Best Practice Name: Keep in Step with L.E.A.P.
Category: Citizenship / Character Education
Population Served: Grades K-5
Year Awarded: 2003-04
District: North Plainfield
School: Harrison School and Stony Brook School
City: North Plainfield

Abstract
"Keep in Step with L.E.A.P." (Learning Equally and Peacefully) is a program that reaches out beyond the pillars of Character Education. Our program embraces the whole child by taking into consideration the delicate balance of the integration between social/emotional learning and academic subjects. L.E.A.P. is driven by a proactive and preventative approach that involves our entire student population, Kindergarten through fifth grade. The purpose of this program is to promote skills involved in peacemaking, community building and positive human regard towards one another. Various activities developed through L.E.A.P. are done as either whole school projects, individual classroom objectives or through small group participation. Our ultimate goal is for our students to successfully adapt to the complex demands of positive growth and development.

Program Description

The practice proposed for recognition is called "Keep in Step with L.E.A.P" (Learning Equally and Peacefully). The purpose of this program is to reflect and emphasize the importance of our "springboards" which are respect, responsibility, cooperation and peace. Once the initial concept of a springboard is introduced to the student body through a classroom presentation, the activities that follow take on an experiential approach. This allows for our students to have a realistic and hands on experience. In addition, this also allows the teachers to have a knowledge-based framework for their creation and development of cross-curricular lessons. This program was designed by a committee of teachers in response to the ongoing needs of our population. At the beginning of each school year, the staff is given a pre-determined schedule of activities that are specifically listed for each designated month. The activities are included in our teacher's manual for easy reference and access on an as-needed basis. L.E.A.P. is a two year school-based initiative which was approved by the board of education.

Objectives of the Practice

The objectives of our L.E.A.P program are as follows:

1. There will be a 10% improvement by the students in our school to "L.E.A.P." by June 2004 when comparing their pre/post test scores on a designated attitude instrument.

2. The students will be able to discover and recognize the skills in emotion, cognition and positive behavior as they journey towards positive human growth as demonstrated through anecdotal records and students' writings.

3. The students will gain confidence that they can learn, accomplish and interact in an appropriate fashion within a range of situations as evidenced through teacher observation.

4. The students will participate in instruction that is brain-friendly, developmentally appropriate and appealing to diverse learners documented though teacher lesson plans.

5. The students will build a sense of community inside our school as well as outside our school, as they participate in activities that promote peace and positive human regard for others as indicated through community projects.

Exemplary/and or Innovative

L.E.A.P is innovative and exemplary because it augments a character education program that goes beyond the constructs of the six pillars by also employing the ideals of Social/Emotional Learning. This allows for a much broader, interpersonal focus within our curricular design which we believe to be a valid and necessary part of basic education. L.E.A.P identifies the "missing piece" in education by creating the personal-academic connection. This process enables students to personalize and internalize their learning. In other words, the integration of social and emotional needs is dovetailed with academics in a coordinated and sustained manner.

Promotes Student Achievement

This practice promotes student achievement because most importantly, L.E.A.P. enables our school to systematically attend to the students' social and emotional skills. This increases the achievement of our children and leads to a decrease in the incidence of problem behavior. Ultimately, relationships improve and evolve between children and their surroundings. Furthermore, experiential activities are incorporated into our practice which allows for our students to experience life skills up front and personal. Along with this, student achievement is promoted because diverse and motivational strategies are taught. This increases the competency level of the acquisition of life skills that allows for the development of a peaceful environment. Lastly, attitudes and values are reflected through L.E.A.P. that promote student achievement because the program encourages a reflective, ready-to-learn approach to all areas of life. In short, our practice creates a community of learners as they begin to identify ways to enhance their life

Alignment With Core Standards
Writing
3.2 All Students will write in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.

1. A guest speaker visited all classes to discuss "Bullying". After listening to to the story, the children in grades 3-5 were asked to write a letter to the Bully. They then became "Bully Busters".

2. At the end of the year, we have an activity called "Writers in Bloom." All our students display their art work and writings for the school year. Our students and their families are invited to tour the "gallery" while classical music is played in the background.

Visual and Performing Arts

1.6: All students will develop design skills for planning the form and function of space, structures, sound and events.

1. Every student in our school participated in designing a logo for our t-shirts. Two kangaroos (Bouncer and Racer) had been designated as our L.E.A.P. mascots. To follow along this theme, our art teacher had the children draw a kangaroo for our shirts that would represent our program.

2. Students in grades 3 -5 acted out "Our Pledge for Peace" while all grades recited the Pledge on appropriate occasions.

Social Studies

6.5: All students will acquire historical understanding of varying cultures throughout the history of New Jersey, the United States, and the world.

Cross-Content Workplace Readiness

4.6 Describe actions which demonstrate respect for people of different races, ages, religions, ethnicity, gender.

1. There is constant dialogue about the importance of the "colors of the rainbow" as it pertains to all our children. The students have included this concept in many works of art and writings, such as the diversity trees, displayed outside each classroom door.

2. The guidance counselor visits each class to share a read-aloud diversity story called "How the Cookie Crumbles". Students participate through choral response, puppetry, and by writing their own ending to the story.

Comprehensive Health and Physical Education

2.2: All Students will learn health-enhancing personal, interpersonal and life skills.

1. L.E.A.P. is the vehicle that drives our current discipline plan. Our school rules are displayed throughout the building and in each classroom. Our children have learned the L.E.A.P. motto, "We are all peacemakers and we treat everyone the way we want to be treated".

Cross-Content Workplace Readiness Standards

1. Our students have had the opportunity to visit web sites that discuss issues aligned with our program. Most recently, a group of our students visited an interactive web site called "No More Bullies" which discussed conflict resolution.

2: All students will use information, technology, and other tools.

3: All students will use critical thinking, decision making and problem solving skills.

1. Seventy five fourth graders participated in a two day training program entitled "L.E.A.P. into the Future", facilitated by several of our teachers. Workshops were offered to our students that emphasized our four springboards. The students were faced with several situations during these workshops that caused them to use many of their life skills.

2. Bouncer and Racer are displayed in each classroom to remind students to use their peace-making skills to solve problems.

4.2 All students will work cooperatively with others.

1. The children have built community and learned the job.

Program Assessment
A group of teachers started to investigate solutions to the observed problems in the building: lack of community and disrespect towards one another. Their desire to produce a harmonious environment was the motivation for the development of the committee. The committee referred to various state and local standards and goals in order to integrate educational activities with social-emotional learning. As a result of this endeavor, the committee researched various existing behavioral models and devised their own original program to meet the specialized needs of the school. This design was presented at a faculty meeting so that teachers had an opportunity to voice their opinions. It was overwhelmingly accepted and approved. It was also reviewed and approved by the Board of Education.

Assessment measures include:
-A commercially developed pre/post attitude survey
-Monthly frequency count of detentions and suspensions
-Teacher anecdotal records
-Students' writings
-Teacher observation
-Teacher lesson plans
-Evidence of community projects

2003-2004 is the second full year of implementation. Data which demonstrate the effects of the program include: Table 1: Frequency Count of Detentions; comments made in students' writings; teachers' observations; and evidence of community projects.

The frequency of detentions has decreased dramatically.

Table 1: Frequency Count of Detentions


2002-2003 2003-2004

September 37 19

October 85 6

November 25 4

Comments from students' writings:

In response to "what was the best thing you've ever done", fifth grade students wrote about the fourth grade training.

Bulletin board display of L.E.A.P. activities and themes.

Comments from the L.E.A.P. training:

Master Mike "Show respect for yourself".

"I liked the string project the most because we all cooperated by helping each other tying the string together"

Comments from the teachers' survey:

"Everyone worked very well together. Children's behavior was very good".

Inclusion of Special Needs Students
Our principal is a strong advocate for our special education students. Therefore, they are an integral part of our school population and are not separated or segregated in any school-wide projects. Our program is designed so that many of the activities occur during the health class where the students with disabilities are already mainstreamed into the general education homerooms. All children with disabilities have participated in every L.E.A.P. activity.. For example, special needs students were used as the models for reciting the Pledge for Peace. The staff practiced with them individually until they felt confident enough to lead the pledge over the intercom system. In the planting activity every student recited a line from the pledge. Special needs teachers were active participants in the planning and design of the program to ensure total inclusion of their students. They worked with general education staff in designing appropriate strategies and adaptations. Activities were modified when IEP dictates such accommodations

Replication
This practice is easily replicated by following the steps outlined in Question #3. Staff must first assess the needs of the building. Then they must form a committee to investigate the existing models and determine which behavioral plan addresses the needs of their population. The committee then develops the plan and presents it to the staff for approval. Once the staff is on board, the plan can be implemented. The work that the L.E.A.P. committee has done is documented and compiled into a handbook. Another district can easily review the documentation to inform their own plan and design. Two important components in replicating this practice are: commitment and response to specific school needs. While another district can follow the action plan, it is however, very important to address the specific needs of their population.