CodeRVA Regional High School: An Innovative Approach to Education

Tracy Walker (CodeRVA), Michael Bolling (CodeRVA), Pamela Crook (CodeRVA), Krystal Rubio (CodeRVA)

This session will present information on how CodeRVA integrates blended learning strategies for online and face-to-face instruction, allowing for personalized learning and course acceleration opportunities.  In addition to VDOE- approved diploma options, CodeRVA offers two learning pathways for students:  Associate’s Degree Pathway or Applied Studies Pathway (some or no dual enrollment). During the 11th and 12th grade years, all students will receive individualized college and career preparation inclusive of  internship experience focusing on five areas of IT (information security, software development & quality assurance, data analytics, development operations, and project management).

Diversity Connection

JoAna Smith (Chesterfield)

Attendees will understand the difference between the policy and practice of diversity, inclusion, and equity in public education.  This session will define and discuss language related to diversity and multiculturalism in classrooms and schools.  Individuals will make connections and differentiate between multilingual and multicultural to become an advocate for positive change and diversity at their schools.

"Accelerating" to Success

Daniel Palmer (Chesterfield)

This session will share the story of "Accelerate," an exciting addition to the Swift Creek Middle School schedule.  Each day has a special emphasis for students to explore/accentuate their talents (e.g. Focus Monday, Tutelage Tuesday, and Portfolio Friday).  The guiding philosophy of this new block is to provide students the opportunity to move forward or “accelerate” in their education, regardless of their level. Accelerate continues to be an evolving, enriching experience for students and staff at Swift Creek Middle School.  Schools can take and adapt this program to meet the needs of their students in a fun, challenging, and exciting way. 

   

  

Connecting Higher Education to the Public Education Movement

Kristin Reed (VCU Focused Inquiry)

Over the last year walkouts nationally have raised public awareness for the increasingly strained political and economic contexts in which preK-12 educators work. These walkouts have reaffirmed educators as a powerful political force, and political leadership is responding. This presentation will explore points of correlation between attacks on preK-12 public education and those on higher education and will make a case for college and university stakeholders to join the broader public education movement.

Building the Bridge from High School to College: Creating College Preparation and Transition Programs for African American Students

Jada E. Brooks (Randolph Macon), Redell B. Thomas Jr. (Richmond)

Opportunities to pursue higher education have increased for African American and other minority students over the past several decades, however many students continue to face several educational issues while transitioning into a collegiate environment. Further, retention and graduation rates for African American students tend to be lower than that of their peers.  Many institutions have adopted summer bridge programs or first year experience courses, however few universities have partnered with middle and high schools to better prepare students for college prior to enrollment. Strategies on how high schools and colleges can collaborate to better prepare African American high school students for the college experience will be discussed.

 

 

Teachers As Experts

Jodi Larson (VCU SOE, Henrico), Pam Randolph (Henrico)

The VCU Urban Educator Collaborative implemented a pilot program in collaboration with a metro area public middle school with high poverty rates and students with high needs. Current K-12 educators served as coaches, creating and implementing professional development for teachers in an urban middle school. Teacher coaches also conducted classroom observations and supported evaluation efforts of the program. 

Why We Want Board Certified Teachers and How We Can Get Them/Using Impact Teams to Support Student Centered Learning

Drew Baker (Henrico)

The National Board Certification process is designed to develop, retain, and recognize accomplished teachers in K-12 education. NBCTs make a significant impact in both their students and their school. This session summarizes research on the benefits of Certification, and shares ways to increase and support NBCTs at the school and division level.

Connecting Science and Literacy: Supporting PK-8 Teachers to Implement Problem-Based Learning

Elizabeth Edmondson, Valerie Robnolt, and Suzanne Kirk (VCU SOE)

VCU has been providing intensive, ongoing professional development for PK-8 teachers in Virginia to implement problem-based learning in their science classes while supporting their students' learning with integrating literacy strategies. This session will share details about the professional development and outcomes from the classroom teachers.

 

Emotional Development Preschool Aged Black Boys

Evandra Catherine (VCU SOE)

The socioeconomic status of young Black children living in economically distressed urban communities has a significant impact on their social and emotional development and later school success. This presentation will introduce a conceptual framework for the emotional development of preschool aged Black boys living in economically distressed communities. The framework is based in Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, and Resiliency theory. 

Creating a Trauma-Sensitive School. Lessons learned from a Trauma informed Preschool

Kathy Ryan and Denise Powers (Greater Richmond SCAN Circle Preschool Program)

GRSCAN’s Circle Preschool Program (CPP) has provided a trauma informed learning environment to children with severe trauma for over 7 years. CPP uses an interdisciplinary collaborative model to provide brain-based healing and developmentally sensitive teaching practices which lead to developmental growth and enable most children to enter typical kindergarten settings.  The CPP faculty collaborates with several VCU graduate programs, providing placements for students from School of Education and School of Social Work, and the School of Health Sciences.  Additionally, CPP faculty have taught several school administrators and teachers how to institute trauma informed practices within public schools. The current presentation will pull together the lessons learned on instituting trauma sensitive practices within the school settings.  As such the presentation provides strategies needed from superintendents to teachers.  Examples of classroom strategies will be used to demonstrate implementation specifics.

 

 

School-wide Vision of Personalized Learning in a Corrective Setting: A Journey for Professional Learning Communities

Letha Brooks, Gregor MacDougall, and Autumn Kaufman (Bon Air Juvenile Correctional/Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice)

One major challenge of implementing personalized learning is envisioning and creating a model that meets the unique needs of staff and students. Come learn about the journey the Bon Air Juvenile Correctional staff are making with personalized learning that has resulted in substantial academics gains  and increased graduations. This presentation will provide details into school-based action research and reflective practice in a correctional facility as staff envisioned, created, and implemented a school-wide model of personalized learning.

The Experiences of Building Home-School Partnerships for Students with Challenging Behaviors

Kim McKnight (VCU SOE/Richmond Teacher Residency)

This presentation explores home-school partnerships between eight kindergarten, first, and second grade teachers’ and families’ of students at risk for emotional or behavioral disorders in two high-poverty, non-accredited schools. The purpose of the study was to learn more about teachers’ and families’ perspectives of partnering together and to help expand the literature about partnership strategies. A conceptual framework illustrated the complicated nature of these partnerships and underscored further study of this under-studied topic. Themes from the qualitative components shed light on the importance of congruence in the roles and expectations for both families and teachers in the partnership. Findings help inform the scant literature on targeted homeschool partnership processes for teachers and families of students at risk for EBD.

Speech Language Pathologists Reported Knowledge and Training in Behavior Management

Erin Stehle and Kelsey Turner (VCU SOE)

In youth, the inability to effectively develop and use speech and language skills is one of the most common developmental problems (Bryan, Garvani, Gregory & Kilner, 2015). Students with language impairments tend to have a higher prevalence of behavioral problems than their typically developing peers (Maggio et al, 2014). Research demonstrates a strong relationship between decreased language abilities and students with problematic behaviors (Chow & Wehby, 2016). Speech-language pathologists’ reported knowledge about the implementation of research based strategies were examined through a researcher-developed survey. 90% reported they did not receive training in behavior management, and 52% reported they experience challenging behaviors several times a day. The presenters hope to bring awareness to the minimal training for speech-language pathologists.

Talent Development in Gifted Education: The Road to Equity

Patricia Woodberry (Richmond)

This study examines and seeks to address the root causes of disparities in gifted identification.  There are two questions guiding this study: Will practicing activities that highlight critical thinking skills in the format assessed in the gifted identification process allow more students to demonstrate behaviors characteristic of gifted students? Will having the general education teacher observe the interactions during the model lessons impact the survey of students and the assessment of the presence of behaviors that correlate to giftedness?

Diversity in Student Grouping and the Impact on Student Engagement and Achievement

Kim Bell (Chesterfield)

At a school that has an evolving diverse population it is often difficult to encourage students to work outside of their comfort zones in a collaborative setting. This project was designed to see if students would achieve better grades and create a flow of more engagement if they worked outside of their self-selected groups. This project answers the research question: What will happen to student achievement/ engagement if we can encourage students to be more comfortable working in more diverse groups?

Measuring Prejudice and Promoting Allophilia in a Suburban, Middle-School Language Arts Classroom

Cindy Sinanian (Hanover) 

Culturally diverse students often do not see an adequate representation of themselves in school, i.e. administrators, teachers, peers,, etc. This may cause them to feel disconnected from school and hamper their learning or access to education. The research question guiding this study: Are the students in my classroom being impacted by prejudice/stereotyping, and if so, what can I do as a teacher to help my students not only rise above them, but also experience more connectedness and allophilia (love of otherness)?

The Intentional Inclusion of Race and Racism Dialogue in Classroom Discussions

Lillie Jones (Henrico)

Conversations of race and racism are necessary to address the issue of colorblindness in the presence of White teachers in a predominantly African American classroom setting. This project addresses the question: How will the intentional inclusion of discussions regarding race and racism impact the classroom climate in a setting where the majority of students are African-American and the teacher is White?

Empowering Latino Students to Defy Societal Labels

Maria Negron (Chesterfield)

This study explores the topic of cultural awareness and how a teacher can become a change agent by impacting how students view themselves. Furthermore, the study examines if the students’ lack of self-identity, cultural awareness, or a deficit self-perception contributes to their goals and future plans. This study answers the research questions: How might I help my Latino students feel more empowered and set high expectations for themselves by exploring Latin identities that surpass labels? And, how can my Latino students succeed when exposed to the post-secondary options and resources available to them?

Teachers Working Together for Early Childhood Transition into Special Education Self Contained Classes

Solitia Wilson (Hanover)

This study examines how providing supports and strategies for teachers to help transition special education students - and their abilities – into early elementary classes. This work enabled teachers to see students with special needs as skilled, capable, and independent individuals who can be leaders and role models to everyone - peers and teachers alike -within the school setting. This project addresses the research questions: How do general education teachers view the abilities of special needs students transitioning from a self-contained class, such as ECSE, to general education classes and Encore (Art, Library, Music, and P.E.) settings? And, how can special education teachers better support general education teachers and encore teachers to recognize the abilities of special needs students transitioning from self-contained classes to general education settings throughout the school environment?

Reading is a Critical Skill! Understand and Addressing the Factors Faced by Challenged Readers

Debi Carper (Colonial Heights)

This project stemmed from a concern about the reading level of several students at the beginning of the school year. This study answers the following research questions: Is there a link between socio-economics and student reading progress? Does socioeconomic status result in reduced interaction at home with children? Does socioeconomic status impact time and/or resources for academic reinforcement at home? Do the students and parents read together regularly? Do students have reading level appropriate books at home to read? And, will additional reading practice help to increase student reading?