Springs Academy

1. Springs Academy Meeting the Needs of At-Risk Students in the Iredell-Statesville Schools

2. The Challenge • H.G. Wells: Our challenge is not to educate the children we used to have or want to have, but to educate the children who come to the schoolhouse door.

3. Characteristics of EffectiveAlternative Schools • The work of Guerin and Denti (1999) suggest that successful alternative programs need to have the following characteristics: curricula that is responsive to the needs of the students, assessment, teaching of social skills, social responsibility, low student: teacher ratio, emotional support/coping skills, focus on behavioral management, and restorative justice. • Cox and Davidson (1995) contend that programs that target specific populations seem to have more of a positive impact with students. • The alternative programs offered by Iredell-Statesville Schools seek to embody the above characteristics and seek to place students into the program most appropriate for their individualized needs.

4. Description of Schools/Departments Involved • Iredell Statesville Schools consists of 20 Elementary Schools, 7 Middle Schools, 5 High Schools, and 3 Alternative Learning Schools. www.iss.k12.nc.us –Click the Visit our Schools Link • Iredell-Statesville Schools serves over 21,000 students from various ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. • ISS EC Department: heavily involved in ensuring that there isn’t a disproportionate percentage of EC students placed in alternative settings unless they are the least restrictive environments for the individual child. They prefer to serve the EC students in the home school setting using resources/classrooms their department provides. This department also assists in providing transportation for students attending Monticello School and Springs Academy. • Administration from ISS Middle and High Schools: representatives from these schools participate in the referral and transition process of their students to and from alternative settings.

5. How Do We Educate District Employees? • Training: During the summer months, the principals of Monticello School and Springs Academy present to: Central Office Cabinet, Principals, Assistant Principals, and Guidance Counselors regarding the various alternative programs the school district offers. The emphasis of this training is to emphasize the relationship between the home school and the alternative school to place these kids in appropriate programs and assist them in being able to find that same success in their home school setting. • The training will also focus on the 3 areas: Attendance, Academic Performance, and Behaviors. • The timeline for placement after the referral committee meetings will also be distributed so home schools will know the length of time required for the intake process to the various alternative programs (See Handout: Springs Academy Intake Processes).

6. When Does the Referral Committee Meet? • Post: Alternative Referral Packet on the web pages of both Mulberry Alternative and Springs Academy so the principals, assistant principals, and guidance counselors will have access to them and will be able to send in referrals to the committee to review prior to the referral committee meetings. • Dates for the Alternative Referral Committee meetings will be scheduled and distributed via email to the above mentioned parties 3 months in advance so home schools may prepare referral packets for students in need of alternative services. The meetings will be held the first Wednesday of every month at Little Joes Chapel on the campus of Barium Springs Home for Children.

7. How is a Student Referred to Alternative Education? • Submit: Referring home schools submit the student packets for consideration at least one week prior to the referral committee meeting. The home school is responsible for letting the student’s parents know that their child is going to be referred to alternative school in order to get their support. If their child gets accepted into one of the programs, the home school makes the initial parent contact to inform them of the pending placement. • Meeting: The referral committee consists of: Monticello and Springs Academy principals and guidance counselors, ISS behavioral specialist, alternative school psychologist, and one rotating HS/MS principal. This committee meets and listens to formal presentations by an administrator/counselor from the referred child’s home school. The committee then convenes to discuss the best placement for the child. **** Presenting schools are asked to turn in their referrals one week in advance so that appointment times can be scheduled for each referring school to improve the efficiency of the meeting.

8. How is a Student Placed After the Referral is Made? • Determination: The committee decides if the child is in need of alternative educational services or if more interventions in the home school are needed. If more interventions in the home school are needed, the committee prescribes which interventions need to be attempted before formal placement is possible. The general determination is communicated through an email to all administrators. The receiving alternative school will ensure that the prescribed timeline is adhered to. • Intake: The school/program the referred child has been accepted into will contact the child’s home school and set up an intake meeting. If the child is EC, then an accompanying IEP meeting will take place to indicate that the child is undergoing a change in placement into a more restrictive environment. Specific transition objectives should be established in these meetings for the student to have a clear sense of what the purpose of the alternative placement is to be. • Placement: After the intake/IEP meeting is completed, the child will then be able to attend the alternative school/program. Planning for return transition to the home school setting ensures that the student is taught the necessary skills and is provided with the necessary supports.

9. What do Home Schools do While the Student is in an Alternative Setting? • Support of Intervention: The student’s home school will make monthly contacts with the alternative school principal/guidance counselor to check their progress in their designated program. They are also welcome to visit they child in the alternative school setting to strengthen the idea that the child still belongs to their home school. This helps destroy the pervasive/antiquated idea that alternative schools are dumping grounds where kids go but never come back. • Return Transition: Once the student has met the attendance, academic progress, and behavioral goals successfully, they are eligible to return to their home school. The alternate school principal will contact the student’s home school to discuss the return transition. Before the student returns to the home school, the alternate school principal and/or guidance counselor will take the student to their home school for a visit and an informal discussion as to what skills they have developed while in the alternate school that they can transfer to the regular school setting. A packet showing the goals that were met, along with interventions used will be completed by the alternate school and given to the home school as a tool for assisting the student in their return transition.

10. How is a Student Transitioned Back and What Support do Alternative Schools Provide? • Return Transition Meeting: A formal intake/transition packet/IEP (if the child is EC) will be held at the home school prior to the student’s return. In this meeting, a behavior support plan will be developed based on the transition packet from the alternate school to assist the child’s successful return to the traditional school environment. • Support/Tracking: Once the student is back at their home school, the alternate school principal/guidance counselor will perform monthly checks and/or visits of the child at the home school. If needed, assistance and interventions will also be provided by the ISS behavior specialist to assist in the success of the transitioned student.

11. What are the Expectations? • Leadership: • A clearly defined and user friendly approach connecting alternative schools to traditional schools. • An understanding of what programs are available to at-risk students and how to connect appropriate students to appropriate programs. • A systematic way to transfer successful interventions from the alternative setting to the home school setting. • A tracking system to assess flaws in the transition process as well as a method to assess characteristics of successfully transitioned students to assist alternate schools in further development of their programs. • Provides a timeline for principals and guidance counselors who have students who are awaiting placement in an alternative setting to allow them to pre-teach to the student and encourage them to be diligent so they may return again (See attached).

12. What are the Expectations? • Students: • Timely placement into programs that will enhance their educational experience and will provide appropriate attendance, academic, and behavioral interventions. • Increased, ongoing support from the home school during a student’s alternative placement by progress tracking. • Reciprocity of interventions from the alternative school to the home school through continued dialogue, intervention packet, and continued tracking of the student in the home school setting to increase at-risk student success. • Lessened feeling of rejection on the part of the at-risk student as the home school and the alternative school join forces to ensure that the student gets all of the support and services available to be successful. • Formation of positive relationships with adults to foster a more caring environment for the at-risk student and give them a more pro-social, positive attitude.

13. What are the Expectations? • Teachers: • Provides a structured set of strategies to increase success of at-risk students returning to the traditional classroom. • Provides a timeline for teachers who have students who are awaiting placement in an alternative setting to allow them to pre-teach to the student and encourage them to be diligent so they may return again. • Increased teacher confidence in alternative programs as more successfully transitioned students return to their classroom and progress towards graduation. • Formation of a more system-wide teacher communication system to improve classroom practices to reach students who would otherwise be unsuccessful.

14. How are We Evaluated? • Immediate satisfaction feedback to be given by referring principals/guidance counselors upon completion of the referral committee meeting using quality tools (Issue Bin, Plus/Delta). • Tracking data to confirm the # of transitions that occur in the timeline beginning at the referral committee. • Ongoing feedback from principals/guidance counselors utilizing quality tools to address areas of improvement in the transition process to and from the alternative school placement. • Parent/student satisfaction surveys to be completed quarterly during the alternative school placement related to the quality of services provided, interventions used, ongoing support given by both the home school, and timeliness of the transition process.

15. How are We Evaluated? • Feedback data gained from satisfaction surveys to be completed by the home school principal/designee, parents of transitioned students, and students who have received an alternative school intervention. • Tracking data to indicate the success/failure of each student transition back to the home school setting in the 3 key areas: attendance, academic performance, and behavioral management. • Tracking data to log the number of at-risk students who become repeat referrals to alternative school settings after having received interventions. ( 2000-2001 data collections in the state of Pennsylvania indicate that 44% of students served returned to the home school that year, 37% remained in alternative education for another year, 8% of students returned to the home school only to be re-referred and admitted back into alternative education during the same year, and 12% left alternative programs and didn’t return to the home school due to graduation or dropping out of school).

16. Description of Schools/Departments Involved: Monticello SchoolLong-term Program • Designed to be an intervention for students displaying repeated disruptive behaviors at their home school (15-45-365 day placement). • Students entering Iredell-Statesville Schools from another alternative program come to Monticello for a 15 day assessment. • Students accepted into this program through the district referral committee come to Monticello for a 45 day intervention and assessment. • This program also serves students that have been administratively placed on a long-term suspension (45-365 day placement). • Curriculum: Nova NET, Hands-on Learning • This program operates from 8:30-3:00.

17. Long-term Suspended Students • Students that have been long-term suspended from their home school: • Can be administratively placed at Monticello (depending on severity). • Students could attend extended day to recover credits lost. • Students could recover credits at home using Nova NET.

18. How was Springs Academy Formed? • ISS Superintendent Dr. Terry Holliday and Barium Springs Home for Children President John Koppelmeyer met to discuss how the at-risk student population at Barium Springs as well as those in ISS who weren’t being successful in any setting (including the existing alternative school in ISS, Mulberry School).

19. How was Springs Academy Formed? • The 2 respective leaders commissioned an oversight committee, known as the MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) committee, to work out the logistics of making this partnership a reality. • The committee members included: ISS EC department leadership, Monticello School Principal and Guidance Counselor, BSHC Vice President of Educational Services, and BSHC Educational Leadership from the on-campus school. • Several committee meetings took place over the course of the 2004-2005 school year to form the MOA which would serve as the constitution for this partnership. • The MOA is renewed annually by the Oversight Committee which includes: Springs Academy Principal and Student Services Counselor, ISS EC Department Director, BSHC Vice President of Program Development, BSHC Vice President of Educational Services, and BSHC Educational Services Director. • ISS Superintendent and BSHC President sign off annually as the Oversight Committee forwards the recommendation.

20. Springs Academy Placements: How are they different? • Springs Academy serves both residents of Barium Springs Home for Children (on whose campus our school is located)– Typically about 10% of our students are group home residents • Both of our programs: Community School and Day Treatment require an Assessment with a Certified Mental Health Employee (Community School- 1 assessment, Day Treatment- 2 assessments). These assessments serve to validate the need for the services provided by these programs and to also see if the student qualifies for additional services or supports.

21. Springs Academy Day Treatment Program • Day Treatment programs are designed to meet the needs of students with moderate behavior challenges. • Featuring a 1 to 4 staff to student ratio, these classrooms offer daily experiential learning, therapeutic activities, and group time in addition to their academic studies. • Each classroom holds up to twelve students that are served by staff with educational and therapeutic expertise. • Students participating in this program must meet mental health eligibility criteria to receive services. • Day treatment is the most intensive intervention available to students in a public school setting.

22. Highlights of Springs Academy Day Treatment • Customized learning approaches • Self-management/Interpersonal Skills Training • Functional Application of Academic Skill • Positive Based Motivation (Teaching Family Model) • Individualized and Group-Based Interventions • Availability of Individual and Family Counseling • Students are referred to this program through the district’s behavior specialist

23. Springs Academy Day Treatment • This program is a partnership between Barium Springs Home for Children and ISS. Both agencies have input into admission and continued placement decisions. • Parents/Guardians must be willing for the student to attend and participate in treatment. • The student must meet state day treatment eligibility. • This program operates from 8:15 – 2:15 on the same ISS school calendar.

24. Springs Academy Community Classroom • The Community Classroom provides an individualized academic program for up to 24 middle and high school at risk youth. • The staff to student ratio for this program is 1 to 6 and offers students the opportunity to experience a non-traditional learning environment. • This program originated from the Barium Springs on campus school for residents. • Students are referred to this program through the district referral committee. • This program operates from 8:15 – 2:15 on the same ISS school calendar.

25. What kind of student comes to theCommunity Classroom? • The student has been unsuccessful in a traditional classroom setting. • The student has shown academic success in a small structured learning environment (Monticello, resource or self-contained room), and demonstrates the need to continue in this type of environment to maximize student potential. • Episodes of non-compliance are infrequent and do not include physical aggression. • Is able to succeed in a small classroom setting with minimal classroom disruption. • Student can be effectively served when placed within the existing group of students.

26. What Do We Do With Our Students To Assist in Their Success? • Positive point totals lead to extrinsic incentives from the School Store (drinks, candy, video games, clothes, games, balls) and Fun Friday Activities. • Fun Friday Activities funding comes from BSHC as well as from donations from community churches and agencies. • Students are eligible to be named Student of the Day (each classroom has a designated day of the week). Students recognized in this manner are eligible to attend Student of the Day parties once each quarter filled with food, games, and music. • Students are also eligible for Quarterly A/B Honor Roll recognitions and Monthly Perfect Attendance recognitions

27. What Do We Do With Our Students To Assist in Their Success? • Monthly Perfect Attendance Recognitions

28. What Do We Do With Our Students To Assist in Their Success? • Quarterly A/B Honor Roll Recognitions

29. What Do We Do With Our Students To Assist in Their Success? • Springs Academy staff receive continuous consultation on behaviors and at least monthly observations with written feedback regarding the team’s effectiveness in using the Teaching Family Model to address behaviors and achieve academic success.

30. What Do We Do With Our Students To Assist in Their Success? • The Teaching Family Model of care is employed by the Springs Academy Staff to provide individualized behavior management and therapeutic intervention to modify behavior and teach coping and social skills needed to be successful at home, school, and in the community. • The TFM is also utilized by the group home staff at Barium Springs Home for Children. • The TFM originated at Boy’s Town and has shown overwhelmingly positive results in decreasing aggression and increasing positive decision making.

31. What Do We Do With Our Students To Assist in Their Success? • A motivational system is utilized in which students receive positive points for positive behavioral exhibitions (1 point increments), and negative point consequences for negative behavioral exhibitions (2 point increments). The initial goal for staff is to identify 4 positive behaviors to every 1 negative behavior on their point card. A (-10) is the maximum point consequence assigned at any given time. At that point a youth is considered out of compliance. • Each earned negative consequence is followed by an opportunity for the youth to participate in positive corrections (role plays and processing appropriate skills) to earn back half of the point consequence.

32. What Do We Do With Our Students To Assist in Their Success? • A key component in addressing any student behavior, positive or negative, is providing rationales as to why youth should use appropriate skills and how it will benefit their own lives and achieving personal goals.

33. What is the Point of the Incentives? • The goal of the incentives is to get the students focused on something they are interested in (rewards) while they are learning the target skills (which is a totally new way of operating for them). • Students move up levels: Student, Scholar, Masters, Doctorate. Moving up the levels increases expectations of behaviors and receive less reinforcement for basic skills that are now expected to be mastered and are only reinforced for more advanced skills tailored to their individual behavioral needs. With each level also comes increased access to privileges for using the advanced skills. This move from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation is what drives our students towards successful transitions back to their regular school placement.

34. What Data Supports the Usage of the Teaching Family Model? • Items such as successful discharge, decrease in CAFAS scores, physical interventions, and restraints are evaluated each quarter to provide trend data for school staff to use to improve service delivery.

35. What Does the Model Look Like in Action? The Target Skills • All students are taught 4 basic skills upon admission that are the basis for advanced skills and critical to school success: • Following Instructions • Accepting Feedback/”No” for Answers • Staff/Peer Relations • Participation **Each student provides input into their individual goals at their intake meeting and through functional analysis of behavior the staff develops a behavior support plan to teach target skills. This is reviewed and revised each month based on observation, feedback from staff, client, guardians, and the treatment team during monthly person-centered planning meetings.

36. What Does the Model Look Like in Action? The Target Skills • Following Instructions • Look at the person • Say OK • Complete the Task • Check Back

37. What Does the Model Look Like in Action? The Target Skills • Accepting Feedback/”No” Answers • Look at the person • Say OK • Don’t Argue • Wait until a neutral time to discuss any disagreement you may have **This target skill can be used when receiving instructions, consequences, or work assignment critiques.

38. What Does the Model Look Like in Action? The Target Skills • Staff/Peer Relations • Be pleasant when talking with staff/peers. • Refrain from behaviors and words that hurt others. • Encourage peers to follow rules. • Report peer’s negative behaviors to staff.

39. What Does the Model Look Like in Action? The Target Skills • Participating in Activities • Appropriately request to be a part of the activity • Cooperate with others in the group (ex. Allowing others to take their turns) • Use a pleasant voice when talking to others • Remember to accept losing or winning appropriately

40. What Does the Model Look Like in Action? The Target Skills • Showing Respect • Obey a request to stop a negative behavior. • Avoid acting obnoxiously in public. • Refrain from teasing, threatening, or making fun of others. • Allow others to have their privacy

41. What Does the Model Look Like in Action? The Target Skills • Asking Permission • Look at the person. • Ask for what you want using a question. • Accept the answer given.

42. What Does the Model Look Like in Action? The Target Skills • Self-Control • Learn what situations make you angry. • Monitor the feelings you have. • Instruct yourself to relax. • Express feelings in an inoffensive way. • Praise yourself for controlling emotions

43. What Does the Model Look Like in Action? The Target Skills • Completing Tasks • Listen carefully to instructions or directions for tasks • Assemble the necessary tools/materials needed for the task • Begin working carefully and neatly • Remain focused on the task until it is completed • Examine the product of your work to make sure it is complete • Check back with the person who assigned the task if you have questions or once you have completed the task

44. Additional Skills • 1. Accepts Compliments 26. Independent Living • 2. Accepts Criticism 27. Leadership Skills • 3. Accepts Responsibility 28. Listening Skills • 4. Accepts “No” for an Answer 29. Money Management • 5. Age-Appropriate Activities 30. Offers Help • 6. Apologizes/Expresses Regret 31. Participation • 7. Asks Permission 32. Peer Reports • 8. Assertiveness 33. Personal Hygiene/Appearance • 9. Attends School 34. Problem Solving • 10. Conversation Skills 35. Public Conduct • 11. Cooperates with Others 36. Purchasing Skills • 12. Emotional/Impulse Control 37. Reports Whereabouts • 13. Employment Skills 38. Says “No”/Resists Peer Pressure • 14. Encopresis / Enuresis 39. Sex Education • 15. Establishes / Maintains Friendships 40. Shows Appreciation • 16. Expresses Accomplishments 41. Shows Respect for Others • 17. First Aid / Self-Medication 42. Show Respect for Property • 18. Follows Instructions 43. Sportsmanship • 19. Follows Rules 44. Stays on Task • 20. Gives Criticism 45. Table Manners • 21. Grade Improvement 46. Takes Responsibility/Initiative • 22. Grammar 47. Telephone Skills • 23. Greeting/Departure Skills (23A/23B) 48. Time Management (Academic & • Maintenance Tasks) • 24. Honesty • 49. Utilization of Community Resources • 25. Ignores Minor Inappropriate • 50. Volunteers

45. PDSA: Plan, Do, Study, Act • Springs Academy uses the PDSA approach to improve processes, academic and operational • The Cycle involves the identification of the problem, validation of the need for improvement, and a plan of action to improve results.

46. PDSA: Plan, Do, Study, Act • Plan– What is it that we want to accomplish? • Do– What steps are we going to take to accomplish our plan? • Study– What do the results tell us about the success/failures of our action steps? • Act– Did we accomplish our plan, are we going to try it again, or do we need to change our deployment steps?

47. Examples of PDSA’s at Springs Academy • Bus Transportation: Knowing the long bus rides that students had to endure each day, we used the PDSA approach to show how we could increase efficiency to make the addition of another bus more cost effective. (Shuttle Routes) • The Result: The alternative schools received a 4th bus to transport our students, thus decreasing the average length of bus ride.

48. Examples of PDSA’s at Springs Academy • Teacher Rotation: Instead of having each of my teachers prepare anywhere from 6 to 19 lessons per day, we devised a teacher rotation to allow each teacher to focus on one of the tested areas to improve our academic results. • The Results: Staff satisfaction improved by 15% in one year!! Student performance composite increased by 10%!! Our students achieved AYP- High Growth!! Our school met its ABC goals for the 2nd straight year!!

49. Examples of PDSA’s at Springs Academy • Attendance: By utilizing lunch and after school detention in lieu of always using bus and school suspensions, making daily phone contacts with the parents/guardians of absent students, and by making perfect attendance a requirement for a student to achieve Fun Friday, we were able to improve our attendance. • The Result: Attendance improved to nearly 90% (89.92%) and Springs Academy showed the highest rate of attendance improvement in all of ISS!!!

50. Iredell-Statesville Schools Triangle Model to Raise Achievement and Close Gaps