Major Project
Developed by: Jane Blanton
and Deb Brennan
This Major Project was developed by Jane Blanton and Deb Brennan. The RFP is based on Service Learning. The project was developed to be incorporated at a Middle School (Grades Six, Seven and Eight) in the State of Illinois.
This project was developed to be used as an example of how Service Learning could be applied at the Middle School. Level. The district referenced in the grant application is not a true district. We developed the concept from information derived from past experiences with a Service Learning Grant that one of the writers had, and an interest that both of the writers had in further developing this opportunity for learners. One of the basic premises of this grant is that the district supports the grant with matching funds. In the past year, the experiences that we have referenced, include a basic awareness of what service learning is and minimal experiences of students creating information posters influenced by an Environmental Agency Project. This project would enhance opportunities to develop intergenerational connections for interested community stakeholders, in addition to application of character development involving all stakeholders. At this point, local parochial schools are not interested in becoming a partner in this endeavor, although reports concerning the project will be shared with the one local parochial K-8 school in the area. We are excited about the opportunities for learners presented in this grant. It provided a vehicle to demonstrate the connection between service learning and characters standards that could be easily adapted to any middle school in any community.
Since the mid-1980’s, educators in K-12 schools have
begun to discover the value
of using
service learning as a methodology to integrate real-world experiences into
curriculum. As Bruce Boston writes (1997), “Their
reasoning is not based on some
vague moralistic sense that “it’s good for them,:
but on solid evidence that service
activities
can be a galvanizing context and catalyst for acquiring the knowledge,
skills, and
attitudes students need for success, not only in their schoolwork, but in
the workplace and in life. Increasingly, the use of
service as an academic activity
(called
“service learning”) is seen by educators and community leaders as a
strategy
with multiple payoffs:
-as a vehicle for learning and youth development,
-as a means to school improvement, and
-as a strategy for community renewal. (ASCD –
Foundations of Service Learning, 1999).
FY2001 RFP is available at:
http://www.isbe.net/learnserve/apply02.htm
This RFP is being utilized as our model.
The FY 2002 RFP is unavailable at this date.
Sunny Heights Middle School believes
in investing time and energy in a multi-grade (6,7,8) Service Learning Program
that addresses identified needs throughout the community. It is the goal of the
school community to provide opportunities for students to make a difference
through service learning activities that incorporate the Illinois Learning
Standards in areas of English/Language Arts, Character Standards, and Workplace
Skills and Career Development Competencies (Illinois Learning Standards
Appendix D). Service Learning opportunities that have taken place in the past,
such as involvement in Environmental Protection Agency projects, and developing
technology skills, have developed positive community connections and heightened
involvement from all stakeholders. The hallmark of this project is for students
to develop relationships with community members in establishing avenues to
create books on tape to be available for children at a local women’s shelter,
high school child care classes and a local children’s hospital. Throughout the
project, students will work with senior members of the community in creating
the products and developing reading and technology skills by having the books
made into audio tapes (students reading and audio taping age-appropriate
literature to community members), letters drafted on the computer to the
recipients, and creation and editing of a video that will be created using AVIO
equipment, made available to the community at the Village Hall and local Senior
Centers, linked to the school website, and used as a community service
announcement through connections with the local cable company for easy access
to a larger audience. This project will enhance the development of community
partnerships along with the opportunity to create connections with local
shelters, hospitals and high school child care centers, in coordinating an
effort to enhance reading literacy across intergenerational lines, apply
practical applications of character development and emotional intelligence and
establish an opportunity to share appropriate technology skills with senior and
community members.
(As stated in the RFP – grants will range between $2,000 and $8,000, rarely exceeding $10,000.)
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1 |
FY2002 Grant Funding Request (matching district funds) |
$ 6,000.00 |
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2 |
What is he numerical population of the community involved in this project? |
750 |
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3 |
What is the anticipated number of community members directly affected by this project? |
500 |
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4 |
How many schools are involved in this project? |
1 |
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5 |
Name(s) of project school(s) |
Sunny Heights Middle School |
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6 |
How many students are enrolled in the school(s) involved in this project? |
550 |
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7 |
How many staff members are employed at the school(s) involved in this project? |
52 |
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8 |
Which student grade level(s) are involved in this project? |
6, 7, 8 |
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9 |
What is the total number of students in this grade level(s) in question 8? |
550 |
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10 |
What is the anticipated number of student participants in the grade level(s) in question 8? |
350 |
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11 |
What is the total number of adult staff connected with the grade level(s) in question 8? |
52 |
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12 |
What is the total number of adult staff/volunteer participants in the grade level(s) in question 8? |
12 |
13. State succinctly in a paragraph of fewer than 200 words exactly what this project will entail, including a list of the principal activities. This paragraph will be used as your project’s descriptor in a compilation of all funded projects for this fiscal year.
Sunny Heights Middle
School has invested in developing a multi-grade Service Learning Program
addressing community needs. It is the goal of the school community to provide
opportunities for students to make a difference through service learning activities
that address the Illinois Learning Standards and character development. The
service learning opportunities to take place this year enhance service learning
commitments of the past, and include students developing relationships with
community members, including seniors to create books on tape to be made
available for children at local shelters, high school child care classes and a
local children’s hospital. Technology developments include creating and editing
a multi-media presentation to be made available representing the project to the
Village Hall, local Senior centers, local cable station and posting on the
school website for easy access to a larger audience. This effort will enhance
intergenerational reading literacy, apply practical applications of character
development and establish community connections.
Characteristics of community(ies) receiving service:
Specific Service Needs
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Assessing
Program Processes |
Assessing
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Methods of Evaluation |
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1. Participants/developers will assess the number, kind, place and frequency of activities 2. Participants/developers will look at resource adequacy.
4. Program manager and community will evaluate how the key components of the Illinois Learning Standards and Character Standards were used as part of the service experience. 5.Determine the adequacy of training and support. |
3. Students will develop an awareness of community issues and be able to apply school learning to real-life situations. 2. Students and adults will have the opportunity for interactions and attitudes to be shared throughout the project, including school climate, staff morale and participation in project and commitment. 3.Students and involved community members will complete surveys addressing how community needs have been met. 4. Students will be informally assessed by surveys, observation and performance along the lines of character development, esteem in adolescents, engagement in project and personal and social responsibility of students. 5. Surveys and journals will be used to assess growth and changes. |
1. Students will maintain a journal of their service. Questionnaires will be administered to all participants in the service learning activities. 2. Students will produce a variety of projects, including multi-media, written letters, website, brochures and/or flyers. 3. Students and community members will be involved in observations. 4. Students will commit to product reviews, e.g. presentations, video or multi-media project, books on tape, flyers, brochures, and local cable television products for assessment of involvement of the project. 5. Student activity will be evaluated through project-designed rubrics. |
The specific learning needs of the students who will be providing service in this project, which will be addressed through authentic assessments tasks include:
5.A. For the students providing the service, list the
Illinois Learning Standards (by number) or list the elements in individual
educational plans, individual optional educational plans, and/or state or
national vocational skill standards to be addressed by this project.
English/Language Arts:
1A3a: Analyze the meaning of words and phrases in their context.
1B3d: Read
age-appropriate material with fluency and accuracy.
2B3c: Analyze how characters in literature deal with conflict, solve problems and relate to real-life situations.
3A3: Write compositions that contain complete sentences and effective paragraphs using English conventions.
3Ba: Produce
documents that convey a clear understanding and interpretation of ideas and
information and display
focus,
organization, elaboration and coherence.
3B3b: Edit and revise for word choice, organization,
consistent point of view and transitions among paragraphs using
contemporary technology and formats suitable for submission and/or
publication.
3C3a: Compose narrative, informative, and persuasive
writings (news articles, correspondence) for a specified
audience.
3C3b: Using available technology, produce compositions and multimedia works for specified audiences.
4A3d: Demonstrate the ability to identify and manage barriers to listening.
4B3a: Deliver
planned oral presentations, using language and vocabulary appropriate to the purpose,
message and
audience, and use visual aids and contemporary technology as support.
4B3b: Design and produce reports and multimedia compositions that represent group products.
4B3c: Develop strategies to manage or overcome communication anxiety and apprehension.
4B3d: Use verbal and nonverbal communication strategies to maintain communications and to resolve conflict.
5A3a: Identify
appropriate resources to solve problems or answer questions through research.
5A3b: Design a product related to contemporary issues
(e.g. real-world math, career development, and community
service) using multiple sources.
5B3a: Choose and analyze information sources for individual, academic and functional purposes.
5B3b: Identify, evaluate and cite primary sources.
5C3a: Plan, compose, edit and revise documents that
synthesize new meaning gleaned from multiple sources.
5C3b: Prepare and orally present original work (e.g.
poems, monologues, reports, plays, stories) supported by
research.
5C3c: Take notes, conduct interviews, organize and report information in oral, visual and electronic formats.
Character principles: Eleven principles of effective character education:
1. Character education promotes core ethical values as the basis of good character.
2. Character is comprehensively defined to include thinking, feeling and behavior.
3. Effective character education requires an intentional, proactive, and comprehensive approach that promotes the core values
in all phases of school life.
4. The school is a caring community.
5. To develop character, the school provides students opportunities for moral action.
6. Effective character education includes a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that respects all learners and helps
them succeed.
7. Character education should strive to develop students’ intrinsic motivation for developing good character.
8. The school staff is a learning and moral community in which all share responsibility for character education and attempt to
adhere to the same core values that guide the education of students.
9. Staff and students demonstrate moral leadership.
10 The school recruits parents and community members as full partners in the character-building effort.
11. Evaluation of character education assesses the character of the school, the school staff’s functioning as character
educators, and the extent to which students manifest good character.
Workplace Skills and Career Development Competencies (Illinois Learning Standards Appendix D)
5.B. Discuss briefly the
three most important of the standards/goals listed for Question 5A. How will
these be furthered or met specifically via the service-learning project?
The Sunny Heights Middle School service-learning model provides experiences which allow our adolescents to grow and develop through the active participation in student and teacher initiated activities that will (1) meet community needs; (2) integrate parts of the established academic curriculum; (3) provide a structured time for students to think, talk, write and reflect about their service learning experiences; (4) offer the students opportunities to use newly acquired academic skills and knowledge in real-life situations by being actively involved in their community; (5) enhance what is taught in the school by extending student learning beyond the walls of the classroom; and (6) help to foster a sense of caring and social and emotional learning.
The three (3) most important standards/benchmarks that will be used to accomplish these goals are:
English/Language Arts (Writing) – State Goal 4:
Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations.
4B3a Deliver planned oral presentations, using language and vocabulary appropriate to the purpose, message and audience; provide details and supporting information that clarify main idea; and use visual aids and contemporary technology as support.
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English
Language Arts – State Goal 5:
Use
Language Arts to acquire, assess and communicate information
5C3c Take notes, conduct
interviews, organize and report information in oral, visual and electronic
formats.
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Character
education Quality Standards most addressed.
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6. Describe the
mechanism for determining the extent to which the needs outlined in Question 4 will
have been met at the close of the project. How will student learning via this
project be assessed? What methods will be used to determine how the proposed
project successfully connected with the listed Illinois Learning Standards,
individual education plans, individual optional educational plans, and/or state
or national vocational skill standards?
The Illinois Learning Standards will serve as a resource that provides
focus, phrasing and expectations, which will guide the learning and assessment
process of the service-learning endeavor. It is through the service-learning
activities that students will produce evidence of learning. Service-learning
activities will be provided that address specific standards and result in
student products and performances that can be used to evaluate achievement of
those standards. The language of the standard and specific benchmark will be
used when students and teachers work together to develop rubrics, which will
let students know how the benchmark will be addressed and achieved and ways to
move to the next level of the benchmark. Throughout the project, constant
feedback will be offered through discussions, journals, surveys and written
opportunities dealing with the quality of their work to clarify for each
student what he/she needs to do to achieve the targeted standard. This use of
linking assessment to inform instruction will provide timely information that
can be used to improve teaching and learning in the context of the
service-learning projects.
1 year FY2000 in amount
of: $ 1500.00
** Matching District funds: $ 1500.00
Total Projects Amount: $ 3000.00
Our involvement with the FY2000 Learn and Serve Initiative allowed only a small core group of teachers to increase their knowledge and skills for integrating service learning into the curriculum. To ensure the continued enthusiasm for the precepts of service-learning to continue and create an inviting atmosphere within a larger context of students and community stakeholders continues, we are requesting additional funds as a renewal grant to expand existing programs dealing with identified community needs, as well as initiate the following new programs which will involve an increase number of staff members:
Local, state and federal funds have previously been earmarked for specific curriculum area improvements and staff development. The administration, staff and students are committed to service learning and to ensuring that it will be incorporated into the curriculum of the school permanently as well as working toward grant independence. This will be accomplished by:
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Community
Partnerships |
Project |
Personnel |
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Adult/Senior Centers |
Students look at issues facing senior citizens, present a flyer or brochure describing the anticipated project; Students work with community members in technology training and reading literacy |
Identified Teachers Community members Asst Principal/Grant Developer to coordinate project with staff members and community liaisons |
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AT&T Broadband Cable Station |
Partnership with local cable station to air multi-media presentation on local access to community to establish an awareness of project |
Identified Teachers Asst Principal/Grant Developer Local cable station liaison |
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Women’s Shelter |
Students and community seniors prepare books on tape with personalized letters |
Identified Teachers Asst Principal/Grant Developer Community liaisons |
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Local High School Child Care Classes |
Students and community seniors prepare books on tape with personalized letters |
Identified Teachers High School responsibility education coordinator |
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Hope Children’s Hospital |
Students and community seniors prepare books on tape with personalized letters |
Identified Teachers Grant Developer/Liaison |
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Village Hall |
Students and community members create multi-media project and flyers, brochures to establish an awareness of the project |
Identified Teachers Grant Developer/Liaison Village representative |
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School District |
Students create web page with use of digital tools and create/edit video to highlight the project |
Identified Teacher Technology Coordinator Community members |
The Sunny Heights Middle School Service Learning Program will also be associated with the Safe School Project Initiatives Program, Problem-Base Learning approaches and the Career to Education Development Program.
The building Assistant Principal
and District Grant Development Coordinator
will coordinate the supervision
and administration of this program.
Qualifications and experience of the administering staff include:
All of the identified teachers from Sunny Heights Middle School have received initial training dealing with Service Learning including the Illinois K-12 Learn and Serve Conference and the AIMS Middle Level Conference. They also attended the Students Learning Through Service Workshop presented locally by National Learn and Serve Leaders.
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Budget Summary and Payment Schedule:
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Expenditure
Account |
Salaries |
Purchased
Services |
Supplies and
Materials |
Capital Outlay |
Total |
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Line 1 Function Number 1000 Instruction |
1200.00 |
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1800.00 |
500.00 |