Increasing Student Engagement Through Service-Learning Dropout Prevention and Student Engagement Summit February 18, 20

1. Welcome and introductions How many of you have heard of service-learning? How many of you use service-learning in your programs? This presentation will go over the definition of service-learning, highlight some of the standards for quality service-learning practice, offer examples of how service-learning has worked in Colorado Springs SD 11 and then provide some time for you all to share your sucesses and challenges in implementing service learning and get some questions answered. Welcome and introductions How many of you have heard of service-learning? How many of you use service-learning in your programs? This presentation will go over the definition of service-learning, highlight some of the standards for quality service-learning practice, offer examples of how service-learning has worked in Colorado Springs SD 11 and then provide some time for you all to share your sucesses and challenges in implementing service learning and get some questions answered.

2. Marc Morgan, Start Up Director, City Year Denver What is City Year? How does City Year support Service-Learning? Points of Entry for Service-Learning in the School Day

3. Paula Gumina, Program Coordinator, Learn and Serve Colorado, CDE Research on Service-Learning and Student Engagement Quality Practice What�s Happening with Learn and Serve Colorado?

4. Meet one. Teach One.

6. City Year�s Whole School Whole Child model

8. The Corps Member Daily Schedule: Supporting Research-Based School Practices

9. National Results 1n=267; Based on start to end-of-year data from pilot programs in five sites, including: LA, RI, SA, SJ/ SV and NY, grades 6-9 (2009-2010). 2 n=1,691; Based on data from 10 sites: CHI, CLE, COA, COH, LA, LR/NLR, MIA, SEA, SJ, WDC, grades K-5. Data aggregated from 10 different assessments, using grade level benchmarks. 3 Based on increases in proficiency levels on the DIBELS literacy assessment. City Year students n=49. Non-City Year students n=133 1n=267; Based on start to end-of-year data from pilot programs in five sites, including: LA, RI, SA, SJ/ SV and NY, grades 6-9 (2009-2010). 2 n=1,691; Based on data from 10 sites: CHI, CLE, COA, COH, LA, LR/NLR, MIA, SEA, SJ, WDC, grades K-5. Data aggregated from 10 different assessments, using grade level benchmarks. 3 Based on increases in proficiency levels on the DIBELS literacy assessment. City Year students n=49. Non-City Year students n=133

10. These are the steps that make service-learning different from community service and community based learning. I= defining a community and investigation the community needs P = The who, what, when, where and how of the service A= The service project R = Reflection should be happening continuously throughout the process. What did we do? So, what? Now what? Thinking about how the service project addressed community needs, who was impacted and what is going to happen as a result of their work. D/C =Demonstrating what was learned and Celebrating the serviceThese are the steps that make service-learning different from community service and community based learning. I= defining a community and investigation the community needs P = The who, what, when, where and how of the service A= The service project R = Reflection should be happening continuously throughout the process. What did we do? So, what? Now what? Thinking about how the service project addressed community needs, who was impacted and what is going to happen as a result of their work. D/C =Demonstrating what was learned and Celebrating the service

11. How Service-Learning Fits? Guiding Questions for teachers p 41Guiding Questions for teachers p 41

12. Service-learning alone cannot solve the complex problem of high school dropout but it is a powerful tool to help address many of the warning signs�Bridgeland, DiIulio and Wulsin 2008

15. Which three of these standards for quality practice would you think are most important in seeing quantifiable results for students involved in Service-learning? Link to Curriculum: Some ways to get started in implementing stronger links to curriculum is in using the new content standards and their links to relevance and application. History Example: #2. Encourage your youth investigate the history of their defined community and reflect on how interpretations differ, learn interview skills and interview seniors at the local senior center to collect oral histories on their community, demonstrate and celebrate the community�s history by planning a community event or collaborate with an existing event within the community. Meaningful Service: The key to this one is trusting in the youth to decided on issues that matter to them. The example I used just now was one I came up with. Avoid coming up with and planning for each of the six steps without youth input. Help youth decide on issues that matter to them while facilitating those ideas into porjects that alos matter to the community they are serving. Meaningful service can be reached through a strong investgation phase in service-learning. Duration: Complete each step in the process. Allow for specific blocks of tiem each day/week or month and consider following a semester of service model. Handout in the back. Which three of these standards for quality practice would you think are most important in seeing quantifiable results for students involved in Service-learning? Link to Curriculum: Some ways to get started in implementing stronger links to curriculum is in using the new content standards and their links to relevance and application. History Example: #2. Encourage your youth investigate the history of their defined community and reflect on how interpretations differ, learn interview skills and interview seniors at the local senior center to collect oral histories on their community, demonstrate and celebrate the community�s history by planning a community event or collaborate with an existing event within the community. Meaningful Service: The key to this one is trusting in the youth to decided on issues that matter to them. The example I used just now was one I came up with. Avoid coming up with and planning for each of the six steps without youth input. Help youth decide on issues that matter to them while facilitating those ideas into porjects that alos matter to the community they are serving. Meaningful service can be reached through a strong investgation phase in service-learning. Duration: Complete each step in the process. Allow for specific blocks of tiem each day/week or month and consider following a semester of service model. Handout in the back.

16. Learn and Serve Colorado To expand service-learning into more Colorado schools as a school engagement strategy To engage youth in addressing community needs in order to build healthier communities The purpose of the learn and serve colorado grants for the 2009-12 grant cycle is to provide support for the implementation of middle school and 9th grade school-based programs that combine learning and community service. The intent of the grant is to increase student engagement during transition years as a dropout prevention strategy. The purpose of the learn and serve colorado grants for the 2009-12 grant cycle is to provide support for the implementation of middle school and 9th grade school-based programs that combine learning and community service. The intent of the grant is to increase student engagement during transition years as a dropout prevention strategy.

17. Pueblo City Schools Two Focuses Youth Councils Administrative Challenges Examples of Success Through a partnership with the Expelled and At-Risk Student Services program, Service-learning is offered to students involved in the Truancy Lunch Program. Service-learning is also offered through the middle school leadership program. Students are encouraged to get involved in the forming and maintaining of their Youth Councils. Youth Councils are actively involved in the planning and implementation of service learning projects in their schools and neighborhoods. Pueblo City Schools began their first year of Learn and Serve Colorado funding with three new Principals who had no idea what they had committed their staff to. Teachers were overwhelmed with the expectations set on them to close academic growth gap and were unaware that the Learn and Serve Program was being implemented in their schools. In year two, the middle schools again were faced with three new Prinicpals. Each of the three middle schools have been designated a "Turn around schools" Pueblo developed the program to address the very difficult population of middle school students. Since this was a new program the students and school personnel did not know what to expect, however within a few days the focus of the program was well known. Students began to settle-in following the initital testing of program staff. Each student is required to attend 30 sessions to complete the program. Within the first six weeks we began to see an overall increase in their school attendance and an overall reduction in office referrals. We will follow the same protocol for this up coming school year. The service learning projects were quite successful in that students engaged in planting and cultivating a community garden, helped with an emergency food bank, reading to elementary students, book drives, all while learning how to collaborate and work in groups, take in a boarder and more diverse perspective of the world and feel more attached and engaged in their school and community. � Through a partnership with the Expelled and At-Risk Student Services program, Service-learning is offered to students involved in the Truancy Lunch Program. Service-learning is also offered through the middle school leadership program. Students are encouraged to get involved in the forming and maintaining of their Youth Councils. Youth Councils are actively involved in the planning and implementation of service learning projects in their schools and neighborhoods. Pueblo City Schools began their first year of Learn and Serve Colorado funding with three new Principals who had no idea what they had committed their staff to. Teachers were overwhelmed with the expectations set on them to close academic growth gap and were unaware that the Learn and Serve Program was being implemented in their schools. In year two, the middle schools again were faced with three new Prinicpals. Each of the three middle schools have been designated a "Turn around schools" Pueblo developed the program to address the very difficult population of middle school students. Since this was a new program the students and school personnel did not know what to expect, however within a few days the focus of the program was well known. Students began to settle-in following the initital testing of program staff. Each student is required to attend 30 sessions to complete the program. Within the first six weeks we began to see an overall increase in their school attendance and an overall reduction in office referrals. We will follow the same protocol for this up coming school year. The service learning projects were quite successful in that students engaged in planting and cultivating a community garden, helped with an emergency food bank, reading to elementary students, book drives, all while learning how to collaborate and work in groups, take in a boarder and more diverse perspective of the world and feel more attached and engaged in their school and community. �

18. Resources http://www.cde.state.co.us/servicelearning/ http://www.servicelearning.org/

19. Reflection