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Greybull Middle School (2018)

Greybull, WY

School Counseling Core Curriculum Results Report

Two Curriculum Action Plan lessons targeted the goal of reducing discipline referrals: Assertive Communication for 6th grade and Meeting Expectations for each grade.

Student communication skills are held to a high standard at GMS. First semester (before explicit instruction in assertive communication) 67% (n=16) of all 6th grade discipline referrals (n=24) resulted from students not using assertive communication skills. Two weeks before the lesson, five out of six total referrals related to lack of assertive communication. During the two weeks immediately following the lesson, 6th graders only received two discipline referrals total--a 67% decrease in the number of referrals overall. One post-lesson referral, or 50%, was for communication skills. Long-term results showed a similar trend. Twenty-eight out of 51 referrals (55%) received by 6th graders during the second semester were for inappropriate communication skills. Student perception data for this lesson were largely positive. Students demonstrated an understanding of assertive communication (37 out of 39 students), the skills necessary for using assertive communication (35 out of 39 students), and reported valuing assertive communication in their day-to-day lives (all 39 students). One reason for the large shift in student attitudes about the value of assertive communication may be due to the use of the word “assertive” specifically. This was a new vocabulary word for a majority of students. Asking questions about the importance of each assertive communication skill separately may reduce this discrepancy in the future. Causation cannot be proven between participating in this lesson and receiving fewer discipline referrals. However, based on the positive data results, in the future 6th grade students will receive assertive communication training within the first six weeks of school.

The lesson reviewing GMS behavior expectations was delivered to every student attending GMS. Initial perception data indicated 100% of students clearly understood at least three expectations for student behavior at GMS and were able to demonstrate appropriate behaviors. Long-term outcome data did not yield positive results. During the 2016-2017 school year, students received substantially more referrals second semester (n=123) than first semester (n=59). Due to the large increase in referrals between semesters, students may benefit from a review of expectations in the spring semester. During the 2017-2018 school year students will receive 2 lessons reinforcing expectations and referrals will be monitored to assess their impacts. Compared to 2015-2016 (n=173), students received 10 more discipline/behavior referrals in 2016-2017 (n=183). A change in administrators between the two school years may invalidate this comparison because they had different policies on referring students.

There was also a marked drop in student achievement between the first three quarters of the year and the last quarter. From 16,15, and 16 students earning D’s and F’s quarters one through three respectively, 21 students earned a D or an F during the final quarter. In addition to a spring review of expectations, 10 of the 21 students who earned a D or an F fourth quarter will be taking an extra Study Skills class in 2017-2018 to support student achievement. All 21 students will also be participating in academic planning during first quarter of the 2017-2018 school year.

As a result of the spring 2015-2016 Advisory Council, more college and career curriculum was added to the school counseling program this year. Informative small groups were provided during lunch and 7th grade received a lesson on career values. Student perception data, in addition to engagement and voluntary statements by students during the class, indicated students enjoyed this lesson. One hundred percent of students asked to provide 4 work values to the class were able to do so. The majority of students (n=31) found a career of interest corresponding to the value they identified as most important to them. Outcome data indicates the number of students on the down list in the two weeks after the lesson were greater than or equal to (n=18 and n=13 respectively) the number of students on the down list the week before the lesson (n=13). This data may have been influenced by a large science project being graded (all 18 of the students on the down list the first week after the lesson had a D or an F in Science). However, future lessons will stress the importance between academic skills and necessary skills for career success. Positive stakeholder feedback at all levels means college and career success will be further integrated into the core curriculum.

Grade Level: 6,7,8

Lesson Topic: Behavior Expectations at GMS

Lesson was Presented in Which Class/Subject:

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): B-LS 6; B-SMS 1; B-SS 9

Start/End: 8/19/2016

Process Data (Number of students affected): 111 Students: 63 Male, 48 Female

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): Total Number of Student Role Plays Observed: 60

Total Number of Student Role Plays Accurately Demonstrating Expected Behaviors: 60

Number of Students Able to Identify 3 Expectations: 111

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): Number of Student Discipline Referrals 2015-2016: 173 Number of Student Discipline Referrals 2016-2017: 183 (123 first semester and 59 second semester). Students on D/F List by Quarter: Q1=16, Q2=15, Q3=16, Q4=21

Implications: Students earned 10 more discipline referrals in 2016-2017 than in 2015-2016. However, a change in administrators resulted in different standards for receiving discipline referrals. Therefore, this may not be the best indicator of long-term change in student behavior. Second semester 123 discipline referrals were issued. First semester students earned 59 discipline referrals. The vast majority of of discipline referrals were for minor infractions. The large increase in minor behaviors may indicate students would benefit from also reviewing the behavior expectations during second semester. In February of 2018, all students will receive a second lesson about behavior expectations. Hopefully a reminder of lesser rules and expectations will result in students choosing to modify their behaviors to avoid referrals. Achievement data also had a negative trend over the course of the school year. The number of students earning a D or an F increased from 16 first quarter to 21 fourth quarter. Many students face barriers to academic support outside of school. Therefore, more "Study Skills" classes have been created in the 2017-2018 schedule to provide students with time to complete work and access to content teachers during the school day.

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Grade Level: 6

Lesson Topic: Assertive Communication

Lesson was Presented in Which Class/Subject:

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): B-SS 1 & 2

Start/End: 2/10/2017-2/17/2017

Process Data (Number of students affected): 39 Students: 19 Males, 20 Females

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): Number of students appropriately demonstrated assertive communication skills: 34 out of 39

Number of students report assertive communication skills are important before lesson: 10 out of 39

Number of students report assertive communication skills are important after lesson: 39 out of 39

Number of students correctly identifying 3 out of 3 communication styles on worksheet: 37 out of 39

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): Number of 6th grade discipline referrals 2 weeks before lesson: 6, 5 (83%) communication related Number of 6th grade discipline referrals 2 weeks after lesson: 2, 1 (50%) communication related Number of 6th grade discipline referrals first semester: 24, 16 (67%) communication related Number of 6th grade discipline referrals second semester 51, 28 (55%) communication related

Implications: Perception data indicates an operational understanding of assertive communication skills after the lesson. Discrepancies in student attitudes about the importance of assertive communication before and after the lesson may be due to students not knowing the definition of "assertive" prior to the lesson. In the future, a more accurate measure of attitudes may be asking students the importance of each skill used in assertive communication separately before and after the lesson. Based on the reduction in the total number of discipline referrals immediately after assertive communication training, outcome data suggest students utilized these skills outside of class. The data also indicate a reduction in the percentage of referrals received for lack of assertive communication immediately after the training and over the course of the semester. As a result of the outcome data, assertive communication will be taught earlier in the school year. Second semester, 21 of the 28 referrals received for communication occurred during the fourth quarter. Therefore, because the lesson will be taught earlier in the school year, it will be important to review assertive communication near the end of third quarter to remind students of skills they can use to prevent referrals.

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Grade Level: 7

Lesson Topic: Career Values

Lesson was Presented in Which Class/Subject:

ASCA Domain, Mindsets & Behaviors Standard(s): M4; B-LS 4; B-LS 7; B-LS 10; B-SMS 5; B-SMS 8

Start/End: 4/28/2017

Process Data (Number of students affected): 40 Students: 22 Males, 18 Females

Perception Data (Surveys or assessments used): Worksheets Completed: 40 (31 indicated interest in a career corresponding to their chosen value)

Students able to name and define 4 work values: 4 out of 4

Outcome Data (Achievement, attendance, and/or behavior data): Number of students on the D/F List 1 week before lesson: 13 Number of students on the D/F List 1 week after lesson: 18 Number of students on the D/F List 2 weeks after lesson: 13

Implications: Based on student participation, voluntary statements, and perception data, student interest and engagement were high during this lesson. Informal stakeholder feedback regarding this lesson was also positive. Unfortunately, outcome data indicates students may have not made a connection between current school performance and long-term goal achievement. In future lessons, a discussion about the importance of work ethic, assignment completion, and other academic skills needs to be integrated into the lesson to help students understand the relationship between current achievement and future achievement. The outcome data may also have been impacted by students turning in (or failing to turn in) a large science project on the Monday following the Friday lesson. Eighteen students were on the D/F List one week after this lesson. All 18 of them had a D or an F in science in addition to any other classes they may have been down in at that time.

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