cooperation with Youth Services, which is a LAUSD operated community based program. This means that the campus is open to the neighboring community. The site coordinator told me that sometimes gangs come to recruit students. When this happens, the site coordinator calls the assistant principal(AP), who has the authority to give the gang members a no trespassing notice. The next time that they are on campus (violating the no trespassing notice) the school can notify the police and they can be arrested. While the AP and the site coordinator were handling the situation the site coordinator contacted all of his staff members via his radio and informed them not to let any students outside on the yard or out of the classrooms. I was on my way to observe another activity as this happened. Another challenge sited by the agency administrator is that participation in the CPM evaluation process has necessitated a focus on additional issues. Our biggest agency challenge this year had to be spending the carry‐over funds in a meaningful and appropriate way. It is a good problem to have, but a challenge nonetheless! Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Madison Middle School
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Staff interactions were recorded as positive. They were supportive and very interested in what the students were working on. The students were being instructed directly and supervised during this homework/academic enrichment period. The very informed and academically enriched approach that the credentialed teachers are able to provide is shown in the following observations: The Math chairperson tutored a small group of four children on reciprocals. One of the students worked on the teacher’s laptop with the teacher’s assistance. She used the cultural connections between Mayan heritage and math as a source of pride. She used her personal anecdotal stories to encourage them. She used leading questions and tips to help them solve some of their homework problems. She checked their homework assignment sheets to make sure they completed their 51 homework questions. The staff spends most of her time with one student providing extra help with Algebra. The teacher seems familiar with Algebra, because she explains in several ways and with ease the concepts (computing, integers) that are confusing to the student. At the same time, though, the staff answers questions from other students. She speaks to the students in a calm, assuring voice. She encourages a student that seems to be having difficulty with a vocabulary assignment. She constantly interacts with the students and supports them in their endeavors. The students were encouraged to answer and the teacher would only move to the next question when all the students were comfortable with their answers. Their excitement was her clue when they had the answer. If one was not comfortable with their answer for a particular question, she would gently prompt them until they achieved it. Even the student using the laptop to complete a different assignment contributed his discussions and answers. Peer interactions were rated as very positive and supportive. An observation notes: The students in this classroom are extremely friendly with one another. On one occasion, a student observes another student having trouble with a computer and moves to assist him. After the problem is solved, the student who was having trouble says to the helper, “Oh now I see! Thank you!” Additionally, the students seem interested in knowing about one another. They often ask each other about how their classes are progressing and delight in knowing that they are working on the same things in class. “What are you learning right now?” a student asks a group mate. “Mesopotamia,” the peer responds. “Me too! It’s pretty easy, huh?” “Yeah,” responds the student. These kinds of interactions were emblematic of potential for peer‐to‐peer learning and the development of an appreciation for learning that quality ASPs can foment. Enrichment Activities
A total of 19 activity observations were made with staff using flexible and appropriate control of groups of youth. Observed activities included drill team practice; board games/carom boards; computer games; Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Madison Middle School
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arts and crafts for Halloween; sports/football; free play; kickball; movie club; 6th grade club; soccer; and cadet academy ping pong. Staff members were sufficiently skilled in the activities they were supervising. Depending upon the activity, the students received direct instruction/coaching or observing/ supervising. Staff also appeared interested in the activities in which the children were participating. During a dance activity, an observation notes: The staff member remains very interested in the dancers’ movements. She walks around the outside of the group, helping students physically reposition their bodies for particular moves and demonstrates steps to them. The staff member encourages the dancers to move with precision, but takes time to laugh and talk with them between run‐throughs. She seems to be knowledgeable about the students’ lives as she asks the students about their specific life situations and how they are doing. Also, she reminds the students to return their permission slips for an upcoming field trip to Placerita Canyon. She coaches the girls in how to successfully present the trip to their parents and ask for permission to attend. Students involved in the dance activity must use basic math skills to count beats and ensure that their steps match the music. Students also improve their flexibility and motor coordination through the activity. Peer interactions were friendly but student support varied widely, as indicated above. The students generally remained engaged and focused on their activities. As one observation notes with regard to a 6th grade club trivia game: Students eagerly await their turns to run to the board and participate. They watch closely as their teammates perform. They shout encouragement and feedback about their teammates’ answers. Students get so involved in and impassioned with the game that they are willing to fight over it. When the teacher suggests moving on to another activity, the students protest loudly. Students were not always as supportive as they might be. This was seen during the trivia game when someone answered a question incorrectly and failed to collect team points. The other students were quick to turn on them and shout negative comments (i.e., “You’re such a loser! You don’t know that!”). Further, two female students became involved in a heated argument. They began shouting at one another after one of them answered a particular question incorrectly. Other students began to get involved in the argument, but a staff member intervened and diffused the situation before it became physical. Observations of the movie club indicated that students were participating in meaningful and creative activities with the potential of multiple outcome benefits. An observation notes: Today, they are working together to create their own films using plastic figurines, objects, and clay characters. Students are using laptop computers and conjoining video cameras to shoot and edit the films. Students learn and practice a wide array Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Madison Middle School
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of skills while participating in the filming. Students must use geometry and physics concepts to create particular movements with the figurines. Also, they learn to effectively use digital camera and video editing equipment [hence acquiring valuable technological skills]. These high quality characteristics of student engagement and appropriate challenge were evident in recreation activities as well. During a drill team practice, an observation notes: This activity involves a great deal of physical activity. Students are constantly twisting, bending, and moving their arms along with the music. They take one five minute break during the observation period. At times, dancers appear to be tired, but not out of breath. In general, all observations recorded students involved in productive and positive activities throughout the afternoon. Since the intensive expansion of Los Angeles urban and immigrant communities, in the 1970’s and through the 1990’s, LACC has played an important role throughout the city to work with diverse partners in order to support positive community development. The LACC operated after‐school programs have always been a part of that plan. The program at Madison exemplifies the strong model that LACC has been able to create and develop over the years. Few programs have been able to operate so effectively and collaboratively at the most challenging middle school sites in the district. This case study only begins to tell the story of all that LACC has accomplished at Madison and elsewhere in the district with regard to after‐school program provision to the youth most in need. These youth affirm this in their survey responses granting an “A” rating to LACC for its ability to keep them safe; out of trouble; protecting them from bullying; treating them and their parents nicely and invitingly; engaging them in fun sports and games; and helping them make new friends. It seems that from the statements of the leadership and site coordinator there is a strong commitment to continually evolve the program curriculum to meet the interests and needs of students and to further the connection with parents and community. Los Angeles Conservation Corps—Madison Middle School
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MARTIN LUTHER KING LEGACY—FOSHAY ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Foshay Elementary
3451 S. Harvard Blvd
Veronique Willis
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
3467
78% Hispanic; 21.5%African-American;
0.2% Asian, 0.1% Al/Alsk; 0.1% Filipino;
0.1% White
159
13
Martin Luther King Legacy Foundation
450 N. Grand Avenue, Room H-235
Beyond the Bell After School Program
500
500
No
10-20 Staff
school instructors, 3 security)
3
13
2
2-9
11
3-26
-
Other (6) [Robotics, Photography, Board
Games]
Martin Luther King Legacy—Foshay Elementary
No (4)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
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The Martin Luther King Legacy Foundation (MLKL) operates the ASES state‐funded after‐school program at the Foshay Learning Center, a K‐12 charter school. Located near the University of Southern California in the Exposition Park vicinity, the Foshay Learning Center has emerged in a historically African‐
American community that in recent decades has experienced a demographic shift and has become predominately Hispanic, with only 21.5 percent of the students being African‐Americans. The site document packet submitted to RSS is an impressive three‐ring binder replete with diverse program and school site information and documents, as well as flyers representing different community partners, events, and resources to which the school and ASP have access. As stated in literature included in the site document packet, The James A. Foshay Learning Center’s mission and vision is to foster a positive, humanistic, multi‐cultural approach towards students, parents, and staff, characterized by academic excellence. Additionally, the regular school day and the array of extended learning programs offered operate on the basis of the following expectations and concepts as outlined in the school’s descriptive literature. Expectations of the Foshay Way include: •
Regular attendance patterns (students and staff); •
Open communications between staff members and other stakeholder groups; •
Increased self‐esteem for student and staff; •
High academic standards by students and staff; •
Meaningful professional development and growth through individual study; •
Collaboration among and between staff; and Positive and meaningful parent and community participation. Foshay Learning Center basic concepts include: •
Collaborative decision‐making; •
Multi‐age classroom and collaboration; •
Educators as continual learners; •
Thematic, interdisciplinary curriculum; •
Cutting‐edge instructional methods; •
Integrated health and social services; •
Community as classroom and resource; •
Multiple advocates for each student; •
State‐of –the‐art technology; •
Comprehensive student assessment system; and Martin Luther King Legacy—Foshay Elementary
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Emphasis on school‐to‐work transition As an integral part of the general purpose and mission of the Foshay Learning Center, the after‐school program operates on these same principles, in coordination with other after‐school learning support activities (including youth services and the LA Bridges tutoring). In this way, the after‐school program offerings at Foshay represent a seamless program with the ASES components presented to parents and students as part of the menu of extended learning opportunities offered. To this end, the agency administrator points out that, in addition to the academic enrichment programming offered at Foshay, which includes Robotics, DJ/Multimedia, Chess Club, All Sport Intramural for an average of 20 teams, Photography, Wacky Science and Mentoring Clubs, they also include programs offered with USC’s programs such as Mission Science, USC Readers Club, Dance Included, Jazz Reach, and Drumming for Life. In addition, the site coordinator reports that they offer ping pong on Fridays, and a tennis club which is off campus. Site Staff and Volunteers
The site coordinator estimates that there are 10‐20 adults each day who are at the after‐school program, including volunteers, adding that a security person is required during the after‐school hours on campus, “because kids are kids.” In the document binder, a roster of “Foshay Learning Center Beyond the Bell Staff” lists 28 individuals, including three security, three homework staff including one assigned to “Special Needs/Homework”; two aides and a “teacher assistant”; several subject area instructors (1 Algebra and 1Math/Robotics; 2 Science; 1 English; 1 ESL; 1 Tutor; 1 Library Technology), as well as a number of enrichment instructors and recreational leaders (3 Intramural Sports and 1 Sports; 2 Future Entrepreneurial; 1 of each of the following ‐ Cheerleading; Chess; Irish Dance/Self Defense; Ethnic Dances; Steppin’; and an SAA [no indication as to what this class is about]. The site coordinator explains that they have a credentialed teacher doing the homework club and various enrichment classes such as robotics, computers, jump rope competition, and cheerleading. Volunteers help with snacks and stand at the gates while some individuals are in the parking lot, across the street, or out in front of the school during dismissal. Staff Management and Development
The program administrator explains how they are able to coordinate the various contributors to the after‐school program at Foshay Learning Center: Once a month, the site facilitator hosts a meeting where the teachers, coaches, and staff share samples of the projects and have students bring in completed projects. A notebook is available for anyone to add pictures, flyers, or news articles to, so we have a living document to demonstrate the successes of the program…Because of the structure of the LAUSD Beyond the Bell Program, all coordinators and administrators are involved with district sponsored meetings, training, and workshops that teach us to work together as a team. Additionally, the site coordinator cites a motivational speaker, Eric Lee, who has given the staff “a lot of inspiration.” Relations with School
One of the distinctive conditions of the MLKL after‐school program at Foshay charter school is the manner in which the program is inextricably tied to the general institutional culture and operations of Martin Luther King Legacy—Foshay Elementary
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the school. The program administrator reflects the school’s collaborative approach and high expectations for all students in the following statement: “All stakeholders at this site work collaboratively to foster a humanistic approach to provide educational and extra curricular activities for our students. All kids can learn.” Relations with Parents and Community
Parent and community involvement is critical to the success of any charter school and this partnership extends to the after‐school program. The program administrator explains how the ASP maintains a presence in the school and facilitates communication with parents by saying, “During back‐to‐school nights, parent conferences, intersession meetings, and other grade level meetings, representatives of the programs host a table where parents can ask questions, pick up applications, and see posters giving evidence of the positive outcomes of the program.” However, the site coordinator states that interaction with parents is minimal during the after‐school program. He makes the following statement: During school time we offer help to the kids: If you need extra tutoring sign up for after school. The students come ask me for a form to take home and have parents sign it. So they bring it back and I don’t really have any communication on that part. On the one Saturday, when a track goes off and another starts, we will ask parents to come to a small orientation. Most of the time, the parents do not have any questions.” The site coordinator further states that their communication with parents mostly revolves around particular student needs as “most of the parents let the child pick what they want to do in the program.” When necessary, the school uses an interpreter to communicate with parents who do not speak English. On occasions when a private meeting with the parents is desired, the school has a translation machine that facilitates communication. As an added benefit of the close ties between the school, ASP, and community, the site coordinator cites the safety net provided to the students who stay after school. He explains: We have a lot of “watchers” that watch out for our kids’ safety. That’s a big deal—
we have the elderly people across the street that will call us if a kid gets in trouble at the bus stop. The donut shop has our number; the hamburger stand has our number, the Chinese place over here called us when a girl got hit. So we have very good ties here. [We have] pretty good contacts in the neighborhood. Attendance
Emblematic of how the array of Beyond the Bell after‐school programs are perceived as one program, the site coordinator, when asked about the average daily program attendance, stated, “Counting all the Beyond the Bell program, I would count 500. My program might have 275; the other program 225. On Fridays, it’s less. Between Monday and Thursday I would say 500.” He further adds that students at Foshay participate in after‐school activities at the school even when they are off track. The site coordinator further remarks that the attendance is excellent with very few absences. There is, however, according to the site coordinator, an attendance policy for the program. It states that if a student enrolls in a class, the student cannot miss more than three days. If the student is absent three Martin Luther King Legacy—Foshay Elementary
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times, then they are automatically dropped. Still, he insists that they have not had to do that to date, but that is how they would handle it in order to ensure that there is room for students who do want to participate. Program Challenges and Successes
The program administrator attributes the success of the MLKL after‐school program at Foshay—with increased program participation—to their ability to deliver quality programming and connect students to caring adults in the community. To this end the administrator asserts: We are able to involve students in meaningful community events and service learning projects that have brought much recognition to this organization [MLKL], the school, and the Los Angeles Unified School District. We bring in mentors from the community organizations and corporations to work directly with our students. We encourage these adults to get the word out that we are making a difference in the lives of children. The program has grown in the number of students served and they are now more effectively retaining students, the site coordinator reports. He explains, “If their friend left early, they didn’t want to stay. We’ve made it more comfortable for them now, and appeal to their interests.” Challenges
The site coordinator expresses concern with regard to the management of attendance data using a computer. He explains, “[We’re] trying to figure out how to create a program that we could put on the computer, fill it up, and print it out. How we can keep the teachers from daily taking roll, but just be able to look and say yes these kids are here at a glance. I wanted something solid, on the computer.” However, he concludes by stating, “But I think we’ve overcome that now with the program we have.” The increased enrollment and retention of students, in turn, has brought on the challenge of increased staff and payroll demands on the budget. The program administrator relates that there were a few payroll issues that were resolved with some professional advice and the adoption of a new system and bank. The MLKL administrator further explains that the most significant challenge faced by the agency has been in creating a shared understanding among all program staff that all after‐school activities and events need to be approved by the principal, assistant principal in charge of activities, and the site facilitator. To address this and other program management matters, meetings were scheduled to discuss important issues with all parties involved. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The homework assistance provided at the Foshay Learning Center is offered by diverse sources related to Beyond the Bell district providers (i.e., LA Bridges, and the MLKL ASES managed program). As such, the school tutoring schedule is posted on the school’s website and on the school calendar included in the packet as follows: Monday through Thursday 3:20 PM ‐ 5:30 PM: LA Bridges Tutoring Martin Luther King Legacy—Foshay Elementary
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3:30 PM ‐ 5:00 PM: Beyond the Bell Tutoring Friday 3:20 PM ‐ 5:30 PM: LA Bridges Tutoring 3:30 PM ‐ 5:00 PM: Beyond the Bell Tutoring Saturday 8:00 AM ‐ 12:05 PM: Beyond the Bell Saturday School Apparently the MLKL program, known as the Beyond the Bell program, operates its homework/academic enrichment component all afternoon from 3:30‐5:00pm, with the added option of students receiving resources from the LA Bridges‐sponsored tutoring. Only two homework/academic enrichment observations were completed at Foshay LC. One took place in the school library and the other in a science classroom. In the latter case the observation notes: This staff member is a regular science teacher at Foshay LC. She creates a friendly and casual atmosphere in this homework class and students primarily work independently. (Three male students are on two computers; two female students work on a staff member’s computer on her desk; two other female students are eating snacks, and then are observing the science experiment.) In this classroom, in addition to students working independently on their homework, students are observed, guided by a staff person, conducting a science enrichment activity. The observer describes the experiment as follows: A staff member helps students do a science experiment that consists of lighting a candle under a tray of water, dropping in a little food coloring and watching how it distributes in the water. One student also places sponges to represent continents in the water and watches how the flame heated water moves the sponges. In a second observation, homework assistance takes place in the school library. The setting is described as follows: The library is a relatively open room with a section for floor to ceiling shelves and a section for tables and chairs. The students, teacher, and a parent are grouped at one table. One student is using a vocabulary book and a dictionary. The space is shared with the chess club, but the room is quiet. The observers’ notes relate a focused and well supported learning environment for students at Foshay, as exemplified in these detailed descriptions of how staff work closely with individual students while many are able to stay on task and advance through their homework independently. With regard to the role of staff and interaction with students, an observer states: The staff person is working individually with one of the students and her parent. The teacher assists the student with locating words in the dictionary. The teacher is patient with the student as she searches for words. The teacher leans in close to the student to see which words the student indicates. Staff encourages the student Martin Luther King Legacy—Foshay Elementary
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when she finds the correct word. She makes eye contact frequently with the student and her mother. The staff member checks in with the other student occasionally, too, to make sure that he understands his homework. With regard to the level of engagement and enjoyment of activities, an observation notes: The students stare intently at their work. Despite the presence of another club happening simultaneously in the library, the students remain involved in their assignments. They rarely look away from the teacher and/or their books. The student that is receiving tutoring asks questions often and makes eye contact with the teacher and her mother. She smiles frequently, seemingly enjoying herself. With regard to the level of challenge of the activity, an observation states: Although the students seem to be devoting a great deal of concentration to the task, they move through their work relatively quickly. The students are encouraged to rewrite definitions that are insufficient or incorrect. The students must refer to the dictionary to locate definitions for almost all of the words. However, some of the words are familiar to the students. Observations of the two homework/academic enrichment sessions reflect the high academic standards and expectations that permeate the Foshay Learning Center environment and that extend into the after school hours. Enrichment Activities
The 11 activity observations conducted at Foshay Learning Center represented a diverse array of enrichment offerings, including academic enrichment in language arts and science, arts and crafts, recreational sports, and challenging board games (e.g., chess). In a robotics class, for instance, students were observed building and programming robots made out of Legos. The observer describes this dynamic and challenging technology enhanced activity as follows: The robots are mechanical and can move—even pick things up. Students work both individually and together. A total of four students are on one laptop; four students are on the other laptop. Staff member instructs students to program their computers to pick up a ball. Staff member is supportive and very interested in this robotics activity. Staff member joins right in with students as they build and program their computers. She oversees students working on programming their robots, helping them as needed. There are several boxes of robot Lego supplies on the desk. She helps student find pieces he needs and helps him follow along in instructional booklet. Students are highly challenged in gathering skills on how to put together the robot with all the small pieces. All students are challenged to read through the directions on the manual correctly so that their end product will work. Students must work out which pieces go together and which don’t. Since this activity involves making the right decisions for themselves and deciding what pieces go together and which don’t, students are given the opportunity to take on leadership skills and make decisions for themselves. Martin Luther King Legacy—Foshay Elementary
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Other highly meaningful and engaging enrichment activities observed included students making their own pinhole cameras out of cardboard, plastic bags, and rubber bands, and taking a photograph outdoors, then returning inside to develop the photos. Again, the observer notes the high quality of staff interactions with students by stating: The staff member is very engaged with the students in this activity. She treats them respectfully, firmly and fairly. It is a traditional teacher/student relationship, with staff specifically instructing and students carefully following her instructions. This is important as they are dealing with chemicals (developing photos) as well as control of the environment (keeping the room dark and following specific directions re: loading film in cameras, removing it, etc.). Not surprisingly, students were also observed to be well behaved and keenly interested in the photography activity, as well as very supportive of each other in creating their cameras, taking pictures, and sharing their photos. An observation notes: Students have a lot of information to absorb and need to pay attention to all of the instructions and be alert and aware of all that they are doing so that their photograph comes out. Students primarily work independently choosing what subject to photograph. They must be patient for the photographic process, and they must pay close attention to instructions. In another observation of an arts and craft activity—selecting computer images and ironing them on t‐
shirts—the observer highlights the quality guidance and supportive relationship that the adult leading the activity maintains with the youth. She says: At the start of the activity students settle in and wait for the teacher to set up a short film on how to prepare an image to be ironed on to a T‐shirt. The lead teacher has prepared an overhead screen where students will see visual directions on how to iron an image onto a T‐shirt. He uses a computer projector to show and explain the directions as the film proceeded. Students listen attentively. The lead teacher has humor with the students. He jokingly comments on the students’ oversized T‐shirts. Lead teacher is interested in what the students have chosen as their image. He comments to each student as he passes by them. Students are very interested in going on with the activity. Even more impressive, one observer notes that some special education students are included in a mixed activity classroom were students work on computers and play different board games. The observer notes: One student is using a listening device from the computer and is working on the computer. Another student is practicing his sign language with a book in front of him. Other students are doing silent reading, while some students are on computers playing educational computer games. Martin Luther King Legacy—Foshay Elementary
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Sports and recreational activities in the after‐school program are operated in collaboration with BTB Youth Services. An observer of students playing basketball points out the way the staff and students interact and the general climate of sportsmanship by saying: Staff member mainly stands on sidelines and watches. He talks with other students who stand on sidelines. They appear to have easy, friendly interactions. Students call him “Coach”. Staff member is supportive and, at times, he interjects comments to the basketball players such as, “Good shot!” Staff member high fives a young player for making a basket. Staff member is considerate; he calls for water breaks for the players. Staff member and students on sidelines laugh together. Staff member is helpful and offers advice to a player by saying, “Get that chicken wing up”. He gives instructions to the player regarding using the “chicken wing when you’re reaching”. Staff member encourages players to be self‐monitoring. When a player calls out, “Coach!” regarding a certain play, staff member says, ‘You call it—
I’m not the referee.’ […] Students are interacting easily together; they are not at all aggressive during this game of basketball. Students were cooperative with one another. Older students played well with the younger ones; all male players played well with the one female player. Students were comfortable and relaxed with one another. They laughed together on the court while they played. Students were helpful to one another. When one student fell to the ground, another student offered him his hand and helped him up. Students regularly encouraged each other while playing basketball and often shouted out, “Right here! Shoot it, shoot it! Watch out! Come on, let’s go!” In a more cognitively challenging, but no less cooperative setting, students were observed engaged in one‐on‐one games of chess, practicing for an upcoming school‐wide chess tournament. This does not preclude the ASP staff from providing ongoing support, as the observer notes: The staff member spends part of his time engaged in a one‐to‐one game with a student. He is using the game to instruct the student in chess strategy. After he completes the game, the staff member walks around to the other group of students and observes their play. He offers suggestions to students when they request his help. He laughs and talks with the students. He seems to be comfortable with the game of chess and with his students. The students compliment each other when they make particularly good moves. “That was a smart move,” one boys says to his opponent. Some students stand around two boys playing and offer suggestions for alternate strategies. Again, positive interactions among peers seemed to characterize the Foshay Learning Center. This was highlighted in the chess club. The level of challenge that the participating youth experience was also noted. One observer comments: They [the students] compliment each other when they make particularly good moves. “That was a smart move,” one student says to his opponent. Some students stand around two boys playing and offer suggestions for alternate strategies. Although the games do not involve reading skills, the students implicitly practice math skills during play. Also, students practice critical thinking and strategy as they navigate the game. The students seem to find the game significantly challenging. Martin Luther King Legacy—Foshay Elementary
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Often, students ask their classmates for help with particular moves. Also, they spend a great deal of time contemplating moves before they make them. The Foshay Learning Center offers a unique setting among the BTB after‐school program sites. As a charter school, founded on a community collaborative, the after‐school program operated by the partner agency, Martin Luther King Legacy Foundation (an initiative of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles) is perceived as part and parcel of the greater mission of the school to support the academic and social advancement of all its students. Given the strong links that the school has with its community, students, and parents, it is not surprising that it represents the only middle school program of our case study sample that scored the highest rating in student surveys with an “A” in all categories of program service: Safety; Homework Help; Reading; Math; Speak Nicely; No Bullying; New Friends; Sports and Games; Make Me Think; Come to School; Develop Leaders; Keep Out of Trouble; Learn to Help Others; Snacks; Provision of Art, Music, Drama, Reading and Math support; as well as inviting parents to the program events and going the extra mile. Indeed, the rich narrative data from the site observations speak of well organized, meaningful enrichment activities afforded the after‐school program participants at Foshay. Additionally, there is a consistently high quality of adult/student and peer interactions. A broad range of challenging and fun activities which students also experience was noted. In many ways, the charter school context and the Martin Luther King Legacy Foundation’s historical link to grassroots efforts of advancing the learning and life conditions of the youth of the community it serves are distinctive in the general panorama of after‐school programs in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Still, many of the practices that the MLKL program staff carries out daily can serve as a model for other middle school program providers. Of particular note are the high academic and behavioral expectations upheld, and the demonstrated responsiveness of the youth to those criteria for participation. Martin Luther King Legacy—Foshay Elementary
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PARA LOS NIÑOS—DENA ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
Homework Assistance (4)
Academic Enrichment (0)
Dena Elementary
1314 Dacotah Street
Liliana Narvaez
627
99.8% Hispanic; .2% Asian
465 Spanish
35
1
Para Los Niños
500 Lucas Avenue
80
75-80
Yes
5 Staff
5 staff (including: 5 after school instructors)
2
16
4
26-60
12
7-64
Other (7) [Jump Rope, Board Games, Face Painting,
Free Play, Discussion on Phrase “Belonging
Too”]
No (4)
No (1)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
No (1)
Para Los Niños—Dena Elementary
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Dena Elementary School has a student enrollment of 627 and serves an almost entirely Hispanic community. All program literature is written in both English and Spanish. The agency administrator reiterates the values of the program: Our after‐school program reinforces both the academic and enrichment support needed for children to succeed in their development through a value‐based curriculum named “My Values Project.” The MVP curriculum is carefully created to provide the children and youth with a developmentally and culturally appropriate program that is inclusive of all children. MVP encourages respect for the feelings and rights of others by creating enrichment activities that reflect the values that are important to the children, youth, and their families. MVP supports children’s social and emotional development and strives for children to reach their goals by developing their inner strength, emotional resiliency, and solid self‐esteem needed to face the challenges of life in the inner city. Additional information added by the agency administrator that was deemed important to note was as follows: It should be taken into account that the site visits made to our programs does not reflect the 06‐07 year. All observations and interviews reflected this 07‐08 program year where the staff at the sites has shifted in many ways from what it was last year. Additionally, new children and parents joined the program. As new participants to the program they did not get the experience last year’s program and its activities. In the materials packet provided by the site, the daily breakdown of the ASP activities are: 2:24‐3:00 Arrival time and roll call 3:00‐3:15 Snack 3:15‐4:00 Homework, independent activity or reading 4:00‐5:00 Free choice and outdoor activity 5:00‐5:45 A values‐based curriculum activity takes place 5:45‐6:00 Children dismissal time. Lesson plans are created on a weekly basis by various staff members. The lessons plans are designed to “develop students who are independent and motivated and who believe in their own competence as: learners, thinkers, and doers who can persist in learning situations.” There are six components to each day’s lesson plan including: 7. Value theme 8. Related activity and description of the activity 9. What will students learn Para Los Niños—Dena Elementary
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10. Materials needed 11. Free choices 12. Outdoor/indoor physical activities In discussing the values‐based curriculum, the Para Los Niños brochure states: Through the collaboration of parents, students, and our associate teachers, core values of importance are identified. Some of the core values are trust, respect, responsibility, compassion, patience, determination, and friendship, etc. Using one value at a time as a curriculum theme, which can last from a week to a month depending on the staff. As reflected in copies of the weekly activity plan, the ASP developed their curriculum around the values of discovery, beauty, fun, compassion, belonging, community, and conflict resolution. The site coordinator states that she would like to create a community‐involved recycling program and an educational music program. Parents must sign a form that they have read the Para Los Niños Handbook. They must complete an emergency contact form, a consent form to treat a minor in a medical emergency, a verification of Fair Hearing Policy, a child medical history form, a parent contract stating the parents responsibility to pick the child up on time, a media informed consent release, and a form outlining all parent responsibilities. Site Staff and Volunteers
According to the site coordinator, the number of regular staff at Dena Elementary School in the Para Los Niños program is five, including the site coordinator. Currently there are no volunteers in the program. The site coordinator works with her staff by encouraging cooperation. She also makes a strong effort to have the staff do what they are supposed to do without scolding them. She thinks that her staff respect her; she sees them as having a family bond. The site coordinator makes sure that the staff follow through on their jobs and on the expectations she has for them. There is one staff member who is less experienced, but the site coordinator treats her equally to the others. If she sees anything out of order with her staff, the site coordinator always will speak privately and kindly to them. She never speaks to them to make them feel bad or ashamed. She also says that she spoils them—her staff gets more ‘yes’s’ than ‘no’s’. The site coordinator states that she is very patient with her staff. She feels she is not only helping them to become better teachers, but better people. The agency administrator states that she is having difficulty finding staff at all levels including both part‐
time and full‐time. At the time that she completed her questionnaire, she stated that some vacancies have been open since August. Staff Management and Development
The agency administrator explains: This year we conducted a couple of successful high ropes course/ teambuilding activities. In August, 76 of the 90 (staff at the time) attended a full day of teambuilding activities. Additionally, we held a week of training one week prior to the beginning of program. Para Los Niños—Dena Elementary
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When asked about other technical assistance that would be welcome, the agency administrator stated, “Because of the young nature of our staff, training on classroom management and activity delivery are always needed.” Relations with School
The site coordinator says that her relationship with the school principal is “awesome”. The principal compliments her on the job she is doing. She has had one formal meeting with the principal this year, but she sees the principal every day informally and they have casual conversations on a regular basis. They have “excellent rapport.” Communication with teachers is limited. Conversations have included a complaint about the absence of an after‐school program teacher and another instance when the teacher paid a compliment. The staff rely on verbal information from the students in order to know what homework is required each day. When asked about the relationship between site coordinators and principals, the agency administrator responded: It varies from site to site, depending on the openness of the principal. Generally, we have excellent relationships with the principals where we are partners and not tenants on their campus. In the event where there are concerns that may affect our relationships we, management, step in immediately to find resolution and unity. Relations with Parent and Community
The site coordinator communicates with parents in person on a daily basis when they come to check out their children. Also, parents stop by her office to say hello. She estimates that only 3 percent of her contact with parents is by phone. The site coordinator engages parents in casual conversation every day. There has been only one parental complaint since the beginning of the year, which had to do with a student dropping out of the program. She addressed the problem with the parent and they resolved the conflict. In the literature provided by the site, there is a flyer for a parent meeting held at the beginning of the school year in which “there will be multiple discussions on how parent and teacher can have an effective after school program.” The agency administrator says: The parents in the program like to be involved in planning of special events during program hours and often volunteer their time to coordinate these events. Additionally, we held a parent conference where we introduced the parents to all of the agency programs that are free of charge. These services include: clinical services, family services, child care, youth work force, and external connections as well. This conference resulted in parents requesting services that otherwise they would have not received. The site coordinator says that there is not a lot of interaction with the school community outside of the campus. She does have an idea to create a recycling program and hopes to involve the local community in this. Para Los Niños—Dena Elementary
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In the literature provided by the site, there is a flyer advertising a Thanksgiving Dinner for families sponsored by Para Los Niños in collaboration with the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels. According to the agency administrator, the efforts made to coordinate the after‐school program with the unique needs of the site were done by conducting a survey at the beginning of the year which provided them with a good assessment of what the site’s focus is. Moreover, our site supervisors get monthly feedback from the parents. Meetings held with school administrators also assist them in identifying and addressing the specific needs of the sites. Attendance
There is an average of 75 students in attendance with a maximum of 80 students. The site coordinator states that if the students have three or more absences, either the site coordinator or the administrative clerk will contact the parents by phone. They will be diplomatic and assertive with the parents, reminding them of the after‐school program and the student’s commitment to it. The next step is determining whether or not the student should still be in the program (is there lack of interest, etc.). She will discuss a timeframe with the parents (how long to give the student to determine if they should remain in the program). There is a waiting list. Students on the waiting list must wait until a student in their grade level exits the program before they can be enrolled. Program Strengths and Successes
The site coordinator has been at this site since September of this year (2007). One of the successes she cites is the positive feedback she has received regarding the students’ behavior in this after‐school program. In the past, students were inattentive and misbehaved. Since the site coordinator has taken over, she states that she has reinvigorated the “MVP‐My Values Project” Program. Student behavior now is such that students are quiet while doing their homework; they are neater; they pick up after themselves. Another success noted by the site coordinator is that she has initiated more playground activities in the yard. Before, the staff members were not being physical enough with the students. The site coordinator insists that her staff play with the students—ball games, running games, etc. The site coordinator discusses how she has organized the physical environment of this after‐school program. She completely reorganized the office and all the program facilities. Other changes instituted were to make rules for the students in the outdoor lunch area where they do their homework—before there were none. She also changed the classroom curriculum with the staff members so that they weren’t just doing “easy stuff” like face painting. She feels strongly that staff members be more creative with arts and crafts classes. The agency administrator says: It is difficult for quantitative data to record the successes that the children had as they re‐wrote The Wizard of Oz and made it their own 17‐page script that reflected their culture. Not only did the children re‐write the script but they held four performances to reflect their dedication to their practices during the after school program. We capitalized on these successes by reinforcing literacy and the arts Para Los Niños—Dena Elementary
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among the children. Additionally, we invited parents to enjoy their children’s hard work and dedication to the project. Challenges
The site coordinator states that a major challenge was the staff, as well as her supervisor, at Para Los Niños. She says that when she first started as site coordinator, the staff members had been there for a while and they were all “best friends”. The site coordinator had difficulty trying to get them to go along with some of the new changes she wanted to implement due to their resistance. In fact, the staff members, as a group, went to see the site coordinator’s supervisor in order to complain. The site coordinator did not find her supervisor at Para Los Niños to be as supportive as she would have liked. However, she now feels she has her staff and supervisor’s support. The site coordinator stated that sometimes she needs more support from the Para Los Niños organization. She says that she needs them to have confidence in her abilities and not to see her as a “filler‐in” but to know that she is there because she can make a difference in this school. The agency administrator cites “adequate staffing [as being] a challenge” for the school sites. She says: With the increase in new after‐school programs this year, it has further affected the after‐school candidate pool. It has been most difficult to hire site supervisors and teachers who are key in operating a successful and high quality after‐school program. Fully staffing the after‐school program continuous to remain a challenge. We consistently advertise and post our positions via different avenues of communication. The agency administrator states as an overall challenge: Finding the additional funding to enhance and raise the quality of the program is a constant challenge. We are constantly applying for additional grants and supplemental funding in order to meet the needs of the program. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for students. Basic materials and equipment were provided. IT resources, such as PCs and internet access, were not provided. One‐half of the observers found the noise level to be appropriate with no interruptions or distractions from others sharing the space nearby. The other half of the observers found the noise level, interruptions, and distractions to be higher than preferred. Students worked individually. The space was free from any safety or environmental problems. Staff roles and interactions with students were mostly supervising/observing. Staff was flexible and exerted appropriate control. Staff members were somewhat supportive of students and somewhat interested in what they are doing. Staff members were able to assist students with their homework. It was unclear as to whether or not there was a system or routine in place for staff to check if students had any homework and/or what their homework was for the day. The majority of observers felt there was not. One observation notes: Para Los Niños—Dena Elementary
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Staff member speaks both in Spanish and English to the students. Staff member is observed helping students with both math and spelling worksheets. Staff member asks, “If anyone needs a pencil raise your hand,” and she passes pencils out to them. Staff member is affectionate with students and pats their heads. Another observation notes: Staff members are friendly and affectionate with the students. At times, students are very loud. Only the main site coordinator quiets them to an appropriate level. Three of the staff members observe students reading while one staff member read to the kindergarteners. Peer interactions were very friendly and very positive. Students were somewhat supportive of each other in both offering and accepting help from one another and working collaboratively. No student was withdrawn from their work; they were all respectful of each other by keeping the noise level down. An observation notes: Students have been quieted by the site coordinator and now most of them are reading individually. The socializing amongst the students has subsided. One small group of six students (kindergarteners) is being read to by one staff member in one corner of the lunch table area. Students appeared somewhat focused on their work with some children socializing more than doing homework. The range of engagement in their activities varied widely. Enjoyment was visible and students generally worked agreeably. They appeared to be very comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Students used oral or silent reading, writing, and math skills. Worksheets, computer software, textbooks, or other reading materials were used. Some students who had no homework or who finished early had learning materials or alternate activities available to them; others did not. Some students received direct instruction individually. Students did not receive tutoring in specific subject areas. The level of challenge appeared to be relatively low in terms of critical thinking, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, and decision making. Students were at best only moderately challenged to work or play with precision and accuracy. Students were also only moderately challenged to move beyond their current competency level and set goals for themselves. Most staff members were not quality checking students’ homework. An observation notes: This group of students is quietly reading for about 10 minutes, after which they become restless. This reading activity is clearly not challenging or compelling enough for them, especially on a Friday afternoon. They have short attention spans and after 10 minutes the noise level begins to rise and socializing starts to take over. Enrichment Activities
A total of 11 enrichment activities were observed. Activities observed included arts and crafts, board/card games or puzzles, face painting, singing, and games on the playground. Para Los Niños—Dena Elementary
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Some activities had clear goals and objectives, while others did not. The activities appeared to be appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for the activities and necessary materials and equipment were provided to do the activity. Students worked individually, in pairs, and in groups. Staff roles and interactions with students varied from direct instruction to guiding/coaching to supervising/observing. All staff maintained flexible and appropriate control over the students and appeared to be somewhat interested in the activity. They were supportive and skilled in the activities. Some staff members communicated the goals, purposes, and expectations, while others did not. An observation notes: Staff is relaxed and familiar with students and speaks in Spanish and English to them. Students are comfortable with staff. Peer interactions were, overall, very friendly and highly supportive. Most students were highly focused during the activities and showed high enjoyment of activities. The students got along very agreeably with staff and were very comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Most students were engaged, but some were showing signs of disengagement, boredom, or distraction. An observation notes: Students talk among each other and give each other ideas of what they can write about. One girl says, “I like television”. Then the group of girls start to talk about TV shows. They support each other’s ideas about what to write. They work in harmony and giving support in this activity. During a game of duck, duck, goose, an observation noted: Students are having a great time. This is pure play and they are really enjoying themselves, laughing and smiling frequently. Students often shout out with excitement, cheering each other on as they run. Students especially enjoy it when the staff members participate in the game and they get the chance to tag them “out”. An observation notes: Students are working on a project called “My Value Project”. They are cutting out stars and other shapes from construction paper, then drawing on cut‐outs and writing in the center a word that represents the value they are studying: in this case “achievement.” (Note: the staff members on hand have not explained this project to the class or to me, but rather the site coordinator when we met before the program started explained the “MVP” program) Most students are writing words that describe what they want to be when they grow up (e.g., Teacher). These stars will be added to a banner that is displayed on the blackboard. The banner has “Achievement” written across it in large letters. Students seem to know what to do without the staff giving them any instructions. Para Los Niños—Dena Elementary
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Regarding a game called “River Bank”, one observation notes that .students were challenged because they must play with precision or else their entire group will lose. Regarding board games, another observation notes that there was no level of challenge for this activity. Students seemed to be too “burned out” to continue to play. The opportunity to develop leadership skills was, overall, not evident during the enrichment activities. However, some students were given the opportunity to work independently. Students were not seen as learning or practicing important life skills. Depending on the enrichment activity observed, physical activity varied. The number of physical activities seen was small compared to arts and crafts and board/table/card games and puzzles. Para Los Niños—Dena Elementary
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SOUTH BAY CENTER FOR COUNSELING—186TH STREET ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
186th Street Elementary
1581 W. 186th Street
Gardena, CA 90248
Marcia Reed
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
820
4.4% Filipino; 4.3% Asian; 2.9% White
309 Spanish; 9 Filipino; 4 Korean;
19/0 (Suspensions and Expulsions are the same a
prior year)
45
1
South Bay Center For Counseling
360 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste 2075
El Segundo, CA 90245
110
100-110
Yes
8 Staff
school instructors)
Total # Observation Forms Completed
2
20
7
9-39
13
7-39
Other (4) [Gardening, Free Play]
South Bay Center For Counseling—186th Street Elementary
No (1)
No (0)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
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The 186th Street Elementary School has an enrollment of 820 students and serves a predominantly Hispanic and African‐American community. When asked to comment on the program and add more information that was relevant for Beyond the Bell, the agency administrator states: Our program at 186th Street School was established in 1996 (over 11 years ago) through a variety of funding sources which enhanced the Youth Services Program: Healthy Start, Federal 21st Century funds, School Community Policing Partnership, Early Mental Health Initiative, business, and CBO partnerships for various programs at our school. We fund programs at our school (after‐school, included) that benefit the “whole child”, looking at health and human services needs, as well as youth development needs. A mentor program with high school students also provides work experience (and a stipend) for high school students to mentor elementary school students. Parent/community involvement is also an important focal area for our school, with monthly motivational events (i.e., literacy, math/science nights), parent education workshops, and active school and community groups (PTA, Boosters, Homeowners Groups, etc.). Counseling services, basic needs services (school uniforms), and many other coordinated services are provided for our students through the Healthy Start Program. The agency administrator also makes the following statement: We include students with special needs (IEPs) who are experiencing difficulties in their daytime classrooms. During our after‐school program, they are successful because they are allowed to participate in our enrichment activities and not “singled out”. Students are allotted time for homework and enrichment and do not get “benched” if they do not complete their homework. Additional time is given for homework completion during free time at the end of their afternoon programming.” We look at the “whole child” and use our funds and partnerships to provide other health and human services for our students; for example, counseling services, basic needs services (uniforms), food and toys during the holidays, Peace Games strategies, etc. According to the agency administrator, gardening, sports, and arts and crafts are enjoyed by the elementary school students. She states that “students have fun with their friends and learn new things.” The materials packet provided by the site states that the program runs from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm. It includes homework assistance (1 hour), daily snacks, enrichment activities (arts, math, science), playground rotation, and game room. There is a 20‐to‐1 adult to student ratio in supervised activities, and the program is limited to 110 students. There is a waiting list. According to the handout, the “Kids Club After School Program” was newly redesigned for the September school year. The following activities are offered to students: South Bay Center For Counseling—186th Street Elementary
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Homework Assistance—Students are provided with two program leaders, in a 20‐to‐1 ratio. There are three rooms designated for homework assistance. Enrichment Program—Students are provided with daily enrichment activities. Rotations are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, so each child will participate in various activities including fine arts, crafts, and gardening. Fun Fridays—Students participate in various rotations (without the homework component). Activities include sports competitions, “movie day”, dance, cooking lessons, science lessons, or Peace games. Girls Inc—This special program is geared for 4th and 5th grade girls enrolled in Kid’s Club and introduces them to special math and science activities, as well as promotes self esteem and build leadership skills. Kids First “Let’s Give Them a Shot” program—This is a psychomotor program that is held each Tuesday that includes sports activities such as basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball, and fitness skills. Multicultural Dance—In this program, groups rotate following completion of four weeks of dance instruction from traditional international folk dancing, to modern dance and hip hop. A Board‐certified teacher provides the instruction. Special events include: International Walk to School Day, Family Beautification Day, 100th Birthday Party (of 186th Street School), Halloween Festival, Treasure Map, and a PTA Thanksgiving canned food drive. Site Staff and Volunteers
There are eight staff members and two volunteers daily. According to the site coordinator, six of the eight ASP staff members are called program advisors. Their most important duty is homework assistance. They also teach enrichment activities based upon their personal interests and strengths. The site coordinator states: One girl likes science a little bit more than other subjects. One of my coaches does sports; but we didn’t know he loves art, so he gives art lessons. One of our instructors is also really good with arts and crafts, versus the fine arts. Then I’ve got someone that actually had a gardening class last year and is continuing with the gardening class. So we do a rotation basis. Volunteers come from Girls Inc., which runs a special empowerment and leadership program for girls. Another volunteer prepares snacks so the advisors can do other things. There is also one roving advisor who will come in to maintain the 20‐to‐1 student to teacher ratio or when a staff member is sick or absent. Staff Management and Development
While specific management and development activities for staff members are not addressed by the agency administrator, she states, “Staff members at our elementary school site have truly begun to South Bay Center For Counseling—186th Street Elementary
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collaborate on enrichment activities so everyone is working together. Craft or art projects are being adjusted according to age and grade level of the students.” In her interview, the site coordinator mentions there is a very good staff retention rate. However, she also mentions there are communication challenges between her staff and teachers, because one group is working when the other group is available to talk. Relations with School
According to the agency administrator, the site coordinator has a very close working relationship with the principal, as she has been part of the after‐school program for over 10 years and has participated in some other grant initiatives. When asked how often she speaks with the school’s principal, the site coordinator states: I speak to her daily. Cell phone to cell phone sometimes, but it’s daily. And just so you know, my role isn’t just after school; my position is called Healthy Start Coordinator, and just 10 hours a week from Beyond the Bell is used to fund my position. I’m also in charge of counseling referrals. We have a counseling program at the school. We also have what’s called a friendship club for kids that are more shy or withdrawn. The counseling program is for kids going through trauma with a divorce, or other things, but I’ve got two different levels of counseling program. I’m also doing Operation School Bell, which is school uniforms for kids. That’s another function; some families can’t afford uniforms. We’re starting to get parents calling in for food baskets, so I help coordinate that. Those are some of the things a Healthy Start Coordinator coordinates. I also write other grants, like Kaiser, for obesity reduction. All those are the kinds of things I talk about with the principal. There’s also budgeting issues. Not just after school, but other issues we want for the school. I’m the grant writer, the money lady at the school, so the principal and I are in constant communication. You ask how often; I would say in a day I would talk to her about five times. I know when it’s a good day to approach her, when it’s not such a good day, and when to leave something in her box. We also email each other with basic questions. The site coordinator does not typically communicate with the students’ classroom teachers. Communication with school teachers is limited to a specific child’s behavioral problems. However, she does communicate with other administrators in the school, including the AP in charge of special education, the assistant principal, and the Title I Coordinator. Going back to a theme noted earlier, the site coordinator states, “A lot of times it is hard for my staff to talk to teachers after school because they are working. It’s hard to talk during the day when they are available because the teachers are teaching.” Staff members communicate with teachers “based on issues, based on need”. Sometimes teachers communicate with ASP staff regarding certain students. South Bay Center For Counseling—186th Street Elementary
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Relations with Parents and Community
The agency administrator states “During our Halloween event, parents volunteered to help with the mini‐carnival games, served refreshments to the children, and donated pizza for the event. For the Holiday event, parents donated refreshments and helped out with our piñata activity.” According to the literature in the materials packet, this program requires parents to sign out children each day or have the child take the bus home. Mandatory orientation meetings are held during registration. According to the handout, parents are required to sign a contract which acknowledges program rules on attendance, discipline, and student pick‐up. Parents are also given an LAUSD Parent‐Student Handbook which outlines Code of Conduct and student disciplinary actions. According to the site coordinator, communication with parents is both oral and written. If the conversation involves disciplinary measures, then the conversation is documented and filed. The most frequent subjects of communication are behavioral problems. Homework issues are a rarer occurrence. The site coordinator commented on many partnerships with other businesses and organizations in the community. These partnerships include: (1) Toyota Technical Center (which offers a robotics class for the students), (2) Girls Inc (which provides empowerment and leadership classes for girls), (3) a Kaiser grant, (4) the Gardena High School Kiwanis Club,(which provides high school volunteers and mentors), and (4) a neighborhood homeowners association that sponsors clean‐up, as well as a Health and Safety Fair (through which everyone at the school benefits). The site also receives small donations from Wal‐
Mart. Attendance
Attendance for this program ranges from 100 to 110 students. There is a waiting list of 20 children in order to keep the 20‐to‐1 ratio. According to the letter to parents, “Attendance is very important. Students who have three (3) unexcused absences will be asked to leave the program. A student cannot attend the after‐school program if he or she were absent from school on that day”. Absences are not really checked. If a child has a number of observed absences, the teacher is contacted. If the child continues to be absent their seat will be taken. However, steps are taken to contact the parents to check to see if there is a personal reason for such absences before the seat is taken by another child. In responding to the uniqueness of attendance patterns, the site coordinator states, “Right now we started the intervention program around October 1, so what happens is [for]students that are in the LAUSD program, there’s a dip in attendance; but they come back to us for dismissal because parents are signing them out, so that’s an unusual pattern right now. Last week we had the wildfires, so attendance was down, and we went under 100.” South Bay Center For Counseling—186th Street Elementary
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In terms of the three most important successes, the site coordinator states: (1) First and foremost was the change in going from [being] a not as organized program into one of structure. I’ll be honest with you. Before, it was, you go to your class; then, everyone is on the playground; then everyone gets dismissed. That structure we had to work through the summer. We did the three learning centers. That was a major accomplishment. (2) High retention rate of staff. Two of my employees are former mentor students. I knew I saw something in them, and when they entered college, I hired them as my program staff. (3) We call it our SOAR team. We have monthly meetings where we meet with the principal; we meet with our youth services staff, and we meet with my after‐school staff. I probably need to include a parent of a student in these programs who can meet when we meet. That is a growth issue. That’s been real successful in hashing out problems. Challenges
The school site challenge, according to the agency administrator, was going “…from a program of ‘choice’ for students (in their programming) to one of structure with Program Advisors in three Learning Centers. Students and parents had to learn a new structure and ‘rules’ for our program.” The site coordinator states: (1) The challenge is just getting the homework done. Even though it’s a 20‐to‐1 ratio, it’s still difficult. (2) Classroom usage: The learning center is used by other teachers, and sometimes the space is messy or moved around. For awhile, we had a classroom teacher in there by day, and we had the whole learning center in the library with the homework club kids. Some homework club kids won’t even come in. (3) Communication with staff: I have to depend a lot of times on staff. I’ll have to call and have a message relayed. (4) Rotations and figuring out activity plans: The agency administrator states, “The new attendance and billing system was a challenge, but we are able to deal with it on a case‐by‐case basis. The new list of BTB advisors has helped tremendously and helps us solve our individual problems.” SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
In terms of the physical environment, all observers stated that these activities took place either in a classroom or the auditorium. Most observers felt there was sufficient and appropriate workspace and that basic materials and equipment were also provided. IT resources, such as PCs or internet access, were not provided. Several observers felt that the noise level was appropriate, with no interruptions or distractions from others sharing the space nearby. However, a few commented that the noise level was higher than preferred. Students worked mostly individually, as opposed to in groups. The space was found to be free from any safety or environmental problems. The staff was, generally, supervising and observing the students rather than providing direct instruction or guiding/coaching. Overall, flexible and appropriate control was demonstrated by staff. However, a South Bay Center For Counseling—186th Street Elementary
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few times there appeared to be little authority. For the most part, staff was found to very interested in what the students were doing. Overall, the staff was highly supportive of students, showing interest in them in appropriate ways, and demonstrating affection and encouragement. Generally, the staff was able to assist students. Only some observers noted that there seemed to be a system or routine in place for staff to check if students had homework or what their homework was for the day. One observation notes: The after‐school staff members’ role is to maintain order in the classroom and be available to assist students who have questions about their homework. All three staff members are walking around the classroom to assist students; and one staff member is taking attendance. One is particularly encouraging, telling students to keep up the good work, and thanking them for behaving well. Peer interactions were found by observers to be very friendly and highly supportive. Some observers stated that students speak and interact with each other very positively and respectfully. The students speak softly and recognize other students’ need to focus on homework. An observation states: Students are conversing and keeping volume to a low whisper. Those working on the same homework appear to be gaining from the assistance from their peers. Some students actually finish their work within the first 20 minutes of the period. The level of engagement and enjoyment of activities varied widely among the students. Students were, overall, very comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Students occasionally contributed to discussions, offered ideas, and commented on the activity that they were doing. Most students seemed to be engaged. No intolerance or hostility was observed among the students. An observation notes: All students are seated and working on homework or reading. Students have no problem raising their hand to ask for help. Students follow directions and work together nicely/friendly. Those working together are contributing to conversations about the homework. Students practice oral skills, reading, or writing, as well as practice math skills, as part of their homework or alternative activity. Most students who have no homework or who finish early have learning materials or alternate activities available to them (e.g., board games). Students work individually. Some students receive tutoring in specific subject areas, but others do not receive this tutoring. In terms of level of challenge, it is measured by a demonstrated ability to think critically, gather information, synthesize plans, solve problems, or make decisions. Observers’ comments vary widely in terms of the level of challenge that they saw during the homework/academic enrichment activities. The homework of most students was being quality‐checked by staff. One observation notes: South Bay Center For Counseling—186th Street Elementary
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Students are finishing homework very quickly which makes me believe that they are not challenged with new information. Rather, just practicing what they know. Another observation notes: Staff checks work when students say it’s completed and before they give them an alternative activity. Some students appear to be disengaged or doing their work with little effort put into it. Most stop every five minutes to talk/socialize with peers next to them. Enrichment Activities
A total of 13 enrichment observations occurred during five visits to the site. Enrichment activities include sports, math/science enrichment, arts and crafts, gardening, and free play. These activities appeared to have clear goals and objectives and were appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. In terms of the physical environment, space is sufficient. Materials and equipment are provided to do the activity. Depending upon the activity, students work individually, in pairs, and in groups. In one sports activity, an observer notes “Field is actually a basketball court with two goals that are set up on either end. Soccer is usually played on a grassy field so as to protect against injury. The courts are on a hard blacktop surface.” The staff generally guides and coaches students. Overall, they use flexible and appropriate control with the group. Staff typically demonstrates that they are very interested in the students. The level of support by staff varied, but they were generally supportive. The staff is adequately skilled, with some staff being highly skilled. Overall, staff communicates to students’ goals, purposes, and expectations. One observation notes: Staff gave instructions at the outset of activity and keep repeating “Remember what I said at the beginning? You need to glue the feathers first, do the face, then glue it,” indicating prior instructions. Staff is complimentary of the students’ work. In terms of peer interactions, students were generally friendly. They were also generally positive with each other. Students demonstrated being somewhat supportive in offering and accepting help from one another and working collaboratively. During a gardening activity, one observer notes, “Students are working together – one will dig, the other will plant. Students approach one another to offer help or ask for it. Tools are shared and students are excellent about putting things away and in their proper places.” In looking at levels of engagement, students are somewhat focused. The students’ level of enjoyment varied, but seemed generally high. Most often, students followed staff directions and worked with peers in an agreeable manner. Students seemed generally comfortable in asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Students often contributed to discussions and appeared to be engaged. They were tolerant of each other and the activity and demonstrated no hostility or desire to undermine the activity. South Bay Center For Counseling—186th Street Elementary
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In looking at elements of disguised learning, it was not evident. One did not observe students using oral or silent reading, writing, math, history, or science as part of the activity. They did not appear to be learning new information or obtaining new skills. Overall, the level of challenge for students seem to be fairly low in terms of critical thinking, gathering information, synthesizing plans, solving problems, and making decisions. Students are not challenged to move beyond their current level of competency and set goals for themselves. In looking for opportunities to develop leadership, observers varied on their perception of students being given the opportunity to work independently. Overall, they did not see youth taking leadership roles and making decisions about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. Students were not seen learning or practicing important life skills. They did not define roles for each other and what they expect from staff. Students were not engaged in community service projects. A positive comment made by an observer during the gardening activity was, “Students ultimately decide where to plant flowers or how they are going to dig. The skills they are learning appear to be important life skills: hard work, follow through, cooperation to get tasks done. The entire activity is observed by staff but decisions are made by students.” With a few exceptions, opportunities for physical activity seem limited. Moderate or strenuous physical activity does not appear to be an integral part of the program. Staff was not seen encouraging students to move around and be physically active as they do activities, and healthy competition was not obvious. Nutritional concepts were not an obviously integral part of the activities. South Bay Center For Counseling—186th Street Elementary
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STAR EDUCATION, INC.—ESHELMAN ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Eshelman Elementary
25902 Eshelman Avenue
Lomita, CA 90717
Milica Mladinich
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
639
63.7% Hispanic; 13.8% White; 15%AfricanAmerican; 3.6% Asian; 1.4% Filipino; 0.9% Pacific
Islander
156 Spanish, 2 Korean, 9 Other
7/0 (Suspension down from 2005/2006)
35
1
Star Education Inc.
10117 W. Jefferson Blvd.,
Culver City, CA 90232
STAR After School Program
89
89
Yes
4 Staff
9 Staff (including: 1 Site Coordinator (“Director”);
8 after
school instructors (4 daily Literacy,
Math, and homework; 4 enrichment classes 1day
/week )
Total # Enrichment Observations
2
20
6
11-24
14
23-24
Star Education, Inc.—Eshelman Elementary
Free play/other (5)
Yes (14)
Yes (14)
Yes (13)
Yes (14)
Yes (14)
Yes (14)
No (0)
No (0)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
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STAFF INTERVIEW, ADMINISTRATOR QUESTIONNAIRE, AND ARTIFACT DATA
STAR Education operates its after‐school program for the diverse student body (64% Hispanic, 14% White and 15% African‐American) of Eshelman Elementary, in the small city of Lomita, located in the southwest region of LAUSD. The mission, as articulated in the agency literature: “STAR after‐school program is designed to prepare students to be successful in all facets of school and life…The goal of the STAR program is to provide every child with a happy, safe and enriching experience everyday.” The STAR acronym exemplifies the agency’s vision: STAR develops leaders for the world by providing… •
Skills for academic achievement •
Teaching social lessons •
Appreciation for diversity; and giving the tools to our students to Realize their dreams The agency literature and staff acknowledge the collaborative effort between LAUSD, the school, and the STAR program as key to the success of the program implementation. “By working together, we can teach the children the skills that will help them make sound decisions and be successful in their social development.” Through a series of exciting enrichment classes including homework club, math literacy, wildlife, art poetry, music, and more, the program participants at Eshelman Elementary are exposed to new learning experiences and content as well as receive academic support to help them be successful students. Flyers distributed to parents for enrollment at the beginning of the school year reflect the program goals and curriculum succinctly. The Homework Club, Literacy, and Math class are each offered every day throughout the week (Monday‐Friday). The enrichment classes vary by day of the week and are taught by specialized enrichment instructors who are not regular staff. The Enrichment Schedule and Staff Directory included in the materials packet collected from the site indicate the following enrichment classes offered in the Fall of 2007: Week Day Enrichment Class Monday Sports Tuesday Drumming Wednesday Chess Thursday Wildlife Friday Dance A well developed rotation schedule allows each student to participate in all classes that are offered every day with each program component occurring four times a day. Students rotate from class to class in 40‐minute intervals, starting earlier on Tuesdays due to it being school staff development day. Rotation Schedule (M,W,Th,F) Rotation Schedule (Tues) Rotation #1 Rotation #1 3:00‐3:40 Star Education, Inc.—Eshelman Elementary
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Rotation #2 3:00‐4:15 Rotation #2 2:40‐3:15 Rotation #3 4:15‐4:55 Rotation #3 3:15‐3:55 Rotation #1 4:55‐5:40 Rotation #4 3:55‐4:40 Restroom Break: 4:55‐5:00 Restroom Break: 3:55‐4:00 Twilight Zone: 5:40‐6:00 Twilight Zone: 4:40‐6:00 The academic support component of the STAR program appears to be theoretically grounded and is implemented in a way that addresses individual student needs. Included in the site documents are two timelines specifically for the literacy and math classes. The STAR literacy program informally and formally assess students interests, learning styles, and confidence levels, to develop a baseline for instruction and more efficiently cater to the individual needs of each student. The timeline stipulates a 12‐week program to ensure maximum effectiveness of its delivery. STAR uses the IQ‐GO! MATH computer program as the core curriculum of its math enrichment class. The program serves to: 1) place students in appropriate levels and 2) customize the students’ math/literacy enrichment activities to an appropriate level of challenge while addressing their specific learning needs. Both the math and the literacy instructors report to the central IQ‐Go departments for proper assessments of student placement tests and capabilities. Additionally, they submit post‐assessments at the end of the session to ascertain student growth in skill levels for both math and literacy. The activity observations summarized below corroborate the intended curriculum and students’ engagement in these activities, and substantiate the claims of supportive staff and program goals. Site Staff and Volunteers
Five regular STAR staff work at Eshelman Elementary’s after‐school program, including the site coordinator. Each staff member is called a “teacher” at the STAR ASP, and is in charge of one group of students. Students are grouped by grade level at the outset of each day. The rotation schedule allows the grade levels to move from one class to the next, while the staff member remains to teach their particular enrichment emphasis. Hence, STAR staff have specialized roles: one does a pre‐planned literacy class (with pre‐assessment based upon the curriculum, this year the class focuses on writing). A second staff person does math, also conducting a pre‐assessment of student knowledge and skill development needs. The third staff supervises the homework for the day, and the fourth staff member supervises the contracted specialists. Each day a different specialist provides one of the 40‐minute enrichment classes indicated above. The site coordinator reports that there are generally no volunteers helping in the ASP. However, an occasional parent will stop by to help with homework, or local community college students will come by to fulfill their community service hours. The college students also help supervise the ASP students in any of the enrichment classes. Staff Management and Development
STAR Education has 21 years of experience developing enrichment and after‐school programs as well as providing staff development for a broad range of educators and programs. Hence, it is not surprising that the Eshelman site coordinator recognizes the STAR agency as having a strong human resources unit that is effective in recruiting good teachers and in providing excellent training for all the agency’s staff. This training includes a broad range of staff development topics including some focused on working with students with special needs. They are also able to recruit and hire interesting specialists for the daily Star Education, Inc.—Eshelman Elementary
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activity portion. Weekly meetings are held with all directors and coordinators. Observers confirm that the site coordinator is encouraging to the staff. Relations with School
The site coordinator asserts that she works closely with the school administration, faculty, and staff to align the after‐school program with the schools’ curriculum and overall goals. She speaks with the principal daily and has a regularly scheduled meeting with the principal each Friday to discuss the program. She has been a part of the school community for nine years and as such she and the principal have become a reciprocal source of information for each other. The coordinator is also on campus during the day and is able to communicate with teachers in their classrooms during breaks. In addition, she attends staff development activities on Tuesdays. Her close involvement ensures the program is meeting the needs of the school’s community, as well as the needs of the student participants, while upholding the objectives set by the STAR program. One of the issues with the school is discussed by the agency administrator who explains: School principals are facing a shortage of classrooms. This has, in turn, affected the number of rooms that are used. In order to maximize the effectiveness of our program, four rooms are needed, due to the fact that our focus is specific to the four main activities each day. Our solution has been to meet with the principal daily in order to find out what rooms will be available for us to use that day. In her interview, the site coordinator further commented that the ASP “teachers” are forbidden to use the classroom materials and blackboards. Relations with Parents and Community
The program literature and registration forms emphasize the role of the parents in ensuring the success of their child in the program. For example, one parent communication states, “In order to achieve our goal, we need the full cooperation and support of every parent and child.” The site coordinator affirms that they make a continual effort to communicate with parents; she says that she speaks with parents each day at dismissal and that she holds monthly parent meetings at about 5:30 pm. If necessary, she makes telephone calls about attendance or behavior. Additionally, she sends home information/flyers with students about activities occurring when parents do not attend meetings. At the meetings, parents are informed about upcoming events and updates are given to them on the program math and literacy components, as well as current enrichment activities since they change periodically. The site coordinator is very careful to reassure parents about their children’s safety while they are in her care. Yet the STAR program also makes sure that parents are aware of their shared responsibility. To this end, as part of the parent packet, an information sheet entitled STAR Discipline and Responsibility Policy outlines Parent Responsibilities with the following statements included: •
Parents are their children’s first teacher and primary role models. Any parent who uses abusive language or behavior toward staff, other parents, or children risks registration cancellation. If a child chooses repetitively to break the rules, a formal meeting with the parent will be set up. If the child breaks the rules after the meeting, a one‐day suspension will follow. Any further infractions of the rules will result in cancellation of the child’s registration. Star Education, Inc.—Eshelman Elementary
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The STAR agency has a high profile on the west side and in the Culver City area. The agency operates a diverse array of educational programs in schools across Southern California (including Oxnard). As such, the agency has established relationships with a variety of funding and community support resources. The site coordinator does not have a separate arrangement with any local businesses other than what the school, in general, might arrange with businesses such as Trader Joes, Kaiser Hospital, etc. Attendance
The program coordinator expresses a very conscientious attitude about both attendance and issues of student safety. She expects parents to call her before a child is absent. If this does not happen, she calls parents on the day of the absence to see if they know that their child was not at the program. The registration packet collected from the agency reflects the seriousness with which STAR considers consistent program attendance a requirement and clearly delineates the everyday procedures and expectations from the students and their parents. Goals, parent responsibility, bathroom procedures, and a detailed disciplinary policy are outlined in the contract, along with photography and video consent. The registration packet also includes the program’s absence, tardiness, and pick up policy stated in very strict terms [much more so than most programs] There are monetary penalties incurred by parents if there are infractions. These policies are: Absences STAR is a non‐profit charitable program with fixed expenses, therefore; we cannot give credit or make‐up days for the absence of your child. We pay staff, custodial services, accountant etc., whether your child is present or not. When a school holiday occurs or a Natural Disaster, Civil Unrest, Catastrophes, etc., you are responsible for paying that day. Tardiness and Pick‐Up Late pick up policy: STAR closes promptly at 6:00pm. Repeated tardiness may result in cancellation of your child’s enrollment in the program. Excessive tardiness is considered to be more than three times in the school year. Late Fee is $1.00 per minute after 6:00pm. STAR allows a ten‐minute grace period. At 6:11 the late fee is $11.00, 6:12 the fee is $12.00 etc. You must pay the late fee upon arrival. Please pay the staff member(s) in cash only. If you do not pay, your child may not attend the program until the balance has been paid in full. When late, our staff member will make every effort to contact you or persons listed as your emergency contacts. If we are unable to make contact by 7:00pm, the school police will be contacted and your child will be taken to the local police station. Staff is not allowed to take children home. The site coordinator states that they currently have a waiting list of 10 students who are next in line for when a child moves away; or in the case of being absent three days; or a child does not follow the rules and is dropped from the program according to the policies stated above. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The STAR agency administrator argues, “Some of [the ASP] successes do not show up in the quantitative data.” She points to their “ability to redirect students with discipline problems and gear them toward leadership roles within the program.” She further elaborates: Star Education, Inc.—Eshelman Elementary
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We are very proud of the fact that our programs create an environment where students develop initiative, confidence, and creativity. We think that these qualities are essential for life‐long success. Our philosophy of taking what they’ve learned in the program and applying it to real life is key to student academic and personal growth. All of our programs are set up to culminate in special events such as Inventor’s fairs, Poetry Festivals, cultural performances, etc. Students are involved in setting up these special events in community settings such as theaters, cafes, etc. For her part, the site coordinator states that she is proud that her program has grown every year and that they have a waiting list of students eager to join. She feels she has developed excellent communication on a number of levels with teachers, the principal, parents, and the ASP staff. She believes her agency has done a superior job securing activity specialists (such as a “wild life” group that brings animals and reptiles from the local Culver City zoo). She also indicates that the reward system used has been effective. The system consists of a STAR store—a room where students cash in their “STAR dollars”. STAR dollars are awarded to students throughout the day for “good behavior, good work, or whatever staff deems worthy of rewarding,” she explains. The positive effect on students’ behavior alluded to above may possibly be attributed to students being motivated by the STAR store incentives. Challenges
It appears that one constant theme is that sharing rooms is a challenge and that the principal makes very clear what areas may and may not be used for the STAR program. Other than this, no other challenges are mentioned by site coordinator. If given the opportunity to make improvements with more funding, the site coordinator states that she would expand facilities so that her teachers could experience more freedom in the classrooms. She would also hire more staff, offer more science‐type activities, and buy computers. From a broader perspective, the agency administrator identifies the most significant challenge faced this year as being the need for staff to meet “No Child Left Behind” requirements: We are having a problem finding enrichment specialists that possess the required standards. Enrichment teachers specialize in a particular area of expertise; this is what makes them experts in their field. Furthermore, it is unreasonable to expect an art or dance specialist to have an academic background in nature. We are still trying to work out this challenge. She further explains that the proliferation of new programs [due to Proposition 49 funding] has further exacerbated the problem of recruiting and retaining qualified staff. The new funding created more work opportunities for the same number of people. As a result, she states, “It has been hard for any agency to find qualified staff.” For example, she explains, “Staff who used to travel to school sites that were not necessarily near their neighborhoods are now seeking employment in school sites near their homes.” SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
In the five homework/academic enrichment observations conducted at Eshelman Elementary, there were no negative remarks noted by the observers. Every homework observation indicated that staff management of student groups was flexible and that they used positive behavior guidance techniques Star Education, Inc.—Eshelman Elementary
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consistently. Staff was highly supportive, showing interest in what students were doing and what help they needed. Students worked in mixed groupings from individual to whole group, depending upon the nature of their homework assignments. A system was evidently in place to check if students had homework. Observers noted that there was always an alternative activity for the students who did not have homework. An observation states: Staff make sure students have all materials and are quiet before she begins assisting them. She reminds students that if they need help, they must raise their hand. Staff is observant. She watches the students’ facial expressions and can tell if they are confused or need help. She goes to assist them even before they raise their hand. Staff is also able to relate work students have done in prior days to help them with today’s work. Comments are made such as, “Remember yesterday, we worked on reducing and we did it like this?” [she does an example] and “You need to do that again and just take one more step. I know you can do it. You’ve shown me before.” The site coordinator explains that the children are grouped by grade and teacher. Therefore, it is fairly difficult to fool the after‐school team about homework when the coordinator knows every teacher and every student and follows up if she thinks she needs to. Peer interactions were minimal, as the focus was on completing homework. As one observation notes: The group is focused on their various activities and paying attention. There are occasional cautions from both the program leader and the coordinator but they stay on task. Students were mostly focused and engaged, but a few appeared to be bored or uninterested in the work they were doing, as demonstrated by their sitting and staring at the wall or playing with an eraser. It was observed that the program makes excellent use of time with the rotational structure. The 40‐
minute activity interval seemed to accommodate the afternoon energy level better, as well as recognize the limited attention span of elementary school age youth—more so than the customary one‐hour block schedule common to most other after‐school programs. The following observation [made by one who was formerly a school principal] further notes that the work being completed is a reinforcement of prior lessons learned that day and comments: The students are quite involved with their various assignments and ask only a few questions. The main goal appears to be to complete their homework—they have 40 minutes, a recommended interval of time for instruction and student work supported by a large body of research—not only for elementary pupils but middle school as well. It is a strength of this program. This assessment is shared by the students who rate STAR with an “A” in the area of homework support with 93 percent of students stating that they do a great (58%) or good (35%) job at helping them with their homework. Star Education, Inc.—Eshelman Elementary
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Homework appeared to be at an appropriate level of difficulty. Some students had questions, but nothing seemed to be too difficult or beyond their comprehension. Staff was encouraging and tried to get students to answer their own questions, not just give them the answer. It was noted that a few very bright pupils appeared not be challenged. The leader was careful to call upon a wide variety of pupils for answers. One observer comments, “She will be addressing all grade levels with similar exercises on a common theme during the four rotations during the afternoon.” Enrichment Activities
With regard to student’s satisfaction with enrichment activities in the STAR program, 70 percent state that they are doing a great job in offering art, music, and drama activities, with 24 percent saying that they are doing a good job. This places STAR in the top three agencies in terms of survey results in this category. An observation comments: Pupils behave well, obviously know the procedure, never get up without asking, and enjoy the snack in an atmosphere of order and calm. After the nutrition is completed, they line up and move off to the blacktop where they sit until their section is taken to the appropriate rotational room. Accustomed to this routine, the pupils are cheerful, organized, and cooperative. They know what to expect, who is in charge of their group, understand any adjustments that might be coming, and are relatively calm and comfortable. Beginning the afternoon with predictability for the participants contributes to an easier job for the leaders and leaves no uncertainty for anyone. Observers confirm that every day a different enrichment activity is led by a specialist who is well trained in their field. The activities all appear age appropriate and keep the interest of the students. As one observer of a dance class notes: Staff is able to keep students engaged and focused with her fast paced class. She’s encouraging and positive. Staff has what seems to be a defined set of rules that students already know and adhere to, allowing control of the group. When students get rowdy or excited, control is re‐established immediately with a simple “please listen”. At one point, she stops music to congratulate the group on their ability to perform one of the routines. She states that it took her other students at a different site weeks to learn this dance and further compliments them on the fact that this was their first time doing it. Students respect each other’s space on the floor to move. They are smiling and performing with enthusiasm. They praise peers’ dance moves during the freestyle round and exclaims to students, “Wow, that was cool!” Drumming students learn about the fundamentals of music through games and direct instruction on the instrument. One observer notes that relay races and “hot potato” were used to teach students how to keep rhythm. Peer interactions were observed in this activity, as in all others, as highly positive, with students encouraged to support each other during the relay. The observer comments, “Fair play is expected and gone over by staff. The students all enjoy the activity and follow directions. Very few appear disengaged or uninterested.” Star Education, Inc.—Eshelman Elementary
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In the wildlife class, live animals were brought for students to observe. One observation day, a gecko was brought for students to see. A staff member gave a lecture on the animal, then allowed each student to touch the gecko. Students then filled in a worksheet about the gecko and color. Amusingly, an observer notes: All students are engaged and excited about the gecko presentation. They appear very comfortable asking questions and do so often. They only problem is the noise level. The students were being too loud [from excitement]. The gecko was getting scared and bit the handler/staff member, so she decided to put it away. The math and literacy academic enrichment was very structured and geared to building skills. Students had individual folders with appropriate level math worksheets. Staff observed and helped with questions. Students were provided with enough work to keep occupied the whole period. In the observation of literacy based activities, staff members were clear in providing directions and encouraging to students who seemed to be struggling. Staff commanded the classroom without being over‐controlling. The staff members’ primary role in the activity observed was to read the questions out loud for the students while they followed along with their own paper. In terms of level of challenge, an observation states: Students are challenged to move their bodies physically in ways that they haven’t before and are encouraged to put more and more effort into accurately performing the routine each time. Staff is watching and commenting on students’ dancing. In describing a dance class, an observation comments: Staff gives instructions to follow her movements. She’s highly skilled as evidenced by her ability to move and use of dance jargon. She keeps great control of students by keeping class fast paced, simple, not giving them a chance to act out. She’s constantly moving, encouraging them to move and praising all of them despite mistakes. It appears that the staff member’s goal is to just get them to move, keep moving and is not worried about getting the routine down. The STAR program is a highly organized and research‐based after‐school academic support and enrichment program that also is able to address students’ individual learning needs. The two decades of experience that the agency has in developing and customizing educational programming for diverse communities is evident in the quality of the program activities, the professionalism of staff, and level of student engagement. The general quality is maintained by strong leadership of the site coordinator who was observed monitoring all sessions and proactively encouraging both the students and staff with positive feedback, as well as providing guidance without hesitation. Observers noted that the daily sign‐in routine, group orientation to the after‐school activities to come, and the nutrition period are important events at Eshelman Elementary. The orderliness maintained by the coordinator and “teacher” sets the tone for the afternoon. Any changes or substitutions are covered, roll is taken, and students are greeted. The activities to follow are thus expected to run smoothly. This model might be used for all programs and is cost‐neutral. Though after‐school programs are far from being out of control, the value and significance of how much the agency cares about the pupils, their safety, and the time spent in their care send a positive message to parents, students, program leaders, and the day school. Star Education, Inc.—Eshelman Elementary
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TEAM PRIME TIME—WEBSTER MIDDLE SCHOOL
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Webster Middle School
11330 W. Graham Place
Kendra Wallace
Principal
1161
2.4% White; 2.3% Asian; 1.6% Filipino; .2
Al/Alsk
365 Spanish; 3 Farsi; 2 Korean; 2 Filipino;
1 Vietnamese; 1 Cantonese
300/2 (Suspension and Expulsions down from
2005-06)
54
2
Team Prime Time
1928 Cotner Avenue
Prime Time Sports Camp
90
90
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
No
10 Staff (Including: 1 site coordinator, 1 asst. site
coordinator, 8 after school instructors)
2
20
5
6-31
15
2-50
-
Other (2) [Free Play, Board Games, Project
Runway]
Team Prime Time—Webster Middle School
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
Page 261
Webster Middle School has a student enrollment of 1,161 and serves a predominantly Hispanic and African‐American community. A flyer in the materials packet states that in the Team Prime Time after‐school program, students are offered the following: •
Academics: Personalized tutoring in the classroom, Professional staff in an 8:1 student to staff ratio, Educational field trips; •
Athletics: Basketball, Football, Soccer, Baseball, Volleyball, Tennis and much more with competitive tournaments and Boys and Girls teams; •
Art Academy: Including art projects, drama club, photography, leadership training, field trips, guest speakers, and a student newsletter free to all students who attend Webster Middle School. An introductory letter from the principal to 6th grade students and their parents says: I want to tell you about an exciting after‐school program here on campus, TEAM PRIME TIME, regarded by many to be the finest program in the city. Team Prime Time does a tremendous job of integrating academics, athletics and the arts to help develop children’s potential and support their growth as young people. Team Prime Time is truly a part of the Webster family. By working closely with our teachers and administration, and maintaining a remarkably low 8:1 student to staff ratio, TEAM PRIME TIME ensures that your child will receive individualized academic assistance every day. This letter from the principal further states: Team Prime Time runs from the minute the students are out of school until 6pm and is filled with exciting opportunities for your child. The Program offers a competitive and diverse athletic program that allows all levels of athletes to participate; a water sports and safety program sponsored by the Lifeguards from the Los Angeles Beaches and Harbor Division that takes students surfing and kayaking on a regular basis; an Art Academy which features drama, photography, a student newsletter and exposure to many different types of art; and a leadership program that has received national attention. There is something for everyone at TEAM PRIME TIME. The program schedule varies somewhat depending upon the day. The following activities are noted: •
Homework Hour •
Team Prime Time Flag Football practice from 4:15pm to 5:15pm Mondays and Fridays •
Team Prime Time Girls Volleyball practice 3:15pm to 4:15pm Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 4:15pm to 5:15pm Mondays and Fridays •
LA84 Flag Football League games Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3:15pm to 4:15pm Team Prime Time—Webster Middle School
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•
Prime Time Games Thursdays from 3:45pm to 4:45pm •
Art Academy Mondays through Fridays with varying times •
Project Runway Fashion Design Mondays through Fridays (11/5‐12/13) The agency administrator states: TPT’s comprehensive middle school program is comprised of the following components: academics, including individualized tutorial programs, computers, literacy programs and an academic probation program run in concert with the host school; athletics, including interscholastic competitive teams, on‐campus leagues and participation in the LA84 Foundation Middle School Sports League; leadership training, highlighted by the Prime Time Games, a full inclusion, peer mentor sports program; and mentoring, which is made possible by TPT’s 8:1 staffing ratio. The entire program revolves around the learning group: 10 students and the counselor assigned to their individual well being. This modular approach allows for systematic program growth while maintaining the familiarity of a small program. Registration packets include the following: program schedule; bell schedule; welcome letter; information letter stating activities and goals; Team Prime Time Code of Conduct, containing rules which students must abide by to be a part of the program; and a flyer with attached release information for the student to return to the program upon enrollment. The Team Prime Time Code of Conduct sets the following standards: •
I will show respect to all counselors and all students at all times. •
I will show effort every day. •
I will use appropriate language at all times. •
I will arrive to Team Prime Time no later than 10 minutes after the final school bell rings; or I will bring a signed note showing the time and reason why I am late. •
I will be ready to work when Homework tem begins and I will work diligently. •
In order to participate in a Team Prime Activity, I will maintain at least a 2.0 Grade Point Average and I will display proper behavior in all classes. •
I will refrain from using my cell phone, markers, video game, or any other unauthorized item unless permitted by Team Prime Time staff. •
I will do my best to the area I use clean. •
I will Sign In and Sign Out every day to ensure my own safety. •
I will remain on campus and in the vicinity of a counselor at all times. There are three steps to the enforcement code—the first is with the child; the second involves the parent; the third involves the school. Each child, a counselor, and a parent must sign the code. Site Staff and Volunteers
The site coordinator states that there are ten members of the regular staff with five volunteers on Thursdays. Staff helps with group activities such as tutoring, supervising activities, homework hour, Team Prime Time—Webster Middle School
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filling in when staff is absent or late, working with difficult children and goals to resolve issues with children, getting materials together, etc. Volunteers are high school students from Hamilton High School and University High School who help with a unique event held every Thursday, such as Prime Time Games. Volunteers help the moderate to severe special education students from surrounding schools that are brought by bus to compete and participate in activities held on that day. This is a very popular program with the parents of the special education students. The agency administrator states, “The average tenure for returning staff is three years, so the ability to hire additional high‐quality staff that we want to retain for a long time is very exciting for the program. The relationships these staff members develop with the students are primary reasons why the program enjoys such a high retention rate.” Relations with School
The site coordinator says that her relationship with the principal is excellent. The principal knows a great deal about the program. The site coordinator and principal speak on a regular basis. Topics include: attendance, special students, and new students, to name a few. The agency administrator states: TPT works closely with the school as an academic intervention program—through teachers and counselors as well as the principal. Because of this, TPT enjoys very positive, interactive relationships at its sites. We are very proactive in asking for the things we need to best serve the students at each site and the principals do their collective best to see that these needs are met as we are working towards a common goal. This open communication between the site coordinators and the principals established a precedent at each campus that has made it much easier for TPT to better serve the students as the school administration recognizes the program as a priority. The site coordinator states that they share information with the school’s teachers via notes in the mailboxes regarding missing work, homework, etc. Team Prime Time follows up with teachers with progress reports and after the first one is turned in to Team Prime Time staff, the coordinator will meet one‐on‐one with teachers of failing students. The coordinator is a full‐time employee at the school and so will run into teaching staff throughout the day. She maintains a list of all teacher conference periods if needing contact. Students maintain an “agenda book” with homework information, which program leaders check each day and follow up with as needed; so long as the participants remember to complete them and bring them.” Relations with Parents and Community
Communication methods consist of flyers out to parents about special events, i.e., The Prime Time Games Championship, Art Academy Exhibition, and The Team Prime Time newsletter. The agency administrator states: Team Prime Time—Webster Middle School
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Team Prime Time works with each host school to pre‐enroll entering 6th graders during the summer by sending program information home directly to the families. TPT then actively participates at each school’s 6th grade orientations and Back to School nights in an attempt to further speak with the parents about the program. These activities significantly help in student recruitment. Once in the program, TPT corresponds via email with the parents, through flyers, and by scheduled conferences on an as‐needed basis. The site coordinator states, “Communications with parents occur every day at various dismissal times and also by telephone about topics such as absences, behavior problems, and special activities. Parents also receive notices about special events.” In terms of relationships within the community, the site coordinator says, “Most business community contacts are as supporters of Prime Time Games (Special Education program on Thursdays). Donors include Starbucks, Primo’s Donuts, and McDonalds. Resources are primarily coupons and funds for the games.” Attendance
The site coordinator states that, on average, about 90 students a day attend the program. Each counselor keeps a roll book tracking student attendance. Unexplained absences are communicated to the coordinator who checks in with the attendance office and, if necessary, provides a call to the student’s parents/guardians. A handout states: All students must be signed in to Team Prime Time by 3:15, or 15 minutes after the end of a school day. Parents are to notify staff otherwise. The mutual understanding is that each student enrolled with Team Prime Time is to be in the program after school, every day. If students arrive later than the time period given and with no parental notice, the student will not be signed in or participate with the program for that day. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
According to the agency administrator: Team Prime Time was able to make dramatic programming improvements during the 2006‐07 academic year, notably the creation of the TPT Art Academy and participation in the LA84 Foundation Middle School Sports League, where TPT locations made up three of the seven schools in the pilot program. Expanding the breadth of programming enabled TPT to attract a broader range of students. The site coordinator states that the art program is a great success, is very popular, and includes an art show in the spring with students’ work being showcased. The projects are under the discretion of a specialist who rotates between three Prime Time programs. Prime Time Games is another successful program according to the site coordinator. It is a positive experience for both the special education and the after‐school students. Academic success of students is another source of pride for the program. Team Prime Time—Webster Middle School
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Challenges
The site coordinator states that providing alternative activities remains a challenge. Students now have to share the art specialist with other programs, whereas last year they had her full time. Attendance of program leaders on shortened days was also a problem, but resolved with the new hires. The site coordinator continues, “The agency has provided support in the hiring of new program leaders via the agency website and internet sites.” She states that if any challenge faces the staff, there is an office where communication can be handled every morning about daily events and about the program. The site coordinator is happy with the agency and its director. She would like more alternate activities and more staff to reduce the ratio between leaders and kids, also, more supplies and equipment. The agency administrator states that one challenge is the following, “The TPT sites are commuter sites—
transportation is the biggest problem. We dealt with this by programming heavily on late‐bus days and by working closely with the host schools to make sure that our information was made available to the families as often as possible and through as many avenues as possible.” He goes on to say, “Because the TPT ratio is 8:1, securing the additional funds necessary to run the program the way it is designed to be run is always the biggest challenge. To this end we employ a comprehensive fundraising strategy that allows us to make up the operating difference.” SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for students. Basic materials and equipment were provided. IT resources, such as PCs and internet access, were not provided. The noise level was appropriate, with no interruptions or distractions from others sharing the space nearby. Students were mostly working individually, with a few working in groups. The space was free from any safety or environmental problems. Staff role and interaction with students ranged from guiding/coaching to supervising/ observing. The staff was flexible and exerted appropriate control. Staff members were supportive of students; showing interest and appropriately demonstrating affection and encouragement. Staff were mostly able to assist students with their homework. There was a system or routine in place for staff to check if students had any homework and/or what their homework was for the day. One observation notes: Having several program leaders in the room encouraged the group to stay on task. Every student stuck with the homework assignment so he/she could produce a finished product; all work was checked. Another observation states: Staff is conscientious, helpful, and interested in assisting the students; there is a cooperative atmosphere and a goal to get homework done. Peer interactions were very friendly. Students were somewhat positive in terms of speaking and interacting with each other respectfully and positively, listening attentively to one another, and taking turns and encouraging each other. Students were generally supportive in terms of offering and Team Prime Time—Webster Middle School
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accepting help from one another. No students were withdrawn or excluded, ignored, or picked upon. Some students spoke softly and recognized other students’ need to focus on homework; others did not. An observation notes: Most of the students are working independently. The students do not collaborate with each other. They seem to be passing the time until it is time to leave. Students appeared to be somewhat focused on what they are doing. Students appeared to be enjoying their activities. Students were agreeable in following staff directions and working with peers. Students appeared to be very comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Most students were engaged. However, another observation notes: The level of engagement is minimal. The students appear to be doing busy work in a packet that may have been given to them by the staff. There is no evidence of homework from their regular class. Another observation states: Students are tired, waiting to go home, and not significantly engaged in homework. This may be a reflection of lack of skill of the counselors, but it is also reflective of the time of day, as well as the uneven pace of the program, as it makes accommodations for a traveling population. Students used oral or silent reading, writing, and math skills. Students who had no homework or who finished early generally did not have learning materials or alternate activities available to them. Students received no direct instruction individually. Overall, students did not receive tutoring in specific subject areas. There was a relatively low level of challenge in terms of critical thinking, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, and decision making. Students were not often challenged to work or play with precision and accuracy. Students were only sometimes observed to be challenged to move beyond their current competency level and set goals for themselves. A few students appeared to be bored or operating with little thought or involvement. Some staff members were quality checking students’ homework, but other staff members were not. An observation noted: The alumnus is the only one who seems to be working on challenging homework. The others are doing non‐challenging busy work. The staff do not challenge the students. Enrichment Activities
A total of 14 enrichment activity observations were made during the survey period. Activities observed included arts and crafts, board/table card games or puzzles, free play, and sports (both competition and non‐competition) and practice/drills/skill building. Team Prime Time—Webster Middle School
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Activities had clear goals and objectives. The activities appeared to be appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for the activities. The necessary materials and equipment were provided to do an activity. Students were seen to be working in groups. The space was free from any safety or environmental problems. Staff roles and interactions with students was mostly guiding/coaching with some supervising/observing. Staff maintained flexible/appropriate control over the students. Staff members seemed interested in the students; and they were supportive. Staff were sufficiently skilled in the activities to lead them successfully. No negativity was evident from the staff. Staff members communicated the goals, purposes, and expectations. One observation notes: Good attention, good instruction; counselors were attentive to all participants and their needs. Another observation notes: Counselors gave clear directions, supervised all plays, supported individual team members, and showed a high level of interest and engagement. Yet another observation noted: All team members were engaged; counselors gave extra attention to pupils who had a need for additional support, understanding or constructive criticism. Peer interactions were mostly very friendly. Additionally, students spoke and interacted with each other positively. Students were supportive in terms of offering and accepting help from one another and working collaboratively. Students were focused during the activities and seemed to enjoy the activities. An observation notes: Participants worked smoothly together and were cheerful and pleasant; no arguments developed during the observations. Another observation notes: These students love the bonding that is taking place between them and their coach. They are 100% engaged during this activity. They are enjoying the activity immensely. They are laughing so hard, they are holding their stomachs. Students worked with staff in terms of following directions and working with peers. Students were comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. All students were engaged. Peer interactions were not at all negative and none of them were being intolerant/hostile. An observation notes: Team Prime Time—Webster Middle School
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The students are 100% engaged in the activity (dodge ball). Their level of focus was intense. Another observation notes: From the laughter and the gestures, the students are definitely engaged in this activity and are enjoying themselves. Students were not doing oral or silent reading, writing, or math as part of their activities. Specific content areas such as math, history, and science were not integrated into activities. Students appeared to be learning new information or developing new skills. Students received instruction both individually and in groups. The level of challenge varied , but was relatively low in terms of thinking critically, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, or making decisions. Students were sometimes challenged to move beyond their current level of competency and set goals for themselves. An observation notes: Each student seemed to challenge himself at a different level, depending on his physical skill. Students did not appear to be developing leadership skills, making decisions about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it, or operating independently. However, students were seen as learning or practicing important life skills. Depending on the enrichment activity observed, physical activity varied. Nutritional concepts and practices were not an integral part of any activities. Team Prime Time—Webster Middle School
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WOODCRAFT RANGERS—WOODCREST ELEMENTARY
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Woodcrest Elementary
1151 W. 109th Street
Zelendria Robinson
Principal
1040
White; 0.2% Al/Alsk; 0.2% Asian; 0.2% Pac Is
536 Spanish
60
3
Woodcraft Rangers
1625 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. 800
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
180
180
Yes
school instructors)
- Homework Assistance (8)
- Academic Enrichment (0)
2
22
8
23-89
14
-
Health/well-being
Other (6) [Free Play, Cooking, Asking
Question on Academics, Movie, Halloween
Party]
Woodcraft Rangers—Woodcrest Elementary
No (3)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
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Woodcrest Elementary School has an enrollment of 1,040 students, most of which are Hispanic or African‐American. The mission of Woodcraft Rangers is: To promote healthy youth development, especially in impacted neighborhoods that offer limited growth opportunities. Provided in a group environment, customized camping experiences and education, enrichment and recreation programs nurture self‐reliance and leadership abilities, enhance problem solving aptitude and foster a child’s bonding with family, community and peers. All programs have a homework clinic, fitness period, and special interest clubs. Woodcraft’s programs allow students to self‐select two clubs of interest to them every six to eight weeks depending on the school schedule. Many of the programs have youth councils that give input into club offerings and the field trips that they provide. Special assemblies included the ABC’s of character, Mad Scientist, and Eco Station. Last year they also offered “friendly sport scrimmages” between schools for the first time which brought out more parents to support their children. There is a parent handbook in the materials packet. It outlines all the after‐school program policies concerning attendance, absences, pick up, and discipline. It also contains a sample schedule of the daily programs for both the elementary sites and the middle school sites. At the end of the handbook is a parent acknowledgement that must be signed and returned to the ASP. Students and parents are given another handout which explains the program rules and disciplinary consequence should students choose not to follow the rules. Also attached is a sheet on which parents can write the names of other adults that are allowed to pick up their children. Also found in the materials packet is a detailed six‐week lesson plan that outlines the goals of one of the staff members: At the end of 6 weeks the students will be able to work in groups of 6‐10; be able to take turns with/without competition; know and execute activities such as balance, team dodge ball, kick ball, and single jump roping. Students will also continue to socially communicate. A hand‐written flyer announcing a mandatory meeting for parents regarding the drill team and drum squad competition is included in the packet. Another hand‐written flyer in the packet announces to parents that one of the teams has made it to the championship and provides information about where that game will be held. An additional flyer announces to students the start of a reading sweepstakes, held by the Woodcraft Rangers. The program is described as in the following way: •
Read as many books as you can while in Woodcraft Rangers. Woodcraft Rangers—Woodcrest Elementary
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•
Record and tell your club leader the amount of books you read. The club leader will then record the amount of books you read and add it to your site’s reading thermometer. Use your reading chart to record the books you read. •
The site to reach the top of the reading thermometer is in for a fun surprise. On your mark, get set, get to READING! Within the parent manual, you will find the dismissal policy. It states that all elementary aged children must be signed out by a parent or legal guardian. It also contains the following clause: If no authorized adult has picked up the child or youth within one hour after closing and we cannot reach anyone with authorization on the registration form, the Child Abuse Division of the Police Department will be notified to pick up the child or youth. Site Staff and Volunteers
Per the agency administrator, a majority of Woodcraft Rangers’ staff need to be specialized in a content area such as dance, music, and technology. It is difficult to find people to teach in the most popular clubs, especially in the arts and for middle school students. The most difficult areas of hire are noted to be dance, drill, theatre, and fine arts. Sports instructors are the easiest to hire. The site coordinator states that there are nine staff and five volunteers for this program. Volunteers assist the staff. As an example, the site coordinator states that when they have trips, the volunteers make sure that the students stay seated in their seats. They also assist in projects and, at times, with homework. Staff Management and Development
Per the agency administrator, Woodcraft Rangers refined its pre‐service training and content area training to ensure that staff members are more prepared to deliver the program. Staff receive in‐house training and also are provided training in the field before they begin teaching. The agency administrator states that on‐site training and pairing of new staff with seasoned staff represent the most promising staff development activities that have been carried out this year. Relations with School
According to the agency administrator, all of Woodcraft Rangers’ programs are customized to meet the needs of each school. They survey staff, parents, and youth to see what they are interested in doing after school. After they receive the results, they determine what activities we will provide. They also have consistent input from parents and students to determine if the programs are meeting their needs and what they need to change. The site coordinator reports her conversations with the principal in the following manner: Weekly, actually, when I speak to her its not really about a situation, its more about how she thinks the program is doing; we really have a good relationship. Different matters; we just recently got our classroom, that was one issue we had; and the bathroom—if the custodian can close the bathroom when the program is over. That’s about it; there is no real problem to talk about.” The principal is the primary Woodcraft Rangers—Woodcrest Elementary
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contact for her. “I am able to talk to her when ever I need to. I can also talk to other staff, but I rather talk to the principal to get all the information I need.” Teacher communications are typically one‐on‐one. Conversations usually revolve around students’ homework and disciplinary matters. Teachers will give program staff letters which they want to be given to the parents. The site coordinator states that some students listen to the club leader, but they won’t listen to the teacher. She goes on to say: When we first came to this school, the children used to use profanity, and misbehaved, and we talked to the parents. In the two years that we have been here, we have worked well with the principal and things have really changed since I’ve been here. Relations with Parents and Community
The agency administrator tells us that they have pilot tested “parent councils” to give program feedback and provide additional resources to the program. They believe that they have had more parents attend culminations and sporting activities because of their outreach work this year. The site coordinator states that communication with parents is usually verbal “because when we send notes, they won’t read them. Verbally it works a lot better. When parents come I make sure that my staff talk to the parents, usually one‐on‐one.” The site coordinator reports that issues discussed with parents are about behavior (breaking rules; not following directions) and attendance. They are not usually about academics. In terms of contacts with the community, the site coordinator states: Actually, parents of some of the children who work for businesses [are the contacts]—like someone from the fire department they brought over Toys for Tots. The Toys for Tots contributed the toys for our grade levels; they gave us 175 toys; the fire truck came with toys . Toys for Tots contributed these toys to the fire station to bring them to our kids. The Woodcrest Library also came in one time to read to the students. Attendance
The site coordinator states that, on average, 180 students attend the program daily. Attendance on Mondays and Fridays will go up and down. The program has a three‐day absence policy. At that point, the staff will usually call explaining that the student must be here every day or they will be dropped from the program. They are asked to bring a separate note to the program, apart from the school. There is a waiting list for the program. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The agency administrator states that that they have “refined” their culminations and more sites are doing themed performances at the end of the year. They have done more marketing about the Woodcraft Rangers—Woodcrest Elementary
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culminations so that the school day staff would attend and they have seen more teachers attending to support their students. Additionally, they hired a teacher liaison at each school to help create a seamless program from the school day to the after‐school program. This person’s primary responsibility is to link the programs together and inform the teachers and administration on what is happening in the after‐school programs. The site coordinator describes two challenges that she dealt with as follows: One time I had a parent who liked alcohol, used profanity around the kids. I pulled her to the side and told them that they can’t be using profanity in front of children, and ever since then they have been good. One student, he was an angry child, we talked to him and supported him and then we saw him graduate this past June; he has really changed with our program. Challenges
The agency administrator states that their biggest challenge is obtaining adequate space for programs. They work with each school individually to get the space that they need and they work with Beyond the Bell to assist, as necessary. Also, for the 2007‐2008 year, they began having meetings with principals to review and sign off on new agreements between Woodcraft Rangers and the school, which include items such as space and facilities. She goes on to state that program expansion and hiring qualified staff was her biggest challenge. She says that they began doing job fairs and working closer with local colleges to recruit staff. The site coordinator states a challenge as the following: We have some students that like to steal from other students. There are some students that like to steal, like the snacks that we have in the cafeteria. We have to lock it all the time. And also touching: they couldn’t keep their hands to themselves. Sometimes they would use profanity, I don’t know if they use that at home [she looks puzzled] but we teach them that is not the right thing to do. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for students. Basic materials and equipment were provided. IT resources, such as PCs and internet access, were not provided. The noise level was generally appropriate with no interruptions or distractions from other sharing the space nearby. Students were working individually. The space was free from any safety or environmental problems. Staff roles and interactions with students ranged from direction/instruction to guiding/coaching to supervising/observing. Staff was flexible and exerted appropriate control. The level of interest by staff in what students were doing varied. Staff members were supportive. One observation notes: When I walk in, the main staff member immediately announces me: “Everybody sit. We have visitors today.” Later staff goes on to tell students, “You all are making Woodcraft Rangers—Woodcrest Elementary
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yourselves look silly, like you have no self control. Is that how you represent yourselves?” I did not, in fact, observe the students behaving exceedingly out of line and these reprimands seemed unwarranted. When staff member wants the attention of the students she calls out, “Woodcraft Rangers!” and the students raise their hands above their heads. She did not, however, tell them to bring their hands down and the students remained this way for a long time until they gradually brought them down on their own. The main staff member seems a little harsh. I do not observe staff helping students with homework; whether this is because students do not need help or whether it’s for some other reason I cannot determine. Another observation noted the following: Staff member sits apart at table to the side of students’ tables. She takes role at 2:50pm, which is quite a long while after this homework session began. She says frequently, “I hear voices; don’t talk,” even though students are not that loud or disruptive. Students are generally well‐behaved. She says that whoever talks will not participate in the Halloween activities next week. Though students raise hands she does not go to them or ask them to come to her, but lets students figure out that they have to come up to her. Peer interactions were very friendly, and very positive. Students were highly supportive of each other and accepted help from one another. No student was withdrawn from their work, and they were all respectful of each other by keeping the noise level down. An observation notes, “The students are friendly and comfortable with each other. They help each other occasionally with homework and they socialize easily together.” Students appeared highly focused and engaged in their work. Students exhibited a generally high level of enjoyment, and they worked agreeably. They appeared to be highly comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. An observation notes: Students are focused on doing their homework during the first part of this observation: science, math cursive and printing. Students are disciplined and appear content. During the states and capitals game [the staff member naming a state and the students saying what the capital is of that state], students are clapping and cheering each other on and are really enjoying this learning game. Students were using oral or silent reading, writing, and math skills. Students who had no homework or who finished early had learning materials or alternate activities available to them. Students received direct instruction individually and in groups. An observation notes: Some students seemed to struggle more than others with math (e.g., the first student to get up to do a math problem on the board did the math with ease and was confident, while the second student could not figure out her problem so that staff member had to help her). Likewise, with the states and capitals game, some Woodcraft Rangers—Woodcrest Elementary
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students found it easy to remember the capitals of various states while other students never got any answers correct. Enrichment Activities
A total of 14 enrichment activity observations were made during the survey period. Activities observed included drum rehearsal, water balloon toss, basketball, arts and crafts, drill team, movie watching, Halloween party, flag football, and playing on the playground. Some activities had clear goals and objectives, while others did not. The activities appeared to be appropriate for the students’ age and gender, and ethnicity. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for the activities and necessary materials and equipment were provided to do the activity. Students were generally working as a whole group. Staff roles and interactions with students varied from guiding/coaching to just supervising. All staff maintained flexible and appropriate control over the students and appeared to be very interested in the activity. They were highly supportive and sufficiently skilled in the activities to lead them. Some staff communicated the goals, purposes, and expectations, while other staff did not. One observation notes: This staff member is in complete control with this group of students. He also has a nice and friendly rapport with them. When he speaks to students, he is firm and calm (in describing the drills they are going to do, of instance). The students are respectful towards him and call him “Coach.” There is another staff member, not the main one, who stands more on the side and offers support, helping kids who fall and scrape their knees, etc. This main staff member gets right in the game with the students, offering them support and advice, e.g., “Go to your spot! Push it, come on! There you go, good job! All the way now! When you score go get set up on defense. Look up, look up! Good save! We’ve got to work on that.” He is very involved and encouraging. Students appear to like him and interact with him and ask him questions easily. The coach is attentive; when one student falls and hurts his knee, he immediately calls time out and goes to check on him. The general atmosphere the coach creates is loose and fun. Another observation notes: Students are enjoying this activity; however, they seldom contribute because the staff is telling them all they have to do, however, they are fully engaged in this activity. Yet another observation notes the following: This staff member appears bored and demonstrates little interest in what she is doing. She takes an inordinately long amount of time to line student up outside of auditorium, take out materials from a shed there, and get the students inside, seated, and set up. (15 minutes). She moves slowly and with disinterest. She is rather non‐communicative, though she frequently verbally reprimands students. Woodcraft Rangers—Woodcrest Elementary
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Peer interactions were, overall, very friendly and highly supportive. Most students were highly focused during the activities and were showing high enjoyment of activities. The students got along very agreeably with staff and were very comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Most students were engaged. However, during two separate observations, some students were seen to be sleeping. An observation notes: Students are friendly with one another. They are outgoing, laughing frequently during and after each race and they appear to be enjoying themselves. Another observation notes: This activity of reading a few lines describing the book they read and showing a picture they drew is difficult for the shy and introverted students. One student, in fact, will not go up to the front of the room at all and cannot be coaxed into it. Two girls are sound asleep on the desks and one boy has his head down. Overall, students were not doing oral or silent reading, writing, or math as part of their activities. Students did not appear to be learning new information or developing new skills. Students usually received direct instruction in whole groups; direct instruction was not observed at all. There existed a moderate level of challenge in terms of thinking critically, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, or making decisions. Students were generally challenged to move beyond their current level of competency and set goals for themselves. An observation comments: Students are being asked challenging questions in many subjects and they must get it right so that they can get their snack. When one student gets it correct, they all clap for him or her. Depending on the enrichment activity observed, physical activity varied. One observation notes: Some students are breathing hard, Some students are more naturally physically capable and move with ease and speed, while others struggle physically to run across the yard repeatedly. Nutritional concepts and practices were not an integral part of any activities that were observed. Woodcraft Rangers—Woodcrest Elementary
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WOODCRAFT RANGERS—CARVER MIDDLE SCHOOL
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Carver Middle School
4410 McKinley Avenue
Evelyn Wesley
Principal
Student Enrollment
2389
92.2% Hispanic; 7.7% African-Amer;
0.1% White
1233 Spanish
107
12
Woodcraft Rangers
1625 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. 800
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
200
200
No
15 Staff
school instructors)
3
19
1
38
18
5-56
-
Health/well-being
Other (17) [Cultural Awareness, Leadership
Development, Karate Club, Video Games]
No (2)
No (1)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
No (0)
Woodcraft Rangers—Carver Middle School
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Carver Middle School has a student enrollment of 2,389 and serves a largely Hispanic community. The mission of Woodcraft Rangers is: To promote healthy youth development, especially in impacted neighborhoods that offer limited growth opportunities. Provided in a group environment, customized camping experiences and education, enrichment and recreation programs nurture self‐reliance and leadership abilities, enhance problem solving aptitude and foster a child’s bonding with family, community and peers. All programs have a homework clinic, fitness period, and special interest clubs. Woodcraft’s programs allow students to self‐select two clubs of interest to them every six to eight weeks depending on the school schedule. One of the distinct features is the traveling specialist program. Woodcraft hires artists and specialists to teach students advanced skills in areas of their interest such as DJ, hip‐hop dance, video production, and graffiti art. The specialists travel from site to site based upon student interest. Field trips last year included whale watching, motor cross bikes, and wall climbing and ropes courses. A flyer contained in the materials packet advertises the martial arts program and the karate movie club. It states that, you will “have fun while learning self discipline, focus, fun exercise routines, lose weight, and build healthy eating habits!” Another flyer speaking to the martial arts curriculum is also included in the materials. It appears to be well planned, explaining what students will learn in the eight weeks and stating results that students will take from this activity (i.e., proper ways to exercise, how to focus, self defense techniques, and street safety). A flyer in Spanish advertising a breast cancer awareness talk for parents held at Carver and sponsored by the Woodcraft Rangers is also in the materials packet. Written in both English and Spanish is the policy of disciplinary action. This policy addresses a three‐
step warning system. On the fourth occurrence of a problem behavior, the student will immediately be removed from all clubs and club activities for the remainder of the club session. This form must be signed by both the student and the parent committing that they “understand the conditions of the warning”. Site Staff and Volunteers
Per the agency administrator, a majority of Woodcraft Rangers’ staff need to be specialized in a content area such as dance, music, and technology. It is difficult to find people to teach in the most popular clubs, especially in the arts and for middle school students. The most difficult areas of hire are dance, drill, theatre, and fine arts. Sports instructors are the easiest to hire. The site coordinator states that there are 15 regular staff members including him. He notes that this makes their staff to student ratio less than the required 20 to1. At the time of the interview, the Woodcraft Rangers—Carver Middle School
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program had three certified volunteers. Additionally, parents are asked to volunteer on certain days when there are events. During any semester, there are 8 to 14 clubs operating within this program and staff members (“club leaders”) focus on their clubs. However, if there is a discipline problem, two other staff members try to work it out. If that doesn’t work, the matter escalates to the site coordinator. Per the site coordinator, program volunteers mainly supervise. However, since the program hires a lot of college students as regular staff, when the staff go through mid‐terms and final exams, volunteers help with the subbing. Staff Management and Development
Per the agency administrator, Woodcraft Rangers refined its pre‐service training and content area training to ensure that staff members are more prepared to deliver the program. Staff attend in‐house training days and also are provided training in the field before they begin working with students. The agency administrator states that on‐site training, and pairing of new staff with seasoned staff, are the most promising staff development activities that have been carried out this year. Relations with School
According to the agency administrator, all of Woodcraft Rangers’ programs are customized to meet the needs of each school. They survey staff, parents, and youth to see what they are interested in doing after school. After they receive the results, they determine what activities they will provide. They also receive continuous feedback from parents and students to determine if the programs are meeting their needs and what they need to change. In describing his relationship with the principal, the site coordinator states: With this principal it’s very unique because she was my former teacher, so we talk daily. We have a very open relationship. In a typical school, because I’ve worked at different schools, it would be once or twice a week. We talk about ways of implementing and ways of connecting the morning with the after‐school program, like how can I help them with the homework, or which teacher is not giving them homework, because that is a big problem right now. A lot of kids are coming into the program saying they don’t have any work, so how can we do our jobs by helping these kids with their homework? We don’t have any way of connecting the morning with the after‐school programs. The site coordinator deals with all of the administrators because they have different responsibilities. The site coordinator feels that he has a good relationship with the administrators. Referring to communications with students’ teachers, the site coordinator states that it is mostly verbal. Contact is one‐on‐one and in meetings. Subjects cover a little bit of everything. One point made by the site coordinator is that teachers may look for this program because they know that students have a unique talent or performance skill, such as dancing, and they want to use these students for the assemblies. He goes on to state, “Basically we set up all the school assemblies.” The site coordinator says he is the main contact between teachers. He states: Woodcraft Rangers—Carver Middle School
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Because it’s a middle school, students have six teachers and it’s very difficult. So it’s mainly me that deals with teachers or administrators that have a homework concern. There are a few teachers that come and talk to us or make themselves available because we are available. Usually they are not available. As soon as the bell rings many are out of here, so there is no way of communicating with them. Relations with Parents and Community
The agency administrator tells us that they have piloted “parent councils” to give program feedback and provide additional resources to the program. They believe that they have had more parents attend culminating and sports activities because of their outreach work this year. The site coordinator states: We do everything with the parents. We have the written way: “Here’s a note, go and have your parent sign it and bring it back.” We use the phone a lot. We have three phones and we have meetings with the parents. Every month we have a parent counsel meeting. Those are done after the program gets out. He states that in these meetings, they touch on all subjects. He goes on to say: We have an open agenda at the beginning of our meetings. We bring in guest speakers. At the last meeting we had a Halloween theme. We address specific concerns as well. In September, we had a special speaker on violence. He was a former gang banger and was in a wheelchair. He talked about his experience; he was shot in the spinal cord and he let them know how bad it is. There were a lot of parents and kids there, and it was good message. In October we had a breast cancer speaker. So we try to touch all the subjects; and then, of course, the community, which is the biggest one. For instance, I have a problem on this corner, or we noticed there is a drug dealer on this corner. How can we address this? There are people dumping in our alleys… all the different issues. The behavior issues we try and address one‐on‐one. The site coordinator says that he does not think that they have ties established with businesses and community members who don’t have children attending the program. Attendance
The site coordinator states that, on average, they have 200 students per day. More children attend on certain days, such as Mondays. He says that they do not have a waiting list because they have a lot of staff. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
The agency administrator states that they have refined their culminating activities and that more sites are doing themed performances at the end of the year. They have done more marketing about the culminating activities so that the school day staff would attend, and they have seen more teachers attending to support their students. Woodcraft Rangers—Carver Middle School
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Additionally, they hired a teacher liaison at each school to help create a seamless program from the school day to the after‐school program. This person’s primary responsibility is to link the programs together and inform the teachers and administration on what is happening in the after‐school programs. In terms of successes, the site coordinator says: 1) Graffiti—we did a couple of murals for the schools. And we decided specifically to do it on those walls because they were a target for graffiti. And ever since we did those murals we haven’t gotten any [graffiti], well, very little, close to nothing; 2) We reduced the number of kids sent to the deans. Through the clubs we reached a lot of those kids causing trouble—we really worked with those kids; and 3) Fights—
because we united differing crews and different gangs, it reduced a lot of fighting. Challenges
The agency administrator states that their biggest challenge is obtaining adequate space for programs. They work with each school individually to get the space that they need and they work with Beyond the Bell to assist, as necessary. Also, for the 2007‐2008 year, they began having meetings with principals to review and sign off on new agreements between Woodcraft Rangers and the school which include items such as space and facilities. The site coordinator says that his biggest challenges are the following: In a middle school, keeping your attendance up. Because you always have to recruit which takes a lot of your time; 2) Trying to understand the needs of these kids so you can hold on to these kids. So we have to figure out what’s going on with track B. Is track B still into dancing? Because, believe it or not, it’s what is hip and what is cool; and it varies by track. 3) Finding staff compatible with the clubs. For example, if I want to start a soccer club I want a soccer coach, not a basketball coach. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
Only one homework and academic enrichment observation occurred during the survey period. Since 18 activity observations were made, Research Support Services reviewed whether observations might have been misclassified as an “Enrichment Activity” when they should have been “Homework and Academic Enrichment”. This was not the case. This raises the question of what work is being done in this area and renders it impossible to draw conclusions about how this segment of the program is operating. From the one homework observation form collected, nothing significant is shown, except for this time being used to sign in and out of the program. One comment of interest made by the site coordinator during his interview was: Something I’ve been working on very closely with an administrator is developing a type of daily agenda that students could carry and teachers sign off, where we would know what homework they have. But at this point there is no system. We just have to trust them. With this new cycle we have a plan that if they don’t have homework, we have an assignment for them, whether it’s reading or something else. Woodcraft Rangers—Carver Middle School
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A total of 18 enrichment activity observations were done during the survey period. Activities observed included arts and crafts, performing arts/drama, sports—both competitive and non‐competitive, and practice/drills/skill‐building. Most often activities had clear goals and objectives. The activities appear to be appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. The physical space was sufficient and appropriate for the activities, and necessary materials and equipment were provided to do the activity. Students were seen to be working both individually and in groups. Staff roles and interactions with students varied from direct instruction to guiding/coaching to supervising/observing. All staff maintained flexible appropriate control over the students and appeared to be very interested in the activity. They were highly supportive and generally skilled in the activities enough to lead them. Overall, the staff communicates the goals, purposes, and expectations. One observation notes: Staff members are highly skilled in the areas they are teaching the kids in. The dancers contracted to come teach the students are extremely well skilled in the particular styles of dance called “crumping.” They are encouraging to the students to keep trying when they mess up and correct them without making them feel incapable. The two Woodcraft Ranger staff are doing the bike club and DJ club. There are three hired dancers working with the break dancers (all this taking place in the same area). Another observation noted: Staff is checking how the students are performing and correcting them as needed. It appears that the goals students set for themselves may be personal, like achieving the ability to do a certain dance move or spin the record in a certain way. When students are participating you can see the look of concentration and determination they have. Peer interactions were mostly very friendly, very positive, and highly supportive. Most students were highly focused during the activities and were showing a high enjoyment of activities. The students got along very agreeably with staff and were very comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. All students were engaged. An observation notes: Students are taking turns and sharing the game systems. They are all engrossed in the video games. Positive interactions demonstrated with laughing and high fives. Another observation, however, notes: Students seem to be working on the activity without giving it much thought, as evidenced by the high level of chatter occurring in the room. Some students are Woodcraft Rangers—Carver Middle School
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spending more time talking with friends than coloring/cutting. Some students use the basic activity to work on color patterns and precision cutting. One non‐Spanish speaking student becomes very frustrated when the teacher instructs her in Spanish. The student gets out of her chair and loudly asks the teacher “What you say?” While some students were doing oral or silent reading, writing, or math as part of their activities, other students were not. Several students appeared to be learning new information or developing new skills. Students usually receive direct instruction individually. An observation states: The bike adjustments and riding tricks that the students are doing appear to require a high degree of skill and balance. Students were observed practicing new tricks in an effort to add to their repertoire. Students were constantly thinking of new ways to move their bodies and bikes as they practiced. Students displayed a great deal of creativity as they worked up routines, displaying historical knowledge of important elements of hip‐hop culture and cultural identity. For example, some students created bikes in the image of classic cars driven in hip‐hop videos during the 1970s and 80’s. The level of challenge was mostly high in terms of thinking critically, gathering information, synthesizing plans, problem solving, or making decisions. Many students were challenged to move beyond their current level of competency and set high goals for themselves. The opportunity to develop leadership skills was mostly not evident during the enrichment activities They usually didn’t define roles for each other and say what they expect from staff. Students were generally not seen as learning or practicing important life skills. However, one observation notes: This activity offers a great opportunity for students to develop leadership skills. In essence, the DJ rules the day in the realm of hip‐hop; and these students are quickly realizing that they are the motor behind this performance. Also, only one student at a time is at the turntables, giving them complete responsibility for providing music during that segment. Depending on the enrichment activity observed, physical activity varied. Nutritional concept and practices were not an integral part of the observed activities. Woodcraft Rangers—Carver Middle School
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YWCA—BETHUNE MIDDLE SCHOOL
School Site Profile
School Site
(location)
Principal
Bethune Middle School
155 W. 69th Street
Daryl Narimatsu
Student Enrollment
Teaching Staff
Administrators
Program Name
Waiting List
2300
.1% Al/Alsk; .1% Asian; .1% White
102
6
YWCA
3345 Wilshire Blvd., Ste 300
Los Angeles, Ca 90010
100
86-100
No
4 Staff
Not provided in packet
Total # Observations forms Completed
2
9
5
11-41
5
11-38
Other (1) [Marble Club]
YWCA—Bethune Middle School
No (1)
No (0)
No (2)
No (0)
No (0)
No(1)
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STAFF INTERVIEW, ADMINSTRATOR QUESTIONAIRE AND ARTIFACT DATA
Bethune Middle School has an enrollment of 2,300 students and serves a predominantly Hispanic community. The distinctive features of the Bethune Middle School program, as explained by the agency administrator, are “themed activities that are delivered in rotation. For example, cultural activities based on a Museum of Tolerance curriculum, year‐around sports program, science, arts and crafts, etc.” The agency administrator states, “The YWCA prides itself on delivering programs to youth to empower them and provide healthy and positive choices to negative behaviors; and we offer this in safe and nurturing environments. This is the goal of our Youth Development Department. We are able to provide this type of quality service through programs like Beyond the Bell.” The materials packet states that the mission of YWCA is as follows: The Young Woman’s Christian Association of the United States of America is a women’s membership movement nourished by its roots in the Christian faith and sustained by the richness of many beliefs and values. Strengthened by diversity, the Association draws together members who strive to create opportunities for women’s growth, leadership, and power in order to attain a common vision: peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people. The association will thrust its collective power towards eliminating racism wherever it exists and by any means necessary. The materials packets clearly addresses 11 program rules that must be followed , as well as their consequences. Students must sign acknowledgement of these requirements. A homework rewards system is in place. The sheet (which has 15 stars on it) specifies the objective for the students, as, “My goal: to complete the star sheet, by doing my homework from my classroom or reading quietly during homework assistance. When the star sheet is completed with signatures from the program leader, I will receive five ‘Y’ dollars from the program leader.” Students also have a weekly homework report which contains a chart that is to be filled in with homework for each day, initialed by the classroom teacher, and then checked by the program staff. Several examples of enrichment activities pertaining to literacy and math are provided. A flyer advertising the YWCA after‐school club shows the following activities being available: visual arts, football, wood crafts, Boys and Girls indoor‐outdoor soccer, basketball, reading circle, and chess, with cooking and softball to be available soon. On the reverse side is the daily schedule of activities for the program (interestingly, this schedule has divided the days into halves, as if in a sports game, with Fridays being overtime—fun day and fun activities available this day). The daily schedule is as follows: 2:30‐2:45 pm ‐ Sign in YWCA—Bethune Middle School
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2:45‐3:45 pm ‐ The huddle: homework hour in the cafeteria 3:45‐4:00 pm ‐ Snack time 4:00‐5:15 pm ‐ Activities students can choose from 5:15‐5:30 pm ‐ Pick up (Tuesday pick up is 3:45‐4:00 pm and Thursday pick up is 4:15‐4:30 pm) The registration forms included in the materials packet provide parents with a clear outline of what the program will provide to students, and the enrichment activities that students may participate in, as well as the rules and regulations that both parents and students must follow and sign acknowledging their understanding of such rules. Site Staff and Volunteers
The agency administrator says they are having the most difficulty finding staff for the long term. The agency administrator goes on to say, “[We need] staff who are dedicated to the overall concept of a real after‐school program and not simply baby sitting.” The agency administrator has not seen the staff recruitment affected by the proliferation of new programs and funding as much as BTB grant requirements and program protocol. There are four ASP staff members and one or two volunteers “once in a while”. As reported by the site coordinator, “Staff for the YWCA after‐school program help out in many ways.” Her small staff (which includes three security aides) helps with everything: “lesson plans for activities, supervising homework, security around the cafeteria area, purchasing supplies, recruiting pupils and parents, and attending training from the agency as well as attending school meetings.” When there are volunteers, they are assigned to assist with homework. The site coordinator reports that clearance for volunteers through her program takes so long that many “just sort of forget and give up.” She goes on to say that, “there are three volunteers pending clearance right now.” If resources were available, the site coordinator would like to start a regular self‐defense class for girls. She would also hire more activity specialists. Lastly, she would start more social/emotional support groups for both boys and girls to help them adjust to adolescence. Staff Management and Development
The agency administrator reports, “We actually hired Ray Trinidad to facilitate a day‐long training with our after‐school staff that was wonderful…and very effective!” Relations with School
According to the agency administrator, “This year we have made strong efforts to strengthen relationships with all school administration especially with the principals and vice principals. The site coordinators are often asked to attend all school meetings and participate in school activities.” Also, “We make certain to meet with school administration at the beginning of the school year to see what the focus of each school is for that academic year. Next, we tie in our activities and program to mirror the school’s focus.” YWCA—Bethune Middle School
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The site coordinator reports that she speaks to the principal almost every day just to touch base. She discusses what is going on with the program that day, or the weekly/ monthly calendars and any concerns that might develop. The site coordinator has a strong relationship with the Title 1 Coordinator, particularly because they are starting up the RIF program which has tasks for both the daytime school and the after‐school staff. The site coordinator also works with the bilingual coordinator, recruiting parents for his council. In turn, he assists from time‐to‐time by recruiting students for her program and by providing bilingual materials. The site coordinator reports that the only recurring problem she discusses with the principal is, “…limited facilities and storage problems [which] are often a topic of conversation, but space is limited and she must share it with teacher and union meetings, special events, LA Bridges, Youth Services, etc.” Because the site coordinator is at the school during the day, she seeks out teachers if a discussion is needed and her staff attends parent conferences in the evenings to support teachers. She will ask for assignments, follow up with requests from teachers, etc. These communications with teachers are usually pertaining to missing assignments, attendance, and how the YWCA program can help teachers with student problems. Most concerns about students that require a teacher contact are communicated to the coordinator and she talks with school staff. Relations with Parents and Community
The agency administrator says the parent outreach that benefited the program this year was at Back to School Nights, a RIF (Reading is Fundamental) program which has a parent component, and holiday potlucks. According to the site coordinator, “[She] meets parents every day at dismissal for informal contact, has parent meetings, and also makes telephone calls when necessary.” When asked if communications with the parents are mostly about homework/academic issues or behavior, the site coordinator says, “its about half and half.” She also, however, sends “good notes” home for pupils that address their attitude, or work, or attendance; so, she comments, that her conversations with parents are not always of a negative nature. According to the site coordinator, a small hamburger stand has provided uniforms for the after‐school girls’ softball team, and “AJ Burgers” has made similar donations. Local businesses also call the site coordinator when they see students “hanging around” when they should be in the program. Attendance
Daily attendance, as reported by the site coordinator, is 86‐100 students. There is no waiting list. The site coordinator states that the program has an attendance letter which absentees fill out, then take home for a parent’s signature. The site coordinator will call parents for unexplained or lengthy absences. Program Strengths, Challenges, and Successes
Some of the strengths and successes, according to the agency administrator, have been the ability to “strengthen school collaboration, working with school administration. We attended school faculty meetings, parent workshops through our RIF programs, and collaborated with other after‐school programs on campus.” YWCA—Bethune Middle School
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The site coordinator is most proud of the graduation rates of her pupils and feels her program is part of this success. She also thinks that she has provided support and encouragement for many students as demonstrated by their return visits from time to time to speak with her and ask for advice. She is also convinced that it is the success of the program that permits her and her staff to keep receiving salary even though she believes their contract expired before this year began. The site coordinator feels that she has excellent support from her agency. She gets what she asks for and the director often visits the program, discusses matters with her whenever she calls, and attends program events. The training program is well received and useful. The agency administrator also states that one of the most substantial benefits of their partnership with Beyond the Bell is knowing that the BTB branch is “actually 100 percent behind each agency to guide, strengthen, and support our areas that need attention. She goes on to say that they “actually feel like a collaborative team.” Challenges
The agency administrator states that one of the challenges at school sites is, “…ADA (average daily attendance) – keeping students interested in the program consistently; having enough program supplies, as the money is based on ADA, but if the ADA is low, the revenue is low; therefore, students aren’t coming to the program often. We dealt with this by being creative in program design, having student incentives, having a strong collaboration with the school, and other programs on campus.” Training staff and having staff use their own talents and skills to create activities has also been a challenge. The agency administrator states that “ownership of program” is another challenge. She goes on to say that, “we dealt with this by offering staff trainings to give staff tools to help create strong programming.” The site coordinator states as a challenge that she could always use more hours for the program and she has operated two positions down this year. Storage and facilities also remain a challenge. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONAL DATA
In terms of the physical environment, observers stated that activities took place in the cafeteria. All observers felt that there was sufficient and appropriate workspace and that basic materials and equipment were also provided. IT resources, such as PCs or internet access, were not provided. The observers gave a mixed response in terms of the noise level being appropriate with no interruptions or distractions from others sharing the space. Students worked mostly individually, as opposed to in groups. The space was found to be free from any safety or environmental problems. The staff was, generally, supervising and observing the students, with a few staff providing direct instruction or guiding/coaching. Flexible and appropriate control was demonstrated by staff. Staff was found to be interested in what the students were doing. Overall, the staff was highly supportive of students showing interest in them in appropriate ways, and demonstrating affection and encouragement. Generally, the staff was able to assist students. Observers noted that there seemed to be a system or routine in place for staff to check if students had homework or what their homework was for the day. One observer commented: YWCA—Bethune Middle School
Page 291
From walking among the kids, homework quality appeared routine and many finished within the hour; all homework received a visual scan for completeness and a colorful chart is kept for each student where stars are filled in for doing homework. Periodically, participants can choose from a variety of little gifts to reward them for finishing assignments. Peer interactions were found by observers to be very friendly, generally positive, and highly supportive. The students did not always speak softly and recognize other students’ need to focus on homework. In terms of level of engagement and enjoyment of activities, students were somewhat focused and they enjoyed their activities. Students were, overall, comfortable asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. Students were not, overall, observed contributing to discussions, offering ideas, and commenting on the activities that they were doing. A few students seemed to be bored, disengaged, or distracted. No intolerance or hostility was observed among the students. Students practice oral skills, reading, or writing, as well as practice math skills, as part of their homework or alternative activity. Most students who have no homework or who finish early have learning materials or alternate activities available to them (e.g., board games). Students generally work with no direct instruction. Students do not receive tutoring in specific subject areas. In terms of level of challenge, it is measured by a demonstrated ability to think critically, gather information, synthesize plans, solve problems, or make decisions. Overall, there appeared to be a low level of challenge among the students. The homework of most students was not being quality‐checked by staff. An observer commented: Amid interruptions, a relatively high noise level in a large room, and the antics of a few disengaged students, most pupils did their homework and had a positive, safe, and predictable place to spend three hours after school—no significant academic challenges, however. With just two adults, not a great deal of intense scrutiny can take place. Enrichment Activities
Activities observed included marble club, Fun Friday soccer game, sports‐soccer game, girls volleyball, casual sports‐ throwing football, kicking soccer balls, or just hanging out. These activities appeared to have clear goals and objectives, and were appropriate for the students’ age, gender, and ethnicity. In terms of the physical environment, space is sufficient. Materials and equipment are provided to do the activity. Depending upon the activity, students work individually, in pairs, and in groups. The staff generally supervises and observes students. Overall, they use flexible and appropriate control with the group. Staff typically showed interest in the students. The level of active support by staff is high. The staff is adequately skilled. Overall, staff communicates to students’ goals, purposes, and expectations. YWCA—Bethune Middle School
Page 292
One observer comments: Three female employees, consisting of a staff person from the LA Bridges Program and two staff from YWCA, supervised the activity. They cheered the students on and participated in the game as well. One person was injured. One staff member taught a student how not to react when someone willfully pushed him. In terms of peer interactions, students were very friendly. They were also somewhat positive with each other speaking and interacting with each other respectfully, listening attentively to one another, and working collaboratively. Students were sometimes supportive in offering and accepting help from one another. In looking at levels of engagement and enjoyment of activities, students were generally focused and enjoying themselves. Most often, students followed staff directions and worked with peers in an agreeable manner. Students seemed comfortable in asking questions or seeking assistance from each other and the adults around them. A few students appeared to be disengaged. They were tolerant of each other, as well as the activity, and demonstrated no hostility or desire to undermine the activity. In looking at elements of disguised learning, they were generally not evident. One did not see students using oral or silent reading, writing, math, history, or science as part of the activity. They did not appear to be learning new information or obtaining new skills. Overall, the level of challenge for students seems to be moderately low in terms of critical thinking, gathering information, synthesizing plans, solving problems, and making decisions. Students were not observed being challenged to move beyond their current level of competency and set goals for themselves. In looking for opportunities to develop leadership, observers did not see students given the opportunity to work independently. Overall, they did not see youth taking leadership roles and making decisions about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. Students were generally not seen learning or practicing important life skills. They were not observed showing the ability to define roles for each other and what they expect from staff. Students were not engaged in community service projects. One observer comments: Even though leadership skills can most certainly be developed and nurtured during sports competition, the level of skills demonstrated and the casual atmosphere of the game did not provide much opportunity for true leadership growth. Moderate or strenuous physical activity was an integral part of the program. Staff encouraged students to move around and be physically active as they do activities. Nutritional concepts were not an obvious part of the activities. YWCA—Bethune Middle School
Page 293
YWCA—Bethune Middle School
Page 294
APPENDIX A—CASE STUDY DOCUMENTATION
The following are some of documents used during these case studies. •
2007 Agency Administrator Questionnaire •
Observer Site Documents cover sheet •
Homework observation [pdf] •
Activity observation [pdf] Appendix A—Case Study Documentation
2007 Agency Administrator Questionnaire The purpose of this questionnaire is to give each LAUSD partner agency the opportunity to share with the
evaluation team information about your program that you think we should know that may not be reflected in the
quantitative data. This information will permit us to provide enriched descriptions of your successes, challenges and
program improvement efforts that may other never come to light. After we study your answers, we may telephone
or visit you to learn more about your responses. While it’s certainly not required, you may also wish to include
attachments to this questionnaire to provide us with more insight on some of your responses.
1. What are some of the successes you experienced this year that may not show up in your quantitative data? What did you do to capitalize on these successes? 2. Describe the distinctive features of your elementary program offerings? 3. Describe the distinctive features of your middle school program offerings? 4. What are the most significant challenges your school sites faced this year? How did you deal with these challenges? 5. What are the most significant challenges your agency faced this year? How did you deal with these challenges? 6. How did the proliferation of new programs and funding affect your ability to recruit the staff you needed? 7. What kinds of staff are you having the most difficulty finding? 8. What are the most promising new staff development activities you have carried out this year? 9. What parent outreach activities have you attempted this year which benefited your program in tangible ways? 10. Briefly describe the quality of the relationships your site coordinators generally have with their school site principals. Appendix A
2007 Agency Administrator Questionnaire
11. What kinds of efforts have you been making to coordinate your after school programs with the unique needs of each site where you operate? 12. What kinds of technical assistance would you most welcome? 13. What kinds of technical assistance do you find unnecessary at this time? 14. What are the most challenging aspects of your relationship with Beyond the Bell? 15. What are the most substantial benefits of your partnership with Beyond the Bell? 16. What else about your program would you like tell us? Appendix A
2007 Agency Administrator Questionnaire
RSS/LAUSD BTB, PERB Evaluation Fall 2007
OBSERVATION SITE DOCUMENT COVERSHEET
Agency:
Site Name:
Site Coordinator:
Date form left at site:
Date of Form Pick Up
Observer:
Please provide the following documents to observer before the last site visit.
Check List of Site Documents
A list of all ASP staff at the site (names and titles)
Program schedule including: a) all activities/clubs offered during Fall 2007 semester. b)
time in after school program schedule that each activity takes place; c) rooms or locations
where each activity takes place
A map of the site with all the locations of ASP activities clearly marked
Packet of materials identical to whatever is given to new participants (and labeled as
such) including the program application form
Disciplinary policy or other program policies and procedures [not included in the new
participant packet]
Any program literature that describes the key components of the program
Literature; flyers about special events and activities organized by the After School
Program at the school site or in the community
Examples of program curriculum: activity or lesson plans; student worksheets
Examples of recent communications to parents/families (not consent forms)
Examples of recent communications to the community such as flyers or newsletters
If you have any questions; or if packet is not picked up by December 4, 2007,
Please contact:
Jill Grossbard
RSS’s Director of Field Operations.
Office Phone: 310-827-9665
Mobile Phone: 310-430-0520
E-Mail: [email protected]
Appendix A
Observation Site Document Cover Sheet
H O M E W O R K / A C A D E M IC E N R I C H M E N T O B S E R V A T IO N F O R M
LAUSD Beyond the Bell Branch, Fall 2007
School Site
Agency
Observation Date
Observation Start/End Times
Observer Name
What is the duration of the
homework/academic period?
When does it occur in the program
Total # female students
schedule?
Total # male students
Estimated age range of students
Total # students
Total # staff
Check type of activity: € Homework Assistance
_____:_____ to _____:_____ (
) total
€ Academic Enrichment € Combination of both
Instructions:
Check boxes for each indicator as they apply. Note that some indicators may not occur during the observation period or be
relevant to the specific activity being observed, in which case you need to check the “No ” or “N/O” box for “not observed”.
While observing you may write comments in the space to the right of each item. Immediately following the observation period,
summarize your observations in the large box provided under the list of indicators for each of the six areas on this form.
1. Physical Environment
a. Type of physical space (e.g., classroom; auditorium;
computer lab; library; cafeteria; outside lunch tables,
Describe Type of Space:
or other)
b. Workspace is sufficient and appropriate for students to
do their homework
c. Basic materials and equipment is provided (e.g.,
desks, chairs, pencils, paper)
d. IT resources are provided (e.g., PCs, internet access)
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
e. Noise level is appropriate with no interruptions or
distractions from others sharing the space nearby
Yes
No
f. Students are working individually, in pairs; organized
Individually
Pairs
Groups
Whole group
Mixed grouping
into groups; or working in mixed as a whole group
Yes
No Specify nature of observed problem (s):
g. The space is free from any safety or environmental
problems
Describe the physical space in which the homework assistance is taking place. Elaborate any significant features noted above.
C:\Documents and Settings\Steven Frankel\Desktop\07-9-26 Pilar docs\ 07-9- 26 Homework Observatio n Form.doc
2. Role of Staff and Interaction with Students
a. Staff role in activity is to provide direct instruction;
Direct Instruction
Guiding/Coaching
Supervis ing/Observing
guide/coach students; or just supervise and observe
b. Staff management of group is tight and over control
Over control
Flexible/appropriate control
Little authority
exists; staff are flexible and use positive behavior
guidance techniques; or staff have little authority
c. Staff are interested in what students are doing; or
Very interested
Somewhat interested
Mostly Ignore
ignore students, leaving them on their own, showing
little interest in what they are doing
d. Staff are supportive of students, showing interest in
Highly supportive
Somewhat Supportive
Not supportive
individual students in appropriate ways,
demonstrating affection and encouragement
e. Staff appear bored or distant; or are intrusive, hostile,
Highly negative
Somewhat negative
No negativity evident
are disparaging (belittle, yell or use sarcasm) and
generally disrespectful of students
f. Staff are able to assist the students with their
Yes
No
homework (i.e. they have the necessary academic
knowledge and skills)
g. A system or routine seems to be in place for staff to
Yes
No
check if students have any homework and/or what
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
their homework is for the day
Describe the role of staff and the quality of their interactions with students. Elaborate on any significant features noted above.
a. Students are friendly and relaxed with one and other
and appear to be having a good time (e.g. they smile
and converse socially or about the activity)
b. Students speak and interact with each other
respectfully and positively, listen attentively to one and
other, take turns and encourage each other to do well
c. Students offer and accept help from one another, and
work collaboratively(e.g. they share materials and
work well together, and make compromises)
d. Some students seem withdrawn or are being excluded,
ignored or picked on
e. Student interaction is negative, they make fun of,
harass or intimidate each other
3. Peer Interactions
Very friendly
Somewhat friend ly
Very positive
Highly supportive
Yes
Somewhat positive
Not very friendly
N/O
Not very positive
N/O
Somewhat supportive
Not supportive
N/O
No
Very negative interactions
N/O
Somewhat negative
f. Students speak softly and recognize other students’
Yes
No
need to focus on homework?
Describe the general quality of interactions among students. Elaborate on any significant features noted above.
Not at all negative
N/O
N/O
4. Level of Engagement and Enjoyment of Activities
a. Students are engaged and focused on what they are
Highly focused
Somewhat focused
Not focused
doing
b. Students appear to be enjoying the activity; expressing
High enjoyment
Enjoyment
No enjoyment
excitement and interest
c. Students follow staff directions and work with peers in
Very Agreeab le
Somewhat agreeab le
Dis agreeable
an agreeable manner
d. Students seem comfortable asking questions or seeking
Very comfortable
Comfortable
Uncomfortable
assistance from each other and the adults around them
e. Students contribute to discussions, offer their ideas
Often contribute
Occasionally contribute
Seldom contribute
and comment on the activity they are doing
f. Some students are disengaged, bored or distracted
None are disengaged
Few disengaged
Most disengaged
from the activity
g. Some students are in tolerant, hostile, or trying to
None are intolerant/hostile
Few into lerant/hostile
Most or all
undermine the activity
Describe the general level of student engagement and enjoyment during homework. Elaborate on any significant features noted above.
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
5. Elements of Disguised Learning or Direct Instruction
a. Students are practicing oral skills, reading, or writing
Yes
No
N/O
as part of their homework or alternative activity
b. Students are practicing math skills as part of their
Yes
No
N/O
homework or alternative activity
c. Worksheets, computer software, textbooks or other
Yes
No
N/O
reading materials are used
d. Students who have no homework or who finish early
Yes
No
N/O
have learning materials or alternate activities
available to them (e.g. board games; computer games)
e. Students receive direct instruction individually, in
Individually
Small group
Whole group
No direct instruction N/O
small groups, or whole group
f. Individual students receive tutoring in specific subject
Yes
No
N/O
areas. If so, who is providing the tutoring?
Describe any elements of disguised learning or direct instruction or tutoring taking place. Elaborate on any significant features noted above.
a. Students are challenged to think critically, gather
information, synthesize, plan, problem solve, or make
6. Level of Challenge
High level of challenge
Med ium level
Low level
N/O
Med ium level
Low level
N/O
Med ium level
Low level
N/O
decisions
b. Students are challenged to work or play with precision
and accuracy
c. Students are challenged to move beyond their current
level of competency and set goals for themselves
d. Students appear to be bored or operating with little
No students
Few students
Most or all students
N/O
thought or involvement
e. Staff are quality-checking students’ homework
Yes
No
N/O
Describe the general level of challenge of the homework/activities students are doing. Elaborate on any significant features noted above.
ACTIVITY OBSERVATION F ORM
LAUSD Beyond the Bell Branch, Fall 2007
School Site
Agency
Observation Date
Observation Start/End Times
What is the scheduled duration of
the activity?
When does activity occur in the
Observer Name
Total # female students
program schedule?
Total # male students
Estimated age range of students
Total # students
Total # staff
_____:_____ to _____:_____ (
) total
Instructions:
Check boxes for each indicator as they apply. Note that some ind icators may not occur during the observation period or be relevant to the
specific activity being observed, in which case you need to check the “No” or “N/O” box for “not observed”.
While observing you may write comments in the space to the right of each item. Immed iately fo llowing the observation period, summarize
your observations in the large box provided under the list of ind icators for each of the nine areas on the form.
1. Description of Activity
a. Type of activity (Check all that apply)
Study skills/test preparation
Visual arts, crafts , mechanical or repair
Reading/language arts enrichment
Performing arts , drama, rehearsal/instruction
Math/science enrichment
Cultural awareness clubs/projects
Computer skill-build ing/ word processing
Board/table/card games or puzzles
Computer games
Health/well-being
Multimedia/ digital technology
Service/civic (in community or program)
Sports: competitive and non-competitive
Leadership/character development
Sports: practice/drills/skill-build ing
Other (specify) _______________________
b. Activity has clear goals and objectives
Yes
No
c. Activity appears to be appropriate for the students’
Yes
No
ages, genders and backgrounds?
Describe what youth are doing in this activity, what kinds of materials are used, the content or theme of the activity and any student products
being created .
2. Physical Environment
a. Space is sufficient and appropriate for activity
Yes
No
b. Necessary materials and equipment are provided to
Yes
No
do activity and there is enough for everyone involved
c. Youth can be observed simultaneously and are
Yes
No
appropriately supervised
d. Students are working individually, in pairs or
Individually
Pairs
Groups
Whole group
organized into groups or as whole group
e. The space is free from any safety or environmental
Yes
No Specify nature of observed problem (s):
problems
Describe the physical space in which the activity is taking place and elaborate any significant features noted above:
Mixed grouping
C:\Documents and Settings \Steven Frankel\Desktop \07-9-26 Pilar docs \07-9-26 Activity Observation Form_rvsd.doc 9/25/07
3. Role of Staff and Interactions with Students
a. Staff role in activity is to provide direct instruction;
Direct Instruction
Guiding/Coaching
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
guide/coach students; or just supervise and observe
Staff management of group is tight and over
controll ed; staff are flexible and use positive
behavior guidance techniques; or staff have little
authority
Staff are interested in what students are doing; or
ignore students, leaving them on their own, showing
little interest in what they are doing
Staff are supportive of students, showing interest in
individual students in appropriate ways,
demonstrating affection and encouragement
Staff appear bored or distant; or are intrusive, hostile,
are disparaging (belittle, yell or use sarcasm) and
generally disrespectful of students
Staff are prepared and have the necessary knowledge
and skills to lead the activity successfully
Staff communicate goals, purposes and expectations
Supervising/Observing
Over control
Flexible/appropriate control
Very interested
Somewhat interested
Highly supportive
Little authority
Mostly Ignore
Somewhat Supportive
Not supportive
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
Highly negative
Somewhat negative
No negativity evident
N/O
Highly skilled
Adequately Skilled
Insufficiently skilled
N/O
Yes
N/O
No
Describe the general role of staff and the quality of their interactions with students. Elaborate on any significant features noted above.
a. Students are friendly and relaxed with one and other
and appear to be having a good time (e.g. they smile
and converse socially or about the activity)
b. Students speak and interact with each other
respectfully and positively, listen attentively to one and
other, take turns and encourage each other to do well
c. Students offer and accept help from one another, and
work collaboratively (e.g. they share materials and
work well together, and make compromises)
d. Some students seem withdrawn or are being excluded,
4. Peer Interactions
Very friendly
Somewhat friend ly
Very positive
Highly supportive
Yes
Somewhat positive
Not very friendly
N/O
Not very positive
Somewhat supportive
Not supportive
N/O
N/O
No
ignored or picked on
e. Student interaction is negative, they make fun of,
harass or intimidate each other, or compete unfairly
Very negative interactions
Somewhat negative
Not negative
Describe the general quality of interactions among students. Elaborate on any significant features noted above.
N/O
5. Level of Engagement and Enjoyment of Activities
a. Students are engaged and focused on what they are
Highly focused
Somewhat focused
Not focused
doing
b. Students appear to be enjoying the activity; expressing
High enjoyment
Moderate enjoyment
No enjoyment
excitement and interest
c. Students follow staff directions and work with peers in
Very Agreeab le
Somewhat agreeab le
Dis agreeable
an agreeable manner
d. Students seem comfortable asking questions or seeking
Very comfortable
Comfortable
Uncomfortable
assistance from each other and the adults around them
e. Students contribute to discussions, offer their ideas
Often contribute
Occasionally contribute
Seldom contribute
and comment on the activity they are doing
f. Some students are disengaged, bored or distracted
None disengaged
Few disengaged
Most disengaged
from the activity
g. Some students are in tolerant, hostile, or trying to
None into lerant/hostile
Few intolerant/hostile
Most or all
undermine the activity
Describe the general level of student engagement and enjoyment during homework. Elaborate on any significant features noted above.
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
6. Elements of Disguised Learning or Direct Instruction
a. Students are using oral or silent reading, writing or
Yes
No
N/O
math skills as part of the activity
b. Specific content areas are integrated into the activity
Yes
No
N/O
such as Math, History or Science
c. Students appear to be learning new information, ideas
Yes
No
N/O
or skills
d. Worksheets, computer software, textbooks or other
Yes
No
N/O
reading materials are used
e. Students receive direct instruction individually, in
Individually
Small group
Whole group
No direct instruction
N/O
small groups, or whole group
Describe any elements of disguised learning or direct instruction or tutoring taking place. Elaborate on any significant features noted above.
7. Level of Challenge
a. Students are challenged to think critically, gather
information, synthesize, plan, problem solve, or make
Med ium level
Low level
N/O
decisions
b. Students are challenged to work or play with precision
Med ium level
Low level
N/O
and accuracy
c. Students are challenged to move beyond their current
Med ium level
Low level
N/O
level of competency and set goals for themselves
d. Students appear to be bored or operating with little
No students
Few students
Most or all students
N/O
thought or involvement
e. Staff are quality-checking students’ work
Yes
No
N/O
Describe the general level of challenge of the homework/activities students are doing. Elaborate on any significant features noted above.
8. Opportunities to Develop Leadership
a. Students are given the opportunity to work
Yes
No
independently
b. Youth take leadership roles and making decisions
Yes
No
about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it
c. Students are learning or practicing important life
Yes
No
skills
d. Students negotiate with staff over how activities are
Yes
No
conducted
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
e. Students define roles for each other and what they
Yes
No
N/O
expect from the staff
f. Students are engaged in a community service
Yes
No
N/O
project
Describe any opportunities to develop leadership skills and independence during activity. Elaborate on any significant features noted above.
9. Opportunities for Physical Activities
a. Moderate or strenuous physical activity is an
Yes
No
integral part of this activity
b. Activity includ es aspects of active performance arts
Yes
No
such as dancing, marching, etc
c. Nutritional concepts and practices an integral part
Yes
No
of this activity
d. S taff encourage students to move around and be
Yes
No
physically active as they do the activity
e. Physical competition an integral part of this activity
Yes
No
f. Some students breathing hard or showing other signs
Yes
No
of exertion
Describe any physical activity that is occurring. Elaborate on any significant features noted above.
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O
N/O

Technical Report - Los Angeles Unified School District

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