Wilmington Partnership Report

Summer Learning Partnership Report WILMINGTON, NC 2015

experienceBELL.org

“BELL is an amazing program. It has inspired me in school and out-of-school. I used to not really care about my academics, but the summer program has made me want to learn. My learning abilities have changed in very good ways. My math and reading have grown in ways I did not know that they could. But not only have my academics improved, I am also maturing. With the help of the extra classes and job shadowing, I’ve realized that college is a reality. We have been shown the expectations that we will have through high school. The BELL program has done a lot for me - I hope that they will do another program for the rising 9th grade next summer because I would like to volunteer for it.

— Wesley Dickey

“When scholars are presented with new ideas and possibilities, you have the opportunity to spark lifelong learners within these new experiences. It was our goal this summer to present our scholars with engaging and enriching learning opportunities that are relevant to high school and beyond.”

— Sabrina Hill-Black, Program Manager

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Summer Learning Partnership Report Partnership Design This report describes the summer learning activities & outcomes of a partnership between BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) and the Blue Ribbon Commission on the Prevention of Youth Violence and its Youth Enrichment Zone in Wilmington, NC.

BELL is a nonprofit organization that partners with schools and community organizations to expand learning time for students in grades K-8. Our mission is to transform the academic achievements, self-confidence and life trajectories of children living in under-resourced communities. Because BELL believes that all children can learn, we recognize students as “scholars.”

Summer learning activities play an important role in a child’s academic success, as well as their social, physical, and emotional development. Studies show that, without summer learning activities, children tend to lose reading and math skills, gain weight, and face increased risks of negative social behavior. By the time a child completes the 8th grade, summer learning loss can account for up to 2/3 of the academic achievement gap between children from low-income families and their higher-income peers.

BELL and the Blue Ribbon Commission combined resources and expertise and delivered the BELL Summer program model for rising 7th and 8th grade students on Wilmington’s North Side. The model is designed to mitigate summer learning loss, curb negative social behaviors such as crime and violence, and help at-risk kids gain the skills and attitudes they need to succeed in school and graduate on time as a college- and careerready young adult.

The BELL Summer program was hosted at the DC Virgo Preparatory Academy and New Hanover High School and offered at no cost to families. The summer learning partnership helped scholars – particularly those who were struggling academically - strengthen the foundational reading and math skills, self-confidence, and resilience they need to advance to the next grade and excel in school and beyond.

72 6-8 162 86%

Scholars Enrolled Grades Served Total Hours of Summer Learning Average Daily Attendance

+1

Average Reading Gain, in Months

+3

Average Math Gain, in Months

100%

Teachers reporting that scholars increased their self-confidence

100%

Parents reporting that scholars enjoyed their summer learning experience

84%

Parents reporting they became more involved in their scholar’s education

2

Scholars Avg Daily School “The curriculum, the technology, and Enrolled Attendance

programs that are used by the BELL program allow for scholars to learn on a more Mineral Springs 253 78% individualized basis. In turn, the teachers are able to create an exceptional learning Philo Hill 190 environment and meet scholars where85% they are – which leads to success!”

Total

443

81%

— Patrick Holder, Math Teacher

✎ PROGRAM GOALS BELL and the Blue Ribbon Commission worked together to eliminate the summer opportunity gap, accelerate students’ reading achievement, and close the achievement gap. Program goals included:  Increase scholars’ literacy and math skills.  Strengthen scholars’ self-confidence & social skills.  Increase parental engagement.

✎ PROGRAM MANAGEMENT BELL worked with the Blue Ribbon Commission and the school to recruit, select and train program leadership teams consisting of a Program Manager, Program Coordinator, and Instructional Coach. The Program Manager was responsible for setting and fulfilling program goals, supervising staff, and engaging parents. The Instructional Coach served as the primary academic officer, overseeing assessment and ensuring instruction remained consistent with curricula and program goals. The Program Assistant managed logistics, attendance, and parent interactions. Most program leaders also serve as school or district employees.

BELL was responsible for delivering the summer program model, managing quality, and measuring outcomes. The national nonprofit leveraged its capacity for program design & planning; scholar data management; staff recruitment, hiring & training; assessment & evaluation; payroll & finance; distribution of curriculum & supplies; fundraising; and information systems.

✎ PROGRAM STAFFING & TRAINING BELL collaborated with school leaders and The Blue Ribbon Commission to identify and recruit highperforming teachers to lead academic instruction, enrichment instructors to lead afternoon activities, and teaching assistants to support classroom activities.

Program Managers and Instructional Coaches participated in BELL’s comprehensive leadership training, including online e-learning (BELL University), webinars, and classroom-based training. With assistance from BELL, they took the lead in training program staff, including teachers and teaching assistants, who also completed e-learning courses.

Training focused on the summer learning program model, utilizing assessment data to drive instruction, effective teaching practices, collaborative teaching, and behavior management.

✎ SCHOLARS SERVED Faculty at the DC Virgo Preparatory School selected scholars from grades 6, 7 and 8 based on academic need (test scores, grades, teacher recommendations) and economic needs. The school facilitated the enrollment process by distributing information about the program and encouraging parents to enroll their children. BELL Summer staff managed the scholar enrollment and tracked participation.

✎ FAMILY ENGAGEMENT Family involvement was a key component of the program, and staff members provided updates to parents on their children’s progress and challenges through phone calls, progress reports, and a midprogram Open House. All parents were invited to attend a Closing Ceremony celebration, at which scholars performed skits, songs, and presentations about their summer learning experience.

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Partnership Checklist

Summer Program Planning & Management

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Academic Curricula & Supplies

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Enrichment Curricula & Supplies

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Student Enrollment & Attendance

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Staff Hiring & Training

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Field Trips & Community Service

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Parent Engagement

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Assessment & Evaluation

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Classrooms & School Facilities

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Snack & Meal Service

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Volunteer Recruitment & Management Philanthropic Funding Public Funding & In-Kind Support

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Sample schedule

Program Design ✎ CORE ESSENTIALS & VALUES The BELL Summer program is designed to serve scholars who are performing below grade level and who lack access to high-quality learning opportunities outside of school. The model is guided by principles of effective summer learning, including (1) a culture of high expectations; (2) partnerships to magnify impact; (3) an exceptional learning environment, including a 1:10 staff to scholar ratio; (4) teaching excellence; and (5) relevant & engaging learning experiences that broaden scholars’ educational horizons while developing 21st Century skills.

Scholars and staff were expected to model core program values: Excellence, Collaboration, Learning, Respect, Courage.

✎ THEMES All summer long, scholars were encouraged to Be Extraordinary, the program’s motto. Activities focused on college- and career-readiness, healthy lifestyles, and community engagement were woven into academic and enrichment programming. During College Pride Week scholars learned about the college experience and how success in school is connected to success in life.

✎ PROGRAM SCHEDULE The BELL Summer program delivered academic and social enrichment for 6.5 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 5 weeks. The program started on June 29 and concluded on July 31. The daily schedule started at 8:30 and ended at 3:00. In sum, the program expanded learning time by up to 162 hours. The summer learning model included the following core elements:

Breakfast + Community Time: Scholars enjoyed a nutritious breakfast provided by partner schools.

After breakfast, scholars participated in teambuilding activities to build social skills and strong relationships with peers and staff.

Literacy Instruction: BELL equipped teachers with a powerful toolkit of teacher’s guides, scholar workbooks, access to technology and assessment data, and professional development to prepare them for delivering the greatest academic impact in a concentrated summer learning program. Each content area was scoped out to provide educators with details on whole group, small group, and individualized instructional methods in a rigorous, engaging, and scholar-centered learning environment.

Certified teachers led 90 minutes of literacy instruction using curricula drawn from Scholastic’s Comprehension Clubs (Grade 6), Guided Reading Program (Grade 6), On The Record (Grades 7 & 8), and Traits Writing (Grades 6 8).

Instruction focused on the priority skills critical for student success: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Curricula incorporated stories of contemporary figures and their journeys of struggle, perseverance, transcendence, and transformation and was organized around four social justice and learning platforms – define the self, become resilient, engage others, and build capacity – which provided a framework for scholars to chart their own development.

Writing activities helped scholars become capable, confident writers. The curriculum was based on the six traits of writing – Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Presentation.

Math Instruction: Certified teachers led 90 minutes of math instruction using curricula with targeted intervention modules to build conceptual understanding, problem solving, and mathematical skills.

Scholastic’s Do The Math helped scholars in grades 6 & 7 develop the skills they need to compute with accuracy and efficiency, the number sense they need to reason, and the ability to apply their skills and reasoning to solve problems. It incorporated eight research-based instructional practices for scholars who need additional support: Scaffolded Content, Explicit Instruction, Multiple Strategies, Gradual Release Routines, Student Interaction, Meaningful Practice, Assessment & Differentiation, and Vocabulary & Language.

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“My BELL experience was one of the greatest times of my life. I am really glad I had the experience of going out of town for a college road trip. Before BELL, in the summer I would sit home watching tv and doing nothing. BELL was my way of having a active sum-mer. BELL allowed me to learn and have fun at the same time.“ —Chrishuanta Davis With 8th grade scholars, teachers utilized Scholastic’s Math 180, a comprehensive system of curriculum and instruction that is designed to strengthen the knowledge, reasoning, and confidence related to conceptual algebraic reasoning that is essential to the scholars’ success in high school math. The curriculum maximizes instructional time by offering game-day lessons where scholars partner with one another and play engaging and challenging games that help develop critical mathematical practices.

Lunch & Recess: Scholars spent 45 minutes eating a healthy lunch and engaging in organized physical activity during recess.

Enrichment Courses: The enrichment classes at DC Virgo Middle and New Hanover High were very unique.

Volunteers within the community provided enrichment opportunities to include STEM, Yoga, Dare to be King/Queen, Wood Shop, Dance, and more. The Coastal Horizon’s organization worked with the scholars on a project venture. In addition, the high school scholars participated in Job Shadowing every Friday.

Other enrichment opportunities included Kids Making It and Pineapple Yoga.

The rising ninth grade program incorporated a branding exercise where scholars were able to create and define their “brand.” A local photographer, Leanne Haskins, did a photo shoot with each of the 20 scholars and each scholar’s story was included in a book.

Enrichment Courses Yoga Class

Photography

Dance

Kids Making It: Woodwork

Leadership & Team Building

Health Access for Teens

STEM

Nutrition and Health

Field Trips College Tour

Civil Rights Museum Ropes Course

Community Garden Beds at Portia Hines Park

Impact Measurement The BELL Summer program sought to produce the following outcomes: • Scholars will gain at least one month of academic skills, on average, instead of experiencing summer learning loss.

• At least 75% of scholars will demonstrate improved self-confidence and social skills.

• At least 75% of parents will report that they became more engaged in their child’s education.

To measure performance against these outcomes, program leaders used the following tools:

✎ COMPUTER-ADAPTIVE ASSESSMENTS Teachers used STAR Enterprise Assessments, by Renaissance Learning, on a pre- and post-program basis. The assessments are built for measuring progress against Common Core standards. Scholars completed both the STAR Reading and STAR Math assessments.

The multiple-choice assessments, administered via computer, laptop, or tablet, “adapt” based on scholar responses to assessment questions. For example, if a scholar selects the correct answer, the next question becomes more difficult; if the scholar answers incorrectly, the next question becomes easier. The adaptive quality of these assessments enables staff to hone in on the specific learning needs of each scholar. It also allows staff to group scholars according to common needs and deliver small-group, data-driven instruction.

✎ ATTENDANCE DATA BELL managed scholar enrollment and tracked attendance data in an online Scholar Management System powered by Salesforce.com. Scholars were expected to attend at least 80% of the time, given the strong positive correlation between learning time and academic and social outcomes. Program leaders integrated enrollment and attendance data with staffing and quality indicators to optimize the learning environment.

✎ TEACHER SURVEYS Partners used a teacher and teaching assistant survey instrument to assess program implementation and efficacy from the perspective of instructional staff. Teachers and teaching assistants completed the anonymous survey at the end of the program, which included questions regarding scholars’ progress, training, curricula, program staff and service, and parent engagement.

✎ PARENT SURVEYS Partners employed a parent survey instrument to assess parent observations of scholar improvement, program quality, and parent satisfaction. Parents completed the anonymous survey on-site during the final week of the program.

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Scholar Achievement ✎ ACADEMIC GROWTH Assessment data from the end of the BELL Summer program show that scholars an average of one month of reading skills and three months of math skills.

Gains in reading and math skills are an important indicator of student success because they provide a measure of how much a student has progressed up the proficiency ladder at a time when most children are not engaged in structured learning activities. A full grade level contains ten months of skills development (i.e., based on an average school year of learning from September – June). To put it another way, a gain of one month is equal to what an average student learns in 10% of a school year.

Scholars’ academic growth suggests that participating in summer learning activities could have a positive impact on academic achievement and eliminate summer learning loss. The data also hints that summer learning opportunities may have the greatest impact on scholars who stand to benefit the most: those who are struggling academically and who need more time-on-task the most.

Teachers utilize formative assessments from the start of the summer to understand each scholar’s learning needs and to inform individualized learning plans.

ACADEMIC GROWTH IN THE BELL SUMMER PROGRAM VS SUMMER LEARNING LOSS -2

-1

0

1

2

3

+1 Month of Reading Skills

Skills Gained, in Months

+3 Months of Math Skills

-2 Months of Summer Learning Loss Experienced by Disadvantaged Students Without Summer Learning Opportunities* -2

-1

0

1

2

3

* Sources McCombs et al. (2011). Making Summer Count: How Summer Programs Can Boost Children’s Learning. Rand Education & The Wallace Foundation.

Cooper, Harris (2003). Summer Learning Loss: The Problem & Some Soluations. ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary & Early Childhood Education.

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✎ SELF-CONFIDENCE & SOCIAL SKILLS Scholars’ academic success requires self-efficacy skills, determination, and social skills, including an ability to communicate clearly and work well with others. Teachers and parents consistently reported that scholars’ participation in BELL Summer program helped them make important gains in these areas.

Such a positive impact can be attributed to a culture of high expectations, high-quality staff, a small scholar to staff ratio, and an individualized learning environment.

✎ PARENT & TEACHER ENGAGEMENT & SATISFACTION

PARENT & TEACHER SURVEY RESULTS

Teachers and parents consistently reported that the BELL Summer program was of high quality and met or exceeded their expectations. Teachers reported that the program structure and resources helped scholars achieve the goals set forth for them. They also reported that working as a teacher in BELL Summer helped them develop their professional skills. Parents reported that the model boosted their involvement in their child’s education – an outcome that is proven to have significant long-term impact on student achievement in school and beyond.

Parents report: 100%

Scholars are more confident in their abilities

89%

Scholars have a more positive attitude about school

100%

Scholars enjoyed the BELL Summer program The BELL Summer program helped me become more involved in my child's education

84%

I am highly satisfied with my BELL Summer experience

100%

I recommend the BELL Summer program to other parents

100%

Teachers report: Scholars have more confidence in themselves

100%

I recommend the BELL Summer program to parents

100%

Program staff are diverse and reflect scholar diversity

100% 86%

Working with BELL helped me develop my professional skills

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

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THE GROWTH MINDSET This summer, program staff and scholars focused on cultivating a growth mindset. In a growth mindset, scholars believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work — brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for short- and long-term achievement.

BELL’s culture of high expectations, staff modeling, and transforming mistakes into positive learning opportunities are some of the strategies used to strengthen scholars’ growth mindset.

End-of-program surveys suggest that this approach is resonating with scholars, as 89% of parents reported that scholars showed improved abilities to overcome challenges, and 86% of teachers reported that scholars exhibited a growth mindset.

“My BELL experience was fun and educational. We went on field trips to learn about different jobs at Verizon, Castle Branch and the hospital. We even had a trip to a ropes course. This program had a lot of opportunities for us to think about our futures. For example, we took a college road trip to several colleges in North Carolina. If I could do the program all over again, I would!”

— Adaya Ford

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Public & Private Funding ✎ BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION The Blue Ribbon Commission raised philanthropic support from the Cape Fear Future Foundation, Bank of America Foundation, the Cape Fear Memorial Foundation, the Corning Incorporated Foundation, Duke Energy Foundation, the New Hanover Regional Medical Center, the City of Wilmington, and PPD.

✎ NEW HANOVER HIGH & DC VIRGO PREP ACADEMY The schools contributed public funding and in-kind resources to support program costs, including classroom space, utilities, janitorial services, breakfast and lunch.

✎ BELL BELL raised additional philanthropic funding from national sources to develop program innovations, build local sustainability, and cover a portion of program expenses: -

The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation The Wallace Foundation Target Leon Lowenstein Foundation William Randolph Hearst Foundation News Corp.

Contact Us Jerri Haigler Executive Director, Carolinas Jerri.Haigler@experienceBELL.org (704) 706-7122

Carolinas Leadership Council Cammie Hauptfuhrer, Chair Philanthropist & Community Activist

Joe Kluttz Partner, K&L Gates, LLP

Mary Kluttz Former Lower School Academic Dean, Trinity Episcopal School (retired)

Dr. Donald Martin Former Superintendent, Winston-Salem / Forsyth County Schools (retired); Professor of Education at High Point University

Walter McDowell Chair, Business for Education Success & Transformation (BEST NC) & Former CEO, Wachovia (NC & VA)

Claire Tate Community Advocate & former Executive Director of Partners in Out-of-School-Time (POST)

Carolinas Partners Blue Ribbon Commission on the Prevention of Youth Violence, Wilmington Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (Read to Achieve Grade-Level Reading)

Devonshire Elementary School, Charlotte First Presbyterian Church/Westerly Hills Academy, Charlotte Huntingtowne Farms Elementary School, Charlotte Lakewood Elementary School & Duke Office of Durham and Regional Affairs, Durham Martin Luther King Middle School, Charlotte OnTrack Greenville (United Way of Greenville County & Greenville County Schools)

Project LIFT, Charlotte Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Public Schools (Read to Achieve Grade-Level Reading & Middle School partnerships)

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