The following are some of my school-wide achievements that have served the purpose of easing the stress of teachers who request help with high-profile students as well as aiding in the development of a calmer school environment:

1)      Identifying students who were physically aggressive/violent to help them, teachers, administration, and family gain fuller insight in order to design and inculcate practices that lead to deeper understanding and improved student behaviors, a process that some families continue to come back to request even after their child has moved on to middle school.

2)      Middle school follow-up to make sure our graduated students are in the best position to maximize their educational experience on the secondary level.

3)      Absent teacher support was instituted so that substitutes have a guarantee that accepting Hooper as an assignment is a favorable experience. I give basic support assistance such as leading class until  substitute has had the time to review teacher's daily plan, proactive address to whole class introducing substitute and letting students know I'll be passing through, guidance and home contacts to students who attempt poor behavior, exchanges with main office to seek information for substitute, etc. All this leads to more time on-task when teachers are absent.

4)      Environmental guidance and counseling that addresses students concerning reports of their daily digressions and progressive interactions.

5)      Ongoing communications with families that lead to deeper understanding and progressive results- based resolutions.

6)      Collaborating with teachers to share the responsibility of providing lessons as well as controlling classroom environment.

7)      Collaborating with teachers to enrich the extended day experience for students.

8)      Designing and implementing the after school College & Beyond program to support homework orientation, the writing process, critical thinking, as well as exposing students to ideas that create awareness of their self-concept focused on potential careers and post high school education.

9)      Home visits for the purposes of strengthening the home/school education process (we have funding in place to pay for such visits).

10)  Follow-up services to maintain contact with families of high at-risk students off-track.

I plan to carry these services forward with the permission of my collaborating staff. I will remain open to ideas generated within the collaboration to maximize our comprehensive professional services here at Hooper.  Many of these services mentioned in the ten points above can be provided by other out-of-classroom staff in order to maximize the overall positive effects.
 
AYP: Envisioning and Implementing Small Learning Communities in Elem. Schools

Because there is recognition of a need to demonstrate our team effort, it seems as if the best course of action would be to have Mr. South work, as other out-of-classroom staff, each focused to collaborate with
5-7 on-track teachers implementing the AYP process as delineated by Dr. Hadley, the Second Step: Anti-Violence Curriculum, as well as to assist the selected teachers in addressing the educational needs of students at the lower end of the scoring curve. We must continue to be about something progressive, true educators.

As a result of ongoing discussions with teachers as well as with out-of-classroom certificated staff, the feeling among Hooper Avenue Elementary staff is that it would be most progressive if we ended 2007 with a clear understanding of our school-wide collaboration to begin the second semester January 7, 2008. This document is now offered as my action plan for the Spring Semester 2008. This represents what I will undertake as of January 7, 2008 until a more formidable plan is worked out in team mode among certificated staff.

Other across the board services not mentioned include coordinating with administrators and teachers regarding monthly assemblies focused on topics consistent with Second Step for selected 4th and 5th grade classes during February, March, and April as well as Career Day to be scheduled for either May or June. Last year I coordinated a donation drive for the Leukemia Society.  I am available to do that again because that seemed to have helped students understand how group empowerment works to help others. Along the same lines there is a fund raising proposal from Wendell Tyler (the UCLA and NFL legendary running back) for this community.

In short, we have a lot to work on during the Spring Semester 2008.  We have the players on board to meet these challenges.

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