Logan

 The work that will be accomplished will build on research based practices found in literature that engage in systemic transformation oriented around the following questions:

1. How are the schools adapting structures, policies, and culture to build an equitable climate and culture that meets the needs of our most marginalized populations? How does the engagement of stakeholders through Climate Teams and other outreach and involvement opportunities support these adaptations?

2. Do we observe changes in campus climate and culture? How do different stakeholder groups experience those?

3. How does the professional learning opportunities afforded adults influence their practices?  As they continue to learn about equity and culture, do they experience growth in their understanding of the influence of culture on human behavior?

4. Do students experience changes in their behavior and in their skills for communication, academic efficacy, and sense of belonging as a result of grant activities?

The plan for this work in all four districts incorporates approaches involving faculty/staff, students, and families as described below:

Faculty/Staff

At the faculty/staff level, we will leverage the equity work we’ve been doing over the past two years with Rowan University- as the climate surveys indicate, staff in each site has identified a need for clearer, more consistent approaches to discipline, and to improve student behavior and respect. Our approach to staff engagement includes:

• Equity Councils/ Climate Teams will lead, with Technical Assistant providers, training during in-service days

• Opportunities for staff input and feedback throughout the planning process

• Monthly updates on the work of the Climate Team

• Google classroom/site resources

• Support for PLCs and individual teacher professional learning goals.

Family/community

Engaging families/community members is a key element in this process.  Our methods will include:

• Each district will host four family/community sessions per year that will provide updates on the work, opportunities for input into the planning and design process, and opportunities for feedback

• All families will be invited to participate in the annual climate survey 

• Family representatives from each school will sit on the school climate team

• Working with subcommittees on our respective BOEs and provide training opportunities for families, especially for young parents, on positive discipline

Students

Students in all sites have also identified a perceived need for increased safety, reduction in discrimination, and better/more fair discipline practices. We will work to engage students in the process by:

• Including their input

• Inviting their participation in the planning teams

• Continuing work with student voice groups

• Participate each year in a Youth Participatory Action Research Project

• Increasing opportunities for student support via mentoring, clubs, and programming

Each district has similar and yet different needs, which is a key benefit of the group coming together to do this work.  Each district will continue with its equity focused leadership work with the Center for Access Success and Equity (CASE) at Rowan, but will begin now to develop diverse climate teams. This team will be charged with developing the new School Wide Support System using a Learning Lab model that engages their peers and solicits input and with communicating via monthly newsletters the progress of the group.  The team will come together as a Learning Lab for working sessions with technical assistance providers, to support overall strategic planning, learning, and looking at data. 

The Learning Lab structure includes up to a week long summer session each year and up to three full days during the academic year. Each district climate team will include up to twenty people, and consist of administrators, teachers from each school, a school resource officer, transportation and cafeteria staff and family members from each school.  Students will be invited to participate in some sessions as well. Each climate team will also meet monthly in their specific sites. Technical assistance will be provided on culturally responsive PBIS, trauma informed practices, restorative practices, mentoring, civil discourse, and student voice.

A School Wide Multi Tiered Systems of Support (SWMTSS)/ Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) will be used as the evidence based model that will form the structure of the work.  With supporting frameworks, climate teams will engage in designing a multi-tiered, culturally responsive, trauma informed, and restorative system that leverages the best of existing programs.  The team will implement and assess this work as well.

Schools will adopt the School-Wide Information System (SWIS) for managing discipline data. Data from SWIS, the annual climate survey, the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), as well as a range of other tools will be used to collect data in order to analyze progress. Each site will have an assigned doctoral student from Rowan working with them on data collection, evaluation, and use.  

We at Logan Township School District  will update our PBIS system and code of conduct using an equity lens as well as transform the district Equity Council to a Climate Team to build on our previous work and training. Part of the work of the Climate Team will be to examine and analyze the behavior logs of different demographic groups of students and develop appropriate culturally responsive interventions which could include mentoring/after school clubs, student voice groups, peer mediation, conflict resolution, and an LGBTQ-support student group. This grant will also enable us to provide more training on drug awareness and abuse for middle school students and continue our work on updating the Code of Conduct for the Elementary and Middle Schools which would include restorative practices. Finally, in a continuing effort to grow our teachers and aides into being more culturally aware and responsive, we hope to be able to provide continued professional learning opportunities, such as Courageous Conversations, book clubs and attending movies/theater that are related to the district Equity Goals.

School districts in our country are grappling with a 25 percent increase in incidents of racism, discrimination and hate.  Schools struggle to create learning environments where marginalized students experience dignity, belonging, and engagement.  Student outcomes still show disparities in discipline and special education identification and placement based on race, gender, and SES.  New strategies are needed to shift culture and climate in public schools. School culture is the beliefs, values and assumptions shared in a school while school climate focuses on the way the school “feels” to students and adults through their interactions in the classroom, how diversity is represented and respected, and how relationships are created and maintained.  

Therefore, we are challenging ourselves to create a school climate and culture that supports all students, particularly with regard to connection and belonging, restorative discipline practices, student-teacher relationships, and instruction.  One that focuses on discipline as restorative, not punitive, with a goal of developing student capacity to navigate school, and life as informed, thoughtful, and productive individuals and citizens. Simultaneously developing the knowledge and skills of adults, as well as students, to understand the impact of culture on our values, beliefs, and behaviors, and to engage in respectful interactions across differences.