AR Project Summary

I have made tremendous progress towards the implementation of my action research project.  This week I will be presenting the intervention/enrichment block during our Tuesday’s faculty meeting.  During our last faculty meeting my principal and I introduced the intervention block and the feedback that we received from the teachers and staff.  We addressed some of the concerns outlines in the emails and survey and indicated our stance and assured them that this plan was not set it stone.  We communicated that it would be a work in progress and reaffirm why we are implementing this action plan.  This seemed to put a lot of the teachers concerns at ease and again we provided an opportunity for teachers to give us feedback, which we later analyzed.

This Tuesday, October 2, 2013 I will be introducing our call-back system and finalizing teacher assignments and Intervention/Enrichment procedures.  I requested that teachers bring their laptops because I have set aside time to freely navigate through the call-back system and become familiar with the process. This Thursday, the Advisor and their students will practice using the call-back system.  By Tuesday, October 8, 2013, the Intervention/Enrichment Block will begin and students will be called-down to their core classes for help while other students will participate in enrichment activities.  The IE Blocks are for 30 minutes on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  Many of the non-core teachers will be assigned to enrichment activities.  We tried to give non-core teachers at least one day to call-back students.  I am the Intervention/Enrichment Block Supervisor.  I will be responsible for student discipline and managing the call-back system.  I have tried to effectively communicate to teachers and staff that we will make the necessary adjustments that are going to impact student achievement.  I feel that the teachers and staff are on board because we invited all stakeholders.  We provided multiple opportunities for teachers to express their concerns and needs.  I am very pleased by how far along we are in the process and I am eager to see how this call-back system will impact student performance.

Revised Action Plan As of Sept. 29, 2013

Action Plan: Intervention/Enrichment Block
Goal: To prove through quantitative data that implementing an enrichment/intervention program will decrease the percentage of students earning D’s and F’s.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start-End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Read related research and identify areas of concern regarding Intervention/Enrichment Blocks. Become intermediate / proficient in the call-back system program enrichingstudentlearning.com	Joe Brown Bob Thibault	June 2013 -Sept. 2013	·Access to the call back system enrichingstudentlearning.com that links with our grading system PowerSchool. ·Copy of intervention block research action plan	List of concerns / questions to Principal.
Conduct a survey for faculty/staff regarding implementation of the intervention block. Requesting volunteers to serve on the IBC committee.	Joe Brown Bob Thibault	July 2013 –August 2013	·Google Survey	Results from the Survey
Analyze and track survey results. Prepare a list of potential committee members to serve on the Intervention Block Committee (IBC)	Joe Brown Bob Thibault	July 2013	·Contact Information for Teacher/Staff interested in serving on the committee ·Google Survey ·Google Spreadsheet	Provide a list of ideas and potential concerns regarding the call back system.
Meet with the Committee to brainstorm protocols and procedures for the intervention block.	Joe Brown Bob Thibault IBC	July 2013	·Data regarding percentage of students earning D’s and F’s ·Sample action research plans (Intervention Block) ·Access to call back system ·Draft of Teacher Assignments	Received input from committee members
Finalize Protocols and Procedures of the Call Back System	Joe Brown Bob Thibault	July 2013 – Sept. 2013	·Input teacher/staff information in the call-back system ·Assign duties for non-core/core teachers ·Final Draft of Intervention Block Plan, Procedures, and Protocols.	Final Draft of Intervention Block Plan and Protocols
Staff Training Student Training	Joe Brown	Sept. 2013	·Presentation ·Finalize Teacher Assignments ·Mock Trial Run using the Call-Back System ·Call-back Instruction/Procedure Form	Attendance Sheet
Implementing the start of the Enrichment/IB (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)	Advisory Teachers	Oct. 2013	·Teacher/Advisor Call-Back Students	Observation Tracking attendance on the call back system
Analyze and Reflection	Joe Brown	Entire School Year (Q1-Q4) 2013-2014	·Data Collection Sheets	Compare Attendance, percentage of D’s and F’s for each quarter
Conduct a survey of faculty/staff, parents, and students.	Joe Brown	May 2014	·Survey Monkey questionnaire approved my administration	Number of participants who provide feedback.
Write a final report and present to administration.	Joe Brown	June 2014	·All data collected from all sources	Feedback from administration.

Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools

(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)

Intermediate Action Researcher Reflection

I would describe the conclusion of this course as bittersweet.  Although, I am very excited to be one step closer to earning my master’s in educational administration, I’m sad to see this course come to an end. I had no idea what to expect from this class.  To be blatantly honest I was put off by the title of the course because it emphasized research.  However, as the course transitioned week to week, there was effective and concise scaffolding within the information and assignments.  As I type this reflection, I cannot comprehend how much I have learned and applied to this course.

One aspect of this course that I feel I gained the most knowledge and experience from was developing my action research plan.  Prior to this course I had no recollection of what action research was and how it applied to the job description of a principal.  I can recall certain “initiatives” that my building principal would try and implement; however, I didn’t understand the process and all the intangibles involved.  Although, I learned a great deal from the readings, blogs, and discussions, the intimate face-to-face discussions with my onsite supervisor was very empowering.  I applaud whoever at Lamar helped develop this researching course by emphasizing the sit-down meetings with our on-site supervisors.  The collaboration and insight that I received from my building principal as I created my action research plan was insurmountable and allowed me to focus and identify strategies that were pertinent to our school. 

Other aspects that I believed that were beneficial to my growth and development as a future administrator were the web conferences, discussion boards and blogs.  These forums provided opportunities to share ideas and experiences with each other in the program.  In turn, I learned a great deal from my peers and was able to apply their statements in developing and refining my action research plan.  The support from everyone in the program was instrumental to my success in this course and I would not have accumulated nearly the amount of information if it weren’t for these forums.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this course and I learned so much that is applicable to my current job as an athletic director and a future principal.  I have a greater understanding and respect for what principals do on a day-to-day basis.  I am enthusiastic to implement my action research plan and I am hopeful that the data indicates an improvement in student performance.  Although, this course is only scratching the surface of a principal’s job description, I feel I have made tremendous strides in learning how to use the tools to becoming a strong and effective educational leader.

Revised Action Research Project

After reviewing my comments and reflecting on my action research plan, I realized that my goal was to general and need specificity.  I hope you all can agree that my goal is specific and integrates well with the entire action research plan.

Action Planning Template
Goal: To prove through quantitative data that implementing an enrichment/intervention program will decrease the percentage of students earning D’s and F’s.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start-End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Read related research and identify areas of concern regarding Intervention Blocks. Become intermediate / proficient in the program enrichingstudentlearning.com	Joe Brown Bob Thibault Chris Moody	June 2013 -Sept. 2013	·Access to the call back system enrichingstudentlearning.com that links with our grading system PowerSchool. ·Copy of intervention block research action plan	List of concerns / questions to Principal.
Prepare a list of potential committee members to serve on the Intervention Block Committee (IBC)	Joe Brown Bob Thibault	June 2013 - July 2013	·Contact Information ·Access to the tracking system enrichingstudentlearning.com that links with our grading system PowerSchool.	Provide a list of ideas and potential concerns regarding the call back system.
Meet with the Committee to draft protocols and procedures.	Joe Brown Bob Thibault IBC	July 2013	·Data regarding percentage of students earning D’s and F’s ·Sample action research plans (Intervention Block) ·Access to call back system	Received input from committee members
Finalize Protocols and Procedures of the Call Back System	Joe Brown Bob Thibault IBC	July 2013 – August 2013	·Final Draft of Intervention Block Plan and Protocols	Approval of Final Draft of Intervention Block Plan and Protocols
Staff Training	Joe Brown	August 2013	·Final Draft of Intervention Block Plan and Protocols ·Presentation	Attendance Sheet
Student Training	Advisory Teachers	September 2013	·Final Draft of Intervention Block Plan and Protocols	Observation Tracking attendance on the call back system
Collect data (D’s and F’s) after implementation	Joe Brown	Entire School Year (Q1-Q4) 2013-2014	·Access to call back system ·Access to PowerSchool Grades ·Attendance Reports	Compare the percentage of D’s and F’s from the last three-year cycle to each quarter this plan has been implemented.
Analyze and Reflection	Joe Brown	Entire School Year (Q1-Q4) 2013-2014	·Data Collection Sheets	Compare Attendance, percentage of D’s and F’s for each quarter
Conduct a survey of faculty/staff, parents, and students.	Joe Brown	May 2014	·Survey Monkey questionnaire approved by administration	Number of participants who provide feedback.
Write a final report and present to administration.	Joe Brown	June 2014	·All data collected from all sources	Feedback from administration.

Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools

(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)