Running Head: SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PROJECT
School and Community Project
Education 101 Class
Ivy Tech Community College
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SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PROJECT
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INTASC Standard, Description, and Rationale
Standard #3 Learning Environments
The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative
learning and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and selfmotivation.
Name of Artifact: School and Community Project
Date: December 11th, 2013
Course: EDUC 101
Brief Description: The school and community project consists of a combination of a service
learning project, a power point presentation, and a paper. As a class, we decided that it would be
beneficial to donate and organize a book drive for the students at Indianapolis Public School 15.
Therefore, our service learning project was a book drive. The power point presentation and the
paper consisted of information specifically about our service learning project, the community in
which IPS 15 is located in, and information about the school in general.
Rationale: To document our understanding of Standard #3, Learning Environments, we
included information about our service learning project and the community. This information
included ways in which the service learning project and the community positively affect
Indianapolis Public School 15.
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Introduction
It is likely that every teacher can recall the first time they stood in front of a classroom of
their very own, and looked out onto the faces of their eager students. Their nerves racing in
hopes of doing a good job combined with the excitement of years of studying and hard work
finally coming to fruition make it an everlasting memory for most teachers. And though that
monumental day may be a few years away for all of us in Education 101, we were blessed to be
able to get a small view of what it is going to be like to be at the head of the class as we
completed our service learning at IPS 15 this semester. In addition to coordinating and executing
a benefit project for the students of IPS 15, each student in our class had to log a mandatory 16
hours of service learning in order to successfully complete the course. Many of us enjoyed our
experience so much that we actually wound up exceeding the required hours. Although each and
every one of our experiences was a little different, we all came in with the same mindset; we are
here not for ourselves, but for the children of Thomas D. Gregg Elementary.
IPS 15: Thomas D. Gregg Elementary
For our first true classroom experience, we as a class were incredibly fortunate to be able
to work at IPS 15. Located on the near east side of Indianapolis, the Thomas D. Gregg
Elementary school was built in 1895 and named after a local teacher from the Marion County
Seminary School for boys. The school has recently been renovated and currently provides a
vibrant and inviting atmosphere for the students to come in and enjoy their learning experience.
Led by their Principal, Dr. Teresa Baker, the school’s mission statement is simple and eloquent,
“WE BELIEVE.” They believe that reading and writing are the foundation of academic success
and that it is the responsibility of all staff members to ensure literacy for each and every student
that walks through their door (IPS, 2013).
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The student to teacher ratio at IPS 15 is roughly 13 students to every teacher, though that
number is a bit skewed as some classes are fortunate to have a number of special assistants and
aids to assist in their classroom, while others take on larger classrooms on their own. Like the
majority of Elementary schools around the country, IPS 15’s faculty, largely consists of female
educators. Of the 48 certified teachers, only five are male and 43 are female. While almost 80%
of the faculty members are Caucasian, the ethnic make-up of the 622 students that attend School
15 is a little more diverse: 42% are Hispanic, 38.1% are African American, 15.1% Caucasian,
and 4.8% are multiracial. The large Hispanic make-up of the school means that there are also a
large number of ESL students. In fact, 33.1% of the students at School 15 are ESL learners
(Compass, 2013).
Inside of IPS 15, the atmosphere is very inviting, which was a bit different than many of
us were expecting. Going into the experience, a lot of the students in our Education 101 class
believed that the school would appear a bit more run down, and dark. We were all delightfully
surprised to find that the faculty and administration had done a great job of making the school
feel welcoming and fun. Each hallway is designated by the name of a local College or
University. There is Indiana Boulevard, Ball State Avenue, and Butler Way just to name a few.
In addition to the creative hallway names, paintings and art work created by the students adorns
the hallway walls, and the images and stories of past leaders help the students understand the
history of their school. Not just so the children know where they come from, but perhaps more
importantly, where they can go in the future. While these children are blessed with a wonderful
school and a caring faculty, those are not the only factors in their future. The community they
live in has a great deal of influence on who they are when they come to School 15, and who they
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will be when they leave. In order for a school to be truly successful, they need the support of
their community
Community
The socio economic level of the community that surrounds IPS 15 is not the most stable
or flourishing area of Indianapolis, however the community as a whole pitches in to help give
these children a school and community they can be proud of. Thomas D. Gregg Elementary has
over 35 partnerships with local businesses, churches and educational groups around the city that
provide services and volunteer work year round. Earlier this year, on September 3, two of our
own Indianapolis Colts visited 1st and 2nd grade classrooms and spoke about the importance of
literacy, and read with the children. Another local partner, Allison Transmission, decided to lend
a hand by volunteering to do the landscaping work for the school. Employees from the local
business helped to mulch and trim the bushes, as well as plant flowers and trees around the
school. But perhaps, the partnership that means the most, to all of us, is the partnership the
school has with Ivy Tech. Because of that partnership we were able to have a wonderful and
influential experience inside of School 15. And to give back a little of what those students and
faculty gave to us, our class planned a local book drive for the kids, with the goal of being able to
hand a new or gently used book to every student at the school.
Class Project: Book Drive!!
We believed that a book drive was both an influential and educational community project
to provide for IPS 15. By doing a book drive we were able to provide each child with a new
piece of reading material, and also be a positive influence on their lives. The designated project
group consisted of five people from our education class, which were, Olivia Hardin, Cassie
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Kennedy, Taylor Stevens, Emily Haddix, and Lizzie Wickstrom. This particular group of people
came up with the idea to do a book drive, made flyers to assist class members in getting book
donations, and scheduled the time and date when the book drive took place. Kiley Pardieck,
Emily Haddix, and Hannah Drury donated over one thousand books to the book drive.
The book drive took place on November 22nd, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the
library of IPS 15. The books were organized by grade level. Two classes came into the library
at one time for approximately twenty minutes. Each child got to choose a book, in their grade
level, that looked appealing to them. We then wrote their names inside the front cover of the
book that they chose. The students at IPS 15 left the library with smiling faces; they really
enjoyed getting a new book!
Although many members of our own class were unable to attend, the book drive was a
great success! After completing the project, many of us discussed the different ways in which
we could improve the preliminary, planning, and execution phases of the project. The collective
opinion of the group was that if done over again, we would have planned the book drive a little
earlier in the semester, and created a sign-up sheet so we would have had a more precise number
of who was able to attend. Overall, we are thrilled with the success and the positive outcome of
the book drive.
Conclusion
As our fall semester comes to an end, we begin to reflect on our time at Thomas D. Gregg
Elementary, the experiences we had are ours to keep, to remember, and to learn from. Each of us
has a memory that we will cherish, whether it was working with a student and helping them
through a moment of struggle, reading aloud to eager ears, or simply observing the pure joy of a
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child at recess. For some, the lasting memory may lie in a moment we wish we could have to do
over again. But the truth remains that we all made an impact this semester just by walking
through those doors once a week and showing those kids that we care. And in the end our
benefit project gathered over a thousand books for the students of IPS 15. As a class we may
have been flawed in our preparation, but our execution was flawless, because every student that
walked in that day left with a book and a smile. And as future teachers we all agree that there are
no greater gifts to give a child than a smile and a chance to learn.
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References
Indianapolis Public Schools. (2013). Thomas D. Gregg, School 15. Retrieved from
http://15.ips.k12.in.us/
DOE Compass. (2013). Thomas D. Gregg, School 15. Retrieved from
http://compass.doe.in.gov/
Koch, J. (2014). The students: a changing landscape. In Ganster, L. (Ed.), Teach 2 (pp. 90-93).
Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
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School Data Chart
School contact
Information –name,
address, phone, website
IPS School 15 – Thomas D. Gregg.
2302 East Michigan St.
Indianapolis, IN 46201
(317) 226-4215
www.15.IPS.K12.IN.US
History of School – year
built/started, remodeled,
traditions
Year Built- 1895. Built in honor of Thomas D. Gregg, a local teacher in the
early 1820’s. Gregg worked as a teacher at the Marion County Seminary, a
school for boys. The Gregg fund, established in his name, is currently used to
increase the training and education of elementary level teachers.
WE BELIEVE: Reading and writing are the foundation of academic success.
Students have a right to learn through reading. All students have the capability
and the need to be literate citizens. It is the responsibility of all staff to ensure
literacy for all students.
Kindergarten through 6th grade
Special Education programs
Mission and Vision
Grades taught and
Special Programs
Faculty – total teachers
gender, race
Administration/Support
Staff – total number,
gender, race
Students – total students,
gender, race, age
Students – SES,
Language, grade level
Community Partnerships
48 Teachers-- 43- Female 5- Male
Ethnicity – 79.2% Caucasian – 14.6% African American – 2.1% Asian – 4.2%
Hispanic
Years of Experience (0-5 yrs- 28, 6-10 yrs- 3, 11-15 yrs- 7, 16-20 yrs- 4,
20+yrs – 6)
30- Support/Administration
26- Female
4 – Male
622 students
Ethnicity – 42% Hispanic – 4.8% multiracial—38.1% African American—
15.1% Caucasian.
English Language Learners 33.1% -- Non-English Language Learners 66.9%
General Education 81% -- Special Education 19%
Free meals 93.9% -- Reduced Meals .6% -- Paid Meals 5.5%
Allison Transmissions, Big Car, Camp Tecumseh YMCA, Camp Waycross,
Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Assembly, City Mosaic, Community Crime
Watch, Dr. Arthur Fisher Optometry, Dr. Jordon Dentistry, East Tenth Street
Children’s Ministry, East Washington Street Library, Gleaners Food Bank,
IMPD – East District, John H. Bonner Community Center, Kroger – East 10th
Street, LensCrafters Vision Van, Little Red School House, Love and
Happiness, Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, NESCO, Net Literacy, New,
Haven Missionary Baptist Church, New Psalms Missionary Baptist Church,
New Unity Missionary Baptist Church, Peace Learning Center, Read-UP,
Tutoring, Riley Hospital, Shepherd Community Center, St. Paul’s Episcopal
Church, Westminster Ministries
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PROJECT
Community Fact Sheet
Businesses
 Sherman Commons Shopping Center
 Cintas
 Linwood Square Shopping Center
 AAA Roofing
 Fish Bowl Pet Center
 M Jones Plumbing
Churches
 St. Philip Neri Catholic Church
 Neighborhood Fellowship Church
 St. Peter Luteran Church
 Brookside Community Church
 St. Matthew Lutheran Church
 Shepherd Community Church of the Nazarene
 Family Bible Baptist Church
Community Centers
 Rivoli Theatre
 Arsenal Tech High School
o Howard Longshore Stadium
o Tennis Courts
o Gymnasium
 Shepherd Community Center
Library
 Arsenal Tech Media Center
 Indianapolis Public Library - Spades Park branch
 Indianapolis Public Library - East Washington branch
 Indianapolis Public Library - Central branch
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Service Learning Project
Type of Project: Book Drive
Purpose: Give each child K-6 one book in their reading levels. Let them choose a book so they
actually want to read it
Time Span: November 22, 2013—9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Participants: Project Group- Olivia, Taylor, Cassie, Emma, and Lizzie
Book Donators- Kiley, Emma, Hannah
Summary: We set the books up on 5 different tables. One for k-2, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th. We
spread them out so they could be seen easier. Two classes came in at a time and had 20 minutes
to pick a book. Once a child picked a book one of us wrote their name in it for them. And then
they started reading until the twenty minutes was up.
The book drive was a huge success because the kids were so excited to get to pick a book and
know that it was their own. Most of the kids started reading without any teacher telling them too.
A lot of the kids come from poorer homes and I think they were just excited to get to have
something. Plus it was a book they chose, not something they were being forced to read in class.
Recommendations: Plan things way ahead of time and not last minute. Some classes didn't get to
pick a book because they were on a field trip. Also because of it being last minute not many kids
from class were there so it was stressful for the 5 people who did go and we're forced to stay all
day. Next time I would do a sign-up sheet on what times people can go.
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PROJECT
Criteria
Points
Possible
Cover/Title Page
(ppt. and paper)
INTASC Standards,
Description, Rationale
(ppt. and paper)
PAPER with Subtitles
Introduction (5)
School (5)
Community (5)
Service Learning (5)
Conclusion (5)
3 points
Reference Page
(ppt. and paper)
School Data Chart
(ppt. and paper)
Community
Fact Sheet
Service Learning Project
PowerPoint Presentation
4 points
Mechanics- Overall style
of written work is
professionally presented
in APA style.
10 points
APA Format
3 points
Score Sheet
1 point
Total Points
___/100
Comments:
12
Provided detailed
information for
each section of
assignment
Information
provided is
accurate;
however there is
a lack of depth.
Information
missing or
incomplete.
All points from
paper discussed,
presentation delivery
is engaging,
graphics and
pictures used, within
time limit of 1 hour
1-2 components
missing from
previous panel,
points unclear and
time limit
exceeded or
significantly
shorter than
allotted time
1-2 misspellings,
grammatical or
mechanical errors.
3+ components
missing, time not
used
appropriately
7 points
25 points
4 points
3 points
20 points
20 points
No misspellings or
grammatical errors.
There are no errors
in mechanics.
3 or more
misspellings,
grammatical or
mechanical
errors.