report - Senator Vincent Hughes

A Blueprint for Action
Blue Ribbon Commission on Safe Schools
A city-wide collaborative effort
January 2012
THE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ON SAFE
SCHOOLS
Table of Contents
-Opening Message
-BRC Membership
-Introduction
-Key Findings, Recommendations & Actions
•
Policy Implementation Committee
•
School Visit/Audit Committee
•
Attendance & Truancy/Violence &
Bullying Prevention Committee
-Schools That Work/School Case Studies
-Community Voices
-Closing Statement
-Appendix
i
There is no more important issue to
parents, students and staff than
school safety. In the hierarchy of
needs, it understandably outranks
academic performance because without safety, fear increases, parent
confidence is eroded, and teaching
and learning are undermined. But just
as Police Commissioner Charles
Ramsey cannot arrest his way out of
the problem of community violence,
the School District of Philadelphia cannot suspend or expel its way out of the problem of school
violence. We realize that prevention is the wisest investment. We also know that this community is
tired of “business as usual” in addressing school violence, so we are making a public commitment to
two important values as we receive this report:
1. Relationships
Safer schools depend on better relationships more than on cops and cameras. Programs
and services that build positive relationships among students and between students and
staff will prevent much of the disruption and violence that currently exist in our most chaotic
and dangerous schools. When students experience engaging instruction in the classroom,
sports, art, music, dance, and drama outside the classroom, positive interaction with caring
and knowledgeable adults, and effective support for personal and family challenges, they
will be far less likely to cause or get into trouble.
2. Integrity
No one will know if our schools are getting safer unless they can trust that the data we collect
and report is valid and consistent, and that there is no “down coding” or under reporting in an
attempt to make a school look safer than it is. We need to reverse the current incentives so
that people are not punished for being honest. If our data has no credibility, our actions
will have no legitimacy.
The Blue Ribbon Commission on Safe Schools has provided an extended opportunity for leaders
from a wide variety of District and city offices and non-profit agencies to collaborate in addressing
some of the most persistent and vexing problems facing students and staff in school every day. To that
task, we bring the knowledge that:
1. Most, if not all, of the solutions to the problem of school safety can be found within the
District so our job is to scale up what works, rather than creating or importing more pilot
programs or innovations.
2. Peer professional development is the best way to enhance professional competence.
3. Students must be engaged early and actively as problem preventers and problem solvers
because they are each other’s best resources in both preventing and addressing issues of
safety.
ii
4. Students need multiple opportunities as musicians, artists, athletes, actors, dancers,
writers, organizers, and leaders, because if they are bored, behind or disengaged in school,
they will be more likely to express their alienation in bad behavior.
5. Students with social and behavioral health challenges need support in a timely manner well
before dysfunction overtakes their lives.
The work involved in producing this
report represents an aggressive
public commitment to ensuring the
safety of every student and staff
member. We are confident that the
unprecedented engagement of city
agencies, non-profit and faith partners, employees, parents, student
leaders, and community stakeholders will yield unprecedented results
in safer and more welcoming
schools.
This work will be hard. We must use
the collective wisdom and resources of
everyone in the City so we can say "No excuses--we can and will create safer and more welcoming
schools for all our children."
Respectfully,
Michael A. Nutter
Mayor
The City of Philadelphia
Leroy D. Nunery II, MBA, Ed. D.
Acting Superintendent/CEO
The School District Of Philadelphia
iii
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION
2010/2011 Conveners
Arlene C. Ackerman, Ed.D.
Superintendent, The School District of
Philadelphia
Scribes:
Karreen Simpson
Marciel Gonzalez
Severin Tucker
Michael Nutter
Mayor, The City of Philadelphia
Data Specialists:
Daniel Piotrowski
Josh Culbertson
Katie Rendon
The Moderators
R. Seth Williams
District Attorney, The City of Philadelphia
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez
7th District Councilwoman, The City of
Philadelphia
Honorable Co-Chair
Charles Ramsey
Commissioner, The Philadelphia Police
Department
Sub-committee Co-Chairs
Safe Schools Audit/School Visit
Committee
Tomás Hanna
Damien Burke
Attendance & Truancy/Bullying &
Violence Prevention Committee
Ericka Washington
Greg Shannon
Policy Implementation Sub-Committee
Michael A. Davis
Rachel Holzman
iv
Blueprint For Action
Final Report Writer
Mikisha Morris
Contributing Writer
Debra Weiner
Report Design/Editing:
Bryan Maiorana
Shana Kemp
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION
2010/2011 MEMBERSHIP ROSTER
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Adams, James
Aigen, Matthew
Ambrose Anne Marie
Atkinson, Jackie
Brown, Sheila
Burke, Damien
Callahan, Paul L.
Carter, Tracey
Chaney, Jerome
Cho, Vittorio
Coates, Darryl
Culbertson, Josh
Davis, Labrant
Davis, Michael A.
Davis, Yvette
Delaney, John P.
Divine, Quibila
Dumas, Tyree
Dunkley, Karren
Dzurinko, Nijmie
Ellis, Glenn
Evans, Douglas
Fodstater, Erica
Freeman, Harold
Freeman, Jim
Gainor, Yelonda
Garcia, Emilio
Gillison, Everett A.
Ginyard, Fred
Goodman, Barbara
Green, Justin
Handy, Todd
Hanna, Tomás
Harris, Jordan
Harris, Michael C.
Hendricks, Gretchen
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Henkin, Marlene from
State Senator Anthony
H. Williams’ Office
Holzman, Rachel
Jahi, Anand
James, Deborah
Jenkins, Leroy
Johnson, Peggy A.
Johnson, Jesse
Johnson, Rudy
Johnson, Venard
Johnson-Speight,
Dorothy
Jones, Aubrey
Jones, Desareé K.
Jones, Donna
Jones, Loree D.
Kearns, Kristen
Krieger, Taylor
Kwesi, Atiba
Lee, Brendan
Leonard, Tania
Lewis, Kandice L.
Mateo, Pablo
Merretazon, Ari S.
Monroe, Rashaan
Moore, James
Morris, Mikisha
Murphy, Adrienne
Murphy, Anthony
Nelson, Jack
Nunery II, Leroy D.
Ortiz, Wilfredo
Patel, Ami
Patterson, Myron
Pereira, Rachel
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Pinguel, Fred
Piotrowski, Daniel
Pryor, Shanna
Purvines, Tamika
Rasul, Fatimah
Rendon, Katie
Ricks, Calista
Ryans, Tara
Samuel, Bunmi
Samuels, Charlene
Samuels, Danielle
Satterthwaite, Diane
Schwarz, Donald
Scott, James
Shannon, Greg
Sheppard, Virgil
Shorr, Lori
Simms, Sylvia
Spence, Stephen
Starr, Samir
Stevenson, Howard
Stone, Alex
Sutton Lawson, Violet
Taylor-Brown, Bridget
Thach, Andy
Thomas, John
Thompson, Cecelia
Vargas, Damien
Velazquez-Vargas, Karen
Ward, Alex G.
Ward, Eric
Washington, Ericka
Weiner, Debra
Whalen, Michael
Wing, Denise
Zibbell, Rachel
*The views and opinions expressed in this report do no necessarily reflect those of every Blue Ribbon Commission member.
The School District of Philadelphia has made every effort to hear every member’s voice and incorporate their feedback
accordingly.
v
INTRODUCTION
Project: Safe Schools was unveiled by the
School District of Philadelphia in September of
2010. The goals of Project: Safe Schools are as
follows:
1. To reduce Persistently Dangerous
Schools (PDS) to zero in 2 years
2. To prevent additional schools from
becoming designated as “persistently
dangerous”
3. To increase every school’s average daily
attendance (ADA) to 90 percent in three
years
4. To decrease the number of chronically
truant students at the Focus 46 schools
to 32 percent in three years
5. To decrease the number of out-of-school
suspensions in the Persistently Dangerous Schools by 50 percent in one year
6. To decrease the number of violent
incidents by 20 percent in one year
7. To fully implement the recommendations
from the Safe Havens International Safe
Schools Audit
were selected using the following criteria:
• Nineteen schools designated Persistently Dangerous for the 2010-2011
school year were automatically
included as Focus 46 schools
Twenty-seven schools met two out of three
indicators below:
• Average daily attendance of students
under 90 percent.
• Chronic truancy rate over 40 percent.
• Five or more violent incidents per
one hundred students.
Identifying the Focus 46 schools was not
enough. Something had to be done to improve
climate in the schools. The following steps were
taken:
• A School Climate Assessment checklist administered monthly by central
office support personnel.
• Monthly professional development
sessions for climate and leadership
teams from each Focus 46 school.
• Ongoing data sharing and monitoring
with Focus 46 schools to facilitate
decisions that would positively impact
climate.
Focus 46 Schools
As the District conducted a comprehensive
data review of climate indicators, it became
evident that a sub-group of schools required
immediate attention. (See Appendix A)
Based on this data review, the District identified
46 schools as Focus Schools. These schools
Results to Date
Average Daily Attendance Out-of-School Suspension
Violent Incidents
2011 % Change 2010
2010
2011 % Change 2010 2011 % Change
District
89.9% 90.1% 0.2%
2132
2104
-1.3%
4759
4021
-16%
All Focus 46
82.1% 82.1% 0.0%
827
791
-4.4%
2370
1953
-18%
All PDS
78.9% 80.1% 1.5%
8751
7900
-9.7%
1397
1068
-23.6%
The Chronically Truant student data results for all enrolled students (including those not of compulsory
school age), show an increase from 20.5 percent to 22 percent of students district wide. There were marginal
increases (less than 1%) in the PDS and Focus 46 school categories.
1
Blueprint For Action
INTRODUCTION
The Blue Ribbon Commission on Safe Schools (BRC)
A major initiative of Project: Safe Schools was the convening of The Blue Ribbon Commission
on Safe Schools (BRC).
The BRC was convened in November 2010 as a result of the citywide concerns about the safety of
our schools, commercial areas, and residential streets, in order to address a surge in youth homicide, school violence, ethnic intimidation, flash mobs, and assaults on citizens involving Philadelphia youth.
Convened by the Superintendent of Schools and the Mayor, the BRC’s membership is comprised
of students, teachers, principals, school officials, police, youth leadership
governorganizations,
govern
ment leaders, parents,
and neighborhood activ
activists. The Superintendent
and the Mayor are
Attorpleased that District Attor
ney R. Seth Williams, 7th
District
Councilwoman
QuiñonesMaria
D.
Quiñones
Sánchez,
and
Police
Commissioner
Charles
Ramsey have pledged
their support for the work
of the Commission.
The Commission created
three committees to focus
impacton specific issues impact
ing school safety:
Safe Schools Audit/School Visit Committee
Members ensured that the Project: Safe Schools recommendations were fully implemented. Members also participated in school visits with SDP leadership.
Policy Implementation Committee
Members reviewed policies that impacted the manner in which incidents and possible crimes were
reported.
Attendance, Truancy, and Bullying Prevention Committee
Members ensured that stronger systems for attendance, truancy, bullying prevention, and intervention were created and implemented with fidelity in Focus 46 Schools and District-wide.
2
KEY FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS & ACTIONS
RELATIONSHIPS
As reported by the Attendance & Truancy/Violence & Bullying Prevention Committee
Finding #1:
Schools do not have adequate therapeutic counseling,
treatment, and social support services for students and
families
Recommendation: Provide counseling and other social
services to address stress and trauma
Action: Establish support groups in school for victims,
offenders, and witnesses to harm, and provide additional
education and social supports to meet student needs (e.g.,
tutoring, counseling and wrap-around service, child care for
parenting students, and behavioral health services).
Peer Mediation is one of the
interventions we use at
Furness High School when
conflicts arise. It assists students with controlling their
anger and resolving issues
by creating a non-violent
agreement.
Timothy McKenna
Principal
Finding #2:
There is uneven communication and implementation of prevention practices in all schools
Recommendation: Identify and implement evidence-based practices such as Positive Behavior
Interventions and Supports, Restorative Practices, Peer Mediation, and Anti-Violence Bullying
Prevention curricula across the District
Action: Identify special spaces, times
and events specifically for building relationships among members of the school
community (e.g., town hall meetings,
classroom meetings, classroom circles);
and train teachers and staff in all middle
and high schools in relationship building, student engagement, and bias
prevention.
Use Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
process to engage organizations with
proven track records of success who
can provide prevention services in Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, Restorative Practices, Peer
Mediation, and Bullying Prevention.
3
Blueprint For Action
KEY FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS & ACTIONS
RELATIONSHIPS
As reported by the Attendance & Truancy/Violence & Bullying Prevention Committee
Finding #3:
A monitoring system is needed in order to determine and ensure fidelity of implementation.
Recommendation: Increase accountability of District and school leadership in partnership with
community stakeholders through ongoing data sharing.
Action: Use data to track program success and identify areas of improvement, and implement an
accountability structure to reduce out-of-school suspensions, expulsions, disciplinary transfers to
transition (alternative) schools, referrals to law enforcement and school-based arrests, and share a
quarterly review process.
Finding #4:
Students need more
opportunity to actively
become agents of
change in their school
communities.
Recommendation:
Incorporate
student
voice,
engagement,
and involvement via a
variety of studentfocused
leadership
opportunities
inside
and outside of school.
Action: As part of the
school action plan,
foster
well-designed
and supported peer-topeer programming such as peer mentoring,
student government, and other student leadership opportunities and activities. Implement character
education via Second Step (school counselors) and School Connect (health and physical education
teachers) in all schools. Provide a rigorous academic experience through experimental learning,
differentiated instruction, and offering hands-on opportunities.
4
KEY FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATION & ACTIONS
INTEGRITY IN REPORTING
As reported by the Policy Implementation Committee
Finding #1:
There are inconsistencies in the reporting and tracking of serious incidents.
Recommendation: The reporting of all serious incidents will be made directly to the Incident Control
Desk at Central Office (440) by School Police Officers (SPOs). The School District of Philadelphia’s
Central Office Incident Control Desk can be reached at (215) 400-6100.
Action: Develop a protocol for reporting of serious incidents by SPOs and tracking such incidents
through the Office of School Safety.
Finding #2:
There are inconsistencies in the reporting of “possible” crimes.
Recommendation: The reporting of all crimes should be made directly to Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) by SPOs.
Action: Develop protocol for reporting of crimes by SPOs.
Finding #3:
There is a lack of clarity and consistency in the implementation of the Student Code of Conduct and discipline procedures.
Recommendation: Clearly define student discipline policies and procedures and implement them
consistently.
Action: Develop statement of Student Discipline Policy that modifies “Zero Tolerance” and provides
for appropriate discretion.
Finding #4:
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SDP and PPD is obsolete.
Recommendation: Update and revise the MOU between SDP and PPD.
Action: Define how the SDP and PPD currently interact; determine and establish the parameters for
greater involvement by the PPD; draft MOU provisions to reflect anticipated changes and new rules
of engagement; negotiate new MOU with PPD, and implement a training program to ensure clarity of
roles.
5
Blueprint For Action
KEY FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS & ACTIONS
ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONSISTENCY
As reported by the School Visit/Audit Committee
Finding #1:
Numerous audits and assessments related to safety and
climate
were
conducted
throughout 2010-2011. This
was confusing, inefficient, and
problematic at the school
level.
Recommendation: Create audit
protocol documents (e.g., checklists) that are not redundant.
Action: Continue the implementation of the School Climate
Assessment checklist. Increase
the focus on preventive/ restorative strategies that are required
to create an environment of respect. Strategies will include a combination of the following:
• Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
• Restorative Practices
• Peer Mediation
• Opportunities to engage students through leadership
These strategies will be implemented by designated members of the school’s staff. Central Office
leadership will ensure that school team members receive the necessary training. Additional training
will be provided by outside partners such as the International Institute for Restorative Practices
(IIRP).
Finding #2:
Some recommendations on monthly School Climate Assessments in Focus 46 schools are
not resolved in a timely manner.
Recommendation: Establish a process to document and track all safety/climate recommendations
(from audits, incident reports, task force reports, etc.) that incorporates prioritization and feedback
upon completion or rational for delay or non-completion.
Action: Implement a process to track and prioritize all safety/climate recommendations to completion.
6
KEY FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS & ACTIONS
ACCOUNTABILITY AND CONSISTENCY
As reported by the School Visit/Audit Committee
Finding #3:
There is no ongoing process to
share best practices across District
schools. School leaders lack a consistent forum for learning about
safety and climate strategies that
work.
Recommendation: Identify best practices sites for climate (District and nonDistrict schools); incorporate and
actively share the ideas, programs, and
procedures with all schools.
District and school leadership is eager
to find, confront, and address
opportunities to improve school safety,
climate, culture and emergency
preparedness.
-Safe Schools Assessment, Safe
Havens International, 2010
Action: Identify six best practice sites for 2011-12. Conduct site visits, document practices, and
communicate opportunities/ideas to SDP schools via Focus 46 and District-wide Principal and Assistant Principal meetings.
Finding #4:
The public sharing of school
outcome results should allow
for prioritization and
supports accountability and
consistency.
Recommendations:
Share
outcome data related to Project:
Safe Schools.
Action: Commit to publicly sharing outcomes data with the
School Reform Commission
monthly and the Blue Ribbon
Commission for Safe Schools
quarterly.
7
Blueprint For Action
SCHOOLS THAT WORK
Findings, recommendations and action steps
are important; however, much of what needs to
be done is already being done. The Commission felt that we should identify and highlight
District and non-District schools which have
experienced success in improving climate. Blue
Ribbon Commission staff prepared case studies
of the following six high-poverty schools which
created positive school climates and improved
academic outcomes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cayuga (K-5)
Tilden Middle School (6-8)
Furness High School (9-12)
The Promise Academy at Vaux
High School (9-12)
A.B. Day (K-8)
Mastery Charter - Shoemaker
(7-12)
Their principals outlined how they improved the
climate in their schools through:
•
•
•
Strong, consistent leadership
Acculturation
Improved relationships
between adults and students
•
•
•
•
Improved peer-to-peer relationships
Clearly articulated behavioral
norms, student interventions
and incentives that are implemented consistently by all staff
Staff, community, and parent
collaboration, support and
buy-in
Opportunities for authentic
student voice through leadership activities
District leadership intends to replicate many of
the interventions and practices within these
schools. It is the District’s intent to expand these
practices District-wide, through ongoing professional development and peer-to-peer/principalto-principal trainings. These professional development opportunities will include on-site visits
so these teams can experience firsthand strategies that work.
8
Case
Study:
Cayuga
School
(K-5)
Case
Study:
Cayuga
School
(K-5)
4344 North 5th Street - Philadelphia, PA 19140
4344 North 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140
Principal: Evelyn Cortéz
Principal: Evelyn Cortéz
Upon accepting the role as principal, Evelyn
Cortéz recognized that teachers, parents and
students were unclear about the school’s
expectations for student behavior. There were
many area “hot spots” where students felt free
to antagonize other students. A disciplinary
plan was not in place to correct student behaviors, the school lacked a student or staff handbook, and there was very little parent involvement in the disciplinary process.
Ms. Cortéz and the staff created a student
handbook that was distributed to all parents and
students in order to clarify student expectations. They also created a staff handbook that clearly
defines expectations for the staff pertaining to student safety in the classroom, lunchroom, during
arrival and dismissal, and in hallway.
The school partnered with Devereaux Behavioral Health to devise a school-wide disciplinary behavioral program called “Cayuga Champs.” This program is used as a method of monitoring student
behaviors and providing
proactive support for staff
and students. The program
2008 2009 2010 2011
provides positive reinforceChronic Truancy
24% 31% 31% 27%
ment to students when they
are modeling the behaviors
Attendance
92% 91% 91% 92%
outlined in the Cayuga
Champs handbook. Teachers, parents, and the adminOut-of-School Suspensions 68
90
67
61
istration worked together to
create and implement the
program.
Violent Incidents
19
33
17
11
This program allows for
students to receive “coupons” for demonstration of proper behavior. The result of receiving a certain
number of “coupons” is an invitation to planned activities to reward the behavior. Students were
brought in for an assembly where the plan was outlined for them and demonstrated. Teachers
utilized the lesson plans that were created in the program to model behaviors for their students in the
classroom (example: students were taken to the bathroom and the teacher would model the proper
procedure for entering and leaving). Parents were sent the Cayuga Champs program and attended
an assembly where they were provided with an opportunity to ask questions and receive clarification.
Once the plan was unveiled to the students, they created posters used to decorate the school and
serve as a reminder of their responsibilities as a student of Cayuga Elementary School.
Ms. Cortéz accessed support from various departments and individuals at the School District of
Philadelphia’s central office. They came to Cayuga and provided the staff and parents with training
on a variety of issues concerning student behaviors, child pedagogy, and classroom management.
9
Blueprint For Action
Case Study: Cayuga School (K-5)
For students who had a difficult time following rules, Cayuga implemented a drop-in program with the
counselor. Students were afforded a fifteen-minute conference time before the beginning of class,
during their lunch period or after school to discuss their behavior and how they could improve. These
meetings could be held individually or as a small group. If unwanted behaviors continued, students
were referred to CSAP, and parents and families were given supports through the school’s Resource
Specialist, which included referral to local outside agencies.
Upon implementation of the program, Ms. Cortéz
PSSA
2008 2011 Gains
saw an increase in the number of incidents
referred because staff members had a clear
vision of student behavioral expectations. Perse-Reading Scores 37% 52% 15pts
verance and determination in adhering to the
program increased the initial number of incidents,
Math Scores
49% 67% 18pts
suspensions and detentions, as staff members
reported incidents as soon as they occurred.
Parents were contacted and meetings were
scheduled with the principal, vice principal and teacher in attendance. Students and parents were
beginning to understand the consequences for inappropriate school behavior. As the program developed, students, parents and staff members became more accustomed to the behavioral norms and
the disciplinary actions that would result if these behaviors were not exhibited.
Within a year Cayuga saw a decrease in the number of
suspensions, detentions and disciplinary referral
forms. Staff became more committed to the program
as positive results increased. Classroom learning was
beginning to improve, test scores were rising and there
were less classroom disruptions. Teachers were able
to provide more individualized learning with the
improvement in the classroom environment. The counselor saw a slight decrease in the number of conferences and therefore was able to address less serious
incidents with students.
During the 2010-11 school year, Cayuga has had many
new teachers who were unfamiliar with the program. Staff worked with these teachers to quickly get
them on board. With staff support for the program, student behavior has improved, as evidenced by
their continued success at achieving Adequate Yearly Progress. Classroom incidents have been
reduced through the help of professional development devoted to classroom management, differentiating instruction, Cayuga Champs and CSAP. With the help of the Student Advisor, the Parent
Ombudsman, and the Bilingual School Community Coordinator, Cayuga has been able to involve
parents in the disciplinary process. Suspensions, detentions and disciplinary referrals have continued
to decrease.
Ms. Cortéz recommends that other principals ensure that systems are developed and implemented at
the very beginning of the school year, and that school teams allow for parents and teachers to meet
and provide feedback. Grade group meetings should allow time for teachers to discuss student
behaviors and to develop strategies and interventions to support student learning. Professional development for classroom management should be scheduled at the beginning of the year to ensure that
new teachers have the tools and resources to begin the year successfully.
10
Case Study: Tilden Middle School (6-8)
6601 Elmwood Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19142
Principal: Jonas Crenshaw
The 2010-2011 school year was Jonas Crenshaw’s first year with The School District of Philadelphia, therefore, he was not privy to observing the climate at Tilden prior to his arrival. However, Mr.
Crenshaw, along with his assistant principal, hosted a leadership team planning session prior to the
beginning of the school year to gain insight about the school culture. During this three-day planning
session, they devoted an entire day to discuss Tilden’s safety and climate. And while it seemed
evident that the previous administration had already made several improvements to the school’s
climate, three recurring themes were identified as areas of concern: morning entry, hallway traffic,
and student fights after school.
In previous years, students were required to stand outside of the school until the bell rang at 8:15
a.m. Because each student had to pass through a metal detector during morning entry, and
because there was only one metal detector at the school, it took students far too long time to complete the morning admission process. Some teachers commented that it was very common to lose
50 minutes of instructional time as students waited to be admitted. Additionally, students used a side
entrance to the school. Consequently, more than 400 students congregated in a congested location
and were often playing near Elmwood Avenue, a busy street in Southwest Philadelphia. Mr. Crenshaw and his assistant principal were concerned about loss of instructional time, the safety of
students near traffic, and the students necessity to stand outside, especially during days of inclement weather.
Several members of the lead2008 2009 2010 2011
ership team also commented
Chronic Truancy
53% 42% 48% 53%
on student traffic in the
hallways.
Team members
cited incidents of students
Attendance
89% 91% 89% 90%
walking the halls at will, and
serious
incidents
that
Out-of-School Suspensions 224 112 45
29
occurred because students
were not where they were
supposed to be. Team memViolent Incidents
38
27
14
11
bers discussed the participation of Tilden students in fights
with each other and students
from other schools after school. It seemed that fighting was an accepted norm by students and
parents, and nothing had been done to prevent students from engaging in this behavior.
For each of the climate issues mentioned, Mr. Crenshaw and his leadership team took the following
five-step approach to changing school climate procedures:
Step 1: Explained the previous practice
Step 2: Discussed the rationale behind the previous practice
Step 3: Brainstormed possible solutions and changes to previous practice
11 Blueprint For Action
Case Study: Tilden Middle School (6-8)
Step 4: Created a detailed process to address each of the climate issues of concern.
Step 5: Opportunities for reflection and
feedback throughout the first
few months of school were
provided.
After the new procedures were created, a plan
for communicating the changes was developed
that included the following:
PSSA
2008 2011 Gains
Reading Scores
42% 30% -12pts
Math Scores
54% 40% -14pts
•
New procedures were given to
staff member in writing.
teach faculty and
•
New procedures were discussed in great detail with faculty and staff members
during professional development days preceding the first day of school.
•
New procedures were modeled with faculty and staff members.
•
Written copies of the new procedures were sent to parents.
•
New procedures were shared with students during class meetings.
In an attempt to make the best-informed decisions about changing climate procedures, Tilden Middle
School’s leadership consulted a variety of stakeholders, which included the school leadership team,
parents, residents in the Tilden community, community business owners, and the local precinct of the
Philadelphia Police Department.
Since the inception of the Safe Corridors program, there has only been one fight after school, occurring more than 30 minutes after dismissal. Students gained more than 30 minutes of instructional
time as a result of the adjustments made to the morning admissions process.
Mr. Crenshaw hopes that all principals evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of school processes
and procedures. He believes that it is not good enough to continue school practices, because those
practices have been routine for the school. Principals must engage key stakeholders as schools
refine procedures on a regular basis. Ultimately, principals should seek practices and routines that
are in the best interest of our most valued commodities – our students.
12
Case Study: Furness High School (9-12)
1900 S. 3rd Street - Philadelphia, PA 19148
Principal: Timothy McKenna
According to Mr. McKenna, he inherited a number of effective staff and strategies when he arrived at
Furness High School. There were competent teacher leaders who, in conjunction with the administration, had created a discipline program that was very structured. An In-School Suspension (ISS)
program was in place as well.
A weakness that he observed was that students did not feel comfortable coming to adults to discuss
issues they were having with their classmates. The students also did not have much say in how
activities and clubs were offered at Furness. There was a definite divide between staff and students.
opinMr. McKenna knew there needed to be a fundamental change in how students could voice their opin
ions. This would build more
of a community where all
2008 2009 2010 2011 stakeholders were given an
Chronic Truancy
69% 73% 63% 58% opportunity to participate in
the improvement of the
Attendance
79% 80% 84% 86% school.
Out-of-School Suspensions
302
242
163
63
Mr. McKenna’s plan was to
listen to all stakeholders as
Violent Incidents
35
41
26
20
school leadership added
courses to its academic
program, social programs and
improvement of the school’s physical plant. They needed to develop pride in being part of the
Furness HS community. Once he sat down with different members of the school community, he
began to seek out resources and introduce programs to the school. The goal was to have a “hook”
for every student in the building, or a reason for them to be excited about coming to school.
Mr. McKenna was very transparent as he assessed what was or wasn‘t working. His goal was to add
activities that were driven by student interest. He spoke with the student body and told them that if
they had ideas, he would listen. When students came with ideas, he asked them to develop a
proposal and find an interested staff member to sponsor the club. Furness had tremendous success
with this approach. They have added a Debate Team, a music program, Science Club, ASPIRA Leadership Club, Philadelphia Student Union Chapter, Guitar Club, school choir, Gift of Life Club, Falcon
Newspaper and Ping-Pong Club. When students started to see that the school was listening to them,
they became more involved with school activities and the academic program. Furness also created
parent workshops to support parents with social issues and ways to support their children with
academics. They wanted parents to view the school as a resource for them and their children.
Peer Mediation is one of the interventions implemented when conflicts arise. It assists students with
controlling their anger and resolving issues by creating a non-violent agreement. Furness provides
an In-School Suspension Program with academic support and consistent staffing. This enables
students to stay on track with their academics after they have committed a minor infraction (level1) of
the code of conduct. The Dean of Students oversees the In-School Suspension Program. She is a full
time teacher who works with other faculty members to provide students with appropriate academic
work while they serve their suspensions. Partnering with Project Pride for peer mediation has been
critical. Project Pride provides a counselor to Furness five days a week to support the peer mediation
program and conduct student workshops. Furness’ average daily attendance rate for students is at
87 percent. Out-of-school suspensions at Furness are down 61 percent, and violent incidents are
13
Blueprint For Action
Case Study: Furness High School (9-12)
down 61 percent, and violent incidents are down 23 percent.
According to Mr. McKenna, student interaction has improved, and it is evident that Furness students
value each other more than in the past. Over 15
PSSA
2008 2011 Gains languages are spoken at Furness. The diverse
cultures are acknowledged and celebrated through
Reading Scores 21% 42% 21pts
activities, clubs, sports and the academic program.
Math Scores
26% 58% 32pts
Mr. McKenna’s students feel more comfortable
approaching adults for help. Every day during
announcements, Mr. McKenna reminds his
students that if they have an issue with another
student they are to go to an adult for support. He has repeated this message so many times that
students and staff members alike can repeat it verbatim. The message is simple but powerful.
Furness High School has become a community of
learners. They have developed a culture where
handling issues in a positive manner is the norm.
When students are dealing with personal problems, Furness has counselors to support them. If
there are issues between students, they are
referred to the peer mediation program. Students
work out their problems by talking and developing
plans that address the root causes of their issues.
Furness staff are consistent in implementing its
policies and as a result have seen positive gains
in the climate of the school.
Mr. McKenna recommends the following to other
principals:
•
Keep the school building clean and in good condition
•
Post behavior policies on bulletin boards and announce them over the public address
system on a daily basis
•
Reward students for appropriate behavior
•
Enforce consequences for inappropriate behavior
•
Initiate anti-bullying, conflict resolution and peer mediation programs
•
Encourage positive interaction between staff and students
•
Provide in-school suspension programs with academic support and consistent
staffing
•
Allow students to have a voice and be involved in the decision making process
14
Case Study: Promise Academy at Vaux High School (9-12)
2300 W. Master Street - Philadelphia, PA 19121
Principal: William Wade
Mr. Wade’s first encounter with the climate of Vaux was not experienced up close and personal but
rather examined through data provided by the District‘s Renaissance Review report. As Mr. Wade and
his leadership team examined and analyzed the data, they knew that they had to “think out of the box”
to create initiatives that would facilitate school/community relationships, and at the same time, heal the
wounds of past failed practices intended to encourage a safer climate. Classes lacked rigor, and
student engagement was not the center of the school-wide instructional program. The climate was not
student-friendly either. Although some teachers actively encourage students’ success, many teachers
did not hold high expectations for all students.
As Mr. Wade and his leadership team entered the first year of the Promise School Initiative, their goal
was to develop a school that demonstrated a commitment to providing challenging and engaging learning experiences for all students. To this end, they were committed to providing stakeholders a place at
the table to collaborate in order to recreate a program that provided rigor and relevance and focused
on its young people.
Mr. Wade’s plan was systematic and targeted. They began their campaign in the neighborhood by
sponsoring a community walk. Vaux’s leadership wanted the community to know that it would not be
“business as usual” and that the school would be a beacon in the community. Mr. Wade and his leadership team built relationships with neighbors, businesses and their new school family. Visitors are now
greeted with warmth when they enter the building.
Building relationships with students and parents was a key priority for Mr. Wade. Vaux started doing this
in a number of ways Students are greeted every morning as they arrive and are wished well as they
depart by Vaux staff. Students are provided an opportunity to voice their concerns through Vaux’s
“Town Hall Meeting” formats, and the Open Door Policy for staff and students is a standard. Vaux also
has “Coffee with the Principal Wednesdays,” which allows parents not only to discuss issues of
concern, but also to partner with the school as they continue the transformation of Vaux.
Supports have been integrated to address the needs of Vaux’s staff and students in order to create a
culture of high expectations. Vaux utilized CSAP interventions, conflict resolution/ peer mediation strategies, and relationship building/ team building initiatives. Vaux’s success is built on the foundation of
teamwork and relationship building. They believed that turning around a school involves everyone and
that an atmosphere of respect and value for the community had to be created.
15
Chronic Truancy
2008 2009 2010 2011
87% 97% 91% 75%
Attendance
77% 72% 75% 82%
Out-of-School Suspensions
170
388
344
137
Violent Incidents
24
32
23
9
Blueprint For Action
Case Study: Promise Academy at Vaux High School (9-12)
Outcomes to date:
•
Student attendance has improved by 7.5 percent (Average Daily Attendance is around
82 percent)
•
Behavioral and Climate issues down by 50 percent
•
PDS incidents are 0 percent
•
Out-of-School Suspensions are down by 62 percent
•
Chronic Truancy reduced by over 17 percent
PSSA
Reading Scores
2008 2011 Gains
13% 15% 2pts
Math Scores
8%
11%
3pts
Mr. Wade recommends the alignment of a strong instructional program supported by a climate that
supports learning. Initiatives must be centered on high expectations. Supporting the work sometimes
means going above and beyond one’s job descriptions and engaging the school team to think critically
and globally while at the same time always keeping in mind that the primary goal is student achievement. Principals must trust their team to create the pathways to promise without micromanaging.
Results materialize when one believes that there is no room for failure.
16
Case Study: A.B. Day (K-8)
6324-42 Crittenden St. – Philadelphia, PA 19138
Principal: Karen Dean
When Karen Dean arrived at the A.B Day School, Out-of-School Suspension and an “Accommodation
Room” operated by Student Support Assistants (SSA) were utilized to discipline students. Staff was
inconsistent in the completion of the Disciplinary Referral (”Pink Slip”) to have students receive one of
these consequences. However, assignment to the Accommodation Room or an Out-of-School
suspension was viewed as the most acceptable consequence for infractions ranging from the use of
profanity to the destruction of property or fighting. Anyone on the staff could send a child to the Accommodation Room. The room was often crowded (10 – 12 students at one time) and students did not
come with schoolwork. The SSAs assigned worksheets that, did not match instructional levels and
were not curriculum-related. Calls to the main office were made daily seeking support for managing
unruly students.
A few weeks prior to the start of the 2003 – 2004 school year, Ms. Dean met with the newly formed
climate team known as ROAR/SWBS Team (Referrals, Opportunities, Advocacy, and Resources/
School-Wide Behavior Support Initiative). At the end of the previous school year, A. B. Day had been
awarded a School-Wide Behavior Support Initiative (SWBS) federal grant in collaboration with a
behavioral health organization. Change was imminent. Ms. Dean shared her ideas on developing a
school-wide “tone of decency” with this team comprised of the principal, teacher leaders, grade &
specialist teachers, the PFT (Philadelphia Federation of Teachers) building representative, counselor,
communischool nurse, school police officer, paraprofessional and parent representatives. Ms. Dean communi
out-ofcated early on that out-of
school suspension was a
2008 2009 2010 2011
strategy
of
last
resort
reserved
for
only
the
most
Chronic Truancy
21% 18% 12% 3%
serious infractions. Everyone
would need to work together
Attendance
94% 95% 95% 95%
to define expectations and
norms for student behavior
and adopt them school-wide.
Out-of-School Suspensions 40
30
25
20
The ROAR/SWBS Team
developed expectations and
lessons for student behavior
trainin every area of the school (i.e. classroom, restroom, lunchroom, school yard, etc.). Turn-around train
ing was provided for staff. Students learned about ROAR/SWBS at assembly programs and in classroom presentations. Informational sessions were held at Back-to-School Night and monthly Home and
School meetings. Over the years, the team evolved into the Safety/PBS Team headed by the Dean of
Students.
Violent Incidents
12
14
3
3
A full day “roll out” for ROAR/SWBS where students, teachers and staff moved about the school buildings and grounds learning the expectations. This was done by way of direct instruction, role-play, and
audio/visuals. ROAR Tickets were introduced. Students could earn tickets when staff members
observe them engaged in the appropriate, expected behavior. Tickets continued to be turned in for
random drawings (first done weekly and now 1 – 2 times monthly) for prizes. The ROAR Expectations
are posted throughout the school and are recited daily. Over time, ROAR has continuously been
enhanced with the introduction of additional programs such as Lesson One (2007), Olweus Bullying
Prevention (2008), weekly classroom meetings (2008), PBS (2009), Socialized Recess (2008), Investment Club Mentors for Grade 8 girls (2008), NOBLE/Kappa Mentors for Grade 8 boys (2010), and
17
Blueprint For Action
Case Study: A.B. Day (K-8)
Peer Mediation (2009). Grants and programs may come and go, but embracing the best practices
and features of each one has benefitted A. B. Day. It is embedded in the school’s climate and culture.
The first year was A. B. Day’s baseline because
discipline referral forms were not used to docu-PSSA
2008 2011 Gains
ment most
discipline referrals. Students were
sent to the office and expected to explain what had
Reading Scores 53% 62% 9pts
occurred. Staff was reintroduced to the form and
Math Scores
58% 74% 16pts
directed to document discipline concerns that
could not be handled at the classroom, lunchroom
and schoolyard levels. There were about 150 discipline referrals completed the first year. Ms. Dean would meet with staff to review them periodically.
This was done to help teachers and support staff to determine which infractions should be reported to
the main office and which could be handled by way of elimination of classroom privileges, conflict
resolution or parent contact.
The Accommodation Room was phased out after the 2003 – 2004 school year. Most Level 1 infractions are addressed successfully by implementation of the interventions introduced and implemented
infracover the last eight years. Some Level 2 infrac
tions may lead to additional measures such as
out -of- school suspension, request for disciplinary transfer. The number of out-of-school
suspensions has declined every year. Alternative Education referrals and recommendations
for expulsions are minimal (of the two students
referred for this 2010 – 2011 school year, only
one transferred to an alternative program). The
Dean of Students often distributes
a n
“Overnight Suspension” form that encourages
parents to attend a school conference the next
day to avoid an out-of-school suspension.
Parent/guardians come to school or in rare
cases engage in conference calls to discuss and
solve students’ problems. There have been fewer distractions by disruptive students in the classroom, directly impacting teaching and learning. Student achievement continues to improve each year.
Ms. Dean recommends the following to other principals:
•
•
•
•
Develop a school-based climate/PBS team that is a cross representation of staff and
whose members are passionate about supporting a positive school climate. Changes
can start small and be gradual (i.e. specific grade, wing of a building) but must be
adopted school-wide to be truly effective.
Everyone must understand that consistency and complete buy-in will support
program success.
Celebrate both the small and big success stories. Do it often and make it public.
Parent Link phone messages, newsletter updates, and school-wide announcements
are strategies implemented by A.B. Day.
Focus on the positive.
18
Case Study: Mastery Charter – Shoemaker Campus (7-12)
5301 Media Street – Philadelphia, PA 19131
Principal: Sharif El Mekki
When Mr. El Mekki arrived at Shoemaker, it was the second most violent school in Philadelphia. The
safety of the students as well as the adults was a major concern. Shoemaker was a place where problems were solved with violence. Students were allowed to loiter and socialize the hallway rather than
learn in a classroom. The hallways were filled with disrespectful, profane, rambunctious students.
There was not a structured discipline system in place. The answer to most disciplinary problems at
Shoemaker was Out-of-School Suspensions or the filing of a police report. It was a place that was in
need of structure and support. The aesthetics of the school building itself contributed to a feeling of
hopelessness. The building was dark and dirty. The level of violence was such that all the windows
had to be locked. Teachers and administrative staff were unsuccessful in building a culture of achievement.
Mr. El Mekki’s plan for changing the climate of the school was to focus on making the school look and
feel positive, orderly, friendly, and well-organized. Mr. El Mekki and staff ensure that every student is
in uniform, school rules are enforced, a culture of high expectations is evident, and academic rigor is
the norm. Mastery’s motto is “Excellence. No Excuses.” They relentlessly focus on student achievement.
The Principal and his administration staff motivated teachers, students and parents to believe that
Shoemaker could be turned around. The administrative staff also provided support, structure and
resources. All staff members were responsible for the implementation of the new structure, building
positive relationships, and holding one another accountable for succeeding.
The following interventions were implemented at Shoemaker:
High Expectations School Culture: Mastery intentionally fosters a “success through work hard”
culture. This culture was created by sweating the small stuff while fostering meaningful, personalized
relationships between students and adults. Shoemaker’s culture program includes:
School Culture Team & Relationship-Driven Security – A dedicated team of Deans
and Social workers are responsible for ensuring quality, personal relationships
between students and adults – the most effective way to create and maintain a safe
school environment.
School Values and Code of Conduct: – Mastery’s mission statement and code of
conduct serves as the foundation of the school culture system.
Restorative Practice & Non-Violence – Mastery’s disciplinary systems focus on
relationships. Students are taught how to take responsibility for their actions and staff
work with them to make amends for past behavior. Conflict resolution is taught in
social-emotional learning classes and non-violence is a constant theme at Shoemaker
Campus.
School-Wide Behavior Systems – All teachers adopt Mastery-wide classroom
behavior systems that provide immediate feedback to students for positive and negative behavior. Nothing is ignored and students know they will have the same set of
behavior norms in every classroom
College Focus – Beginning in kindergarten, Mastery constantly delivers the message, “you will go to college and you must work hard now to get there.”.
19
Blueprint For Action
Case Study: Mastery Charter – Shoemaker Campus (7-12)
School Culture Rituals and Programs – Every school has uniforms, weekly community
meetings, regular “classroom circles” and award systems to reinforce the positive school
culture.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Internships -- Mastery believes social-emotional skills
can be explicitly taught and nurtured. At the elementary level staff use curricula from the
Responsive Classroom and The Incredible Years to teach these skills. At the middle and
high school level, students take social emotional courses (daily in 9th grade, twice weekly in
other grades) focusing on decision skills, conflict resolution, and emotional selfmanagement. The capstone to the SEL program is a required 18-week internship for all 10th
grade students. Students intern at local businesses/workplaces each Wednesday from 1pm
to 5pm. Before the internships, students receive instruction on workplace culture, beginning
with how to shake hands and ending with interviews with real prospective employers.
Student Supports – The Mastery model wraps high support around our high
expectations. Six-week benchmarks allow staff to identify struggling students before they fall
too far behind . Struggling students receive differentiated instruction, additional tutoring, or
“pull-out” support. After-school “homework club” and “office hours” provide additional opportunities to support struggling students. Saturday school is required for middle and high
school age students who have fallen behind. Students that are identified as having a persistent barrier to their academic success, despite early school supports, are referred to the
Student Assistance Program (SAP) team. The SAP team is responsible for evaluating the
issues and identifying supports and services to aid the student in overcoming these barriers.
Overall, violent incidents have decreased by over 80%. Staff and student retention increased significantly. Addressing school violence and building a positive school culture was top priority for Mastery.
Shoemaker is very proud that disruptive incidents were dramatically reduced after the conversion.
Students now report the safe, positive environment at Shoemaker as one of the most important
aspects of the school.
# of Incidents per Pre-Conversion
100 students as
17
reported to PDE:
2006-2007 2007-2008
3
1.5
2008-2009
2009-2010
0
4
Mr. El Mekki recommends that other principals:
•Develop a Single School Culture and adhere to it.
•Engage the stakeholders in creating a code of conduct and values that embody how the community
will interact with each other.
•Hold each other accountable for living the values
•Find opportunities to celebrate the success of incremental and accelerated change.
20
COMMUNITY VOICES
During the 2010-11 academic year a number of
community groups, task forces, and a city commission focused on the issue of violence and
climate in Philadelphia Schools. The result has
been no fewer than six reports that outline a
series of recommendations and next steps that
must be taken to reduce violence and improve
climate in Philadelphia’s schools.
The Blue Ribbon Commission has thoroughly
reviewed the findings and recommendations from
our partners. A critical component of the District’s
work was to identify those recommendations that
can be immediately addressed. Likewise, a timeline for implementation has been developed to
address the remaining recommendations.
Each report has served as a call to action, not only to the School District but to the entire Philadelphia
community. Each report recommends that bold steps be taken to ensure that every school is a place
where students can learn and teachers can teach without fear. The Blue Ribbon Commission hopes
that our partners see their work reflected within this blueprint. We are grateful for the time and effort
that went into crafting each report. Further, we applaud those who join the Blue Ribbon Commission
to assist in the creation of this blueprint.
Within this blueprint, key recommendations, along with necessary action steps are detailed. Owners
have been assigned to ensure action steps are taken. Most importantly, a timeline for implementation
has bene created and is included in the appendix.
WIDENING THE CIRCLE OF OUR CONCERN,
Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations
http://www.wideningthecircle.org
PUSHED OUT – Youth Voices on the Dropout Crisis,
Youth United for Change
http://www.youthunitedforchange.com
ZERO TOLERANCE IN PHILADELPHIA –
Denying Educational Opportunities and Creating a Pathway to Prison,
Youth United for Change
http://www.youthunitedforchange.com
The African American and Latino Male Dropout Task force Report
School District of Philadelphia
http://www.philasd.org
Task Force on Racial Harmony Report
The School District of Philadelphia
http://www.philasd.org
The Campaign for Non-Violent Schools
Philadelphia Student Union
21 Blueprint For Action
CLOSING STATEMENT
The Blue Ribbon Commission will continue its role as monitoring agent to ensure that the goals of
Project:Safe Schools are achieved. As such, the BRC will engage the public in ongoing discussions
focused on safe learning environments for the children of the District.
This report has identified a series of findings, recommendations, and action steps, and includes an
implementation timeline. Our immediate “next steps” are to ensure that performance measures are
identified and that they align to the Project: Safe Schools goals.
Three clear goals were developed through the work and efforts of The Blue Ribbon Commission under
Project: Safe Schools this year. Moving forward, the BRC commits:
1. To apply the recommendations from our partners to the work of the District in creating
safe learning environments for our students and staff.
2. To identify “best practices” that have proven to be successful in our own schools, and use
them to model for other District principals and leadership/safety teams that this work is
doable.
3. To continue to use the Blue Ribbon Commission on Safe Schools, in partnership with
agencies such as the Mayor’s Office of Education, the Philadelphia Police Department, the
District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Human Services, and Family Court as a vehicle
for all stakeholders (students, teachers, school officials, police, youth workers, government
leaders, courts, community partners, families, business owners, parents, and neighborhood
activists) to work together to create safe learning environments for all students.
The School District of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth,
and the City have agreed
through
the
Educational
Accountability
Agreement
signed on June 9, 2011, to
address the manner in which
the District, City and Commonwealth work corroboratively. The Blue Ribbon Commission on Safe Schools is
thrilled that these three entities
recognize that safe schools is
not only a District issue, but a
much broader issue that must
be addressed by a cross
section of interested citizens.
The Blue Ribbon Commission
looks forward to its continued
work with a committed broad-based group of partners to monitor the implementations of the recommendations in this blueprint.
22
Appendix
vi
Report Glossary
ADA – Average Daily Attendance
CBH – Community Behavioral Health
CBO – Community Based Organization
CSAP - Comprehensive Student Assistance Process
CT – Chronically Truant - Any students having 10 or more unexcused absences.
DA – District Attorney
PDE -Pennsylvania Department of Education
DHS – Department of Human Services
F46 – Focus 46 School
MOU – Memorandum of Understanding
OSS – Out-of-School Suspension
PBIS - Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
PDS – Persistently Dangerous Schools - A public elementary, secondary, or charter
school that meets on of the following criteria in the most recent school year and in one additional
year of the two years prior to the most recent school year;
1. For a school who's enrollment is 250 or less, at least 5 dangerous incidents.
2. For a school who's enrollment is 251-1,000, a number of dangerous incidents that represents
at least 2% of the school’s enrollment.
3. For a school who's enrollment is over 1,000, 20 or more dangerous incidents.
PPD – Philadelphia Police Department
RFQ – Request for Qualifications
SDP – School District of Philadelphia
SPO – School Police Officer
VI – Violent Incidents - Violent Index Categories are:
1. Abduction or attempt
2. Drug/ Alcohol offence
3. Assaults of ANY kind
4. Morals
5. Robbery
6. Weapons of ANY kind
7. Incendiary fires
vii
Blueprint For Action
APPENDIX A
The School District of Philadelphia
2010-2011 FOCUS 46 SCHOOLS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
Bartram (9-12)
Alcorn (K-8)
Anderson (K-8)
Audenried (9-10)
Barratt (8)
Barry (K-8)
Beeber (6-8)
Carroll (9-12)
Clemente (5-8)
Cleveland (K-8)
Douglas (9-12)
Edison/Fereira (9-12)
Fels (9-12)
FitzSimons (7-12)
Frankford (9-12)
Franklin (9-12)
Furness (9-12)
Germantown (9-12)
Gratz (9-12)
Harding (6-8)
Jones (5-8)
Kensington Business (9-12)
Kensington Culinary (9-12)
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
King (9-12)
Lamberton (9-12)
Lincoln (9-12)
McMichael (K-8)
Meehan (7-8)
Northeast (9-12)
Olney East (9-12)
Olney West (9-12)
Overbrook (9-12)
Pastorius (K-8)
Penn Treaty (5-8)
Pepper (5-8)
Roosevelt (7-8)
Roxborough (9-12)
Sayre (9-12)
Shaw (7-8)
South Philadelphia (9-12)
Strawberry Mansion (9-12)
Tilden (6-8)
University City (9-12)
Vare, E. (5-8)
Vaux (9-12)
West Philadelphia (9-12)
*Schools in BOLD represent 2010-2011 Persistently Dangerous Schools (PDS) classification
viii
RECOMMENDATION
Reporting of all Serious Incidents
to Incident Control Desk at Central
Office (440) by School Police
Officers (“SPOs”)
Reporting of all Possible Crimes to
Philadelphia Police Department
(“PPD”) by SPO
FINDINGS
Inconsistent Reporting of Serious
Incidents
Inconsistent Reporting of Possible
Crimes
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION
Policy Implementation Sub-committee
Appendix B Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Office of General Counsel
Office of General Counsel
Office of General Counsel
(b) Circulate protocol for feedback and
comment
(c) Finalize protocol
(d) Implement training for SPOs on
protocol
Complete
Complete
Office of General Counsel
Office of General Counsel
Complete
Complete
TIME
Office of General Counsel
Office of General Counsel
SDP PERSONNEL
RESPONSIBLE
Office of General Counsel
(d) Implement training for Principals and
SPOs on protocol
(a) Develop protocol for reporting of
possible crimes by SPOs
(c) Finalize Protocol
(b) Circulate protocol for feedback and
comment
(a) Develop protocol for reporting of
serious incidents by SPOs
ACTIONS ITEM(S)
Update and Revise MOU between
SDP and PPD
Memorandum of Understanding
(“MOU”) between SDP and PPD is
obsolete
RECOMMENDATION
Cleary Define Student Discipline
Policy and Procedures
FINDINGS
Lack of Clarity and Inconsistency
in Implementation of Student
Code of Conduct and Discipline
Procedures
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Complete
Office of General Counsel
Office of General Counsel
Office of General Counsel
Office of General Counsel
Office of School Safety
Office of General Counsel
Office of School Safety
Office of General Counsel
Office of School Safety
Office of General Counsel
Office of School Safety
Office of General Counsel
Office of School Safety
(b) Circulate statement of modified
Student Discipline Policy for
feedback and comment
(c) Finalize Statement
(d) Implement training for key personnel
on new policy
(a) Define how the SDP and PPD
currently interact
(b) Determine and establish the
parameters for greater involvement
by the PPD
(c) Draft MOU provisions to reflect
anticipated changes and new rules of
engagement
(d) Negotiate new MOU with PPD
(e) Implement training program
TIME
Office of General Counsel
SDP PERSONNEL
RESPONSIBLE
(a) Develop statement of Student
Discipline Policy which modifies
“Zero Tolerance” and provides for
appropriate discretion
ACTIONS ITEM(S)
It is unclear how some
calls to the bullying hotline
are resolved. Some
recommendations on
monthly assessments are
not resolved in a timely
manner.
Findings
Numerous audits and
assessments related to
safety and climate were
conducted throughout
2010-11 by various
organizations using
different protocols (i.e.,
different auditors were
looking for different things).
This was confusing,
inefficient, and problematic
at the school level.
Establish and implement an
improved process to ensure that all
calls to the bullying hotline are fully
addressed at the school and
student levels.
Establish and implement a process
to document and track all
safety/climate recommendations
(from audits, incident reports, task
Create the audit protocol
documents (e.g., checklists) that
will be used for each type of
Safety/Climate audit. On the front
end, eliminate conflicts in the
documents and minimize
redundancies. Designate owner for
each protocol. Increase the focus
on preventative/restorative
assessments.
Recommendation
Create a 2011-12 SDP
Safety/Climate Audit Calendar.
Designate an owner.








Create and implement a process to track all
safety/climate recommendations to completion.
Action Item(s)
Schedule a comprehensive, annual “School Opening
(Sept-Nov)” safety audit at the beginning of the academic
year for all SDP Schools.
Schedule monthly School Climate Assessments for all F46
Schools.
Schedule weekly Safety Compliance Audits for all F46
Schools.
Invite Safe Havens International for a re-audit to
measure/validate progress.
Create the comprehensive, annual “School Opening”
safety audit protocol. Designate owner.
Create the Office of School Safety (OSS) weekly Safety
Compliance Audit form (incident reporting, secure access,
ID badges, School Police Officers, etc.). Designate
owner.
Create the Focus 46 monthly School Climate Assessment
checklist. Do not duplicate OSS audit efforts. Include the
elements that are required to create Environments of
Respect: Student Voice, Peer Mediation, PBS, Restorative
Practices, etc. Include Student Supervision, Attendance,
and Truancy. Designate owner.
 Create and implement a bullying hotline followthrough process.
Goal: To create specific and concrete recommendations and action items that will:
1. Provide Schools with clear priorities for Safety/Climate improvement
2. Define effective, efficient School assessment protocol and frequency
3. Facilitate transparent feedback to drive continuous improvement at the school level
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION
School Visit and Audit Committee
Appendix C Office of School
Safety
Office of Student
Discipline,
Hearings and
Expulsions
Office of School
Safety
SDP Personnel
Responsible
Office of School
Safety
Complete
3.
TBD
TBD
Complete
TBD
4.
2.
Weekly
3.
Complete
Monthly
2.
1.
Timeline
Complete
1.
Share results from the monthly
School Climate Assessments.
force reports, etc.) to completion.
Incorporate prioritization.
Include F46 Principals on School
Climate Assessment teams to
facilitate first-hand, real-time
learning and foster a culture of
continuous improvement. Continue
to encourage self-assessments.
Identify and visit best practices sites
for climate (District and non-District
schools). Actively share the ideas,
programs, and procedures.
Integrate the monthly School
Climate Assessments and the
monthly Instructional Walk-throughs
to obtain a more holistic perspective
of each school, to facilitate a
coherent approach to continuous
improvement, and to enable
coordinated efforts.
Share outcome data related to
Project: Safe Schools.
Guiding Practices:
 Training and services must be on-going
 Accountability - tie to existing performance measures
o Audit and assess schools
 Student Engagement is essential
o Students must have a voice
The public sharing of
school outcome data and
school assessment results
allows prioritization and
motivates personnel.
There is no ongoing
process to share best
practices between
functions/schools.
Principals do not have a
consistent forum for
learning about safety and
climate.
Appendix C 

Share Project: Safe Schools outcome data via a
Dashboard. The Dashboard will allow school-byschool comparisons and rankings (over time) across
the defined Safe Schools goals/metrics: PDS, VI,
OSS, ADA, and CT. Update the Dashboard monthly.
Share School Climate Assessment results for each
F46 School every month. Classify the results by
Red/Yellow/Green to identify successes, barriers,
and trends across categories/schools.
TBA
TBA
TBD
TBD
TBD
Office of the
Associate
Superintendent of
Schools and
Academic
Programs

TBD
TBA
Identify six best practice sites for 2011-12. Take a
cross-functional team to each site, document
practices, and communicate opportunities/ideas to
SDP schools.
Propose that safety/climate and instructional school
visits be combined. Implement as appropriate.

TBD
TBA
Include F46 Principals (or designees) on School
Climate Assessment teams each month.

Increase partnerships with social
service agencies, CBOs, and
behavioral health providers to
provide direct service, prevention,
intervention, and support to
children and families
Need for increased therapeutic
counseling, treatment, and
social support services for
students and families
Re-align behavioral health staff to
support the emotional needs of
students and families
RECOMMENDATION
FINDINGS
Goal: To Create specific and concrete recommendations and action items that will:
1. Prevent and intervene in incidents of bullying and harassment
2. Increase student attendance
3. Reduce truancy
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION
Attendance, Truancy, Bullying & Violence Prevention Committee
Appendix D 


Define and document expectations
of external partners
Status Update: Collaborated with
Philadelphia’s DHS, CBH agencies
to develop programmatic systems to
support students. Rules of
engagement for the specific services
funded through CBH were shared
with District principals that have onsite programs during the Leadership
Institute in August 2011.
Provide monthly feedback to
partnering agencies
Status Update: Partnering agencies
meet monthly to identify, discuss,
and remove the barriers that impede
our students and families from
receiving a seamless provisions of
reports.
Establish monthly coordination
meetings with counselors, Resource
Specialists, DHS, and CBH
treatment and service providers.
Status Update: District schools are
not consistently holding Resource
Coordination Meetings each month.
The RTI-SAP Specialists are
assisting school teams and
monitoring the implementation of the
school site Resource Coordination/
Case Management Meetings. This
action commenced in Sept. 2011
ACTION ITEM(S)
Office of Counseling and
Promotion Standards
SDP PERSONNEL
RESPONSIBLE
Office of Counseling and
Promotion Standards
7/1/11 to
6/30/12
7/1/11 to
6/30/12
TIMELINE
Uneven communication and
implementation of prevention
practices in all schools
Appendix D Determination of evidence based
practices (Restorative Practices,
Peer Mediation, Positive Behavior
Support, and Bullying Prevention)
for systemic prevention services
mandated and implemented across
the District
Implement trauma informed
practices District-wide
Provide counseling and other
social services to address stress
and trauma
TBD

Establish support groups in school
for victims, offenders, and witnesses
to harm
 Provide additional education and
social supports to meet student
needs.
Status Update: The District hosts
107 behavioral health programs at
school sites. These services are
provided primarily at the K-8 schools
funded by CBH. The School Based
Social Services Program
experienced a decrease in its budget
for 2011-2012 SY.
Recommendations were made to
reduce the level of services to
schools in order to maintain supports
to all schools.
RESTORATIVE PRACTICES
 Identify special spaces, times and
events specifically for building
relationships among members of the
school community (e.g., town hall
meetings, classroom meetings,
classroom circles)
 Train teachers and staff in all middle
and high schools in relationship
building, student engagement, and
bias related violence prevention
PEER MEDIATION/CONFLICT
RESOLUTION
 Train and support appropriate staff
in strategies for intergroup conflict
POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT
 Develop and teach clear behavior
expectations for students and staff
BULLYING PREVENTION
 Train teachers and staff in bullying
and harassment

12/2011 to
6/2012
Office of the Associate
Superintendent of Schools and
Academic Programs
Office of the Associate
Superintendent of Schools and
Academic Programs
12/2011 to
6/2012
12/2011 to
6/2012
TBD
9/1/11 to
6/30/12
9/1/11 to
6/30/12
Office of the Associate
Superintendent of Schools and
Academic Programs
Office of Student Discipline,
Hearings and Expulsions
Office of the Associate
Superintendent of Schools and
Academic Programs
Office of Counseling and
Promotion Standards
Office of Counseling and
Promotion Standards
Appendix D 
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Build strong sustained leadership
in all schools
Implement a system-wide
awareness campaign around
issues relating to Restorative
Practices, Peer Mediation, Positive
Behavior Support, and Bullying
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
Use all available vehicles
(superintendent messages, union
newsletter, press releases, reports
about school safety and school
improvement) to provide information
Site selection of all leadership and
instructional staff
Survey students and families to
collect information on intergroup
conflict, bullying, and harassment
Offer Parent University courses on
bullying and violence prevention,
conflict resolution, restorative
practices, etc.
Hold parent meetings at alternative
locations
Perform city-wide outreach,
leveraging the cultural knowledge of
community members and
organizations to support the work of
the District
Use SPI to determine similar
schools. Identify, implement, and
evaluate best practices.


Match successful schools with
struggling schools
Utilize grass roots organizations for
prevention services in Restorative
Practices, Peer Mediation, Positive
Behavior Support, and Bullying
Prevention
Provide best practices for parent
and community engagement
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Offer cultural activities, trips, and
deliberate celebrations of diversity
for students, families, and school
staff (e.g., International Day)
Hold school opening assemblies to
educate students on District policies
Incorporate cultural awareness and
diversity in after school programs
Use RFQ Process

Office of Parent and Family
Office of Talent Development
Office of the Associate
Superintendent of Schools and
Academic Programs
Office of the Associate
Superintendent of Schools and
Academic Programs
TBA
Office of Parent and Family
Services
TBA
9/1/11 to
6/30/12
5/1/11 to
9/1/11
7/1/11 to
9/1/11
7/1/11 to
6/30/12
10/2011 to
06/2012
Appendix D Develop and share evidencebased practices for attendance and
truancy
Prevention
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Collaborate with city partners
(Department of Human Services,
District Attorney, Family Court,
Mayor’s Office of Education and the
Philadelphia Police Department) to
provide stronger enforcement of,
and greater parental accountability
to, mandatory attendance laws
Status Update: In progress. The
District is part of a cross-system
collaborative that meets regularly
and is working on the modification of
the city-wide play for truancy
reduction
Communicate attendance policies
and procedures for all areas to all
members of the school community
Status Update: In progress. A
about anti-discrimination and antiharassment policies, complaint
procedures, and related resources
Offer orientation programs that
include intergroup conflicts
resolution skill building and language
access information to all newly
arriving immigrant students
Place posters and postings about
policies in front offices, in cafeterias,
at school entrances, and other
common areas
Post links about prevention
programs, resources, and policies
on District's website on all relevant
pages
Office of Attendance and
Truancy
Status Update: Orientation for
student and parents is
conducted at the Enrollment
Centers upon enrolling at the
District. Workshops are offered
throughout the year for parents
on issues related to the District
and on navigating the school
system and city agencies.
Office of Multilingual
Curriculum and Programs
Office of Communications
Services
7/1/11 to
6/30/12
Increase accountability of District
and school leadership in
partnership with community
stakeholders
Incorporate student voice,
engagement, and involvement in
the domain of curriculum and
instruction
A monitoring system is needed
in order to determine and
ensure fidelity of
implementation
Need to increase student
opportunity to actively become
agents of change in their
school community
Appendix D 
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Use data to track program success
and identify areas of improvement
Implement an accountability
structure to reduce truancy, out of
school suspensions, expulsions,
disciplinary transfers to transition
(alternative) schools, referrals to law
enforcement and school based
arrests
Hold an quarterly review process to
ensure best practices and activities
are maintained and enhanced
Differentiate instruction by providing
hands on opportunities
Provide experiential learning
Incorporate small group work,
project based learning, interaction,
and relationship building
Add curriculum around cultural
diversity and education with bullying
prevention and tolerance
Expand service learning
opportunities
Offer character education to all
students (e.g., Second Step, School
Connect)
parent letter was sent to the homes
of all district students. The
attendance and truancy website has
been updated. We are developing
an attendance campaign, and have
made several presentations to
parents and community
organizations and will continue to do
so throughout the year.
Create attendance procedures
manual and toolkit for all school staff
that will give examples of best
practices.
Status Update: Completed
TBA
TBA
Office of the Associate
Superintendent of Schools and
Academic Programs
TBD
9/1/11 to
6/30/12
7/1/11 to
6/30/12
Appendix D 



Periodic monitoring of Individual
Learning Plans by students in
grades 7-12 (Students owning the
plan!)
Monitoring the usage of StudentNet
in grades 4-12
Foster well designed and supported
peer-to-peer programming such as
peer mentoring
Ensure diverse student
representation on school safety
teams
Office of the Associate
Superintendent of Schools and
Academic Programs
Office of Counseling and
Promotion Standards
9/1/11 to
6/30/12
7/1/11 to
6/30/12