1. Project – Feedback Process
Gabrielle LaVenia
Capella University

2. Overview of the problem
The attendance of students at the high school level is declining. Students are skipping classes, and are on the verge of being withdrawn or becoming truant.

3. Description of the goal
To help solve the attendance issue at ACC, an incentive program was designed. This program is to help entice students to attend class. Though some may see this as unethical, as students should be attending school no matter what, the students at ACC all come from different backgrounds with different family and behavioral dynamics. ACC’s goal is to give students a different more flexible education, and do whatever it takes to have the students be successful.

4. Description of the actions undertaken
Step 1: Reach out to teachers at the high school level and let them know about a project being created to help improve attendance. Step 2: Hold meetings to with all team members and discuss ideas about ways to boost attendance. It was decided to have a student of the month program. Step 3: Come up with ideas on how the student of the month program will work. Step 4: Present the idea to the entire high school during professional development
The first step of this project was to reach out to people in the high school and let them know that a project is being worked on to try and help improve attendance. An was sent out to the general and special education teachers. Around twenty teachers responded, willing to take part in the project.
Step 2: Teachers were ed with a time of the first meeting. The teachers who were able to attend did, the meeting was recorded for those who could not attend. The first meeting many people gave ideas about things they have done in the past and how the team can expand it throughout the entire high school. Members of the engagement team (administration) attended and let the team know there will be funds available to create an incentive program.
Step 3: Student of the month program (STOMP) was created along with how students can become one. The students picked by teachers will have to show DARE. DARE (Dream (vision), Action (effort). Results (social intelligence), and Expect (optimism). The acronym is used to help students remember what it is they need to do. DARE breaks down into: Dream - students who are setting goals, exploring their options, and utilizing online class tools. Action - participation, taking on challenges, and completing all assignments (on time). Results - students who ask questions and engage in learning, stay connected by responding to teachers s, and questions. The last part is Expect – those who strive to improve grades, ask for help, overcome setbacks, retake assessments after remediation, and take pride in what one has accomplished. Administration stated they would like 4 “ultimate” winners from each grade. Though each class will have a student of the month that will be praised, only 16 total will earn gift cards (from the incentive program). Those winners will include two DARE winners, one with the highest GPA, and one who has shown great improvement.
Step 4: The team presented a PowerPoint explaining how STOMP will work. The team took split the presentation up so more than one person had the opportunity to talk.

5. Description of the results
The results have not been collected as the program will not start with the students until March Professional Development Results: Well-received
The researcher is not in total control of the project anymore. The researcher will continue to be part of the team as it is something that interests her, and wants to see attendance improve for her own students, and those in the school. The researcher does not have full responsibility of the project. After administration hopped on board and made it an official team, the responsibilities are not for everyone on the team. It is up to everyone on the team to see how this will work.
Professional Development Results:
Throughout the presentation many of the high school teachers thought the idea was great and looked forward to it starting. Some people questioned if it will actually work. Teachers wondered if this would create a lot of extra work for them. The researcher explained that the team that has been established will be taking charge, and all the teachers have to do is select one person from each of their classes who they feel deserve to be their student of the month. Then they will make a phone call home congratulating the student and letting the parents/guardians know about the achievement.

6. Next Steps
Step 1: The team will send out online surveys to the teachers each month to gather the names of their STOMP winners. Step 2: The team will meet and randomly pick two students from each grade for the ultimate DARE winners Step 3: The team will look at the data that is sent monthly to see which students have the highest GPA per grade, and which students have shown the greatest improvement Step 4: The team will ask for feedback from the teachers to see how they feel the program is working. Is attendance improving? Are the students trying harder?
The next steps of the project are going to take time to complete. The team has decided to meet for one hour, twice a month. The team will be the people who gather all of the final results and monitor the progress. The team will take the results and keep the rest of the teachers and faculty in the know, so they are aware of how the program is coming along.

7. Discussion of powerpoint
This presentation (minus this slide) was shown to 2 members of Agora. Jessica J and Michelle J. Discussed the presentation. Talked about how the intervention went. Discussed how the intervention could be improved.
The researcher met with two members of Agora to see what their thoughts were about the Student of the Month Program.
Jessica and Michelle both attended the professional development and saw the presentation for STOMP. They were then shown this PowerPoint which goes over the steps I took. Both Jessica and Michelle thought the idea was a great one but are not sure if it will make a big difference for the students that attend our school. They feel some students are stuck in their ways and will not change. Jessica stated that she feels students who do put in some effort will start to put in more. Michelle thought it would be nice if the students could be exempt from a few assignments, as they may be a bigger motivational push for the students.
Both Jessica and Michelle are hoping the project will work, and that it was nice that a “simple” school project could turn into such a big idea. They stated how this reflects the type of worker I am and that they hope administration noticed and that it will play a part in the yearly bonus.