Leon County Schools

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• Leon County Schools
• Model Civics Education Initiative
• Grades K-12
• (Elementary Component)

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Superintendent Pons and Senator Bob Graham Forged
a Partnership for Civics Education

• During the 2007-2008 school year, Superintendent
  Jackie Pons and Senator Bob Graham met to discuss
  something dear to both of their hearts Civics
  Education
• With the support of Senator Graham, LCS applied
  to the Knight Foundation for a grant to enable us
  to create a model program for the integration of
  Civics into all grades K-12. We were awarded a 3
  year Grant.
• Since that time, we have been working tirelessly
  to make Civics a reality in all grades at all
  schools in Leon County
• Now we need your help to make this a
  reality

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Timeline of Implementation

• 2008-2009
• Development and initial implementation of a
  Yearlong 7th Grade Civics Program Curriculum
  NAEP baseline testing for 7th graders
• Initial integration of Civics into 4th and 5th
  grades NAEP baseline for 4th graders
• K-12 Civics integration through a variety of
  Programs/Activities
• 2009-2010
• Full Implementation of the Yearlong 7th Grade
  Civics Program
• Development of Curriculum Resource Guides for K-3
  and 4-5
• Further integration of Civics into K-5th grades
• Initial Integration of Civics into High School
  Social Studies Courses and Development of
  Programs for further high school implementation
• K-12 Civics Integration through a variety of
  programs
• 2010-2011
• Full Implementation of the Yearlong 7th Grade
  Civics Program continued
• Full Integration of Civics into all classes K-5th
  grade
• Further integration of Civics to include all
  Social Studies Courses Grades K-12
• NAEP/Civics Assessment Progress Monitoring for
  all 4th and 7th Graders in LCS

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The Focus of Our Initiative

• To foster in our students, not just a sense
  of civic awareness, but rather a passion for both
  civic and political engagement that will grow
  with them as they become our future volunteers,
  voters, and leaders

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The Goal of Our Initiative

• To instill in our students that citizenship is
  not just a spectator sport by helping them to
  understand that they can make a difference in
  their community if they get out there and get
  involved

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To accomplish Our Goal as a model for
district-wide civic education, LCS has developed
the following partnerships

• Florida Joint Center for Citizenship A
  Partnership between The Lou Frey Institute (UCF)
  The Bob Graham Center (UF)
• Florida Law Related Education Association
• Leon County State Court Systems
• Florida K-12 Learn Serve
• Florida League of Cities
• Local Government Officials and Agencies
• City of Tallahassee
• The Florida Channel
• YMCA - Youth in Government
• Newspapers in Education
• Tallahassee Democrat
• Daughters of the American Revolution
• Various Community Groups Organizations

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Partnership with Florida Joint Center for
CitizenshipPartnership between The Lou Frey
Institute (UCF) The Bob Graham Center (UF)

• Community Resource Coordinator committed to the
  Elementary Civics Initiative
• Assist teachers with classroom Civics
  instruction, resources, and materials
• Assist schools with Civics Implementation Plans
• Aide teachers and schools with Standards and
  Statute compliance
• Facilitate speakers, outreach programs, and field
  trips
• Help the community connect in meaningful ways
  with teachers, students, and schools
• Provide relevant resources for instruction
  related to special occasions- Celebrate Freedom
  Week, Constitution Day, Florida City Government
  Week, Veterans Day
• Locate free materials and resources available to
  teachers
• Aide the implementation of innovative programs
  such as Cities in the Classroom and the Florida
  Channel Partnership
• Provide assistance with the monthly Elementary
  School Civics Advocates Meetings
• Help update and maintain the resources available
  on the Leon County Schools Elementary Social
  Studies and Civics SharePoint Sites
• Worked with teachers to develop the Standards
  Based Civics Resource Guide for Elementary
  Schools
• Provided assistance with the Summer Civics
  Trainings for K 3 and 4 5
• Civics Assessments and Surveys

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Partnership with Florida Law Related Education
Association

• Annette Boyd-Pitts and Florida Law Related
  Education support our teachers by
• Providing assistance with monthly trainings
• We meet with all K-3rd 4th5th grade Civics
  teachers on the third Wednesday of each month
  (400-530)
• Providing guest speakers for Civics units
• Providing free classroom sets of resources for
  teachers who train in We the People and
  Project Citizen
• Provide in class support for teachers who are
  working to integrate Civics
• Arranging field learning experiences such as oral
  hearings for Project Citizen, Mock Oral
  Arguments for We the People, Mock Appellate
  Hearings at the Florida Supreme Court and more.

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Elementary Civics Initiative Highlights,
Resources and Programs
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Summer Civics Academies

• During the summer of 2008, 40 Leon County K-5th
  grade elementary teachers attended a week-long
  training in civics education.
• During this past summer of 2009, 25 K-3rd and 21
  4th-5th grade teachers attended a 4 day training
  on Foundations, We the People, community
  resources for Civics, Field Experience
  Opportunities, samples lessons and more

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LCS On-line SharePoint for Civics

• Elementary Civics Teachers/Advocates collaborate,
  share and work together for the best civics
  education for all Leon County students through
  the shared site.
• This site includes lessons, links, community
  resources and more.

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WebCam/Skyping Partnerships

• Several teachers have volunteered to participate
  in partnerships with teachers throughout the
  district, state and even other countries so that
  their students can collaborate on public policy
  issues. They communicate via WebCams/Skyping
• These WebCams can be checked out to Civics
  teachers for the entire school year.

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Elementary Civics Initiative Guest Speakers

• Leon County Elementary School students have the
  opportunity to hear guest speakers from various
  levels and departments of government who visit to
  share information with students

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Field Experience Activities

• Leon County Elementary School students have the
  opportunity to participate in unique activities

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Helping the Community

• Students have the opportunity to participate in
  community service activities as well as Learn and
  Serve opportunities which allow our students to
  become active givers. Grants are available to
  assist with funding the L S activities

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Next Generation Standards for Social Studies

• The new requirements for Social Studies were
  adopted by the Florida Department of Education in
  December 2008.
• LCS, in anticipation of these new and much more
  specific requirements LCS took a lead in the
  State and began implementation of the new
  standards
• The Next Generation Social Studies Standards for
  K 5 are very different
• LCS and FJCC have created a Civics Standards
  Crossover Document to aid teachers in this
  transition
• A Standards check off document is also
  available for teachers to track their coverage of
  the new Standards
• The Elementary Civics SharePoint site has a
  lesson for almost every new Civics benchmark as a
  result of the Standards Based Elementary Resource
  Guide

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Florida Statute 1003.42  Required instruction

• A great majority of the mandates found in 1003.42
  fit well with the Civics standards. Therefore,
  monthly trainings include lessons, ideas,
  reminders and activities to assist teachers in
  implementing and documenting these mandates.

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Leon County Model Civic Education InitiativeK-5
Program Highlights

• Cities in the Classroom
• Cities in the Classroom will help restore the
  civic mission of Florida's schools and will
  strengthen the capacity of public education to
  develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions for
  young people to become engaged, effective, and
  responsible citizens of their cities, towns, and
  villages.

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Leon County Model Civic Education InitiativeK-5
Program Highlights

• Foundations of Democracy
• The Foundations of Democracy Series consists of
  curricular materials for students from
  kindergarten through twelfth grade on four
  concepts fundamental to an understanding of
  politics and government
• Authority,
• Privacy,
• Responsibility,
• and Justice.

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Leon County Model Civic Education InitiativeK-5
Program Highlights

• We the People The Citizen and the Constitution
• We the People The Citizen and the Constitution
  is a nationally acclaimed program focusing on the
  history and principles of the U.S. Constitution
  and Bill of Rights for upper elementary, middle,
  and high school students.
• Class sets of the We the People materials have
  been provided to assist teachers as they discuss
  with their students the foundations of Democracy
  in our nation.

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Project Citizen

• PC is a student-centered, problem-solving based
  approach to learning.
• It has an established curriculum that offers
  teachers and students a fun way to get involved,
  and to learn by doing!
• Currently we are working to implement Project
  Citizen in all Gifted Classes for 4th and 5th
  Graders throughout the district. Other Civics
  Advocates will be piloting the program with their
  students as well.

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Leon County Model Civic Education InitiativeK-12
Program Highlights

• Over 19,000 Leon County students participated in
  the On-Line National Student Parent Mock
  Election on October 30, 2008.

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Leon County Model Civic Education InitiativeK-12
Program Highlights

• Leon County is also participating in the Justice
  Teaching program established by Florida Supreme
  Court Justice R. Fred Lewis. Through classroom
  visits, students are able to better understand
  our legal system and their rights.

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Leon County Model Civic Education InitiativeK-12
Program Highlights

• Leon county students also experienced voting
  first hand with their parents by participating in
  the county-wide Kids Voting Program in our last
  major election.

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Leon County Model Civic Education InitiativeK-12
Program Highlights

• Students participated in Florida Cities Week and
  in the first annual Municipal Brain Bowl through
  the Florida League of Cities

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Other Available Programs/Opportunities

• FCAT correlations to many programs
• Classroom assistance implementing our programs
  from the Joint Center as well as Florida Law
  Related Education
• Upcoming Tallahassee Democrat/Florida Lottery/
  NIE Civics Essay Contest for 4th and 5th Graders
• Collaboration Opportunities with other LCS Civics
  teachers/Advocates

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Looking Ahead

• Initiatives for years two and three
• Expanded professional development for summer 2010
• Continued monthly trainings for elementary and
  middle school civics learning communities
• Review and revision of the K-3, 4-5 and 7th grade
  Civics Curriculums
• Creation of a District-wide Youth in Government
  program
• Continued Development of a Local Government in
  the Classroom program that engages local
  officials to help students understand local
  issues, structures, and processes
• Creation of a district-wide mock local government
• Expansion of the Learn and Serve program
• Creation of a district-wide mock legislative
  election session
• Expansion of our mock court curriculum
• Implementation of a Cyber Citizenship
  presentation
• A partnership with the Leon County Legislative
  Delegation to replicate Hillsborough-Palm Beach
  There Ought to be a Law for middle and high
  school students
• Development and implementation of the High School
  Component

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Site Administrators Can Assist Our District In
Achieving Full Implementation of the Civics
Initiative by

• Selecting site representatives who are Advocates
  that truly demonstrate a love of Civics (year to
  year continuity is essential)
• Encouraging advocate attendance at monthly and
  summer District held trainings/learning
  communities/seminars
• Supporting the Implementation of Civics
  Initiative Programs such as Project Citizen, We
  the People, Foundations, and Learn Serve
  Projects
• Allowing Civics Advocates time to share and
  collaborate with other teachers at their site in
  order to assist them with Civics
  implementation/integration for the benefit of all
  students.
• Providing flexibility for teachers to be able to
  integrate Civics into reading, writing, character
  education and social studies curriculums
• Communicating to your teachers the importance of
  meeting the requirements and mandates of the
  Civics Initiative at your site.
• Encouraging the teaching of Civics using a
  hands-on approach
• Modeling Active Citizenship at your school ?

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Leon County Applied Civics InitiativeContact
Information

• Cathy Schroepfer Leon County Schools Civics
  Coordinator Social Studies Developer
• schroepferc_at_mail.deerlake.leon.k12.fl.us
• 922-6545
• 487-7895
• 933-7584
• Peggy Renihan Florida Joint Center - LCS
  Partner Community Resource/Assessment
  Coordinator
• renihanp_at_mail.leon.k12.fl.us
• 487-7866
• 508-9294