Creating an Ecosystem for School Reform
- 1. Creating an Ecosystem for School Reform: Expanding Our Ideas About Practices, Programs and Services to Support Student Success Dr. JoAnne Ferrara, Dr. Eileen Santiago Strategies for Whole Child Education and Community-School Partners L.L.C. Kerron Norman, MSW Vice President for Community Based Programs ANDRUS Raising the Bar Summit
- 2. CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS:CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS: “In Education, Equal Does Not Mean or Ensure Equity”“In Education, Equal Does Not Mean or Ensure Equity” Dr. Eileen Santiago, Principal & Teacher (Ret.)Dr. Eileen Santiago, Principal & Teacher (Ret.) Using a framework for Whole Child Education as basis to plan school reform, to provide equity and reduce disproportionality in Westchester County Schools. Understanding and addressing the trauma on student development and learning (poverty, adverse childhood experiences) through professional development and community partnerships. Translating trauma theory about child development/ human development, adversity and chronic stress into supportive classroom practices. Translating Ecological Systems Theory into a Strategic Plan for school reorganization based on needs of the school community with a focus on students and families. Expanding visions of student success and school accountability
- 3. “Westchester Children By the Numbers 2008” 2008, Westchester Children’s Association CORE IDEAS REFLECTING SYSTEMS THINKING •All children need the same basic supports and opportunities to grow up healthy and strong, but some live in families and communities that are resource poor. •Children’s well-being is affected by disparate but interdependent factors. •Children’s well-being depends on the decisions and actions of adults.
- 4. A Working Definition of Whole Child Education Safety Physiological Esteem Love/belonging Self-actualization Abraham Maslow”s Hierarchy of Needs
- 6. A Commitment to Supporting Teaching and Learning That Is .... Family and Community Centered Developmentally Appropriate Based on Relational Engagement Trauma Informed
- 8. Teacher Reflections • “The community meetings help me gauge where students are so I can intervene early with appropriate strategies”. • “I am more aware of trauma and don’t make assumptions about children and families. I am looking beyond the behaviors to understand what has happened. Problems can be related to not having breakfast or someone not saying goodbye. My students look forward to community meetings”. • “I gained insights about indicators and warning signs, awareness and understanding related to trauma and ACE factors, so I can look at students differently and my interactions with them”. • “The community meetings are driving student goals both academically and socially”.
- 9. ONE STOP CENTER FOR STUDENT PROGRAMS & SERVICES AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMS ACADEMIC INTERVENTION/ ENRICHMENT SERVICES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ONE STOP CENTER FOR FAMILY RESOURCES THERAPEUTIC FAMILY SUPPORT and SOCIAL SERVICES PARENT AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION HEALTH SERVICES Translating Ecological Systems Theory: Integrating Supports For Children and Families © 2007 Dr. Eileen Santiago and Dr. Joanne Ferrara
- 10. Next Step Recommendations • Create substantial opportunities, via policy and funding, at all levels to allow for the flexible use of resources to educate the whole child as part of an expanded mission in public schools. • Address the reality of “disproportionality” and provide equity in funding for those schools that have an “urban profile” regardless of the county or townships in which they are situated, as they are particularly disadvantaged in accessing special funding when compared to N.Y.C. and other large cities. • Cultivate leadership at all levels to work “in and with” schools in comprehensive and integrated ways so that they can successfully educate an increasing number of children and youth growing up in poverty. • Build capacity and provide opportunities for business, education, and non-profit organizations to work collaboratively across systems to positively impact children, families and their communities. • Create trauma informed community schools as part of the suburban landscape to address issues of disparity and to fulfill the promise of opportunity for minority and disadvantaged children and youth. Santiago and Ferrara, 2014 copyright pending
Editor's Notes
- #2: Welcome and Introduction Describe school and presenter experience in education State purpose of presentation- to share a practitioner’s experience of where we are 60 years after Brown vs. the Board of Education
- #3: Review presentation outcomesAppear/click
- #4: Introduce the 2008 publication titled, “Westchester by the numbers and its intended purpose. Appear/click To present a consolidated and comprehensive statistical picture of children and youth (those under the age of 18) in Westchester within a single resource. To identify unmet needs and inform the decision-making of various government and private entities responsible for children’s education and wellbeing. Enhance civic engagement. Serve as indicators of how well we are preparing out children to b productive workers, voters, parents and leaders of tomorrow. Acknowledge Limitations: Elements of the landscape have changed since 2008 Explain “systems thinking” based on Human Ecology Theory of Uri Bronfenbrenner Core Ideas: Shared responsibility, “It takes an entire village to raise a child”. Negative experiences in any one aspect of child development can have a negative impact on another. There is always a potential for changing these experiences and positively impacting the life of a child. There is an educational ecosystem in which students grow and learn that includes, not only from their families and teachers, but their neighbors, religious leaders, elected officials, civic leaders and all who play an important role in meeting children’s needs. They are also impacted by overarching political, cultural and ideological contexts beyond their daily experiences.
- #5: The needs expressed really reflected Maslow 101’s Hierarchy of Human Growth and Development and would guide future work in reorganizing school programs, services, and practices with community partners
- #7: Underscore: Standards Based and Outcomes Driven (Broader outcomes to be addressed later in presentation) – Balanced literacy, ESL, bilingual programming, and implementation of the Marilyn Friend co-teaching model to decrease the number of special service pull-outs and increase the level of collaboration between special education and regular education teachers. Highlight: Define Developmentally Appropriate – age, social-emotional disposition, cognitive level of functioning, and culturally responsive/ also reflected in school’s Code of Conduct Highlight: Relational Engagement is a pre-requisite for academic engagement (shared/articulated core values, class meetings, buddy classes, service learning, character education, school-wide unity builders, and student exhibitions for the community) Highlight Family and Community Centered- Included parent and child publishing celebrations, topical offerings of interest to them, and sponsoring events for the community focused on housing and community health.
- #10: Based on the needs that had been identified and the resources made available from our 5 community partners, we developed the community school strategy that, over time, would include……. Academic intervention services held during the day in ELA, along with after school and summer programming, delivered through Manhattanville College’s School of Education in collaboration with the district and and a community-based organization. Professional development and teacher education: Manhattanville College provided student teachers, mentored new staff, delivered on site and campus courses to the school’s teachers (including having Edison students participate in reading practicum experiences that would provide them with individual tutoring), and brought professors from the college to co-teach enriched, science content to our students alongside their classroom teachers. Family and Community Education: Delivered and coordinated primarily Through the Guidance Center’s Case Worker, the BOCES Adult Education Program, and the Open Door Family Medical Center but also supported by Manhattanville College. Health Services- A school-based health center delivered by the Open Door Family Medical Centers, a non-profit organization delivering medical care to underserved and under-insured communities in Westchester. Therapeutic Family Support and Social Services- Providing on-site counseling and co-lateral support for families. Did not replicate services provided by school guidance counselor but addressed the gap that exists when referrals are made by school personnel when referring families for much needed health and human services within the county.
- #11: Appear/click Review each bullet point, emphasizing the last