After-School Adventures 2017 – School Board of Polk County, FLWahneta Elementary and Gibbons Street Elementary

5.1 Project Abstract or Summary

After-School Adventures promotes school improvement by serving 160 students in

Kindergarten through 5th grade at Wahneta Elementary and Gibbons Street Elementary. The

program serves “at-risk” students in two distinct neighborhoods. All students receive academic-

focused activities designed to be interactive, engaging, and creative using the project-based

learning model. Enrichment lessons teach pro-social behaviors, reasoning, and health and

nutrition for students and families via Skillstreaming combined with “Growth Mindset,” Take 10!,

creative arts, and Lyrics2Learn. Program goals are to (1) improve academic achievement and

understanding in core academic areas; (2) promote positive youth development and personal

growth to help enhance motivation, dedication, and academic performance; and (3) enhance

parenting skills and literacy to promote parental involvement. These align directly with the needs

of low academic achievement, lack of positive youth development and personal growth, and lack

of parental involvement. The adult family members receive various Parent Activities to strengthen

parenting skills.

5.2 Needs Assessment

Staff collaborated with several agencies and internal departments during a needs

assessment in order to determine after-school sites likely to impact school improvement. A

committee was formed to analyze student achievement, attendance, and principal interest in

extended learning opportunities. This information helped the committee to better identify

appropriate school sites. The Public School Eligibility Survey, FDOE School Accountability

Report, School Grades 2016, and other relevant data from Florida Department of Education

also helped identify our sites. A planning committee of several district employees also looked at

the following data: poverty rates, English Language Learner status, reading and math scores,

education levels, discipline information, and demographics. The students to be served need

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more experiences and background information. After-School Adventures will extend learning to

help these children overcome low academic achievement, lack of positive youth development

and personal growth, and lack of parental involvement.

Poverty Rates An overriding need throughout Polk schools is combatting poverty.

Poverty is 15.5% in the United States, 23.8% in Florida, and 28.4% in Polk County. The poverty

rate of Wahneta is 39.4% and Bartow is 21.1%.1 The economic stresses of poverty impact

families in many ways. They tend to lack the resiliency to keep small problems from becoming

large problems. Lack of transportation and child care adds to the stress. Both targeted sites are

schoolwide Title I schools. The percent of children from low income families as reported on the

Public Schools Eligibility Survey are: Wahneta 87.5% and Gibbons Street 83.51%. Both schools

are CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) Schools which means each school offers free

breakfast and lunch to all students based on the level of community participation in public

assistance programs.2 After-School Adventures can impact these families quickly and with

appreciable impact by helping to relieve some of these stresses by providing a safe place for

extended learning to help working parents.

English Language Learners Compared to 11% for the district, Wahneta has 56% ELL

and Gibbons Street has 12%. The number of ELL students scoring proficient on the ELA test at

Wahneta is 39%, while Gibbons Street is 19%.

Reading and Math Scores The percentages of students across all grades producing

satisfactory reading and math scores in 2016 at the targeted schools all are well below their

non-charter peers. In reading, schoolwide proficiency at Wahneta (30%) and Gibbons Street

(32%) – are significantly below Polk County (45%) and the State (57%). In math, proficiency at

Wahneta (42%) and Gibbons Street (28%) are again well below Polk County (48%) and FL

(57%). These schools are ideal candidates for the 21st CCLC program and progress would

1 https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml2 https://www.polk-fl.net/parents/generalinformation/documents/Community%20Eligibility%20Provision%202016-2017.pdf

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begin immediately because extended learning has shown a positive impact on student

achievement.

School Name

E/LA Achievemen

t

E/LA Learning

Gains

E/LA Learning

Gains Lowest

25%

Math Achievemen

t

Math Learning

Gains

Math Learning

Gains Lowest

25%

Wahneta 30 38 28 42 27 27

Gibbons Street 32 49 63 28 38 32

Education Levels Both areas are geographically different. Wahneta Elementary is on the

outskirts of Winter Haven and Gibbons Street Elementary is in Bartow. While 13.1% of adults

ages 25+ lack high school diplomas in Florida, the rate of Polk County is 16.9%. Most disturbing

is the Population of adults 18-24 lacking a high school diploma in Florida is 16.4%, in Polk

County 21.9%, Wahneta 25% and Gibbons Street 24.3%3. Both schools have a higher

population age 18-24 and 25+ with no diploma and a lower percentage of college educated.

These schools would benefit from an After-School program that improves academic

achievement and helps parents become more involved in their children’s education.

Florida PolkWahneta

Elementary 33880

Gibbons Street33830

Population ages 18-24 with no diploma 16.4% 21.9% 25.0% 24.3%

Population ages 25+ with no diploma 13.1% 16.9% 21.5% 17.2%

Population ages 25+ with at least a bachelor's degree

26.8% 18.6% 16.9% 15.9%

Discipline Data Due to the high rate of discipline incidents, there is a need for positive

prosocial skills training. This aligns with our need to improve interpersonal behaviors.

School Name 15/16 OSS Days

16/17 OSS Days

15/16 ISS

Days

16/17 ISS Days

15/16 # of incidents

16/17 # of incidents

Wahneta Elementary 124 58 0 0 69 54Gibbons Street 284 267 58 5 438 284

3 American FactFinder https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml

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Demographics – The two sites determined most likely to benefit from the 21st CCLC

program are Wahneta Elementary and Gibbons Street Elementary. Both sites have a high rate

of poverty as determined on the Public School Eligibility Survey submitted to the DOE.4 Both

school sites are geographically isolated from available after-school services. The students are

dealing with socioeconomic issues that impact discipline and behavioral issues.

School Enrolled Black Hispanic White ESE ELL % Free Meals5

Wahneta 475 3.6% 85.5% 10.7% 14% 56% 100%Gibbons Street 277 88.6% 5.7% 2.9% 21% 12% 100%

Risk Factors – The two schools chosen for new After-School Adventures 21st CCLC:

have been designated by the state as Focus Schools according to the Final Differentiated

Accountability (DA) Support List 2016-176

received a letter grade of D for 20167

Wahneta was listed among Florida's 300 lowest-performing elementary schools in 2015-16.8

qualified 100% of their students for free breakfast and lunch through the USDA School

Lunch Program's CEP, based on families receiving public assistance. 9

have a high rate of EL learners – Wahneta - 56% and Gibbons Street - 12%

have a high rate of Economically Disadvantaged students – Wahneta Elementary – 87.75%

and Gibbons Street Elementary – 83.51% 10

have a high rate of local adults residing in the geographic area that did not graduate from

high school or earn GED 11

have a low rate of Parent Involvement according to the PCSB Climate Survey. Completion 4 Polk County Public School Eligibility Survey 2016-20175 Community Eligibility Option program by USDA, offering free breakfast and lunch to all students based on level of community participation in public assistance programs.6 Florida Department of Education - Differentiated Accountability (DA) Final Differentiated Accountability (DA) Support List 2016-17 retrieved 6/10/16 from the CIMS database, Florida DOE Bureau of School Improvement.72015-16 School Grades http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/8 “2015-2016 Lowest 300 Performing Elementary Schools,” Florida DOE Division of Accountability, Research and Measurement. Retrieved 6/10/17 from The 300 Lowest Performing Elementary Schools: 2015-2016 Lowest 300 Performing Elementary Schools9 http://www.polk-fl.net/news/newsreleases/062513a.htm 10 Polk County Public School Eligibility Survey 2016-2017 11 American FactFinder https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml

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rates of the parent survey were: Wahneta 7% and Gibbons Street 10%

Planning Data – District staff met with the principals from Wahneta and Gibbons Street.

Both principals were briefed on the program expectations, requirements, and obligations of the

21st CCLC Program. The needs conveyed by the principals at Wahneta and Gibbons Street are:

low academic achievement and understanding in core academic areas, lack of positive youth

development which leads to discipline issues, and lack of parental involvement.

Needs to be Addressed – Our identified needs are low academic achievement, poor

interpersonal behaviors resulting in discipline issues, and lack of parental involvement. Both

sites are geographically isolated from amenities and services. Neither school offers facilities

nearby that offer low-cost programs. Our goals and objectives will focus on 1) improving

academic achievement and understanding in core academic areas; 2) promoting positive youth

development and personal growth to help enhance motivation, dedication, and academic

performance; and 3) enhancing parenting skills and literacy to promote parental involvement.

The issues above address school needs, family wishes, and community support which will allow

for immediate benefits. Wahneta implemented extended learning opportunities a few days a

week last year. The extended learning opportunities were well-received by students, parents,

and guardians. This grant opportunity could really have a positive impact on needs of both

schools.

Community Planning – The School Board Strategic plan echoes Polk Vision, a diverse

civic coalition that has conducted widespread public discussion and formed action groups to

sponsor activities and monitor community-wide progress.12 District staff members solicited

advice from the private schools listed in the areas to be served. We discussed our intent to

apply at the annual private school meeting on Equitable Servicing and we emailed our intent to

all area private schools. The schools were asked to submit an “intent to participate” form. We

analyzed the locations of the private schools in the neighboring areas and emailed each of them

12 http://polkvision.com/

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individually. We asked each private school in the geographic area to provide specific input as

the proposal was in development.

Availability and Accessibility of Out-of-School Services – After-School Adventures

gathered data regarding after school service opportunities from the surrounding areas near both

proposed school sites. There are no nearby centers for students to attend after school. The

schools are both geographically isolated and economically challenged. There are no programs

to extend learning making both schools an ideal candidate for the 21st CCLC Grant opportunity.

5.3 Program Evaluations 5.3.a Evaluation Plan

Independent Evaluator Identification and Qualifications: Identification of an

independent evaluator took place through research and recommendations. When identifying an

independent evaluator, the organization considered important evaluation items that were

relevant to the proposed 21st CCLC program and that also met the 21st CCLC RFP

requirements. The required qualifications for the evaluator included 21st CCLC grant evaluation

experience, positive client testimonials, capacity to develop and carry out detailed evaluation

plans with timelines, personnel availability, report writing experience and data collection storage

capacity. EduMatrix is a recommended and an experienced company in 21st CCLC program

evaluation and has been identified to serve as the independent evaluator for this project. They

specialize in 21st CCLC grant evaluation specifically, and currently evaluate other 21st CCLC

programs in the state of Florida. The evaluation team have many years of relevant experience

which makes them highly qualified to perform the 21st CCLC program evaluation duties. This

evaluation team was chosen because they promised to match or beat any price on evaluation

services. Also, they were very responsive to Polk County’s needs when developing their plan of

action.

Evaluation Activities and Proposed Timeline: Conducting evaluation activities in a

systematic way using a timeline will help to inform the program and stakeholders about the

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program progress being made toward meeting grant goals and objectives throughout the year in

a timely manner. These activities include data collection, data analysis, and reporting.

Evaluation Activity #1 - Data Collection: Evaluation activities will be discussed and coordinated

with the Program Director to ensure that they are delivered in a non-intrusive way. Each

evaluation activity will be coordinated with program stakeholders to increase effectiveness and

minimize distraction. The following will be collected or conducted by the evaluator for analysis

in September 2017 (baseline data), January 2018 (mid-year data) and May 2018 (end-of-year

data): *Program student data (quantitative) including demographics, enrollment, attendance,

participation, assessment scores, report card grades and other relevant data. *Program

documents (qualitative and quantitative) including student files, assessments, data collection

tools, meeting minutes and scoring rubrics. *Interviews (qualitative) with the Program Director,

Site Coordinators, Teachers and Program Staff. *Program observations and site visits

(qualitative) including evaluator field notes from site visits, assessing student and staff

performance, personal enrichment activities, and academic enrichment activities. *Stakeholder

surveys (qualitative) completed by an adult family member of the student, school day teachers

of students, and students participating in the program will also be collected in May 2018 by the

evaluator for analysis.

Evaluation Activity #2 and #3 – Data Analysis and Reporting: EduMatrix will analyze all of the

data to create a comprehensive analysis that details a variety of sources. Baseline data will be

analyzed in September 2017 and December 2017 for completeness and level of student

performance. The results of both baseline data analyses will be provided to the program so that

they know which areas to target and focus on. Mid-year data will be analyzed in January 2018.

The results of this data will be included in the Mid-Year Data Report and will show whether the

students have made gains between the baseline and mid-year time points for each grant

objective. The evaluator will meet with the Program Director to discuss the results of the Mid-

Year Data Report and will note any changes needed in the areas of data collection and

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programming. These changes, if any, will be included in the Formative Summary Evaluation

Report that will be completed in March 2018 on behalf of the program. End-of-year data will be

analyzed in June 2018 and those results will be reflected in the Summative Evaluation Report

that will be completed in July 2018. This report will reflect the program’s overall annual

performance, recommendations for program improvement, and reporting outcomes.

Processes for Accurate Data Collection, Maintenance and Reporting: EduMatrix

will meet with the Program Director to discuss data requirements which align to the grant

objectives. There will be a student survey/testing schedule, parent survey/testing schedule,

report card grade collection schedule and a data entry schedule created so that the program

stays on track with data collection, entry and maintenance. They will create internal deadlines

for the program so that they will have the correct data prepared for each reporting time point.

Accurate data collection will be verified by the evaluator by comparing the grant objectives to

the data that was collected, as well as using the data collection tools (assessments and/or

surveys) as a guide when analyzing the data.

Coordination of Evaluation Activities: Each evaluation activity will be coordinated

with program staff, students, adult family members, and others so that the evaluation process is

most effective. Indicators of student achievement and behavior appear in report cards four times

each school year. The district captures these in electronic student records. We will send data

files containing these and all other elements requested by the evaluator at the intervals

specified in the evaluation plan approved by the evaluator and the district early in the project

year. The evaluation plan follows individual student progress, academic and behavior progress

of demographic subgroups, and peer comparisons. The evaluator will create statistically valid

comparison groups based on socioeconomic, ELL and ESE status, promotion/retention, and the

prior year's standardized testing results. We will monitor activity and fidelity by observations at

three levels. The site coordinators will compile student sign-in sheets daily and record the

information on spread sheets. The Program Coordinator will keep parent sign-in sheets, teacher

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professional development sign-in sheets, and all other documents for monthly deliverables. We

will also utilize our Grant Technician to oversee data analysis.

Examination of Program Impact: The evaluation design will allow for the measurement

of progress made towards meeting each grant objective as described above. The tools that will

be used to evaluate program impact include program participant data, analysis of student

English Language Arts, Math and Science assessment data and report card grades, program

observations, and the analysis of lesson plans and program schedules. Interviews with program

staff, results of site visit reports, analysis of student data and grades, academic enrichment

data, personal enrichment data, review of the curriculum used, adult family member participant

and performance data, College and Career Readiness data (if needed), and Dropout Prevention

data (if needed) will also be used as program impact measurement tools. These tools will help

to answer specific program impact questions through data analysis including the following: (1)

Did the program efforts to address each core subject area result in positive outcomes for

program participants? (2) Did the program efforts to address College and Career Readiness (if

needed), Dropout Prevention (if needed) and personal enrichment activities result in positive

outcomes for program participants? (3) Did the program efforts to address academic

enrichment and supplementing the school day curriculum in innovative ways result in positive

outcomes for program participants? (4) Did the program efforts to address adult family

members result in positive outcomes for those family members that participated? Using the

aforementioned measurement tools to answer these program impact questions through

evaluation will help stakeholders to understand whether the program had any substantial impact

in a variety of areas. The results will be used to help inform the program about any areas that

may need improvement which will positively impact program quality in future years.

Use of Evaluation Results and Sharing Results with Community: Sharing data

results to help improve the program and its impact is an important part of the evaluation plan. A

true learning community can be fostered through data sharing for the purposes of student and

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adult family member achievement and improvement. Evaluation results will be shared at each

Advisory Board meeting, monthly staff meetings, program leadership meetings, adult family

member workshops and events, and with the Principals of each target school. Data results,

program operations and evaluator recommendations for program improvement will be covered

in these meetings so that the community is well aware of program performance and student-

level performance of the 21st CCLC program. Feedback is highly encouraged from the

community and stakeholders so that the program can learn more about what is needed and

assist in developing other ways to help the students improve academically and socially.

5.3.b Measurable Objectives and Assessments

After-School Adventures addresses student needs with aligned objectives. Our

goals are to (1) improve academic achievement and understanding in core academic areas; (2)

promote positive youth development and personal growth to help enhance motivation,

dedication, and academic performance; and (3) enhance parenting skills and literacy to promote

involvement and improve family conditions for students. The Objectives Workbook is uploaded

as a separate document.

5.4 Applicant’s Experience and Capacity

Program Administration and Fiscal Management – Jacqueline Byrd was appointed Polk County

School Board’s Superintendent during the 2015-16 school year. FSA scores have steadily been

improving under her direction. The Teaching and Learning Division is headed by Dr. Michael

Akes and contains the Office of Federal Programs, managed by Dr. Maria Longa. Both have

administrative experience and capacity to move the district forward. The Grants Director, Dawn

Robertson, has over 23 years’ experience in education and numerous years’ experience

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managing extended learning centers. She will be responsible for the accuracy of program

records, will authorize payroll and purchases, and will submit contracts for School Board

approval. Our Grants Technician has worked with the 21st CCLC Grant since Polk County was

awarded the 21st CCLC Grant in 2013. Our second Grants Technician brings a wealth of

experience in excel and other data management programs from her previous experience in the

private insurance sector. The Finance Department manages $89 million in grants and for the

13th year in a row has been awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the

Government Finance Officers Association. All accounting and personnel records are in the

employment and financial database SAP. Polk County School Board has a wealth of experience

across many departments. These education, finance, and audit professionals all help bring their

expertise to Polk County.

Implementation Experience – After-School Adventures is completing another successful

year of operating 21st CCLC centers. The full time, grant-paid, 21st Century Program

Coordinator will be knowledgeable about prevention programs, government regulations, policies

and procedures, project management, and evaluations. The coordinator will handle purchasing

and payroll processing, coordinate community services and partnerships, and research best

practices. All school activities are supervised by Principals under management of Regional

Assistant Superintendents, who will work directly with the Program Coordinator. Polk has

multiple 21st CCLC grants. Each after-school center will has an hourly Site Coordinator assisted

by the Program Coordinator. We are in year four of two successful programs at Polk City

Elementary and Loughman Oaks Elementary. We are in year two of two additional programs at

Garner Elementary and Lewis Anna Woodbury. Below, is listed Formative Evaluation

information from the previous 21st CCLC programs demonstrating our experience collecting,

maintaining, and reporting program data. Regularly participating students at Polk City

Elementary and Loughman Oaks achieved greater state FSA Developmental Scale Score gains

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in reading13 and mathematics14 than their peers. Regularly participating students at Garner and

Lewis Anna achieved a lower percentage of students receiving Level 1 on FSA in ELA and

math.15 Parent surveys in 2016 indicated 100% overall program satisfaction, and 81% reported

being “very satisfied” with the programs as a whole. All four of our 21st CCLC sites serve a high

number of economically challenged and geographically isolated students. Despite this, we have

had 89% combined attendance.

5.5 Partnerships, Collaboration and Sustainability

5.5.a Community Notice

Notice and Plan – The Grants Director has consulted with education stakeholders

throughout the community through the United Way Education Committee, the Polk Vision

Education Committee, the Align Polk PreK-5 Education Action Team, the Polk Education

Partnership Education Committee, and the chambers of commerce. These reach a broad

spectrum of community members. Previous 21st Century Program Coordinator Samantha Zier

consulted with professional services contractors and business partners prior to her departure.

These contacts have laid the foundation to partner with the new application. District staff were

able to follow up on connections and contacts. All of the involved principals had conversations

with parents and staff members to determine participation and preferences. Planning has been

a multi-layer process gathering opinions and researching best responses to impact the schools.

Program Timeline – The proposal appears on the program’s web site. Public review and

approval by the School Board is subject to Florida’s “Sunshine Law.” The Advisory Board

considered the plan when it met February 7, 2017 and February 13, 2017.16 Each Advisory

Board is made up of principals, site coordinators, teachers, parents, and community members.

13 Participants gained 13 percentage points compared to a growth of 8 points for nonparticipants. Participants increased from an average 200 Developmental Scale Score points in 2015 to 213 points in 2016. Nonparticipant growth was from an average 202 points in 2015 to 210 in 2016.14 Participants gained an average 14 Developmental Scale Score points compared to an average 9 points for nonparticipants. Means for participants were 202 in 2015 and 216 in 2016. 15 37% of participants scored L1 compared to 42% for nonparticipants in ELA; 43.8% and 45% scored L1 in math.16 http://www.polk-fl.net/Community/communitycenters/21stcclc.htm

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5.5.b Partnerships

Partnerships – In Winter Haven, After-School Adventures will partner Wahneta with the

Eloise Resource Center, Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce, and AmeriCorps Polk Reads.

The Eloise Center is an organization committed to partnering with Polk County Schools and

providing arts enrichment. We will also continue our partnership with Winter Haven PEP (Public

Education Partnership). PEP's mission states, "Through advocacy, community engagement,

and collaborative partnerships PEP commits to assure that Winter Haven’s public schools are

unequaled in quality, relevance, and student performance. 17 The Winter Haven Chamber of

Commerce focuses on small business support, marketing and programming, business

advocacy, education, economic development, and tourism. Their partnerships include the City

of Winter Haven, Main Street Winter Haven, Winter Haven Economic Development Council, the

Central Florida Development Council, Polk Vision, and the Central Florida Partnership.18

AmeriCorps Polk Reads is a grant-funded reading tutoring program in Polk County. Members

provide one-on-one reading tutoring to Kindergarten – 3rd grade public school students at

selected school sites each year while working collaboratively with community agencies to

strengthen community ties. AmeriCorps Polk Reads is made possible through a partnership

between the Polk Education Foundation, Polk County Schools, and Volunteer Florida, Inc.19

The Farmworkers program is also willing to assist eligible clients through paperwork for public

assistance, including food stamps. We will continue to help our families connect with needed

resources. Wahneta benefits from a strong community support from local organizations

including emergency supports that offer financial assistance, a food pantry and thrift store,

educational, and social services.

In Bartow, After-School Adventures will also partner Gibbons Street Elementary with the

Bartow Chamber of Commerce and AmeriCorps Polk Reads. The Bartow Chamber of

17 http://www.whpep.org/18 http://www.winterhavenchamber.com/about.html19 http://www.polk-fl.net/community/volunteers/americorps.htm

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Commerce focuses on small business support, marketing and programming, business

advocacy, education, economic development, and tourism. Their partnerships include the City

of Bartow, Bartow Economic Development Council, the Central Florida Development Council,

and Polk Vision. The Farmworkers program is also willing to assist eligible clients through

paperwork for public assistance, including food stamps. We will continue to help our families

connect with needed resources. Bartow benefits from a strong community support from local

organizations including Carver Recreation Center, the Civic Center, and Bartow Art Guild.

Partner letters and the descriptive form are attached.

Eloise Resource Center Offer exposure to different artistic representations – dance, music, arts, theater, instrumental music

AmeriCorps Polk Reads

Training for adult tutors Tutor support to work with adults who lack literacy, ongoing Outreach and recruitment to reach adults who lack literacy from

among After-School Adventures families, ongoing Tutoring for adults to achieve 3rd grade literacy in English to

make them eligible for Adult Basic Education – upon demand, with referrals from partnering schools and agencies

East Area Adult School ABE, GED, and ESOL instruction for family members ages 16+

of After-School Adventures participants at no cost to participant, including materials and online support. These are ongoing.

Books Bridge Mobile Library

Increase student exposure to high-interest books and favorite authors with visits at each site

Distribute free monthly books to participants for home libraries Dialogic reading practice for parents to help their children with

language development and vocabulary, regardless of the parent’s literacy level

Winter Haven Public Education Partnership

Volunteer recruitment to provide tutors and mentors, ongoing through the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce

Community speakers to interact with students, minimum four per year, including presentations that enrich students with exploratory experiences

United Way of Central Florida

Materials to promote family literacy Materials to promote healthy childhood development Communitywide Comprehensive Parent Resource Guides (free) Financial literacy classes for families upon request via Florida

Prosperity PartnershipFarmworkers Career Development Program

Make referrals to and receive referrals from potential mutual client families

Prepare eligible adult farmworkers and their children ages 16+ for career occupations leading to economic self-sufficiency and improved quality of life

Support adult career-path students with stipends, instructional

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materials, tools, uniforms at no cost to the student Support adult career-path students with unemployment

counseling, job seeker counseling, and access to the online Employ Florida Marketplace

Social family events to promote belonging and celebrate local cultures

Polk Vision / Align Polk

Aligned fundraising Recruitment for at least two presentations per center from

comprehensive communitywide project to improve school attendance

representative on Advisory Board Recruitment for at least one presentation per center from

comprehensive communitywide project featuring 5-2-1-0 Health Initiative, coordinating Health Dept., Employers Wellness Coalition, hospitals and other health providers

Parent Resource Centers and Parent University

One-stop resource information center for parents at 5 locations across the district

Engaging, grade-appropriate learning materials for parents to check out and use at home with their children at 5 locations across the district

Monthly workshops for healthy eating, reading fundamentals, and other topics at parent request at 5 locations

School Nutrition Daily nutritious snacks

5.5.c Collaborations with the Regular School Day

Consultation with the Schools – Conversations with the school principals began during

the selection process to identify the sites. Multiple meetings and conversations with the regional

superintendents continued throughout the process. The principals were asked to provide the

needs of their students and families, program plans, scheduling, and community partnerships.

The principals chose personal enrichment activities that match the needs and interests of their

respective students. The principals also looked at the resources available in their respective

community and the ability to create partnerships that work for their school. The principals at both

schools will recruit and select students and staff and will serve on the Advisory Board.

Continued Collaboration – Communication with participating students’ daytime teachers

(including private schools) is written on students’ agendas to record assignments and send

messages between home and school. Since After-School Adventure teachers are also day

school teachers, they will have many face-to-face conversations with their co-workers about

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After-School Adventure students. These conferences will be logged. Conversations about

homework, behavior, progress, and celebrations are shared via email. Site Coordinators

communicate with school-based administrators via email and orally to keep all parties up on

program changes or issues. The Program Coordinator includes school-based administrators in

emails to after-school staff for a clear line of communication between the day school staff and

after-school staff. All staff members involved are working together for the improvement of the

school and ensuring that the program aligns with the School Improvement Plan.

5.5.d Sustainability

During years three to five of the grant, After-School Adventures will continue using non-

consumable materials and equipment purchased during the first two years. It will benefit from

staff training in years one and two of the grant and continue community-based education

adapted and provided by our partnerships. At the end of the project, we plan to maintain teacher

payroll with SAI funds or other funding opportunities since both of these sites are Title I schools.

5.6 Program Plan 5.6.a Target Students

Targeted Students – Each center serves students from the host school attendance zone.

Wahneta Elementary is located in Winter Haven, Florida. Gibbons Street Elementary is

located in Bartow, Florida. After-School Adventures will create the extended learning opportunity

to focus on academic achievement, programs to promote interpersonal behaviors, and parent

involvement that is so desperately needed in school success. After-School Adventures at each

school site will first register students who struggle to stay on grade level. After-School

Adventures has shown it can increase student gains to improve school performance. Wahneta

and Gibbons Street will prioritize invitations to first and second grade students based upon

recommendation by teachers and the guidance counselor. They will consider risk factors from

the Florida Resiliency Mapping Project and the Polk Mentoring Alliance. They will informally rate

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these young students with an indicator checklist that points to the following risk factors: a) low

self-esteem, b) lack of a positive adult role model, c) parents with anti-social behavior, d)

difficulty getting along with others, and e) early academic failure. If we can catch the students

who struggle academically compared to their peers, we will better prepare them for college and

career success.

Schools Meeting Eligibility – Table 3 lists the center sites with eligibility criteria, and

Table 4 depicts the demographics located in the school attendance zones. Based on planning

sessions, we anticipate a smaller enrollment at Gibbons Street Elementary simply due to the

number of enrolled students. We anticipate double the enrollment at Wahneta Elementary due

to their enrollment toals. Participants will most likely have siblings who also fill after-school slots.

Table 3: School Qualifications for 21st CCLC

After-School Adventures Centers

Title I Status

School Grade 2015

/ 2016

% Economically Disadvantaged

Grades to be

Served

Avg. Daily Attendance

Wahneta School-wide C / D 83% K-5 105Gibbons Street School-wide D / D 88% K-5 55

Table 4: School Demographics 20

School Enrolled Black Hispanic White ESE ELL % Free Meals21

Wahneta 475 3.6% 85.5% 10.7% 20% 56% 100%Gibbons Street 277 88.6% 5.7% 2.9% 14% 12% 100%

5.6.b Recruitment and Retention

Recruitment Plan – We will send invitation letters during the summer. Program staff will

follow up with telephone calls. Should there be vacancies, we will offer applications to non-

targeted students. We will keep a waiting list once the program fills, and prioritize placements by

20 Student Membership Report – Genesis (Student Management System) 21 Community Eligibility Option program by USDA, offering free breakfast and lunch to all students based on level of community participation in public assistance programs.

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academic need. We will continually recruit based upon recommendations of daytime teachers at

each site and place students to keep the program full.

Engaging Families – In addition to program promotion at school, our business and civic

partners have promised to broaden our reach with posters, announcements, newsletter articles,

and word of mouth. When the program opens, families of targeted students will receive a

calendar of events with details about family literacy opportunities and an invitation to volunteer

to serve on the Advisory Board. Family members are invited to follow the program on Facebook

and the Internet. The locations/links to these outlets are included on all print distributions.

Consistent Attendance – After-School Adventures promotes consistent attendance

through monthly recognition programs. Students with perfect attendance for the month receive

a certificate. Students can also earn a “jeans day pass” as reward. The Student sign-in sheets

are evaluated weekly by the coordinators, who check with daytime teachers if students miss

multiple days of the 21st CCLC program. If they are in school, we ask parents to be sure they

stay after school. If they miss school, our policy does not allow them to attend After-School

Adventures the same day. Parents of students with unexplained absences are contacted by

telephone. All efforts are made to accommodate families so students may attend the program.

5.6.c Student Program Activities

Activities – To meet our identified needs of low academic achievement and poor

interpersonal behaviors, daily student program activities include a snack, social/recreation time,

homework time, an academic/PBL session, and participation in personal enrichment activities.

Based upon recommendations to our Advisory Board by the district’s P.E. Specialist, each daily

session contains 20-30 minutes of self-selected, supervised physical activity. The exercise

provides a brain-break and provides the after-school session with a playful, cooperative flavor.

Action for Healthy Kids22 says, “Physical movement increases blood flow bringing more oxygen

to the brain and leads to improved concentration. Brain breaks can energize a group after lunch

22 www.actionforhealthykids.org

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or relax and calm a class before a test, after lunch or at the end of the day.” Time is also

allocated daily for homework which is directly linked to student achievement. Students are

grouped by grade level and supervised by a teacher or other staff member for homework help.

Principals advised this is sufficient daily time. Students can engage in homework, self-study, or

independent reading/journaling. Staff assures that each student is actively engaged. With

students still grouped by grade, they then have 40-45 minutes per day, three days per week, for

active learning that supports the Florida Standards in English Language Arts (ELA),

Mathematics, and Science. The Curriculum has been plotted out for the year and follows the

district curriculum map. The academic/PBL requirements of the 21st CCLC grant are met

through implementation of Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs) provided by the Department of

Education through the Collaborate, Plan, Align, Learn, Motivate, Share (CPALMS) website.

CPALMS was created by the Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering,

and Mathematics (STEM) at Florida State University using evidence-based practice. MEAs are

small-group activities that encourage students to invent and test models. They look like real-

world problems and require students to work in teams to generate solutions. Research shows

MEAs support cooperative learning, require students to interpret problem-solving situations, and

promote mathematical reasoning23 We extend STEM into English Language Arts via MEAs by

critical reading of scenarios describing problems, and challenging students to find solutions

under given perimeters/constraints. MEAs support critical reading in content areas.24 Students’

final products consist of written documentation and oral presentation. Research suggests

argumentative writing among K-6 students improves through collaborative problem solving.

Student interest levels in writing increased with the implementation of MEAs.25 We have chosen

specific MEAs aligned to daytime curriculum and instructional timelines. The Program

23 Kahveci, M., & Imamoglu, Y. (2007). Interactive learning in mathematics education: Review of Recent Literature. The Journal of Computer in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 26(2), 137-153.24 Thomas, A., & Bostic, J. (2015). Improving argumentative writing through mathematics and collaboration. Voices from the Middle, 22(3), 38-49.25 Thomas, A., & Bostic, J. (2015).

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Coordinator, using the district’s curriculum maps and instructional sequences in ELA and Math,

selected MEAs that focus on the same standards students are learning during the daytime.

MEAs are specific to the grade level. MEAs are facilitated by certified teachers and

supplemented by hands-on activities to further engage students and increase differentiation.

For example, one fifth grade MEA charges students with managing beach equipment rentals.

Extension of this MEA could include making scaled, two- or three-dimensional models to test

hypotheses and support recommendations. Material costs to implement MEAs are minimal.

The plans are available at www.cpalms.org. Each grade will complete 2-3 MEAs per month.

These activities support the goal of increased academic achievement.

The remaining 40 minutes per day is for personal enrichment. After-School Adventures

has two enrichment objectives: a) improve students’ pro-social behavior, self-esteem, and

problem-solving skills; and b) improve students’ knowledge of and participation in healthy

activities (physically and mentally) and nutrition. We are using proven programs: Skillstreaming,

TAKE 10!, Lyrics to Learn, and Ten Marks which have been factored into the budget. These

programs target individual learning styles of elementary children and are vetted through

research. A study of Skillstreaming effects on students with emotional and/or behavioral

disorders revealed the following outcomes: a) participants were excited about Skilllstreaming

and anxious to attend the sessions; b) participants received zero suspensions while

participating in the program reduced from an aggregate average of one every two weeks prior to

the program; and c) office referrals decreased from daily to less than three per week.26

Skillstreaming uses modeling, role-playing, performance feedback, and generalization to

promote students’ understanding and acceptance of pro-social skills. The elementary school

program consists of five skill areas: classroom survival; friendship making; dealing with feelings;

alternatives to aggression; and dealing with stress. This program aligns with our need to

improve interpersonal behaviors which in turn will improve discipline. 26 Leonardi, R., Roberts, J., & Wasoka, D. (2001). Skillstreaming: A report to the Vermont State Department of Education. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov

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TAKE 10! is a product of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Research

Foundation Physical Activity and Nutrition Program. Research indicates: a) students who

participated in one daily session of TAKE 10! during the school year burned enough calories to

prevent 1-3 pounds of excess weight gain;27 b) TAKE 10! Increases attraction to physical activity

among young children;28 c) following TAKE 10! activities, off-task behavior was reduced by over

20%29 and d) students participating in TAKE 10! Improved math scores. Both math and reading

scores improved among poorly adapted students.30 TAKE 10! integrates 10 minutes of physical

activity into core academic lessons in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

The activities appeal to multiple learning styles through movement, singing, listening, and visual

modeling. Each TAKE 10! activity is differentiated for three levels of physical and academic

readiness to meet the needs of all learners. Lyrics2learn is a brain-based, on-line reading

program designed by Jeremy Spartz, a veteran classroom teacher and tutor. It was created as a

daily reading center his students could do independently while he ran reading rotations. His

philosophy is that music is used to engage students with text and help them memorize

information quickly. As kids retain more and more information due to the repetition, rhythm and

rhyme, question levels increase. Each center or mini-lesson begins with literal comprehension,

and ends with open-ended constructed response. Every story uses this methodology. Studies

show that the more kids know, the more they’ll show. We will also have arts and music

integrated directly into programming. Each center will add attractive opportunities and

experiences for the students such as arts and culture education aligned to Hispanic Heritage

and Black History months, introduction to second-languages, and music education. Individual

sample site schedules are uploaded. Most of the programming is digital, therefore we have also

27 Stewart, J., Dennison, D., Kohl, H., Doyle, J. (2004). Exercise level and energy expenditure in the TAKE 10! In-class physical activity program. Journal of School Health, 74, 397-400.28 Kohl, W., Moore, B., Sutton, A., Kibbe, D., & Schneider, C. (2001). A curriculum-integrated classroom physical activity promotion tool for elementary schools: teacher evaluation of TAKE 10!. Medicine, Science, Sports, Exercise, 33(5), 179.29 Metzler, M., & Williams, S. (n.d.). A classroom-based physical activity and academic content program: More than a pause that refreshes? Journal of Classroom Interaction. In press.30 Dubose, K., Mayo, M., & Gibson, C. (2008). Physical activity across the curriculum (PAAC): rationale and design. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 29, 83-93.

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budgeted iPads and a charging cart to incorporate technology into the extended learning.

5.6.d Adult Family Member Program Activities

Due to the lack of parental involvement noted with the lack of participation in the parent

surveys, we expect to significantly involve and show perceived growth in a minimum of 10

parents/family members per site, representing 20-30 participating children. The Family Literacy

series will have at least six sequenced sessions per site. To meet the needs of all parents, the

program is using Skillstreaming for adult and family services. Skillstreaming lessons all have

home connections and activities. Parents and children will learn and work together on specific

skills (e.g. dealing with anger, accepting “no,” self-control). Other parent meetings will focus on

teaching parents about the new ELA and math standards, adult education, and Growth Mindset.

One of the family activities mirrors an after-school lesson in pro-social skills and emphasizes

positive reinforcement. Another family activity strives to give parents information about the

Florida Standards and resources to use at home to increase student achievement. One meeting

discusses positive pro-social behaviors and “Growth Mindset.” Our family nights target young

parents. We do our best to connect families to community services with activities at community

centers where our partners teach literacy and coach parenting. Our partnership organizations

will enrich family literacy with services of varying intensity, ranging from ABE/GED education to

presentations on financial literacy.

5.6.e Staffing Plan and Professional Development

Administrative Obligations - 21st Century Program Coordinator along with the Program

Director provide curriculum and instruction leadership and program administration. Dawn

Robertson, Grants Director, provides grant services and program oversight. The Grants Senior

Technician, Sheridan Stead, assists in many different capacities such as helping with proposals,

budgets, and amendments. The Program Coordinator, with help from the Program Director,

selects the Site Coordinators. Both the Director and the Coordinator offer support through

weekly visits. They also monitor fidelity and progress toward objectives. They archive all

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reporting data on deliverables and work with the third-party evaluator for timely reports to the

state. This process has produced complete and on-time reports and deliverables.

Adequate and Appropriate Staff - The Site Coordinators manage the staff, student

enrollment, site scheduling, program promotion, attendance monitoring, transportation, snacks,

and student discipline. They work closely with school-based administrators to maintain a

continuum of goals, procedures, and expectations between the regular school day and the after-

school program. Site Coordinators at Wahneta Elementary will work five days at two and a half

hours per day. Site Coordinators at Gibbons Street will work four days at three hours per day.

Site coordinators will arrive during the school day and remain available after hours until the last

student leaves. Site Coordinators make classroom visits and manage transitions. Their extra

hours allow them to prepare attendance and food service documents, handle transportation

issues, communicate with daytime teachers, extend marketing, plan parent outreach activities,

and support the Program Coordinator.

The program office prefers to hire site coordinators at each site who are employed at

the school during the day. This makes for a more successful program due to their investment in

the school and community. The Site Coordinators are level 2 background screened, CPR and

First Aid Certified, and trained in food service guidelines for snack distribution, accounting, and

management. These trainings are provided at no cost. The Program Coordinator recruits

applicants and screens them with the principal and contractor.

Staffing Provided in Budget An onsite Program Assistant at each center helps families

seeking information about the program and students needing additional support. Assistants help

the Site Coordinators meet the needs of the staff by providing breaks if necessary, assisting

with intake and dismissal, and providing extra supervision on campus. We expect for Program

Assistant to be able to communicate effectively and professionally, orally, and in writing.

Bilingual is preferred.

The Program Coordinator procures, prepares, and delivers curricular and instructional

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materials at all centers. This individual helps teachers with small group instruction, interventions,

substitutes for teachers and Site Coordinators, and supervises Family Literacy events with Site

Coordinators. The expectations for the Program Coordinator are: Minimum Academic

requirements are a Bachelor’s degree, a background in youth development, experience in

contractual negotiations, budgeting/payroll, and public speaking. Grant writing experience is

highly desirable.

Certified teachers lead the PBL/MEA lessons and facilitate academic interventions. The

program budgeted for three to five academic teacher positions per center to keep staff-to-

student ratios low. Enrichment staff provides supervision during physical activity time and assist

with enrichment and homework. Enrichment staff may be certified teachers, paraprofessionals,

substitute teachers, or others with experience working with elementary school students. The

uploaded sample site schedules demonstrate the team-teaching model. Using the two-member

team format keeps staff-to-student ratios at 1:10. Teachers and staff members at Wahneta will

work five days at two hours per day. Teachers and staff at Gibbons Street will work four days at

two and a half hours per day.

We will hire teachers first from the host schools, and then reach out to fill vacancies with

teachers from nearby schools. We have also attracted staff from Polk State College’s Educator

Prep Institute and by referral from partnering non-profit groups. Principals recommend

substitutes who express interest. All staff are level 2 background screened by the district.

Professional Development – All staff will receive copies of and be trained in the After-

School Adventures Handbook. This details safety plans, confidentiality, attendance

documentation, payroll documentation, student and parent communications, student behavior

management, and site-specific schedules and procedures. Academic teaching staff will be

trained in MEAs and lesson extension in differentiated, hands-on PBL activities. Enrichment

staff will be trained in the TAKE 10!, Lyrics to Learn, and Skillstreaming programs. Training will

include how to supervise activities and procedures for administering surveys. Also, we will send

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two ASA staff members to the July CCLC statewide training. The designees will then

disseminate the information to all After-School Adventures program staff.

5.6.f. Program Centers

Environments and Facilities – Principals at Wahneta and Gibbons Street have

committed to provide After-School Adventures with the use of their classrooms, media centers,

computer labs, P.E. fields, cafeterias, and front offices. Each grade will have its own standard

classroom large enough to accommodate up to 25 students. Each Site Coordinator will have

dedicated office space, telephone access, and a laptop computer.

Safety and Accessibility – Each school is completely fenced and accessible only through

the front office. All classrooms are equipped with emergency escape windows, maps of exit

routes, and school district emergency procedure plans. They have regular fire inspections and

routinely serviced fire extinguishers. Food storage and service adhere to USDA guidelines.

All facilities meet ADA standards for disabilities accommodations. Site Coordinators confer with

guidance counselors when enrolling students to insure the program meets special education

IEP, 504, or behavior intervention plans. Each center has a familiar and readily accessible

venue to co-locate partner services through the community centers.

5.6.g. Safety and Student Transportation

Safety Concerns and Supervision – The Site Coordinators keep records of student

locations and schedules throughout the program hours and have student emergency cards with

contact information for adults authorized to access students. Students learn classroom

emergency procedures and escape routes on their first day, with monthly refreshers.

Classroom doors are locked during program hours. Students are not allowed out of class

without a “buddy” and this should only occur in cases of students being escorted to the office for

early check-out. Early check-outs should be limited to appointments and family emergencies.

Processes and Transportation – All staff wear district- or vendor-issued photo ID

badges. Volunteers must be registered with the school and approved by the district after

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fingerprinting. Valid state ID is required for all campus visitors at the front office. Each student

has a backpack tag designating the assigned car number. Car riders are released only to cars

with corresponding number tags issued to authorized adults. Both schools are in a

predominantly walkable school site. Parents requesting that their children be dismissed from

After-School Adventures to walk or ride a bike home without adult supervision must provide

written notice of this request. All students will be supervised by a crossing guard/monitor.

5.6.h Dissemination Plan

Appropriate Plan – After-School Adventures has a website with program schedules and

information about special events, updated at least monthly. It gives contact information for the

Program Coordinator and Site Coordinators. Further, the 21st CCLC Program Office makes

frequent posts on our Facebook page and via Twitter to promote the Family Literacy series and

special events. We use email lists of participating parents to send monthly newsletters. Schools

send paper and voice communications in English and Spanish, with Haitian Creole translations

as needed. This provides for accurate and timely information. Advisory Board meeting dates are

published at the beginning of the year. They include updates on progress toward objectives,

which also go to district administration and the web site.

Priority 1: Evidence is provided in the Attachments Section.

Our application targets only high-need students and families and both schools have over 80% of

the student body receiving free/reduced price meals.

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