After-School Adventures 2017 – School Board of Polk County, FLLaurel Elementary, Palmetto Elementary, and Lake Marion Creek Middle

5.1 Project Abstract or Summary After-School Adventures promotes school improvement by

serving 300 students in Kindergarten through 8th grade at Laurel Elementary, Palmetto

Elementary, and Lake Marion Creek Middle. The program serves “at-risk” students in Poinciana,

Polk County. All students receive academic-focused activities designed to be interactive,

engaging, and creative using the project-based learning model. Enrichment lessons teach pro-

social behaviors, reasoning, and health and nutrition for students and families via Skillstreaming

combined with “Growth Mindset,” Take 10!, creative arts, and Lyrics2Learn. Program goals are to

(1) improve academic achievement and understanding in core academic areas; (2) promote

positive youth development and personal growth to help enhance motivation, dedication, and

behavior; and (3) enhance parenting skills and literacy to promote parental involvement. The

adult family members receive various Parent Activities throughout the year to strengthen

parenting skills.

5.2 Needs Assessment Staff collaborated with several agencies and internal departments

during a needs assessment in order to determine after-school sites likely to impact school

improvement. A committee was formed to analyze student achievement, attendance, and

principal interest in extended learning opportunities. This information helped the committee to

better identify appropriate school sites. The Public School Eligibility Survey, FDOE School

Accountability Report, School Grades 2016, and other relevant data from Florida Department of

Education helped identify our sites. A planning committee of several district employees also

looked at the following data: poverty rates, English Language Learner status, reading and math

scores, education levels, and demographics. The students to be served need more experiences

and background information than their parents can provide. After-School Adventures will extend

learning to help these children overcome low academic achievement, lack of positive youth

development and personal growth, and lack of parental involvement.

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Poverty Rates An overriding need throughout Polk schools is combatting poverty. Poverty is

15.5% in the United States, 23.8% in Florida, and 28.4% in Polk County. The poverty rate of

Poinciana is 38.2%.1 The economic stresses of poverty impact families in many ways. They

tend to lack the resiliency to keep small problems from becoming large problems. Lack of

transportation and child care adds to the stress. All three targeted sites are schoolwide Title I

schools. The percent of children from low income families as reported on the Public Schools

Eligibility Survey are: Laurel 76.74%, Palmetto 75.46%, and Lake Marion Creek 73.28%. All

three schools are CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) Schools which means each school

offers free breakfast and lunch to all students based on the level of community participation in

public assistance programs.2 After-School Adventures can impact these families quickly and

with appreciable impact by helping to relieve some of these stresses.

English Language Learners Laurel, Palmetto, and Lake Marion Creek all occupy far

northeastern Polk County, which stretches into the Green Swamp west of Orlando. Compared

to 11% for the district, Laurel has 21% ELL, Palmetto has 23%, and Lake Marion Creek Middle

School has 13%. The number of ELL students scoring proficient on the ELA test at Laurel is

26%, Palmetto 23%, and Lake Marion Creek is 17%.

Reading and math scores The percentages of students across all grades producing satisfactory

reading and math scores in 2016 at the targeted schools all are well below their non-charter

peers. In reading, schoolwide proficiency at Laurel (38%), Palmetto (34%), and Lake Marion

Creek (34%) – are all significantly below Polk County (45%) and the State (57%). In math,

schoolwide proficiency at Laurel (44%), Palmetto (39%), and Lake Marion Creek (28%) – are

again well below Polk County (48%) and the State (57%). These schools are ideal candidates

for the 21st CCLC Grant and progress would begin immediately because extended learning has

shown a positive impact on student achievement.

1 https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml2 https://www.polk-fl.net/parents/generalinformation/documents/Community%20Eligibility%20Provision%202016-2017.pdf

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School Name

E/LA Achievemen

t

E/LA Learning

Gains

E/LA Learning

Gains Lowest

25%

Math Achievemen

t

Math Learning

Gains

Math Learning

Gains Lowest

25%LAUREL 38 36 39 44 23 11PALMETTO 34 39 41 39 31 26LAKE MARION 34 50 51 28 43 45

Educational levels The Poinciana area encompasses a small part of Polk County. While 13.1%

of adults ages 25+ lack high school diplomas in Florida, the rate of Polk County is 16.5%.3 The

most disturbing trend is the Population of adults 18-24 lacking a high school diploma in Florida

16.4%, in Polk County 21.9%, and in Poinciana 24.5%. The Poinciana area experiences a

considerably lower education level and all three schools would benefit from an After-School

program that improves academic achievement and helps parents become more involved in their

children’s education.

Florida Polk PoincianaPopulation ages 18-24 with no diploma 16.4% 21.9% 24.5%

Population ages 25+ with no diploma 13.1% 16.5% 15.3%

Discipline Data Due to the high rate of discipline incidents, there is a need for positive prosocial

skills training. This aligns with our need to improve interpersonal behaviors.

School Name 15/16 OSS Days

16/17 OSS Days

15/16 ISS Days

16/17 ISS Days

15/16 # of incidents

16/17 # of incidents

Laurel Elementary 154 349 67 20 361 306Palmetto Elementary 187 112 8 1 132 80Lake Marion Creek 1337 1339 443 753 2131 2701

Demographics – The three sites determined most likely to benefit from the 21st CCLC program

are Laurel Elementary, Palmetto Elementary, and Lake Marion Creek Middle. All three sites

have an incredibly high rate of poverty as determined on the Public School Eligibility Survey

3 American FactFinder https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml

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submitted to the DOE.4 All three school sites are geographically isolated. The community of

Poinciana is comprised of an association of villages located along the Polk-Osceola county line

and is considered one of the fastest growing areas of central Florida. There is a lack of basic

conveniences, and residents must travel into the adjacent county to access most services.

There is also a lack of low-cost after-school programs to accommodate the children and youth

of the area. After-School Adventures will extend learning to help these children overcome low

academic achievement, lack of positive youth development and personal growth, and lack of

parental involvement.

School Enrolled Black Hispanic White ESE ELL % Free Meals5

Laurel Elem. 842 27.0% 58.9% 11.9% 16% 21% 100%Palmetto Elem. 658 17.6% 71.1% 7.6% 13% 23% 100%Lake Marion 961 23.7% 63.8% 9.2% 16% 13% 100%

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Risk Factors – The three schools chosen for a new After-School Adventures Grant:

have been designated by the state as Focus Schools according to the Final Differentiated

Accountability (DA) Support List 2016-177

received a letter grade of D for 20168

Laurel and Palmetto were both listed among Florida's 300 lowest performing elementary

schools in 2015-2016.9

have a high rate of EL learners – Laurel 21%, Palmetto 23%, and Lake Marion Creek 13%.

have a high rate of Economically Disadvantaged–Laurel 76.74%, Palmetto 75.46%, and

Lake Marion Creek 73.28% 10

4 Polk County Public School Eligibility Survey 2016-20175 Community Eligibility Option program by USDA, offering free breakfast and lunch to all students based on level of community participation in public assistance programs.6 Data pulled from the District’s Genesis Student Management System7 Florida Department of Education - Differentiated Accountability (DA) Final Differentiated Accountability (DA) Support List 2016-17 retrieved 6/10/16 from the CIMS database, Florida DOE Bureau of School Improvement.82015-16 School Grades http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/9 “2015-2016 Lowest 300 Performing Elementary Schools,” Florida DOE Division of Accountability, Research and Measurement. Retrieved 6/10/17 from The 300 Lowest Performing Elementary Schools: 2015-2016 Lowest 300 Performing Elementary Schools10 Polk County Public School Eligibility Survey 2016-2017

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have a high rate of local adults residing in the geographic area that did not graduate from

high school or earn GED 11

have a low rate of Parent Involvement according to the PCSB Climate Survey.

have a low rate of Parent Involvement according to the PCSB Climate Survey. Completion

rates of the parent survey were: Laurel 8%, Palmetto 4%, and Lake Marion Creek 5%

Planning Data – District staff met with the principals from Laurel Elementary, Palmetto

Elementary, and Lake Marion Creek Middle School who were briefed on the program

expectations, requirements, and obligations of the 21st CCLC Program. The needs conveyed by

the principals at all three schools are: low academic achievement and understanding in core

academic areas, lack of positive youth development which leads to discipline issues, and lack of

parental involvement. The committee reviewed grant requirements and the following data:

Recent standardized test scores, school grades, trends, and existing improvement projects;

Trends in reading and math; Parent interest and school plans to focus on school improvement.

Needs to be Addressed – Our identified needs are low academic achievement, poor

interpersonal behaviors resulting in discipline issues, and lack of parental involvement. All three

sites are geographically isolated from amenities and services. None of the schools offer facilities

nearby that offer low-cost programs. Our goals and objectives will focus on 1) improving

academic achievement and understanding in core academic areas; 2) promoting positive youth

development and personal growth to help enhance motivation, dedication, and academic

performance; and 3) enhancing parenting skills and literacy to promote parental involvement.

The issues above address school needs, family wishes, and community support which will allow

for immediate benefits. Parents are also in need of affordable after-school child care that can

provide technology-rich academic support. Additionally, students have no access to organized

sports, such as soccer, basketball, cheer squads, or the martial arts to enhance physical fitness

and self-discipline. There is a great need for access to other performing arts such as drama,

11 American FactFinder https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml

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dance, color guard, and strings for all ages. The school also lacks other extracurricular

activities such as chess, robotics, computer science, and television production to expose

students to a variety of hobbies, interests, and possible career paths. Because of the low socio-

economic status of the school community, students lack real-life experiences to connect to their

learning, and academic support at home is limited by the parents' own limited education or lack

of skills to help their children succeed.

Community Planning –The School Board Strategic Plan echoes Polk Vision, a diverse civic

coalition that has conducted widespread public discussion and formed action groups to sponsor

activities and monitor community-wide progress.12 District staff members solicited advice from

the private schools listed in the areas to be served. We discussed our intent to apply at the

annual private school meeting on Equitable Servicing. The schools were asked to submit an

“intent to participate” form. We analyzed the locations of the private schools in the neighboring

areas. There were no Private School in the neighboring area of Poinciana.

Availability and Accessibility of Out-of-School Services – After-School Adventures gathered data

and information regarding after school service opportunities from the surrounding areas near the

proposed school sites. There are no nearby centers for students to attend after school. The

schools are all geographically isolated and economically challenged. There are no programs to

extend learning making these schools an ideal candidate for the 21st CCLC Grant opportunity.

5.3 Program Evaluation 5.3.a Evaluation Plan - Independent Evaluator Identification and Qualifications:

Identification of an independent evaluator took place through research and recommendations.

When identifying an independent evaluator, the organization considered important evaluation

items that were relevant to the proposed 21st CCLC program and that also met the 21st CCLC

RFP requirements. The required qualifications for the evaluator included 21st CCLC grant

evaluation experience, positive client testimonials, capacity to develop and carry out detailed

12 http://polkvision.com/

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evaluation plans with timelines, personnel availability, report writing experience and data

collection storage capacity. EduMatrix is a recommended and an experienced company in 21st

CCLC program evaluation and has been identified to serve as the independent evaluator for this

project. They specialize in 21st CCLC grant evaluation specifically, and currently evaluate other

21st CCLC programs in the state of Florida. The evaluation team have relevant experience

which makes them highly qualified to perform the 21st CCLC program evaluation duties. This

evaluation team was chosen because they promised to match or beat any price on evaluation

services. They were very responsive to Polk’s needs.

Evaluation Activities and Proposed Timeline: Conducting evaluation activities in a

systematic way using a timeline will help to inform the program and stakeholders about the

program progress being made toward meeting grant goals and objectives throughout the year in

a timely manner. These activities include data collection, data analysis, and reporting.

Evaluation Activity #1 - Data Collection: Data will be collected in a way that does not interfere

with program activities. Evaluation activities will be discussed and coordinated with the

Program Director to ensure that they are delivered in a non-intrusive way. Each evaluation

activity will be coordinated with program stakeholders to increase effectiveness and minimize

distraction. The following will be collected or conducted by the evaluator for analysis in

September 2017 (baseline data), January 2018 (mid-year data) and May 2018 (end-of-year

data): *Program student data (quantitative) including demographics, enrollment, attendance,

participation, assessment scores, report card grades and other relevant data. *Program

documents (qualitative and quantitative) including student files, assessments, data collection

tools, meeting minutes and scoring rubrics. *Interviews (qualitative) with the Program Director,

Site Coordinators, Teachers and Program Staff. *Program observations and site visits

(qualitative) including evaluator field notes, assessing student and staff performance, personal

and academic enrichment activities *Stakeholder surveys (qualitative) completed by an adult

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family member of the student, school day teachers of students, and students participating in the

program will also be collected in May 2018 by the evaluator for analysis.

Evaluation Activity #2 and #3 – Data Analysis and Reporting: EduMatrix will analyze all of the

data collected by both the evaluator and the program to create a comprehensive analysis that

details a variety of sources. Baseline data will be analyzed in September 2017 and December

2017 for completeness and level of student performance. The results of both baseline data

analyses will be provided to the program so that they know which areas to target and focus on.

Mid-year data will be analyzed in January 2018. The results will be included in the Mid-Year

Data Report and will show whether the students have made gains between the baseline and

mid-year time points for each grant objective. The evaluator will meet with the Program Director

to discuss the results of the Mid-Year Data Report and will note any changes needed in the

areas of data collection and programming. These changes will be included in the Formative

Summary Evaluation Report that will be completed in March 2018 on behalf of the program.

End-of-year data will be analyzed in June 2018 and those results will be reflected in the

Summative Evaluation Report that will be completed in July 2018. This report will reflect the

program’s overall annual performance, recommendations for program improvement, and

reporting outcomes.

Processes for Accurate Data Collection, Maintenance, and Reporting: EduMatrix will meet

with the Program Director to discuss what data will need to be collected that aligns with the

grant objectives, as well as how the data will be collected and who will be collecting it. There

will be a student survey/testing schedule, parent survey/testing schedule, report card grade

collection schedule and a data entry schedule created so that the program stays on track with

data collection, entry and maintenance. EduMatrix will create internal deadlines for the program

so that they will have the correct data prepared for each reporting time point. Accurate data

collection will be verified by the evaluator by comparing the grant objectives to the data that was

collected, as well as using the data collection tools (assessments and/or surveys) as a guide

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when analyzing the data. If any discrepancies are found, the evaluator will immediately contact

the Program Director with data reliability concerns.

Coordination of Evaluation Activities: EduMatrix will coordinate evaluation activities with the

Program Director to ensure that the evaluation activities do not interfere with the normal flow of

day-to-day program operations. Indicators of student achievement and behavior appear in

report cards four times each school year. The district captures these in electronic student

records. We will send data files containing these and all other elements requested by the

evaluator at the intervals specified in the approved evaluation plan. The plan follows individual

student progress, academic and behavior progress of subgroups, and peers. The evaluator will

create statistically valid comparison groups based on socioeconomic, ELL and ESE status,

promotion/retention, and the prior year's standardized testing results. We will monitor activity

and fidelity by observations at three levels. The site coordinators will compile student sign-in

sheets daily and record the information on spread sheets. The Program Coordinator will keep

parent sign-in sheets, teacher professional development sign-in sheets, and all other documents

for monthly deliverables. We will also utilize our Grant Technician to oversee data analysis.

Examination of Program Impact: The evaluation design will allow for the measurement of

progress made towards meeting each grant objective as described above. The measurement

tools that will be used to evaluate program impact include program participant data, analysis of

student English Language Arts, Math and Science assessment data and report card grades,

program observations, and the analysis of lesson plans and program schedules. Interviews with

program staff, results of site visit reports, analysis of student data and grades, academic

enrichment data, personal enrichment data, review of the curriculum used, adult family member

participant and performance data, College and Career Readiness data (if needed), and Dropout

Prevention data (if needed) will also be used as program impact measurement tools. These

tools will help to answer specific program impact questions through data analysis including the

following: (1) Did the program efforts to address each core subject area result in positive

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outcomes for program participants? (2) Did the program efforts to address College and Career

Readiness (if needed), Dropout Prevention (if needed) and personal enrichment activities result

in positive outcomes for program participants? (3) Did the program efforts to address academic

enrichment and supplementing the school day curriculum in innovative ways result in positive

outcomes for program participants? (4) Did the program efforts to address adult family

members result in positive outcomes for those family members that participated? Using the

aforementioned measurement tools to answer these program impact questions through

evaluation will help stakeholders to understand whether the program had any substantial impact

in a variety of areas. The results will be used to help inform the program for future years.

Use of Evaluation Results and Sharing Results with Community: Sharing evaluation results

helps improve the program and its impact. Evaluation results will be shared at each Advisory

Board meeting, program leadership meetings, adult family member events, and with the

Principals of each target school. Data results, program operations and evaluator

recommendations for program improvement will be covered in these meetings so that the

community is aware of the program and student-level performance. Feedback based on

evaluation data is encouraged from the community and stakeholders for program improvement.

5.3.b Measurable Objectives and Assessments After-School Adventures addresses student

needs with aligned objectives to (1) improve academic achievement and understanding in core

academic areas; (2) promote positive youth development and personal growth to help enhance

motivation, dedication, and academic performance; and (3) enhance parenting skills and literacy

to promote parental involvement. The Objectives Workbook is uploaded as a separate

document.

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5.4 Applicant’s Experience and Capacity Program Administration and Fiscal Management –

Jacqueline Byrd was appointed Polk County School Board’s Superintendent during the 2015-16

school year. FSA scores have steadily been improving under her direction. The Teaching and

Learning Division is headed by Dr. Michael Akes and contains the Office of Federal Programs,

managed by Dr. Maria Longa. Both have administrative experience and capacity to move the

district forward. The Grants Director, Dawn Robertson, has over 23 years’ experience in

education and numerous years’ experience managing extended learning centers. She will be

responsible for the accuracy of program records, will authorize payroll and purchases, and will

submit contracts for School Board approval. Our Grants Technician has worked with the 21st

CCLC Grant since Polk County was awarded the 21st CCLC Grant in 2013. Our second Grants

Technician brings a wealth of experience in excel and other data management programs from

her previous experience in the private insurance sector. The Finance Department manages $89

million in grants and for the 13th year in a row has been awarded the Distinguished Budget

Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association. All accounting and

personnel records are in the employment and financial database. Polk County School Board

has a wealth of experience across many departments. These education, finance, and audit

professionals all help bring the expertise to Polk County.

Program Implementation– After-School Adventures is completing another successful year of

operating 21st CCLC centers. The full time, grant-paid, 21st Century Program Coordinator will be

knowledgeable about prevention programs, government regulations, policies and procedures,

project management, and evaluations. The coordinator will handle purchasing and payroll

processing, coordinate community services and partnerships, and research best practices. All

school activities are supervised by Principals under management of Regional Assistant

Superintendents, who will work directly with the Program Coordinator. Polk has multiple 21st

CCLC grants. Each after-school center will have an hourly Site Coordinator assisted by the

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Program Coordinator. We are in year four of two successful programs at Polk City Elementary

and Loughman Oaks Elementary. We are in year two of two additional programs at Garner

Elementary and Lewis Anna Woodbury. Below, is listed Formative Evaluation information from

the previous 21st CCLC programs demonstrating our experience collecting, maintaining, and

reporting program data. Regularly participating students at Polk City Elementary and Loughman

Oaks achieved greater state FSA Developmental Scale Score gains in reading13 and

mathematics14 than their peers. Regularly participating students at Garner and Lewis Anna

achieved a lower percentage of students receiving Level 1 on FSA in ELA and math.15 Parent

surveys in 2016 indicated 100% overall program satisfaction, and 81% reported being “very

satisfied” with the programs as a whole. All four of our 21st CCLC sites serve a high number of

economically challenged and geographically isolated students. Despite this, we have had 89%

combined attendance.

5.5 Partnerships, Collaboration and Sustainability5.5.a Community Notice

Notice and Plan – The Grants Director has consulted with education stakeholders throughout

the community through the United Way Education Committee, the Polk Vision Education

Committee, the Align Polk PreK-5 Education Action Team, the Polk Education Partnership

Education Committee, and the chambers of commerce. These reach a broad spectrum of

community members. Previous 21st Century Program Coordinator Samantha Zier consulted with

professional services contractors and business partners prior to her departure. These contacts

have laid the foundation to partner with the new application. District staff were able to follow up

on previous connections and contacts. All of the involved principals had conversations with

parents to determine participation and preferences. Planning has been a multi-layer process

13 Participants gained 13 percentage points compared to a growth of 8 points for nonparticipants. Participants increased from an average 200 Developmental Scale Score points in 2015 to 213 points in 2016. Nonparticipant growth was from an average 202 points in 2015 to 210 in 2016.14 Participants gained an average 14 Developmental Scale Score points compared to an average 9 points for nonparticipants. Means for participants were 202 in 2015 and 216 in 2016. 15 37% of participants scored L1 compared to 42% for nonparticipants in ELA; 43.8% and 45% scored L1 in math.

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gathering opinions and researching best responses to impact the schools.

Program Timeline – The proposal appears on the district’s web site. Public review and approval

by the School Board is subject to Florida’s “Sunshine Law.” The Advisory Board considered the

plan when it met February 7 and February 13, 2017.16 Each Advisory Board is made up of

principals, site coordinators, teachers, parents, and community members from the United Way

and Learning Resource Center.

5.5.b Partnerships – The Poinciana Area Council (PAC) provides a common voice in

promoting the economic well-being of businesses, and exists to advance the civic, industrial,

commercial, professional, educational, and environmental welfare of businesses in the

Poinciana area. The Chamber of Commerce focuses on small business support, marketing and

programming, business advocacy, education, economic development, and tourism. AmeriCorps

Polk Reads is a grant-funded reading tutoring program in Polk County. Members provide one-

on-one reading tutoring to Kindergarten – 3rd grade public school students at selected school

sites each year while working collaboratively with community agencies to strengthen community

ties. AmeriCorps Polk Reads is made possible through a partnership between the Polk

Education Foundation, Polk County Schools, and Volunteer Florida, Inc.17 The Farmworkers

program is also willing to assist eligible clients through paperwork for public assistance,

including food stamps. We will continue to help our families connect with needed resources and

job placement success. Partner letters and the descriptive form are attached.

AmeriCorps Polk Reads

Training for adult tutors Tutor support to work with adults who lack literacy, ongoing Outreach and recruitment to reach adults who lack literacy from

among After-School Adventures families, ongoing Tutoring for adults to achieve 3rd grade literacy in English to

make them eligible for Adult Basic Education – upon demand, with referrals from partnering schools and agencies

East Area Adult School ABE, GED, and ESOL instruction for family members ages 16+ of After-School Adventures participants at no cost to participant, including materials and online support. These are ongoing.

16 http://www.polk-fl.net/Community/communitycenters/21stcclc.htm 17 http://www.polk-fl.net/community/volunteers/americorps.htm

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Adults work at their own pace to achieve benchmarks.

Books Bridge Mobile Library

Increase student exposure to high-interest books and favorite authors

Distribute free monthly books to participants for home libraries Dialogic reading practice for parents to help their children with

language development and vocabulary, regardless of the parent’s literacy level

United Way of Central Florida

Materials to promote family literacy Materials to promote healthy childhood development Communitywide Comprehensive Parent Resource Guides (free) Financial literacy classes for families upon request via Florida

Prosperity Partnership

Farmworkers Career Development Program

Make referrals to and receive referrals from potential mutual client families

Prepare eligible adult farmworkers and their children ages 16+ for career occupations leading to economic self-sufficiency and improved quality of life

Support adult career-path students with stipends, instructional materials, tools, uniforms at no cost to the student

Support adult career-path students with unemployment counseling, job seeker counseling, and access to the online Employ Florida Marketplace

Social family events to promote belonging and celebrate local cultures

Polk Vision / Align Polk

Aligned fundraising Recruitment for at least two presentations per center from

comprehensive communitywide project to improve school attendance

representative on Advisory Board Recruitment for at least one presentation per center from

comprehensive communitywide project featuring 5-2-1-0 Health Initiative, coordinating Health Dept., Employers Wellness Coalition, hospitals and other health providers

Parent Resource Centers and Parent University

One-stop resource information center for parents at 5 locations across the district

Engaging, grade-appropriate learning materials for parents to check out and use at home with their children at 5 locations across the district

Monthly workshops for healthy eating, reading fundamentals, and other topics at parent request at 5 locations across the district

School Nutrition Daily nutritious snacks

5.5.c Collaborations with the Regular School Day Conversations with the school principals

began during the selection process to identify the sites. Multiple meetings and conversations

with the regional superintendents continued throughout the process. The principals were asked

to provide the needs of their students and families, program plans, scheduling, and community

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partnerships. The principals chose personal enrichment activities that match the needs and

interests of their respective students. The principals also looked at the resources available in

their respective community and the ability to create partnerships that work for their school. All

students are in need of technology-rich academic support. Additionally, this program will allow

for sports, such as soccer, basketball, and golf to enhance physical fitness and self-discipline.

There is a great need for access to other performing arts such as drama, dance, color guard,

and strings for all ages. Other extracurricular activities such as chess, robotics, and computer

science expose students to a variety of hobbies, interests, and possible career paths. The

principals at all three schools will recruit and select students and staff and will serve on the

Advisory Board.

Communication with participating students’ daytime teachers (including private schools) is

written on students’ agendas to record assignments and send messages between home and

school. Since After-School Adventure teachers are also day school teachers, they will have

many face-to-face conversations with their co-workers about After-School Adventure students.

These conferences will be logged. Conversations about homework, behavior, progress on

specific interventions, and celebrations are shared via email. Site Coordinators communicate

with school-based administrators via email and orally to keep all parties up on program changes

or issues. The Program Coordinator includes school-based administrators in emails to after-

school staff for a clear line of communication between the day school staff and after-school

staff. All staff members involved are working together for the improvement of the school and

ensuring that the program aligns with the School Improvement Plan.

5.5.d Sustainability During years three to five of the grant, After-School Adventures will

continue using non-consumable curriculum and equipment purchased during the first two years.

It will benefit from staff training in years one and two of the grant and continue community-based

education adapted and provided by our partnerships. At the end of the project, we plan to

maintain teacher payroll with SAI funding or other funding opportunities. All of these school sites

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are also Title I schools.

5.6 Program Plan5.6.a Target Students

Targeted Students – Each center serves students from the host school attendance zone. Laurel

Elementary, Palmetto Elementary, and Lake Marion Creek are all located in Poinciana. After-

School Adventures will create the extended learning opportunity to focus on academic

achievement, programs to promote interpersonal behaviors, and parent support and healthy

relationships that are so desperately needed in school success. After-School Adventures at

each school site will first register students who struggle to stay on grade level. Current-year

report card grades show that large percentages of students with grades of C or below in reading

and math can benefit from more help. After-School Adventures has shown it can increase

student gains to improve school performance. Laurel Elementary and Palmetto Elementary will

prioritize invitations to first and second grade students based upon recommendation by teachers

and the guidance counselor. They will consider risk factors from the Florida Resiliency Mapping

Project and the Polk Mentoring Alliance. They will informally rate these young students with an

indicator checklist that points to the following risk factors: a) low self-esteem, b) lack of a

positive adult role model, c) parents with anti-social behavior, d) difficulty getting along with

others, and e) early academic failure. If we can catch these students up to their peers, we will

better prepare them for college and career success. Lake Marion Creek will prioritize invitations

to fifth grade students based upon recommendation by teachers and the guidance counselor.

They will consider risk factors from the Florida Resiliency Mapping Project.

Schools Meeting Eligibility – Table 3 matches the center sites with eligibility criteria, and Table 4

depicts the populations in the school attendance zones. Most participants will have multiple

siblings who fill the after-school slots.

Table 5: School Qualifications for 21st CCLC

After-School Adventures Centers

Title I Status

School Grade 2015

% Disadvantaged

Grades to be

Avg. Daily

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/ 2016 Served AttendanceLaurel School-wide D / D 76.74% K-4 100Palmetto School-wide D / D 75.46% K-4 100Lake Marion Creek School-wide F / D 73.28% 5-8 100

Table 6: School Demographics 18

School Enrolled Black Hispanic White ESE ELL % Free Meals19

Laurel Elem. 842 27.0% 58.9% 11.9% 16% 21% 100%Palmetto Elem. 658 17.6% 71.1% 7.6% 13% 23% 100%Lake Marion 961 23.7% 63.8% 9.2% 16% 13% 100%

5.6.b Recruitment and Retention We will send invitation letters during the summer. Program

staff will follow up with telephone calls. Should there be vacancies, we will offer applications to

non-targeted students. We will keep a waiting list once the program fills, and prioritize

placements by academic need. We will continually recruit based upon recommendations of

daytime teachers at each site, and place students to keep the program full.

Engaging Families – In addition to program promotion at school, our business and civic partners

have promised to broaden our reach with posters, announcements, newsletter articles, and

word of mouth. When the program opens, families of targeted students will receive a calendar

of events with explanation of family literacy opportunities and an invitation to volunteer or serve

on the Advisory Board. Family members are invited to follow the program on Facebook and the

Internet. The locations/links to these outlets are included on all print distributions.

Consistent Attendance – After-School Adventures promotes consistent attendance through

monthly recognition programs. Students with perfect attendance for the month receive a

certificate. Students can also earn a “jeans day pass” as reward. The Student sign-in sheets are

evaluated weekly by the coordinators, who check with daytime teachers if students miss

multiple days of the 21st CCLC program. If they are in school, we ask parents to be sure they

stay after school. If they miss school, our policy does not allow them to attend After-School

18 Student Membership Report – Genesis (Student Management System) 19 Community Eligibility Option program by USDA, offering free breakfast and lunch to all students based on level of community participation in public assistance programs.

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Adventures the same day. Parents of students with unexplained absences are contacted by

telephone. All efforts are made to accommodate families so students may attend the program.

5.6.c Student Program Activities Activities – To meet our identified needs of low academic

achievement and poor interpersonal behaviors, daily student program activities include a snack,

social/recreation time, homework time, an academic/PBL session, and participation in personal

enrichment activities. Based upon recommendations to our Advisory Board by the district’s P.E.

Specialist, each daily session contains 20-30 minutes of self-selected, supervised physical

activity. The exercise provides a brain-break and provides the after-school session with a

playful, cooperative flavor. Action for Healthy Kids20 says, “Physical movement increases blood

flow bringing more oxygen to the brain and leads to improved concentration. Brain breaks can

energize a group after lunch or relax and calm a class before a test, after lunch or at the end of

the day.” Time is also allocated daily for homework which is directly linked to student

achievement. Students are grouped by grade level and supervised by a teacher or other staff

member for 15-30 minutes. Principals advised this is sufficient daily time for homework.

Students engage in homework, self-study, or independent reading/journaling. Staff assures that

each student is actively engaged. With students still grouped by grade, they then have 40

minutes per day, three days per week, for active learning that supports the Florida Standards in

English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science. The Curriculum has been plotted out

for the year and follows the district curriculum map. The academic/PBL requirements of the 21st

CCLC grant are met through implementation of Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs) provided by

the Department of Education through the Collaborate, Plan, Align, Learn, Motivate, Share

(CPALMS) website. CPALMS was created by the Florida Center for Research in Science,

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) at Florida State University using evidence-

based practice. MEAs are small-group activities that encourage students to invent and test

models. They look like real-world problems and require students to work in teams to generate

20 www.actionforhealthykids.org

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solutions. Research shows MEAs support cooperative learning, require students to interpret

problem-solving situations, and promote mathematical reasoning21 We extend STEM into

English Language Arts via MEAs by critical reading of scenarios describing problems, and

challenging students to find solutions under given perimeters/constraints. MEAs support critical

reading in content areas.22 Students’ final products consist of written documentation and oral

presentation. Research suggests argumentative writing among K-6 students improves through

collaborative problem solving. Student interest levels in writing increased with the

implementation of MEAs.23 We have chosen specific MEAs aligned to daytime curriculum and

instructional timelines. The Program Coordinator, using the district’s curriculum maps and

instructional sequences in ELA and Math, selected MEAs that focus on the same standards

students are learning during the daytime. MEAs are specific to the grade level. MEAs are

facilitated by certified teachers and supplemented by hands-on activities to further engage

students and increase differentiation. For example, one fifth grade MEA charges students with

managing beach equipment rentals. Extension of this MEA could include making scaled, two-

or three-dimensional models to test hypotheses and support recommendations. Materials costs

to implement MEAs are minimal. The plans are available at www.cpalms.org at no cost. Each

grade will complete 2-3 MEAs per month. These activities support the goal of increased

academic achievement.

The remaining 40 minutes per day is for personal enrichment. After-School Adventures has two

enrichment objectives: a) improve students’ pro-social behavior, self-esteem, and problem-

solving skills; and b) improve students’ knowledge of and participation in healthy activities

(physically and mentally) and nutrition. We are using proven programs: Skillstreaming, TAKE

10!, Lyrics to Learn, and Ten Marks which have been factored into the budget. These programs

21 Kahveci, M., & Imamoglu, Y. (2007). Interactive learning in mathematics education: Review of Recent Literature. The Journal of Computer in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 26(2), 137-153.22 Thomas, A., & Bostic, J. (2015). Improving argumentative writing through mathematics and collaboration. Voices from the Middle, 22(3), 38-49.23 Thomas, A., & Bostic, J. (2015).

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target individual learning styles of elementary children and are vetted through research. A study

of Skillstreaming effects on students with diagnoses of emotional and/or behavioral disorders

revealed the following outcomes: a) participants were excited about Skilllstreaming and anxious

to attend the sessions; b) participants received zero suspensions while participating in the

program reduced from an aggregate average of one every two weeks prior to the program; and

c) office referrals decreased from daily to less than three per week.24 Skillstreaming uses

modeling, role-playing, performance feedback, and generalization to promote students’

understanding and acceptance of pro-social skills. The elementary school program consists of

five skill areas: classroom survival; friendship making; dealing with feelings; alternatives to

aggression; and dealing with stress. This program aligns with our need to improve interpersonal

behaviors which in turn will improve discipline.

TAKE 10! is a product of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Research Foundation

Physical Activity and Nutrition Program. Research indicates: a) students who participated in

one daily session of TAKE 10! during the school year burned enough calories to prevent 1-3

pounds of excess weight gain;25 b) TAKE 10! Increases attraction to physical activity among

young children;26 c) following TAKE 10! activities, off-task behavior was reduced by over 20%27

and d) students participating in TAKE 10! Improved math scores. Both math and reading scores

improved among poorly adapted students.28 TAKE 10! integrates 10 minutes of physical activity

into core academic lessons in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The

activities appeal to multiple learning styles through movement, singing, listening, and visual

modeling. Each TAKE 10! activity is differentiated for three levels of physical and academic

24 Leonardi, R., Roberts, J., & Wasoka, D. (2001). Skillstreaming: A report to the Vermont State Department of Education. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov25 Stewart, J., Dennison, D., Kohl, H., Doyle, J. (2004). Exercise level and energy expenditure in the TAKE 10! In-class physical activity program. Journal of School Health, 74, 397-400.26 Kohl, W., Moore, B., Sutton, A., Kibbe, D., & Schneider, C. (2001). A curriculum-integrated classroom physical activity promotion tool for elementary schools: teacher evaluation of TAKE 10!. Medicine, Science, Sports, Exercise, 33(5), 179.27 Metzler, M., & Williams, S. (n.d.). A classroom-based physical activity and academic content program: More than a pause that refreshes? Journal of Classroom Interaction. In press.28 Dubose, K., Mayo, M., & Gibson, C. (2008). Physical activity across the curriculum (PAAC): rationale and design. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 29, 83-93.

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readiness to meet the needs of all learners. Lyrics2learn is a brain-based, on-line reading

program designed by Jeremy Spartz, a veteran classroom teacher and tutor. It was created as a

daily reading center his students could do independently while he ran reading rotations. His

philosophy is that music is used to engage students with text and help them memorize

information quickly. As kids retain more and more information due to the repetition, rhythm and

rhyme, question levels increase. Each center or mini-lesson begins with literal comprehension,

and ends with open-ended constructed response. Every story uses this methodology. Studies

show that the more kids know, the more they’ll show. We will have arts and music integrated

directly into programming. Each center will also add attractive opportunities and experiences for

the students such as arts and culture education aligned to Hispanic Heritage and Black History

months, introduction to second-languages, and music education. Individual sample site

schedules are uploaded. Most of the programming is digital, therefore we have also budgeted

iPads and a charging cart to incorporate technology into the extended learning.

5.6.d Adult Family Member Program Activities Due to the lack of parental involvement noted

with the lack of participation in the parent surveys, we expect to significantly involve and show

perceived growth in a minimum of 10 parents/family members per site, representing 20-30

participating children per site. The Family Literacy series will have at least six sequenced

sessions per site. To meet the needs of all parents, the program is using Skillstreaming for adult

and family services. Skillstreaming lessons all have home connections and activities. Parents

and children will learn and work together on specific skills (e.g. dealing with anger, accepting

“no,” invoking self-control). Other parent meetings will focus on teaching parents about the new

ELA and math standards, adult education, and Growth Mindset. One of the family activities

mirrors an after-school lesson in pro-social skills and emphasizes positive reinforcement. Another

family activity strives to give parents information about the Florida Standards and resources to

use at home to increase student achievement. Another meeting informs the parents about adult

education options. One meeting discusses positive pro-social behaviors and “Growth Mindset.”

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Our family nights target young parents. We do our best to connect families to community

services with activities at community centers where our partners teach literacy and coach

parenting. Our partnership organizations will enrich family literacy with services of varying

intensity, ranging from ABE/GED education to presentations on financial literacy.

5.6.e Staffing Plan and Professional Development Administrative Obligations - 21st Century

Program Coordinator along with the Program Director provide curriculum and instruction

leadership and program administration. Dawn Robertson, Grant Director, provides grant

services and program oversight. The Grants Technician, Sheridan Stead, assists in many

different capacities such as helping with proposals, budgets, and amendments. The Program

Coordinator, with help from the Principal, selects the Site Coordinators. Both the Director and

the Coordinator offer support through weekly visits. They also monitor fidelity and progress

toward objectives. They archive all reporting data on deliverables and work with the third-party

evaluator for timely reports to the state. They receive assistance from the Grants Technician,

Natalie Stephens. This process has produced complete and on-time reports.

Adequate and Appropriate Staff - The Site Coordinators manage the staff, student enrollment,

site scheduling, program promotion, attendance monitoring, transportation, snacks, and student

discipline. They work closely with school-based administrators to maintain a continuum of

goals, procedures, and expectations between the regular school day and the after-school

program. Site Coordinators at Laurel Elementary and Palmetto Elementary will work four days

at three hours per day. Site Coordinators at Lake Marion Creek will work five days at two and a

half hours per day. Site coordinators will be arriving during the school day and remaining

available after hours until the last student leaves. Site Coordinators make classroom visits and

manage transitions. Their extra hours allow them to prepare attendance and food service

documents, handle transportation issues, communicate with daytime teachers, extend

marketing, plan parent outreach activities, and support the Program Coordinator.

The program office prefers to hire site coordinators at each site who are employed at the school

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during the day. This makes for a more successful program due to their investment in the school

and community. The Site Coordinators are level 2 background screened, CPR and First Aid

Certified, and trained in food service guidelines for snack distribution. These trainings are

provided at no cost by the district. The Program Coordinator recruits applicants and screens

them with the site principal and contractor.

Staffing Provided in Budget An onsite Program Assistant at each center helps families seeking

information about the program and students needing additional support. Assistants help the Site

Coordinators meet the needs of the staff by providing breaks if necessary, assisting with intake

and dismissal, and providing extra supervision on campus. We expect for Program Assistant to

be able to communicate effectively and professionally, orally, and in writing. The Program

Coordinator procures, prepares, and delivers curricular and instructional materials at all centers.

This individual helps teachers with small group instruction, interventions, substitutes for

teachers and Site Coordinators, and supervises Family Literacy events with Site Coordinators.

The expectations for the Program Coordinator are: Minimum Academic requirements are a

Bachelor’s degree, a background in youth development, experience in contractual negotiations,

budgeting/payroll, and public speaking. Grant writing experience is highly desirable. Staffing

Provided in Budget Certified teachers lead the PBL/MEA lessons and facilitate academic

interventions. The program budgeted for three to five academic teacher positions per center to

keep staff-to-student ratios low. Enrichment staff provide supervision during physical activity

time and assist with enrichment and homework. Enrichment staff may be certified teachers,

paraprofessionals, substitute teachers, or others with experience working with elementary

school students. The uploaded sample site schedules demonstrate the team-teaching model.

Using the two-member team format keeps staff-to-student ratios at 1:10. Teachers and staff at

Laurel and Palmetto will work four days at three hours per day. Teachers and staff members at

Lake Marion Creek will work five days at two and a half hours per day.

We will hire teachers first from the host schools, and then reach out to fill vacancies with

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teachers from nearby schools. We have also attracted staff from Polk State College’s Educator

Prep Institute and by referral from partnering non-profit groups. Principals recommend

substitutes who express interest. All staff are level 2 background screened by the district.

Professional Development – All staff will receive copies of and be trained in the After-School

Adventures Handbook. This details safety plans, confidentiality, attendance documentation,

payroll documentation, student and parent communications, student behavior management, and

site-specific schedules and procedures. Academic teaching staff will be trained in MEAs and

lesson extension in differentiated, hands-on PBL activities. Enrichment staff will be trained in the

TAKE 10!, Lyrics to Learn, and Skillstreaming programs. Training will include how to supervise

activities and procedures for administering surveys. Also, for this year we will send two After-

School Adventure staff members to the July CCLC statewide training. The designees will then

disseminate the information to all After-School Adventures program staff.

5.6.f. Program Centers Environments and Facilities – Principals at Laurel, Palmetto, and Lake

Marion Creek have committed to provide After-School Adventures with classrooms, media

centers, computer labs, P.E. fields, cafeterias, and front offices. Each grade will have its own

standard classroom large enough to accommodate up to 25 students. Each Site Coordinator will

have dedicated office space, telephone access, a laptop computer.

Safety and Accessibility – Each school is completely fenced and accessible only through the

front office. All classrooms are equipped with emergency escape windows, maps of exit routes,

and school district emergency procedure plans. They have regular fire inspections and routinely

serviced fire extinguishers. Food storage and service adhere to USDA guidelines. All facilities

meet ADA standards for disabilities accommodations. Site Coordinators confer with guidance

counselors when enrolling students to insure the program meets special education IEP, 504, or

behavior intervention plans. Each center has a familiar and readily accessible venue to co-

locate partner services through the community centers.

5.6.g. Safety and Student Transportation Safety Concerns and Supervision – All personnel

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for Polk schools are fingerprinted by the district and undergo FDLE screening for criminal

arrests and warrants in the state of Florida and the national criminal records system. The

prospective employee must pay $54.50 for screening. Fingerprinting and screening also

applies to contractors, vendors who access school campuses, and substitute teachers. All

Volunteer applicants pay $25 for a Level I background check. Everyone with business on

campus is issued an identification card which must be worn. Each card is read by an electronic

scanner to record coming and going. Parents and other visitors must have a driver's license or

official ID card scanned to access the campus other than the main office. All centers have

emergency preparedness plans, coordinated with the county Emergency Management

Operations Center. Every school has an evacuation plan and keeps up-to-date emergency

contact information electronically for all students. The Food Service Department trains and

supervises all food handlers, ensuring sanitation and proper temperatures. The Site

Coordinators keep records of student locations and schedules throughout the program hours

and have student emergency cards with contact information for adults authorized to access

students. Students learn classroom emergency procedures and escape routes on their first

day, with monthly refreshers. Classroom doors are locked during program hours. Students are

not allowed out of class without a “buddy” and this should only occur in cases of students being

escorted to the office for early check-out. Early check-outs should be limited to doctor’s

appointments and family emergencies.

Transportation – Polk school buses are equipped with video surveillance, and all drivers have

radio contact with dispatchers. Regional transportation supervisors remain on duty each

evening until all students are delivered safely. Each student has a backpack tag designating

the assigned bus or car number. Car riders are released only to cars with corresponding

number tags issued to authorized adults. Two buses service each school site and no ride

exceeds 45 minutes. Parents receive the bus number, stop, and drop time in writing, and must

be present to meet their children. Parents requesting that their children be dismissed from After-

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School Adventures to walk or ride a bike home without adult supervision must provide written

notice of this request.

5.6.h Dissemination Plan – After-School Adventures has a website with program schedules

and information about special events. It gives contact information for the Program Coordinator

and Site Coordinators. The Program Office makes frequent posts on our Facebook page to

promote the Family Literacy series and special events. Schools send paper and voice

communications in English and Spanish to represent the population of family members.

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