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 isnt 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
  students 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 childs
  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 childs
  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 students 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 students 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
  students return. In this meeting, a behavior
  support plan will be developed based on the
  transition packet from the alternate school to
  assist the childs 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 students 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 didnt
  return to the home school due to graduation or
  dropping out of school).

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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 830-300.

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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 werent 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
  districts 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 815 215 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 815 215 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
  teams 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 Boys 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
• Dont 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 peers 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

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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

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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 PDSAs 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 PDSAs 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 PDSAs 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
51
The Springs Academy Way Handout

• See the thumbnail interventions utilized at
  Springs. These were presented to other district
  schools for their own implementation as it fits
  their needs.

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Q A