P177Q
The Robin Sue Ward School
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Sustainability
A focus on continuance and meaning beyond the present moment, contextualizing today’s successes and improvements as the legacy of the future
Student Attendance: The Attendance Committee consists of Counselors; Administrators; one attendance teacher and paraprofessionals. The committee utilizes the Attendance Tracker to monitor Students’ attendance patterns This is a live document and is updated as needed. A color coded system is used to communicate the priority level of specific students. Students in the Red Zone are considered top priority, and home-visits are immediately scheduled Attendance Committee members and all stakeholders document all outreach to families of students who are chronically absent. Outreach efforts are on-going. The team engages families who are experiencing barriers to accessing learning, to problem solve and create a plan to meet the needs of the family. Weekly workshops are provided for families with a monthly attendance of less than 50%. A 3 Tiered Team based approach is utilized to increase students’ attendance. Tier 1 supports are proactive and includes: Monthly Attendance Awards to recognize classes with the highest monthly attendance. Data also indicate that participating classes in the PBIS Panther Points program have higher monthly attendance than non-participating classes.
Training for all stakeholders on understanding students’ attendance trends is provided to ensure all stakeholders have the most updated students’ attendance information to share with families. The Attendance committee engages in proactive strategies to ensure all families have opportunity to access learning.
Members of the Attendance Committee collaborate with the parent coordinator, and Attendance Ambassadors to plan targeted workshops with relevant materials for families.
Monthly attendance data is analyzed by members of the attendance team. With the addition of a full-time Attendance Teacher, we will expand our outreach efforts to all families, and expect to continue with an upward trend in students’ attendance.
Students' attendance have been positively impacted by school-wide use of Tier ! and Tier2 Interventions:Family outreach, attendance awards, and participation in Positive Behavior Intervention Supports.
Students and families have the opportunity to collaborate with the attendance committee. Students benefit from individualized attendance plans to meet the needs of the student.This team-based targeted approach has resulted in continuous collaborations to improve students’ attendance.
Providing Attendance Training to staff promotes collaborative and positive relationships with students and their families.
Regular Parent training promotes opportunities to establish positive and collaborative relationships among parents and Attendance Committee members. Joining with families to support our students leads to positive students’ learning outcomes.
Collaborative work among members of the Attendance, Equity and PBIS teams have led to increased supports to each student.
Creating caring and supportive classrooms promotes academic success and well-being of each student. Students who feel safe, supported and recognized, attend school regularly.
Lead Paraprofessionals: The Para Lead Program provides opportunities for our Lead Paras to assume Leadership roles. The second cohort of Lead Paras consists of 7 Paraprofessionals who support their peers in a variety of roles. The focus for the 2020-2021 school year is to provide a series of professional development opportunities for all paraprofessionals.
The results of the Paraprofessional Survey is used to select professional development topics and trainings.
The results of the workshop survey are used to improve future professional development workshops.
To provide a supportive environment for substitute paraprofessionals. The First Cohort of Lead Paras created a Sub-Para Brochure to welcome substitute paraprofessionals to our school.
Paraprofessionals professional development has resulted in increased para participation in students' whole group and small group learning.
The Paraprofessional Training Series provides opportunities for paras to be better prepared to support students academically and socially.
Feedback from paraprofessionals indicate high interest in learning new skills to support students’ needs.
Preparing Sub-Paras by providing information about the school leads to sub paras who are better equipped to support our students academically and emotionally.
Student Council: The Student Council Committee meets weekly. There are four Student Council Advisors and 12 student leaders. Student Council Facilitators organized and guided our student leaders to run for Student Council Positions. Students had the opportunity to run for the following offices: President; Vice President and Secretary. Our students wrote speeches; created campaign flyers and engaged in the First Student President & Vice Presidential Debate. The results of the school wide voting led to the Election of the First Student Council President.
Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the 2020 Re-opening of schools was challenging. The blended and Remote Learning models posed challenges to our students and families. Subsequently, students’ attendance was low. Student Council members were made aware of the problem and embarked on an Attendance Improvement Campaign. Their efforts consisted of student made posters; and a Flip-grid Address to their peers on “Why School is Cool.” Students’ efforts have been successful, as the attendance data indicate small monthly gains.
Students' active engagement with service to our school community provides ample opportunities for students to learn public speaking skills, how to organize and plan school wide events and how to build and maintain positive relationships with adults and other peers.
Students are actively involved with problem solving in all areas of our school.
PTA/UFT/Student Council: Encourage active political stakeholders. UFT/PTA/ and Student Council are encouraged to advocate for the 177Q Community and to participate in District and Citywide Council.
PTA/UFT/Student Council: The 177Q UFT and PTA hold a strong presence in our District and Citywide Meetings. They attend, advocate, and promote the needs of the 177Q community and D75 students. They represent our educators, parents, and students.
Our Student council held a meeting and brainstormed advocacy for a new site and questions to ask at the Van Buren Public Hearing to be held on 4/13 in the evening.
Culture
Attitudes, knowledge, behaviors and beliefs that characterize the school environment and are shared by its stakeholders.
Attendance Ambassador Award: Attendance Ambassadors are paired with families who are at 50% or under in attending. These families receive phone and email outreach with the opportunity to problem solve with a trusted member of our school community.
Exceptional Leadership Rewards: Students are encouraged to demonstrate leadership. Administrators acknowledge students demonstratign leadership with Exceptional Leadership Rewards that may then be used towards the leader center or culinary.
Students’ efforts and good attendance is recognized as a class award. Focusing on the whole class promotes adult-student; peer to peer; and home to school partnerships.
Students are encouraged and rewarded for demonstrating leadership and the high standards of character set at 177Q and within the 177Q community.
The Equity Team collaborates with members of the Attendance Committee; PBIS Team; Transition Coordinator;and Paraprofessionals to advocate and prepare our students to live productive lives. The team’ focus consists of: Parent Outreach and Training; Education and Vocational Advocacy; a focus on creating Equity in PBIS for All students; and a commitment to facilitating Critical Conversations on Equity as it relates to students’ outcomes.
In order to promote each students’ academic success and well-being the Equity team, engage in regular communication with families to better understand the families’ strengths and needs. The team will then plan and facilitate training specific to parents’ needs.
Members of the Equity Team participate in on-going and current professional development to deepen understanding of the impact of Equity and students’ academic; social and vocational outcomes.
Students and their families engage in frequent conversations with members of our team. The specific needs of families lead to a series of trainings for families. Students engagement with technology and in vocational experiences ensures their academic and vocational skills are developed.
Partnering with parents to support students will promote greater students’ learning and well-being.
On-going professional development in the areas of Equity promotes the inclusion of each student's strengths, diversity and culture as assets for teaching and learning.
In May of 2020, P177Q started offering families virtual tours, showcasing the great opportunities offered at P177Q and P177@295Q. This was a multidisciplinary team approach and consisted of the Unit Coordinator, a Classroom Teacher representing the class ratio of the students' IEP, Speech and Language provider, Occupational Therapist and Physical Therapist, and an administrator. The families were presented with a slide show highlighting our school. The families had the opportunity to ask additional questions regarding our programs and services offered. The touring of new families continues today.
The feedback from families continues to be positive for we are one of the first schools to offer virtual tours.
Socio-Emotional Learning: Students, staff and families are encouraged to participate and promote a culture of mindfulness. SEL Days are promoted to encourage all individuals to develop healthy and positive habits throughout the school and in the community.
Socio-Emotional Learning: The entire 177Q community benefits from a focus on mindfulness, positive behaviors, and socio-emotional learning. As a community we continue to support one another and develop a culture of healthy practice for both mind and body.