VI. Appendices Appendix

Appendix H: The Beacon School Model - Molly Stark Elementary School

The following was provided by Sue Maguire, Principal, Molly Stark Elementary School:

Molly Stark School is a K-6 school with 400 students. In addition, we house a variety of district-wide programs including the Early Education Program for children with emotional/behavioral disabilities, and the Lighthouse Project, a K-6 multi-age program in which parents within the Bennington School District can choose to enroll their children.

Although we have a diverse population of students and families, more than half of all children at the school live in poverty. Many of our children live in public or subsidized housing.

About 3 years ago, academic success wasn’t at the level we wanted it to be. Student absenteeism was the highest in the district, and violence was on the rise. We brought together a Focus Group of staff members and community members (including a pediatrician, psychologist, and police detective) to discuss how we could bring about positive change. After collecting data, we found that the high rate of absenteeism and discipline referrals were significantly higher for those children on free and reduced lunch. In addition, a study of high school students found that 28% of the 50 Molly Stark students who went on the to high school in 1990-91, dropped out by the twelfth grade. Further study revealed that the vast majority of students with low academic achievement, high absenteeism, and frequent discipline referrals were high poverty students.

It has become the mission of Molly Stark to change all of this. Recognizing the significant impact poverty has on a school, staff and administrators developed a Title I “School Wide Program.” Its premise is that individual program changes have less potential for impact than a comprehensive approach. To increase the integration of all children within the school into a school community in which high standards for behavior and achievement are reached, Molly Stark received permission to use Title I funds in a way that serves all students while, in particular, benefitting children living in poverty. As a result, we have developed a broad-based and comprehensive approach with four major areas of action: social responsibility, family involvement, health and wellness, and curriculum and instruction.

The process began with a needs assessment for its community and collaborative planning with Sunrise Family Resource Center, Bennington Head Start, Bennington College, Bennington Tutorial Center, Vermont Department of Health, and the Vermont Agency of Human Services. The result has been secured resources for the following programs:

• After-school enrichment programs, including foreign language, cooking, Tai Kwon Do, painting, astronomy, computers, aerobic, gardening, chess, cooking, Lego building, sign language, puppetry, and origami. These are taught by teachers, parents, and community members. We also have after-school reading and homework clubs. This past spring over 250 students participated in these programs! We also provide an evening aerobics class and GED course for parents.

• Health initiatives - We offer a variety of health and wellness programs. They include: well physicals and inoculations for 3rd and 6th graders; a pediatrician and psychologist as part of a school-based team provide weekly consultation and short-term intervention and referral to our families; a dental program; an annual community health fair which includes over 20 service and community agencies; a 6th grade Wellness Day.

• Social Responsibility Programs, including:

* two mentoring programs, one with our students and local community members from Hemmings Motor News, a local business, and the PALS Program which pairs up high school students with our students for a school year

* Project Adventure Education for both students and families (Family As A Team Program)

* Student Conflict Manager Program in which older students help young students resolve conflicts

* Sixth Grade Transition Program facilitated by our guidance counselor and the Middle School’s Student Assistance Counselor for at-risk students transitioning to the Middle School

* Primary Project, a research-based early intervention play therapy program designed to prevent possible future school adjustment difficulties

* Parents As Teachers Program, a national early childhood family education and support program which supports parents in their role as their child’s first and most influential teacher. It allows a parent educator to connect with families who have children birth to 3 years old. The program includes home visits, parent support groups, play groups, developmental screening, and a resource network with the community. After training 4 of our staff this summer, we will begin this program in the fall.

While these programs will be of value to all parents and children, they will have a particularly positive impact on low-income children and families. Low-income children find particular benefits when they share these programs with a broader mix of children and do not feel singled out because of their poverty.

In the spring of 1997, Molly Stark became the only Vermont school invited to join Yale University’s “Schools of the 21st Century” developed by Education Zigler (founder of Head Start). This program includes 400 schools nationwide striving to strengthen programs for children birth to 5 years and support their parents, resulting in children better prepared to achieve in school.

Our vision is to build an on-site family resource center providing an array of services including pre-school, school-aged child care, health services, and after-school and summer programs. We are presently working on language development and early literacy skills for children from birth to age five. This year, one of our Title I reading teachers will be devoting some of her time to children and families birth to five. Through grant money and state IEP Medicaid reimbursements, we have hired a full-time parent educator to begin working with these families and are collaborating with Sunrise for a parent educator from to work with us 10 hours a week. Our belief is that if we connect with children early, building language and literacy skills necessary for later school success, then students really will be able to read by the third grade. Parents are the most important teachers for their children and we are committed to giving the support and guidance to families necessary for a successful school experience. This can best be done when the school, families, and other service providers work collaboratively.

Some of the planned activities, particularly child care and pre-school, have the potential to become self-supporting. We recently became one of the few Vermont schools to meet the criteria as a licensed child care facility. Other parts of the plan, such as adult basic education and parent education, will be provided by other agencies. Enrichment programs after school and during the summer will require on-going support from state and private sources.

We have developed these programs despite the limits of our physical facilities. Our crowded school (which does not have gymnasium) has limited potential for day care or extensive family programming. A proposed building, with a cost of $284,000, will be connected to the Molly Stark building and dedicated to family resource and day care activities. The school district will provide the land, maintenance, and utilities.