ARISTOS GRANT PROGRAM
END-OF-YEAR SUMMARY for ARISTOS PROJECT ARCHIVE
Project Title: Tools for Team-Work: Creating Community Building Kits for East
High 9th Grade Advisory Program
Project School/Department: East High School/ Student Services
Grade Level(s): 9th Grade /upper class mentors Implementation Year: 2010-2011
Project Leader: Laura Gillis
Part I—Project Description
Indicate Primary (P) and Secondary (S) impacts of project in the appropriate box(es)
below. (Leave boxes blank if effects were minimal.)
Engagement
Learning
Relationships
Students
P
P
P
Staff
S
S
S
Parents
Community
Project Abstract (copy from original proposal-- highlight new or unique aspects):
Tools for Team-Work:
1) Train 25 staff and 100 peer mentors to provide a year-long community building
experience for all incoming 9th grade students.
2) Create 20 portable “kits” with materials for successful facilitation of team-building
activities. These kits will become permanent resources for the entire EHS community.
Goals and Objectives (copy from original proposal--highlight objectives attained):
□ By engaging in structured, supportive relationships with their upper-class mentors,
9th graders will feel more connected to East High School and will have improved
academic, behavioral, and socio-emotional outcomes, as evidenced by: a) a
decrease in the number of 9th graders who are “habitually truant” (defined by
having 5 or more part or full unexcused absence days per semester), compared
with 2009-2010 data; b) a decrease in the suspension rate for 9th graders,
compared to 2009-2010 data; c) a decrease in the number of 9th graders who fail
one or more classes, compared to 2009-2010 data; and d) an increase in the
percentage of 9th graders who report feeling connected to East on the annual
school climate survey.
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□ By improving outcomes for 9th grade students, Tools for Team-Work will
generate positive feedback from participants and the greater school community,
and will inspire other staff and upper-class students to become involved in
community building efforts.
□ As the school community becomes more aware of the power of communitybuilding, additional staff and students will request to use the team-building tool
kits.
Activities (copy from original proposal--highlight new or unique aspects):
I. Tools for Team-Work Community-Building Kits:
Resource kits containing materials needed to facilitate team-building activities will be
created for each advisory group, (16 students, 1 staff, 4 peer mentors). These kits will
contain a binder with detailed instructions for facilitating a variety of ice-breakers,
cooperative challenges, and team-building activities as well as tools used in these
activities. Examples of materials include; webbing and climbing rope, pens and paper, a
large blanket, straws, blindfolds, processing tools, (e.g. a “Thumb Ball” debriefing tool,
and “Chi-Gi” cards), throw toys, “Human Bingo” and “Hog-Call” cards, and a
“Channels” kit. i. Kits will be built in the spring/summer of 2010. ii. The Project Leader
and one additional support staff member.
II. Training for Staff and Peer Mentors:
Junior and senior peer mentors will participate in a hands-on, team-oriented, 2-day
summer leadership institute, facilitated by the East High School Peer Mentorship
Program Advisor, members of the 9th grade teaching team, and the Project Leader,
(funding has been requested by another grant writer through separate grants). Staff
mentors will participate in a hands-on, team-oriented daylong training in late May, 2010.
These trainings will: 1) build community among the mentors, 2) provide them with the
needed skills to facilitate community-building activities with their 9th grade groups; and
3) i. May & August 2010 (1 day for staff, 2 days for students). ii. Peer Mentorship
Program Advisor & Project Leader.
III. 2010-2011 School Year Events:
□ 9th Grade Orientation Day: Staff and peer mentors will play an integral role in
welcoming incoming 9th grade students on their first day of school. Students
will spend the morning in their small advisory groups, getting acclimated to
East and beginning their year-long experience building community.
□ Purgolder Time: Mentors and students will meet for one ½ hour each week
throughout the school year to continue their community-building and
support efforts. i. 2010-2011 school year (dates not yet set). ii. Students and
staff mentors will lead with support from Peer Mentorship Program
Coordinator and Project Leader.
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1) Part II—Reflection / Advice
List the activities or other aspects of this project you will work hardest to preserve
or expand beyond the grant implementation year. If none, explain.
1) Preserving our Mentor Program & 9th Grade Purgolder Curriculum:
115 - 9th grade students completed an end-of-the-year Purgolder Pride Time Survey
where students were asked...What topics did you enjoy most? 44% of the 9th grade
students surveyed reported, they enjoyed team-building the most.
When those same 115 students were asked...What did you appreciate most about having
mentors in your class? The 9th grade students had the following comments....
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They taught us how to prepare
It was nice that they took time to get to know freshmen
They provided us some good advice about high school and the future
We got to do activities
They helped us with the social part of school
We learned new things
Enjoyed the games
They were courageous
Taught me about how finals worked
They really knew a lot about East
They taught us about clubs and activities
They helped us figure out East, like traditions for Homecoming and what things
might feel like in the future
□ They were encouraging
2) Expand East Staff Training & Promotion to Expand Tool Kit Use:
A community building staff training was held in December 2010 for the East High
School Freshmen Academy. The teachers, administrators, and support staff were excited
to explore opportunities to use these “tools” in action in their classrooms. One East
teacher reported, “This has been one of the most useful trainings. I could see where this
would be applied in the classroom.” Since that first training, additional staff have
requested training and offered invitations to come into their classrooms and help them
build community with their students.
3) Develop a Community-Building Resource Library:
Once the binders were assembled, curriculum was developed and the students put the
toolkits into action, the grant author along with the Peer Mentorship Advisor, explored
the possibility of expanding the toolkits by offering a library of resources for students and
teachers to borrow through a checkout system. This would facilitate more opportunities
for staff, mentors and mentees, to use additional resources and expand the community
building curriculum.
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List any resources or support systems you have discovered or developed which will
help in sustaining part, or all, of this project in the absence of continued Aristos
funding. Include current contact information, if applicable.
One of the resources and delightful surprises that developed out of this project is the staff,
and specifically teachers, being interested in community building and the tool kit use.
Engagement, which is key for student success is an integral part of this grant and is the
foundation for this work.
Creation
•
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Attainability
Sustainability
Once created, toolkits are portable, reusable and easily duplicated.
Trainings can be provided by staff throughout the district and to other
schools.
MMSD Stress Challenge Teacher: Carla Hacker, (608) 204-6895, chacker@madison.k12.wi.us
Briefly share any practical advice, encouragement, or caution you would give to
another MMSD staff member interested in replicating part, or all, of your project.
(Bear in mind that it is unlikely Aristos funds would be available to this person.)
High Points…(Learned)
 Working with colleagues committed to the process of student success with
9th grade students has been overwhelmingly positive
 Teachers desiring resources to work with students in their classrooms
 Student mentors are excited and willing work with and guide 9th grade
students
Low Points…(Unexpected)
 Without built in planning time to successfully implement ordering,
organization and the development of student/staff trainings, etc. the project
will take longer than originally expected
 Reduced time to collaborate with colleagues
 Minimal time to see all mentors in action with 9th grade students
 Had hoped to have “full” toolkits ready to go earlier in the year
Key: Having positive established working relationships with supportive colleagues in
your current work setting is critical.
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