Using the CARE Model to Address Campus Concerns

This week we studied strategies to sustain current improvements on our campuses and to identify future areas of study.  Based on my completion of the CARE model below, I feel that my topic (New Teacher Academy) is a valid topic of study for my campus and one that will help to address some current concerns.

Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools Sandra Harris, Stacey Edmonson, Julie Combs

Tool 8.1 CARE Model: Planning Tool

Identify Concerns that must change

1. Student discipline referrals must be decreased.  Too much instructional time is lost currently due to discipline.

2. Teacher efficiency and management of classroom duties and procedures must be improved.  Currently there is a great deal of down time between activities and assignments, which wastes instructional time and increases the chance for discipline issues to arise.

3. Various disciplinary consequences (ISS, lunch detention, after school detention) need to be modified to increase effectiveness.  At this time, none of these options effectively decrease inappropriate behaviors.

Identify Affirmations that must be sustained

1. Grade-level teaming within the school day needs to be sustained.  This is a time for teachers to meet and discuss both positive and negative aspects of student performance in order to increase student achievement. 

2. Professional Learning Communities within the school day need to be sustained.  This is a time for each content area to collaborate and discuss effective instructional practices in order to increase student time on-task, and in turn, learning and achievement. 

3. Progressive Discipline Sheets on students who are sent to the office need to be sustained.  This is an excellent way to easily keep track of the number of times and consequences for each trip to the office, as well as an excellent tool to use with parents of students who consistently come to the office.

SMART Recommendations that must be implemented:

1. In the 2011-12 school year, the number of discipline referrals will be reduced by 25%.

2. In the 2011-12 school year, teacher time on task will be increased by 15%, as measured by administrative walk-throughs and evaluations.

3. In the 2011-12 school year, student time on task will be increased by 25%, as measured by teacher observation and evaluation and administrative evaluation.

EVALUATE – Specifically and Often

1.  Regular monitoring of the discipline log.

2.  Regular walk throughs by the administrative team to evaluate time on task for both students and teachers.

3.  Regular evaluations by teachers of themselves and each other to evaluate student time on task.