The summit was a great hit. We had 130 student register and 150 show up with 22 teacher/advisors.
Facilitators -Ken Hopkins, Cindy Neibaur, Dottie Alo
Support Staff -Jordan Birch, Jesus Carrasco, and Rachel Taliulu -former Granger Officers.
Theme -We Are Family, Stand Up, Stand Strong, Stand Together.
Date & Location -July 13 & 14, 2015 -Granger High School
Purpose
This two-day summer was prepared to build relationships and a Granger Family bond and to obtain feedback from students about the school culture and thoughts about school behaviors that are challenges to academic success.
Summary
This two day summit began with a series of relationship building activities building from fast friend activities and ending at a crescendo with cross the line and a circle of learning activity. Ken Hopkins and Cindy Neibaur were dynamic and articulate in their delivery of the day’s goals. The selection of activities built upon each subsequent activity reaching a pinnacle of vulnerability that was unexpected and life changing. The goal of students and teachers breaking down barriers and building awareness of self and others, forming positive relationships was achieved on Day 1. Then on Day 2 the work of student voice was in action with students and teachers sharing their thoughts of problems they saw and experienced at Granger. This group offered possible solutions in the areas of attendance, school spirit, academics, and service learning. A presentation of the purpose for the summit was provided by Dottie who went over trends for the 21st century and where Granger stood in preparation for students’ discussion of issues within this framework. Day 2 summit gave us several products to build upon for upcoming changes within our learning environment. This information will be used to develop the schoolwide PBIS plan that will be known as the Lancer Pride Plan.
District MTSS staff, Andrea Miller, Ivette Rodriguez, Lori and Holly all coaches assigned to Granger loved this model of student buy in and student and teacher input. They will be offering support for branding, product and printing and mounting and training of staff as needed and as requested.
A summit video was made by Jordan and Jesus and a group picture taken by John Carlisle. Video support was provided by Curt Clapier and cameras provided by John Carlisle. There is sufficient fresh footage left for the rest of the year for other promotions. The video will be posted to our Youtube site.
The menu of sandwiches was provided by Jason’s Deli -accommodated for different dietary needs. Snacks and breakfast provided by the school.
The finale was a Lancer “pool party” and BBQ. It was attended by 60 kids and several advisors with Hopkins at the grill. The others left to go to work or had other obligations but expressed a desire to stay. Yet another indicator of the other obligations but expressed a desire to stay. Yet another indicator of the success of the summit.
Recommendations-Minor facilitation adjustments to ensure staying within planed workshops. More “think” breaks. Start at 8:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. Add parents and rotate in new teachers and students for the following year.
Keep the BBQ and pool party. Keep the design of the summit. More communication to parents and students, revisit communication using another source other than EduLink. Keep other students out of the entry way of Granger gym lobby, make sure the media person is available for both dates. Registration through Google Docs made registration easy and should be continued. We really need to do a formal survey for the following year. Continue to do this summit annually with a theme and a specific focus to avoid becoming routine.
Based on a discussion between Hopkins and Alo in passing, consideration for a potential theme for 2016-2017 -Boot Camp- “Drill Down” -Steppers to the Lancer Pride TEC Thoughtful, Empowered, Connected, Military Drill Routine, Dog tags, camouflage t-shirts, privilege line (alternate to Challenge), more music, Ropes course type trust activities, a few teachers to help with some workshops. Emphasize fewer areas of the school culture to be refined. A few former SBO officers to co-facilitate. Make the needs of SBO government support are met and woven into the activities of the summit.
Day 2 -Summit Products
Product #1 -Group Work Shop
Group: rewards, incentives, and recognitions
Rewards-
- Keys to Success
- Lancer Pride Points handed out by student leaders
- Duct Tape Dr. Dunn to Wall
Incentives-
Individual
- Negative consequences
- Parking spot
- Letters of Recommendation
- Charge for tardies/truancies-money goes into scholarship fund for Granger Kids.
- Food
- Fast Pass for lunch line
- Pass of all pass for improved behaviors versus academics
- Lancer Loot Store for Swag and other things.
- True Lancer -like a passport for incentives throughout the year.
Class
- Pizza Party
- Class Party
- Ice Cream Party
- Rent a theatre for the entire class
- Movie Period
- Extra Credit
- Early out for lunch
- Lancer House competitions-points for specific competitions -every quarter.
- Spirit bowl points all year long with a mid-year and end of year assembly for final winner -class prize/party/celebration
- Most improved in behaviors
- Recognition-
- Super Lancer
- Underdog (not seen recognition) (See student Angel Herrera to detail this)
- Secret Nominations (in a box) weekly recognition for anything, a pull out.
- True Lancer -end of year by most points by meeting the True Lancer criteria (Teresa Turner)
School wide
- Competitions against other high schools
- Talents
- Other things
- Achieve school reading goals
- End of quarter party for tardies and GPA -loved last year’s party.
- No Tardy Party
- Teacher versus student competitions each quarter.
Product #2-Gym Jam
PBIS Feedback and More
Group: Academic Performance
Why so low?
- Looked down on, don’t try, family stereotypes, not enough time for homework, too many tests wo we don’t learn, afraid to try, family stereotype, expectations.
What can we do to turn this around?
- Bring up GPA, stop limiting ourselves, Teachers care of lessons & sage before school starts, more concurrent classes for juniors, less stress on AP, focus more on learning rather than testing, rewards, GAAP, advisory period once a week, talk to a trusted teacher about an academic problem, increase GPA.
How do we promote academic performance?
- Clubs, rewards, be more open to late work, attendance then homework.
Group: After School Events
Why don’t they support?
- Better “things” to do, working, know someone, not that many people involved within certain events, not a lot of teacher involvement, make those events more interesting, make GTV a priority.
What can we do to change this?
- GTV a priority, better teacher involvement, more fans, a better performance, more stomps after events, Madrigals to sing National Anthem, CPA makeup for attendance, more officers for each club, student’s responsibility.
What are the best ways to promote after school events?
- A raffle, CPA makeup, stomps after, performances during halftime, GTV, more notice of events.
Group: Promote Attendance
Why do we have these problems?
- Later consequences, other priorities, teachers are boring, home, priorities are friends
What can we do to change it?
- More punishment, starts, CPA makeup for attendance to school events, more notices, contracts based on good behavior, relationships.
Ways to promote better attendance?
- Contracts, more parties based on attendance and tardies, an elective class to check grades, attendance, and tardies; midterms signed by parents, incentives, starters that matter.
Group: Lancer Pride
Why is pride so low?
- Why Granger, Why lancer, why the colors-know the history, we only hear about the bad, need to focus on the good, suck at sports–forget unknown sports–outside sources telling us things, information not getting out, too many students, big school, don’t like spirit days, don’t participate, shy people, bad attitude, AM assemblies?, people leave school assemblies, no motivation, spirit week not advertised, committees to help SBOs organize and plan, need to spread the word, better advertisement, involve more students, bad self-perception, people too shy to speak up or standout, it’s cool to not care, people aren’t achieving themselves, won’t celebrate others. Orientation night is boring, people don’t watch GTV, teachers don’t show GTV because they don’t take it seriously and say it takes too long to announce.
How to turn this around?
- Focus on achievements -assemblies to highlight how students are making each other comfortable and building them up, top kids standing up–without it the lower kids do, have teachers participate in spirit week, something about assemblies, not enough room for students, telling clubs to advertise, leaders unit to plan, hello assembly should be outside on football field, speakers on field, track field, fun assemblies on football field, teamwise—dress up, extra credit for school spirit, use courtyard, makeup citizenship for participating in school spirit, ask students for opinions about spirit week, advertise more, know others are coming, give aways, information about assemblies a lot sooner at least one week in advance in announcements, whiteboard, good granger twitter, bathroom announcements, lunch announcements, increase school attendance to school activities, promote and advertise, library advertise other activities, screens at lunch slide show, posters, morning announcements, whiteboard, social media, spirit bus-plan better, announce earlier, no promotion, not advertised enough, awards for grades, teachers will do silly things, shave their heads, PROMOTE, Use monitors to roll out activities constantly, social media, use white boards to advertise, roll out announcements on lanschool, put it on canvas.
How to promote?
- participate in school activities, podcasts, incentives for participations, teacher class colors, more gear in the school store, cheaper, sales, once a week Friday sales, offer an idea/suggestion box, Granger gear day, be inviting, we set the example and go & do, stand up for our school, clean up litter around the school, do an adopt an area around Granger by clubs, choose to love school, take care of school, make pride the social norm, positive peer pressure, rush week and use the courtyard, work with the positive peer pressure, rush week and use the courtyard, work with the janitors and communicate, booths for clubs, creating pathway for students at registration.
How does this connect to our chant?
- Round tables…have SBOs connect with other leaders and have them be in charge, elementary feeder schools need to see us high schoolers there so they can see opportunities, allow elementary students come and see activities, have elementary clubs perform for high schoolers, we perform for elementary schools, tour of school for 6th graders from high schoolers, try something new, but don’t throw away tradition, should organize and do things for alumni, parade was fun, parade on school grounds, (shopping carts), involving junior highs, elementary schools, have orientation nights in one place, have games, maybe do scavenger hunt, prizes, rewards, house points!
Group: Service Learning
Why is Service Learning not successful?
- Same people doing it over and over, new ideas, not convenient, what is service learning, clubs doing it on their own, no one knows about it, no one comes, not well promoted, not getting the word out, times that students are not available.
What can we do to change it?
- Promote it, get the word out, more clubs/organizations involved, use roundtable as forum, Promote a color run, Lancer Chase, more clubs working together, advertise it, list of leadership to contact.
What are the best ways to promote service learning opportunities?
- Morning announcements, Monitors in the lunchroom, bulletin boards, more around the school, competition with rivalry schools and grades, connect with spirit assembly, all year True Lancer, regular service activities, commercials, tell students, why service is important, tell students that service looks good on college applications.
Group: Lunch Activities and Assemblies
What makes students want to leave or go somewhere else?
- Assemblies are boring, no expectation to stay, SBOs aren’t excited at activities, don’t pertain to us, don’t know what it’s about, split assemblies are not with their friends, repetitive, no faculty & staff support, telling kids it’s okay to go, better food, get away from school, long lines, not enough room, want sleep or food, think it’s stupid or waste of time, want to hang out with friends, assemblies to be more interactive, competitions are fun, more involvement with regular students, can’t hear, disrespectful, feeling of not belonging, different spirit bowl ideas, BAM, doesn’t feel mandatory, we don’t know what’s going on, no more lectures, tired of Dr. Dunn class meetings they make us feel dumb and that we aren’t trying,
What can we do to turn this around?
- Lunch activities -use the courtyard, use incentives, multi-cultural talent shows, BMX, hypnotist, impactful-more relateable topics, be well planned, better food, music at every lunch, signs and balloons to promote activities, tables outside, serve food outside, throw garbage away, more sports or activities outside, trivia, games, moves on TVs, no 2nd lunch, band plays, better food @ school store, more clubs involved, teachers at the door, don’t know what is going on in assembly, what it’s about, yearlong stuff for spirit bowl? Use hallways for competitions or use commons area, court yard, Let’s be Hogwarts, earn spirit points throughout year, more student sections, see which grade can get most students to events throughout the year, need more support for sports teams, different shirts for grades, have year, need more support for sports teams, different shirts for grades, have themes.
How can we promote attendance at assemblies and lunch time activities?
- advertise by using the “trailer” idea to promote, more students involved not just SBOs, sandwich board advertise, MASCOT, we need our Lancer!, themes for games (Cancer awareness…)difference shirt for games and grades, house points, each grade gets participation points for attendance at activities throughout year, teachers more involved, Christmas assembly when teachers danced, teacher should be fools and administration involved in activities and assemblies, competitions between teachers.
How does this connect to our chant? (Lancer Pride We Are Thoughtful, Empowered, Connected)-Thoughtful -putting more thought into includes more people, Empowered -When it applies to them, Connected -coming together
Product #3
Lancer Creed
This creed was selected from several submissions by students. We are proposing that this creed be displayed as an important element of the Lancer Pride entity.
LANCER CREED
WE BELIEVE:
OUR DIFFERENCES MAKE US STRONGER
OUR SIMILARITIES MAKE US ONE
WE ARE FAMILY
LANCER IS MORE THAN A TITLE
GRANGER IS MORE THAN A SCHOOL
WE STAND UP
STAND STRONG
STAND TOGETHER
WE ARE GRANGER!
PRODUCT #4
Lancer Pride TEC
The PBIS plan is named the Lancer Pride Plan. It is with this identity the that schoolwide behavior plan will develop and shift the culture of learning at Granger High School. Student on Day 1 learned a rhythm chant using the three values that students will be educated about during the school year. Here is the chant:
Lancer Pride. We are thoughtful, empowered, connected.
Student were taught this chant through repetition, however committing it to memory was difficult. With education, repetition, practice, visibility, this chant should eventually become a norm. The feedback from students this chant should eventually become a norm. The feedback from students will be added to the current draft of the Lancer Pride plan. Teachers will have an opportunity to develop the teacher expectation component of it, however the timing of such is not in the PBIS Task Force favor. So a reevaluation of timeline activities will need to be adjusted despite the poor timing of teacher awareness to the plan’s development. They will however, be able to view the plan and ask questions at faculty meeting. A request to be put on the agenda is required. The plans rollout has to begin the first week of school.
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