5.1 PROJECT ABSTRACT

The Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and

mathematics) through SECME (Science, Engineering, Communication, Mathematics and

Enhancement) Stars IV (StSS IV) program will serve students and their families from North Glade

Elementary, Olympia Heights Elementary, Redland Elementary and Van E. Blanton Elementary.

Ninety-eight percent of students in these schools are minority students and ninety-five percent are

eligible for free/reduced price lunch. Many of these students need programs that will enrich their

academic experience and overall day-to-day life. The afterschool program will serve a combined total of

476 students across all four school sites. The goal is to provide students with programming that will

deliver remedial educational enrichment activities and tutoring services through hands-on activities while

integrating the full STEAM process as well as creating a well-rounded program and empowers

participants to be active and engaged learners. Select students, based on principal determination, will

receive an application to participate in the program with priority provided to those students who (1) have

scored below the 25th percentile on the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) for grades 3 rd- 5th grade

and Stanford Achievement Test, (SAT) for grades K-1, and (2) Principal determination based on the

needs as the students. StSS IV will utilize three scientifically based academic components: APEX

Science - Frost Museum (After-school Programs Exploring Science), Stemfinity (science, engineering

and mathematics), and these programs have shown to contain coherent instructional design which

enhances learning and increases student academic performance and engagement. Program goals

include improving student achievement in literacy, mathematics, and science; improving physical fitness

and increased knowledge of how to make choices for healthy eating; appropriate demonstration of

behavior/conduct; increasing attendance during the school day as well as the afterschool program; and

increasing parental participation. Activities will be implemented with the support of Comprehension

Instructional Sequencing (CIS) and Claim Evidence Reasoning (CER). The StSS IV program will

challenge and enhance students with the ability to learn through STEAM activities that will develop

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excellence and build academic success while building a stronger community for both students and

parents.

5.2 NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Students in the targeted schools are low in income, live in high crime areas, and are in

neighborhoods with limited resources, placing them at-risk for a number of negative outcomes including

high juvenile delinquency, low student academic achievement, and inadequate nutrition. According to

Neighborhood Scouts Reports, childhood poverty rates in the targeted areas are higher than 85% of

U.S. neighborhoods. Historically, low-income students as a group have performed at a lower success

rate than high-income students on most measures of academic success – including standardized test

scores, grades, high school completion rates, and college enrollment and completion (Educational

Leadership, May 2013). Leadership at the targeted schools recognize that their students share similar

barriers to success and therefore are establishing an aggressive plan of action. North Glade Elementary

and Redland Elementary have already received STEM Designation, a district initiative to increase STEM

integration across all content areas, and Olympia Heights Elementary and Van E. Blanton Elementary

will apply and participate in the 2017-2018 STEAM school designation program. All four sites are Title 1

schools. Comparing 2014-2015 to 2015-2016, the reading FSA (Florida Standards Assessment) data in

grades 3rd-5th indicated that at the North Glade Elementary scores increased by 5% increase while in

Van E. Blanton they increased by 2%. However, in science Redland Elementary made a decline of

15% and Van E. Blanton Elementary of 30% in grades 3rd-5th. Olympia Heights increased their science

scores by 3%, however decreased 5% in Reading and 7% in Mathematics. While in mathematics, all

four sites made a decrease in their FSA scores by 6%. Administrators and teachers are working

diligently to close the achievement gaps at their respective schools and by providing an enrichment

program they can quickly and effectively close these gaps by providing extended learning time to help

meet student academic needs. SECME Stars has a proven track record and previous evaluation data

demonstrates the success of this innovative and forward thinking program. Surveys related to

educational needs and child supervision needs were administered to parents at the target schools prior

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to program implementation and findings indicated that 75% of children in the targeted areas did not

attend an afterschool program primarily due to lack of funds or available programs in their neighborhood.

Furthermore, 75% of parents reported that if an enriching afterschool program were made available to

them, they would be able to work longer hours to increase their family income. Based on SECME Stars

III, one teacher noted a strong correlation between student achievements in a current SECME at her

school. Two of her students that were active participants in the club were amongst that highest

performing students in the Math and Science SECME Competitions. Risk Factors: Despite increases

made in the FSA scores, these schools remain “D” rated schools. A meeting with the administrators of

all potential school sites took place at the District and the program’s vision began to take shape. Follow-

up meetings included other stakeholders to develop and review achievement data to identify objectives

and program planning. Implementing the StSS IV program will change the school’s grades by increasing

assessment scores. A program such as this will offer the students the ability to make the cross curricula

connections to close the academic gaps. Additionally, the hands-on approach to learning will help

average to low achieving students grasp concepts they may not have been able to understand when it

was presented to them in a conventional way. One administrator at Van E. Blanton Elementary

discussed that the areas of growth at the school are primarily Reading, Mathematics and Science.

“Students can definitely benefit from the integration of subjects through “STEAM”, stated the principal.

The administrator from Olympia Heights feels that targeting the lowest 25% of students in Reading

would push the assessment scores to the next level. Being able to provide students with a program that

will build student confidence through their academic work, along with providing an environment where

students feel safe, is something that Olympia Heights not only wants, but desperately needs. The

Administrator at Redland Elementary is seeking academic development in reading and science as well

as building stronger parental involvement. The main concern of the North Glade Elementary

administrator is ensuring that students are not wandering the streets and getting into trouble after regular

school hours. “These students need an extracurricular hard-driving program that will expand their

knowledge and vision about education”, stated the principal at North Glade Elementary. A concerning

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risk factor within M-DCPS is student wellness. In previous 21st CCLC SECME Stars cohorts, 40%

improvement in students’ physical fitness has occurred. StSS IV will provide students and families the

proper services to maintain a healthy life style throughout the school year, as well as provide services

that will close the achievement gap. StSS IV will empower each and every one of the participating

schools to grow academically and provide students with a safe and STEAM integrated environment that

will service struggling learners to expand educational success.

5.3 PROGRAM EVALUATION

5.3.a Evaluation Plan

Evaluator and Activities: Q-Q Research Consultants (QQRC) will serve as the independent

evaluator for StSS IV. QQRC is a full-service research and evaluation firm staffed with professionals with

over 20 years of experience in program evaluation including experience evaluating 21st CCLC programs

in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. QQRC staff has advanced academic training in quantitative and

qualitative research methodologies. QQRC is also a local firm, so their proximity facilitates

communication and data collection. For StSS IV, QQRC will conduct the following evaluation activities:

program monitoring, data collection and analysis, and evaluation reports including a formative evaluation

summary each year and summative evaluation reports [(i.e., brief summative evaluation reports (Years

1, 3, 4) and comprehensive summative evaluation reports (Years 2 and 5)]. QQRC will continuously

collect data throughout the year.

Timeline and Data Collection: The three main data collection times will be: within two weeks of

the program starting (August/September), Mid-Year (November), and End-of-Year (May). Adult family

member data will be collected as the event take place throughout the year. Data collection will be

scheduled in advance with the Program Director serving as the liaison between QQRC and the four

SECME sites. QQRC will bring tablets to each site with which to collect survey data at the three data

collection points. These tablets are portable and can collect data without Wi-Fi. This allows for minimal

program interruption and less coordination on site staff as QQRC brings the tablets to the students

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where they are. In coordination with the school district, sites will collect academic grade and test score

data to be send to the Program Director. The Program Director will review for completeness and errors,

and send to QQRC to store. Adult family member data will be collected continuously though out the year

as the events take place. After each family event, site staff will scan the sign-in sheet and any surveys, if

applicable, to the Program Director to review and send to QQRC to input into SECME’s database.

Parent surveys will be made available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole to accommodate the

bilingual population. Baseline data will be collected for each student enrolled in the program within two

weeks of enrollment. Data will consist of enrollment data, attendance data, academic data (FSA),

academic grades for Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science, measurement tools (surveys),

evidence of activities, and parent data (sign-in sheets, surveys, etc). Data will also be collected from

participating students’ adult family members and school day teachers to examine stakeholder

perceptions of the impact of StSS IV Program on student academic development. Baseline, mid-year,

and end-of-year data will be used to demonstrate achievement of objectives, enrollment, and

participation rates from the start of the year to the end of the year. Data and reporting will be aligned with

federal data collection requirements. All data will be submitted to FDOE electronically utilizing the

required data collection format by the FDOE deadline.

Using quantitative data, baseline/mid-year/end-of-year analyses will be conducted to examine

changes that occurred as a result of program participation. Analyses will include descriptive analyses on

program and participant characteristics (e.g. mean Math report card grades); outcome/goal analyses to

examine changes based on the implementation of academic enrichment, personal enrichment, and

adult family member services (e.g. pre and post test scores); and quantitative analyses to identify youth,

parents’, and staff’s perspectives on program services via parent and student surveys, and program staff

surveys and interviews. Qualitative data will be captured from site visits conducted during the fall and

spring semesters, surveys and interviews with teachers and other program staff, and annual parent

focus groups held in April. As with the collection of the quantitative data, QQRC will work closely with the

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Program Director to coordinate these visits with the sites. Once the data are collected at each time point,

they will be downloaded onto the secure computers at QQRC. These are password protected; all

student data are kept confidential and anonymous. Data are recorded and stored in the statistical

software, SPSS. Once recorded in SPSS, QQRC staff will review the new data to ensure that every

student has data for all objectives, and that there are no errors. QQRC will be in close communication

with the Program Director, and will contact that person to coordinate the collection of any missing data

(i.e. if a student was absent the day of data collection). Each program year, QQRC will provide program

staff with a Formative Evaluation Summary (February), which will include baseline and mid-year data

analyses. The Formative Evaluation Summary will include data-driven program decisions based on the

mid-year data collection findings regarding progress toward achieving program objectives. QQRC will

meet with program staff to discuss modifications based on Formative Evaluation Summary. StSS IV staff

will report any enhancements or changes made to the program based on formative evaluation findings

in the FDOE reporting format. The formative evaluation summary will be submitted by the FDOE

required deadline. This portion of the evaluation ensure continuous improvement based on data-driven

recommendations.

QQRC will also conduct site visits in late Fall and early Spring comprising the following activities:

(1) completion of a semi-structured interview with program staff to ascertain compliance with proposed

service delivery model, (2) observations of the delivery of program components, and (3) an exit meeting

to discuss monitoring findings. Follow-up site visits will also be conducted to evaluate any changes to the

program’s service delivery model based on the findings and recommendations from initial site visits.

Formal guided-discussions on findings from data analyses of baseline and mid-year data will occur the

month following data collection.

Dissemination of Findings; Evaluation results will be shared with the community through multiple

mediums. First, StSS IV will have a designated website and Facebook page to post evaluation findings

and upcoming events. Additionally, all partners will post a link on their website and Facebook page that

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leads to the program website. The website and Facebook page will be updated regularly to add any new

reports or upcoming events. Evaluation findings will be clear and free of technical jargon. Second,

QQRC will also attend Advisory Board and program staff meetings no less than three times a year to

provide a review of all reports and observations from monitoring visits, and to discuss any feedback.

These meetings will inform continuous quality improvement efforts. Evaluation findings will be

disseminated to all staff to inform professional development activities. Stakeholders will receive

copies of reports via Constant Contact, email distribution software.

5.3.b Measurable Objectives and Assessments

SS IV will establish 7 objectives with challenging, but obtainable benchmark goals, that range

across the areas of programming. These objectives cover academic achievement, personal enrichment,

and adult family member activity. Objective 1: English Language Arts (grades): 75% of regularly

participating students (students attending the program 30 days or more) will maintain high performance

or increase in English Language Arts achievement as demonstrated by school report card grades for

quarters 1, 2 and 4. Success will be defined as maintaining an A or B grade, increasing a C grade to an

A or B, or increase a D or F grade to an A, B, or C grade. In the 2015-16 academic year, 62% of

students met this definition for success; therefore, the benchmark of 75% is determined to be

challenging yet obtainable. Objective 2: English Language Arts (FSA Scores): 65% of regularly

participating students in third grade will be promoted to fourth grade based on their scores of the Florida

Standard Assessment (FSA) requirements. A score of 3, 4, or 5 out of 5 on the FSA will be considered

successful. In the 2015-16 academic year, 50% of students met this definition for success; therefore, the

benchmark of 65% is determined to be challenging yet obtainable. Activities for Objectives 1 and 2:

Students will improve their reading proficiency as they are introduced to problem-based learning

activities through a series of engineering projects that include challenges of increasing

complexity. These projects will allow students to practice communication and peer collaboration as they

improve their reading comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary skills. In addition, StSS IV program

students will also utilize resources from i-Ready Curriculum Associates and Imagine Learning. I-Ready

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computer based materials increase students’ comprehension skills and is aligned to the Florida

Standards.

Objective 3: Mathematics: 75% of regularly participating students (students attending the

program 30 days or more) will maintain high performance or increase in Mathematics achievement as

demonstrated by school report card grades for quarters 1, 2 and 4. Success will be defined as

maintaining an A or B grade, increasing a C grade to an A or B, or increase a D or F grade to an A, B, or

C grade. In the 2015-16 academic year, 69% of students met this definition for success; therefore, the

benchmark of 75% is determined to be challenging yet obtainable. Activities: StSS IV mathematics will

center on cross-curricular, problem based learning with real world applications and will be implemented

to support the regular school day. Additionally, StSS IV will use a variety of technology and

telecommunication programs, including Scratch, a computer based coding program developed by the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which allows young students, as young as kindergarten, to

develop and practice writing code for programming, and i-Ready Math, an adaptive, diagnostic program

that provides rigorous grade level instruction and differentiate instruction.

Objective 4: Science: 80% of regularly participating students (students attending the program

30 days or more) will maintain high performance or increase in Science achievement as demonstrated

by school report card grades for quarters 1, 2 and 4. Success will be defined as maintaining an A or B

grade, increasing a C grade to an A or B, or increase a D or F grade to an A, B, or C grade. In the 2015-

16 academic year, 74% of students met this definition for success; therefore, the benchmark of 80% is

determined to be challenging yet obtainable. Activities: StSS IV students will use foster critical thinking

skills in science through hands on problem based learning projects that include an engineering

component. Students will use the APEX Science curriculum developed by the Patricia and Phillip Frost

Museum of Science, with funding from the National Science Foundation. The APEX Science curriculum

addresses age-appropriate science concepts, including life science, nature of science, energy, matter,

environmental science, forces and motion, and Earth and space science, supporting the Next

Generation Sunshine State Standards in Science. To capture all reading, math, and science into one

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robust program, StSS IV will also provide each site with a mobile technology lab; this would be a critical

component of the StSS IV program. This lab will provide the schools with a class set of laptops that will

be safely housed in a special SECME Stars Technology Lab.

Objective 5a and 5b: Physical Education/Nutrition

StSS IV supports the healthy physical development of its youth through activities that support

both positive physical activity and proper nutrition. (5a): At least 75% of regularly participating students

will increase their physical fitness as measured by pre/mid/post assessments of the FITNESSGRAM

program. Success on this objective will be considered achievement of the “Healthy Kid Zone” based on

the criteria-referenced assessments that are built into the program. Compared to lower zones, the

“Healthy Kid Zone” indicates sufficient physical fitness. During the 2015-16 academic year, 59% of

SECME III students improved on a different, but similar, physical fitness assessment; therefore, 75%

improvement is a challenging, yet obtainable benchmark. (5b): At least 75% of regularly participating

students will increase their knowledge of healthy nutrition as measured by the Nutrition Basics

assessment. Success is considered achieving …

Activities: Physical fitness, nutritional and recreational activities will be provided to all StSS IV

students. They will participate in a variety of team and individual sports/activities utilizing StSS IV

equipment. Students will also participate in the FITNESSGRAM comprehensive fitness program.

FITNESSGRAM is a widely used physical education curriculum that focuses on aerobic capacity, body

composition, muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility. FITNESSGRAM consists of a health-related

fitness assessment that provides students, teachers, and parents with information regarding the current

level of fitness of a student. Art and music activities will also be incorporated to provide additional

recreational activities. During inclement weather, physical fitness will be held indoors.

Objective 6: Pro-Social Behavior/Character Education: StSS IV supports personal enrichment

activities that meet the needs of students’ social and emotional needs through the implementation of

Pro-Social and Character Education programs. At least 80% of regularly participating students will

improve their pro-social habits as measured by and pre/mid/post scores on the Helping Attitudes Scale

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(HAS). QQRC will amend this scale in the necessary areas to allow students with lower reading levels to

be able to take the survey. Scores on this scale range from 20 to 100, 60 being considered neutral;

therefore, students will be considered successful on this objective if their score improves and is above

60. Activities: The activities implemented for personal enrichment will be problem-based and/or project-

based. StSS IV will utilize M-DCPS’ Character Education Program that focuses on developing “See how

I care” actions. The program promotes nine core values: citizenship, cooperation, fairness, honesty,

integrity, kindness, pursuit of excellence, respect, and responsibility, all of which are reflected in the HAS.

Objective 7: Adult Family Member Services : Parental commitment and involvement is a vital

component of StSS IV afterschool program. At least 50% of parents of regularly participating students

will attend five (5) StSS IV parent activities/events as evidenced by sign in sheets. During the 2015-16

school year, 41% of the SECME stars III parents attended at least one parent event, therefore the 50%

benchmark is challenging but obtainable and demonstrate their motivation/interest I family involvement

as measured by logs and surveys.

5.4 APPLICANT’S EXPERIENCE AND CAPACITY

One purpose of this grant is to continue our established 21st CCLC after school program with a

full array of enrichment opportunities that have been provided for the past 15 years to the SECME Stars

I, II, and III schools. The grant has provided resources for holistic development of students and their

families as well as to increase reading, mathematics, science achievement, as well as improve school

attendance and classroom behavior through character development. Annually, the 480 students per

program, from Kindergarten to 5th grade, served under the cohort of schools for SECME Stars I, II, and III

were from low social-economic backgrounds that needed and deserved this stimulating opportunity.

Parents of participating students report witnessing positive changes in their child’s attitude towards

school, behavior, and/or academic performance. As evidenced by 21st CCLC Summative and Formative

evaluations, students from SECME Stars I, II, and III improved their reading, mathematics, and science

skills and increased attendance in school. StSS IV intends on utilizing the same research-based

programs and strategies. M-DCPS’ leadership has the experience and competence to effectively

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implement the proposed 21st CCLC program, including the explicit experience to 1) develop a strong

curriculum 2) correlate the curriculum to educational instructional focus calendars that drive the

instruction 3) ensure activities that are enriching and of high quality 4) build capacity through professional

development activities with teachers, site coordinators and principals. Leadership: Mrs. Maribel R.

Bernat, M. Ed., SECME Stars III, Project Director, has 9 years of experience in education serving diverse

populations, including 2 years as a 21st CCLC center coordinator and 2 years as 21st CCLC project

director for SECME Stars. Mrs. Bernat has much experience in supporting successful evaluation

activities with the SECME Stars III centers, while meeting school objectives to increase student

academic and behavior goals. She regularly visits each school site to collect data and ensure that each

center is maintaining accurate evaluations, proper schedule. Project Director and site coordinators will

align classroom environments with real world settings by fusing literacy, writing, mathematics, and

science with creativity, critical thinking, hands-on activities, communication, and collaboration. Dr. Ava D.

Rosales, Executive Director, Science (M-DCPS):  has worked for M-DCPS for 28 years as an educator

and administrator. She is the Director responsible for the Science Department within the Office of

Academics and Transformation.  Dr. Rosales oversees staff responsible for communication with schools

regarding issues and strategies for science education K – 12, community engagement, and teacher

professional development.  Dr. Rosales is also the administrator in charge of the Biscayne Nature

Center for Environmental Education and Director for the M-DCPS SECME program. Mr. Cristian

Carranza, Administrative Director, STEAM (M-DCPS): has worked for M-DCPS for 21 years as an

educator and administrator. He is currently responsible for all STEAM related activities in M-DCPS. He

serves as the Administrative Director over Mathematics, Science, and Career and Technical Education.

His primary responsibilities are to leverage the expertise and capital of the Department of Career and

Technical Education and the Department of Mathematics and Science to increase student achievement

in STEAM curriculum to enhance career and college readiness. The executive leadership is experienced

in planning, overseeing and successfully managing over 7 million dollars of 21st CCLC funds for over a

decade.

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5.5 PARTNERSHIPS, COLLABORATION AND SUSTAINABILTY

5.5.a Community Notice

Community Collaborators and partners have been contacted to confirm commitment with the

StSS IV, 21st CCLC program. Six private school schools, William A. Kirte Junior Academy, Florida

Christian School, Colonial Christian School, St. John Episcopal School, Saint Mary’s Cathedral School

and Lincoln Marti School were invited to participate in the process via phone and/or email. The

viewpoints of principals, teachers and community collaborators were fully considered for the proposal as

their views reflect the needs of the students and overall community to operate a success program. In

accordance with M-DCPS Bylaws and Policies, each school has a “school advisory council.” The

Educational Excellence School Advisory Council (EESAC) must be composed of the principal and an

appropriately balanced number of teachers, education support employees, students, parents, and other

business and community citizens who are representative of the ethnic, racial, linguistic, disabled and

economic community served by the school. Representatives from each target school contacted their

respective EESAC chairpersons to request placing the 21st CCLC RFP on each agenda. Notice of the

meetings were delivered a minimum of five days in advance in order to afford community members the

opportunity of providing input on agenda items.

5.5.b Partnerships

There will be four major partners working closely with the StSS IV program: Everglades

Foundation, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Florida International University and Patricia and Phillip

Frost Science Museum. Partnerships will provide support and professional development to maintain a

strong foundation that supports the 21st CCLC programing at the school. As our partners, they will

provide support for holistic student and family personal development, curricular materials, referral

services, incentives, teacher training and copies of surveys and lessons.

First partnership is the Everglades Foundation. The entity will provide students with the

education and integration of The Everglades Foundation’s K-12 Comprehensive Everglades Curriculum

into training the StSS IV participants, who in turn will educate the future stewards of the America’s

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Everglades. Students will partake in hands-on science based activities that integrate the reading and

mathematics standards. The second partnership will be with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

(FTBG). It is accredited by the American Association of Museums, FTBG has offered to support StSS IV

by developing curriculum that supports problem based learning and scientific thinking. Most elementary

schools in M-DCPS obtain a school garden in which the students plant and grow themselves. The

FTBG will be able to provide students with the proper guidelines as to how the world of plants and trees

function and how to maintain a healthy garden in which the students can later prepare nutritional meals

with their families. FTBG will provide matching funds for students to attend Saturday field trips at its 83

acre botanic garden. The third partnership is Florida International University (FIU) has agreed to

partner FIUteach students and staff with StSS IV participants in order to prepare students for the rigors

of new Florida Standards. FIUteach students will fulfill their required intensive field teaching experiences

as assistants to teachers at high-need schools and tutors and mentors to their elementary students,

such as those identified to participate in StSS IV. The final partner will be the Patricia and Phillip Frost

Museum of Science, formerly known as the Miami Science Museum, which will collaborate with StSS

IV to provide after-school science curriculum materials, professional development workshops for

teachers, and has offered to provide matching funds for field trips for students. In addition, a custom-

made curriculum will be developed in the field of Engineering. Teachers will be trained on how to

efficiently utilize the Code.org, a coding tool for elementary students. This training will scaffold students

as they engage in computer programing and as culminating activity.

5.5.c Collaborations with the Regular School Day

The partnership between the StSS IV program and the regular school-day will be constant. The

Project Director will ensure connections to the school day activities and curriculum. Communication with

principals, students and teachers will flow to ensure continuity between M-DCPS Pacing Guides, the

StSS IV Instructional Focus Calendars, School Site Instructional Focus Calendars, School Improvement

Plan and SECME site teachers’ lesson plans. The Site coordinator will meet quarterly with the reading,

math and science liaisons at the school to debrief on the areas and standards that will need

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strengthening. These standards will then be targeted in StSS IV program through hands-on activities. A

monthly log will be collected that will include the date, time and needed area of growth collaboration with

coordinator and liaisons as well as day teachers. Data will be derived from formative assessments that

will impact instruction. Collaboration and communication with partners and involved entities, including

stakeholders, will also take place monthly. A calendar delineating activities relating to collaboration and

partnership will be clearly provided. Additionally, the StSS IV Leadership Team will conduct monthly

meetings in the form of a Professional Learning Community to discuss any concerns, areas of growth,

gains and overall program status to ensure that teachers and leadership team conduct academic

success within all of the StSS IV students.

5.5.d Sustainability: The StSS IV Project Director, with the assistance of M-DCPS and the support of

21st CCLC, will develop a strategic plan that will prepare the program to evolve into a self-sustaining

program as funding decreases or when funds are not available. The plan will include; learning about

local businesses and corporations that would provide various services, including resources, in-kind

donations and program volunteers; identify and develop relationships with nonprofit organizations that

also share the same goals and objectives that impact student achievement. The ultimate goal is to

sustain the strategies that the program has incorporated into the school. Maintaining strong parental

involvement will impact lives for both students and families beyond the years of the program’s cycle.

StSS IV sites will build a strong foundation with the partners to continue identifying and acquiring

resources to sustain programming. Presently, M-DCPS is home to 118 SECME clubs that operate

beyond the traditional school day with support from school staff and administrators for the past 13 years

serving students, families, and the community.

5.6 PROGRAM PLAN

5.6.a. Target Students: Students to be impacted by this grant are kindergarten through fifth grade (5 to

12 years old) who attend one of the four participating M-DCPS schools: North Glade Elementary,

Olympia Heights Elementary, Redland Elementary and Van E. Blanton Elementary. School enrollment

data in Table 1 will indicate that each of the four schools serve a high minority population in addition to

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supporting English Language Learners along with free and reduced lunch statistics qualify each school

for Title 1 status. Neighborhood trends indicate high levels elementary school truancy. (Miami Herald,

May 11, 2014).

Table 1: Minority Enrollment by School

School Enrollment Minority Black Hispanic ELL F/RL

North Glade Elementary 300 98% 16% 84%% 39% 96%

Olympia Heights Elementary 464 99% 0% 98% 65% 93%

Redland Elementary 845 90% 80% 19% 42% 89%

Van E. Blanton Elementary 569 100% 70% 30% 32% 97%

Community risk factors impacting the students at these four school sites include: demographic (high

mobility rates, language, and race), socioeconomic (poverty, hunger, lack of access to adequate

healthcare), and institutional (low performing schools). Some residents within these schools did not

have the opportunity to complete high school; North Glade Elementary - 80% completed high school

while 14% received a bachelor’s degree, Olympia Heights Elementary - 81% completed high school

while 27% received a bachelor’s degree, Redland Elementary - 69% completed high school while 16%

received a bachelor’s degree and Van E. Blanton - 80% completed high school while 26% received a

bachelor’s degree, (US Census, 2015). The Adult Family Member services will provide opportunities for

parents to reach their educational goals and project academic excellence and positivity into their

children’s learning experience. Implementation of this program will change the lives of students, families

and communities.

The StSS IV grant will provide a free after-school program for children whose families are unable

to provide them with an after-school enrichment environment that improves their academic performance

as they strengthen their literary knowledge through the infusion of engineering. Every interested student

will receive an application to participate in the program with priority provided to those students who (1)

have scored below the 25th percentile on reading, mathematics, and science portions of academic

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achievement tests and (2) are recommended through the school’s administration or (3) have expressed

interest in a commitment to the program. Additionally, special consideration will be given to students

who have a sibling who is currently participating in the program.

Students identified as homeless, migrant, neglected, delinquent, ELL, learning and/or physically

disabled, and emotional behavioral disabled (EBD) will be encouraged to participate in the program. To

eliminate barriers that could impede access, all necessary accommodations will be provided to enable

students to maximize academic success including the use of Highly Qualified Teachers, trained in the

use of Special Education (SPED) strategies and ELL strategies including collaborative and kinesthetic

activities.

Addressing the findings of the needs assessment, this program will provide instructionally

enriched aftercare that supports 21st Century learning skills where students will use teamwork to develop

leadership and problem solving skills in order to prepare them for a future in a global work environment

through STEAM lessons and project based activities implemented in a fun and engaging environment.

5.6.b Recruitment and Retention

The StSS IV program will utilize several tools to recruit students to participate in the afterschool

program. A focused recruitment will target students who have been identified by the school as

academically low-performing as indicated by standardized test results; at risk of grade retention as

determined by placement on pupil progression plans; demonstrating at-risk behaviors such as truancy or

behavior concerns as recorded in student referrals, and/or documented at-home issues. A formal

recommendation form will be available at the school through the Community Involvement Specialist to

assist with the recruitment of high-need students. Site coordinators will share program information at

“back-to-school nights” held in August and at our regularly scheduled parent involvement meetings.

StSS IV will inform stakeholders of the availability of program activities in numerous ways.

Banners, school marquees, district and school websites, flyers and brochures will be utilized to promote

and recruit. The District’s automated home calling system, Connect-Ed, will deliver voice messages

that provide essential information such as period of registration and other important information including

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adult family activities. To ensure that students remain until the end of the program day, home learning

support will occur during the last 15 minutes of the day.

For student retention in the program, close communication among site coordinators, project

director and parents will be imperative when students miss a stipulated number of days and will provide

assistance to improve student attendance. Educational and enriching activities, such as field trips, will

provide additional motivation for students to meet attendance requirements. Strategies to assist in

maximizing retention of students in the StSS IV program include: conducting student/parent interest

surveys; frequent parent/family sessions; and needs assessments to address family needs which may

impact student participation in the program, and ultimately academic achievement.

5.6.c Student Program Activities:

The StSS IV program had expanded STEM to STEAM to include the arts and promote creative

thinking, analysis, and problem solving which are critical components of innovation. (McCarthy, K. et, al.

A Portrait of the Visual Arts: Meeting the challenges of a New Era, 2005). M-DCPS STEAM initiative has

adopted the strategic goals to increase the percentage of students successful at each level (K-5).

Technology is embedded throughout all activities as evidenced by student work products. They will be

proficient in applying multidisciplinary knowledge and skills through STEAM to succeed on a global

scale. All program sites will meet for four days per week totaling 2.5 hours per day during the school

year. It will operate for a total of 147 days, starting on Tuesday, September 5, 2017 and it will end on

Thursday, May 31, 2018. The program will operate for ten hours a week (excluding holidays, early

release days and teacher work days). The days of operation will be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and

Friday with occasional Wednesdays to equal the 147 days. The students in all four schools, North Glade

Elementary, Olympia Heights Elementary, Redland Elementary and Van E. Blanton Elementary in

grades K-1 will participate from 2:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m., whereas students in grades 2-5 will participate

from 3:10 p.m. until 5:40 p.m. Daily tutoring and homework help will take place towards the end of the

program day to meet state and federal guidelines.

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Upon dismissal from the standard school day, students in kindergarten and 1st grade will be

picked up and escorted by StSS IV staff to the cafeteria while students in grades 2 through 5 will report

directly to the cafeteria for attendance and a USDA approved snack. After-school snacks in Title I

schools are subsidized by the free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch program.

Students will be placed in six groups: kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth and fifth grade

(groups may vary according to school site enrollment and needs), using a teacher to student ratio of 1 to

20. Certified teachers will facilitate learning throughout the program day. Following attendance and

snack, student groups will be escorted outdoors, weather permitting, to participate in 30 minutes of

interactive personal enrichment through physical education activities, health and nutrition lessons and

character education development. Students will participate in a variety of team and individual

sports/activities utilizing StSS IV equipment. During inclement weather, physical fitness will be held

indoors.

Following personal enrichment, teachers will escort students to the computer lab where students

will spend 30 minutes using I-Ready Reading or I-Ready Mathematics and, which are aligned to the

Florida Standards and support individual learning on both independent and grade levels. Students will

be monitored to make sure that they are on task, using computers appropriately while making progress.

Based on the analysis of the state assessments that are aligned with the Florida Standards, data

indicates that students lack reading, mathematics and science skills.

Table 2 indicates that the targeted schools performance levels were either below the District and

State or minimally exceeded the District and State in reading, math, and science based on 2015-2016

FSA assessment.

Table 2: 2016 FSA Data (Florida Department of Education)

% Level 3 or Higher

North Glade Elementary

Olympia Heights Elementary

Redland Elementary

Van E. Blanton Elementary

District State

Reading 37% 40% 39% 32% 54% 53%

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Mathematics 45.6% 48% 42% 46% 62% 59%

Science 27% 39% 32% 22% 42% 51%

Reading and Literacy: Data indicates that more than 70% of 3rd -5th grade students are not proficient in

Reading. StSS IV will use Project Based Instruction as the driving instructional format to provide literacy

instruction. Curriculum and instructional initiatives will include: I-Ready, a computer based program and

Benchmark Education that will align with the objective being taught. An in-house fieldtrip in which

teachers and students will participate in will enhance the areas of science through reading based

curriculum through interactive games on reading standards, hands-on activities, and reading activities

that will development parts of speech and non-fiction reading skills. Benchmark Education is a source

that provides materials that will meet the new expectations, meet the needs of diverse learners and meet

district needs. Moreover, lead teachers will identify interest books for students to take home and

establish a home library. Strategies in small doses indicate that students remain focused and help

prevent early reading failure and provide decision-making for improved reading fluency. It is expected

that 75% of regularly participating students increase their reading proficiency from Quarter 1 to Quarter 4

as measured by grades. (Standard: LAFS.K12.W.3.7, LAFS.K12.W.3.8, LAFS.K12.W.2.4,

LAFS.K12.L.1.1, LAFS.K12.L.1.2)

Science Enrichment: In Science data shows that over 80 % of the 5 th grade students are not proficient.

In order to increase proficiency, we will embed a variety of science experiences to enhance the core

curriculum during the day school to provide stronger foundation in the Nature of Science, Physical

Science and Life Science. The StSS IV program has selected, Stemfinity and APEX Curriculum to be

embedding with the StSS IV necessary resources needed to increase student assessment scores.

These programs have been implemented in minority dominant school settings and have been proven to

show success. Stemfinity uses a series of unique hands-on inquiry-based classroom curriculum

enhancement activities based on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, as well as,

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learning objectives which will encourage students to pursue STEM careers. STEM kits will provide

students with materials and consumables that will enable them to strive in the program. These activities

align with FSA standards, ask students to define problem, use appropriate reference materials to

support scientific understanding and carry out scientific investigation. Students will be required to

complete high quality research based science projects that will be entered in school region fairs and

along with partaking in the 2018 Science Expo where students will have the opportunity to compete in

the banner, mousetrap car, water-bottle rocket, brain bowl, math challenge and VEX IQ competitions. In

order to expose students to the real world, especially these students that do not have the opportunity to

leave their communities as often as they should, fieldtrips excursions supporting the science

programming will include visits to Jungle Island, Patricia and Phillip Frost Science Museum and science

theme community events. The students to teacher ratio for these experiences will include 20:2 which will

be a flexible combination of 1 certified teacher and 1 qualified teaching assistant. It is expected that 75%

of regularly participating students will improve their science proficiency from Quarter 1 to Quarter 4 in all

grades. (Standards: S.C.K.E-S.C.5.E, S.C.K.L-S.C.5.L, S.C.K.P-S.C.5.P) Mathematics: More than

50% of the 3rd- 5th grade students did not do proficient of the state assessments. In order to increase

proficiency, I-Ready Math and Stemfinity will be implemented and facilitated by a certified teacher.

Stemfinity resources and materials provide plethora of hands-on activities and manipulatives that

students can used while being teacher instructed that align with the standards within the areas of growth.

The areas of growth within the math standards are Operations, Algebraic Thinking and Numbers in Base

Ten, Geometry, and Data and Measurement. These activities will require students to solve-multi-step

word problems, use graphic representations as models; solve equations for unknown quantity. It is

expected that 75% of regularly participating students will improve their math proficiency from Quarter 1

to Quarter 4 in all grades. (Standards: MAFS.K12.MP.1, MAFS.K12.MP.3, MAFS.K12.MP.4,

MAFS.K12.MP.5) Personal Enrichment: The StSS IV program will provide a variety of opportunities to

engage in activities to meet personal enrichment to the students and families as well. Student centered

21st CCLC clubs will be established to engage students in: Chess, dance, fitness club, book club and

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computer programming. Physical Fitness and Recreational Activities: Pacer fitness evaluation will

be conducted as the beginning, middle and ending of the school year to record the students run speed

to determine their growth in actively staying motivated to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This is not just to be

based on speed, however on nutrition as well. Pacer test and physical education activities such as

basketball, track and field and Zumba will take place weekly to increase by 70% of students’ speed and

fitness capabilities. Performing and Visual Arts: Visual arts can improve reading skills while learning

how to play an instrument can actually increase a child’s math skills. The arts in STEAM will be

incorporated through reading and mathematics. Students will be able to complete experiments and

reading activities while incorporating the true components of art. Once the teacher has established a

standard that week based on the day school curriculum and needs, they will integrate the arts

component to reflect that reading and math standards to fulfill that gap in personal development. The

Patricia and Phillip Science Museum works hand in hand with the Perez Arts Museum. The collaboration

of both museums will provide staff and students curriculum and experiences exposure to the world of art

and how it does align and growth student growth in the state assessments. (Standards: MU.K12.C-

MU.K12.S, DA.K12.C-DA.K12.S,TH.K12.C-TH.K12.S).

Character Education: StSS IV will utilize best practices for the arts enrichment component. Through a

child’s years in the school setting a high truancy in bullying, neglect and shame from academic failure is

take place. The StSS IV program will build self-definition through character development based on the

core value curricula. Providing early interventions to help low achieving students improve their reading

and writing skills; family engagement that will have a direct and positive approach, aligning school day to

process evaluating goals to crucial to maintain a positive and sustainable program that will make our

students feel wanted and acknowledged no matter the difficulties that they challenge. 80% pf the

students will demonstrate nonviolent strategies to resolve conflict and demonstrate capacity to avoid

health risks and performance based assessments. (SP.PK12.US.20, SP.PK12.US.21,SP.PK12.US.22)

5.6.d Adult Family Member Program Activities

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Research by the Harvard Family Research Project (2015) found that family involvement has a

direct, positive effect on children’s achievement and is the most accurate predictor of a student’s

success in school. M-DCPS supports adult family member involvement through its Parent Academy.

The Parent Academy is a District wide initiative to support family and community involvement in

education. Year-round workshops are available at various locations at no charge and are available in

English, Spanish and Creole. School site program activities will be designed to support parent needs as

indicated on parent surveys. A program Open House will take place at the beginning of the year to open

the classrooms to adult family members in order to walk-through our program and play an active role in

their children’s education. In addition, a series of hands-on activities and workshops will be offered to

engage parents and prepare students for high-stakes state testing. This year a different approach will be

directed. Parents will be provided with a survey that will indicate 8-10 different parent night activities

where they will need to choose 5 in which they believe is the most needed activity for them and their

child. The goal is to reach family’s needs to improve the overall community in these areas. The following

are scheduled Adult Family Member Activities that will take place (activities may change based on the

family activity needs survey): What is STEAM through SECME Stars IV, How to maintain good health,

Book Charades Game Night, WellsFargo Night, Closing out the year. At the end of every family night

activity, parents will complete a survey which will indicate what they liked about the activity and where

accommodations can be made.

Showcases, engineering competitions, and the M-DCPS STEAM Expo will provide additional

opportunities for students and families to engage and interact with the StSS IV program as parents and

guardians participate with their children designing and building STEM-integrated projects on college

campuses during Saturday STEAM Design Seminars.

5.6.e Staffing Plan and Professional Development:

The StSS IV program will have full-time Project Director (PD). This PD is Curriculum Support

Specialist assigned to the Department of Mathematics and Science. The PD is an experienced

educator with a Master’s Degree who has experience working with grants. The PD and school site

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coordinators will align classroom environments with real world settings by fusing literacy, writing,

mathematics, and science with creativity, critical thinking, hands-on activities, communication, and

collaboration. The PD is responsible for; providing direct services to and oversee four (4) 21st CCLC

program sites; provide ongoing professional development to program staff at all sites; coordinate field

trips; manage 21st CCLC budget and program staff; draft and ensure execution and fulfillment of

contracts; complete reporting and deliverables, which includes oversight of the external evaluator and

data collection. During the summer; the responsibilities will include the RFA preparation, develop Project

Based Learning activities as well as professional and curriculum development.

The program staff will have a site-coordinator for each one of the sites. Their responsibilities will

include: coordinate, oversee, and provide direct service in the day-to-day operation of 21st CCLC

activities as well as ensure the goals of the program are achieved; recruit parents and volunteers;

monitor instruction of students; lead field trip experiences; lead site-specific planning meetings, and

provide services to adult family members; maintain high visibility of the StSS IV program at the school

level site by posting posters and distributing flyers with information of meetings and/or events and assists

in evaluation activities vis-a-vis data collection and reporting for measures which are not collected at the

District level. The StSS IV Leadership Team will be comprised of four center coordinators. The center

coordinators and the PD will meet every other month during the school year in a Professional Learning

Community to monitor program integrity and compliance. StSS IV sites will have at least six (6) certified-

teachers, who will provide direct instruction and assessment to actively participating 21st CCLC students,

maintain program and student documentation, participate in planning meetings, and supervise field trip

experiences during 21st CCLC program hours. The StSS IV staff will participate in professional

developments within the areas of literacy, mathematics, science, physical fitness, nutrition, technology,

and character education. Staff will be informed of new instructional strategies to address the Florida

Standards and Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS).

All teachers will have a current and valid Florida Department of Education teaching certificate on

file at the school site. Each school site will also have an elementary school aide whose responsibilities

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will include greeting parents and/or visitors, answering telephones, developing charts in Word or Excel to

record students' information and assist with the documentation needed for the field experiences,

collecting daily attendance and inputting attendance information during the 21st CCLC afterschool

program, maintaining program and student files, assist teachers with implementing programs and

services to participating students, supervising students during dismissal and in-house field trips, verifying

identification and sign-out documentation, and completing all 21st CCLC data entry and reports.

Finally, each school site will also have two paraprofessionals who will assist 21st CCLC teachers

in providing instruction and assessment to participating 21st CCLC students, oversee snacks, and

maintain security/safety of students during the 21st CCLC program, and also assist, support, and work

closely with teachers and other team members in providing educational benefits for students. They will

work with individual students or small groups of students to reinforce learning materials or skills initially

introduced by FLDOE certified teachers as well provide assistance during emergencies. To work

shoulder to shoulder with them there will also be FIUteach students providing assistance to teachers

when time is granted by their supervisors. Qualified staff will be recruited (1) through administrative

recommendation and (2) through school site announcements of available positions. Each candidate will

be interviewed and required to sign a commitment letter upon hiring. Professional Development: The

Project Director (PD) will attend any regional workshops provided by FLDOE. Certified teachers will

participate in site-based training a minimum of 2 times annually. Topics will include instructional

strategies, classroom management, competition guidelines and hands-on activities.

5.6.f Program Centers

All StSS IV are M-DCPS facilities. The program is accessible to parents by having parent nights

and StSS IV staff members are regularly available to answer any questions. Daytime enrollment at each

location exceeds the number of students who will be enrolled in the afterschool program, thus ensuring

adequate indoor and outdoor space to accommodate the number of students in the program. The 21st

CCLC program will use 6 classrooms,2 computer labs, playground, media center, cafeteria, science lab,

music room art room and garden.

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5.6.g Safety and Student Transportation

Student safety is a primary concern of M-DCPS’s StSS IV program. Only M-DCPS certified

teachers and approved school personnel with current Level 2 screening, which includes fingerprinting,

drug and background screening, as described in Fl. Statute 101.32. will be employed by StSS IV. All

program staff hired will have successfully passed all District employment requirements and will be in

compliance with the Jessica Lundsford Act.

Adults will not be allowed to enter the main building without being pre-approved by guardian and

show identification. Each classroom will maintain a readily available red binder that contains the M-

DCPS and school site emergency plans. All school sites are fully ADA accessible, and secure facilities

with fenced property lines and locked exterior gates and doors. The student handbook follows M-DCPS

policy and procedures. Attendance records will indicate the participants’ dismissal procedure. Based on

school site administrator feedback, bus transportation at the end of the day is not necessary as most

families reside in close proximity to the school. Transportation will only be required for field trips, in

accordance to the district and safety requirements.

5.6.h Dissemination Plan: Information regarding the project and the locations at which it is offered will

be disseminated throughout the community using the following methods: program and school websites,

banners, posters, distribution of flyers sent home and posted at local community events. StSS IV will

design a detailed brochure that will indicate all key components of the program and also serves as a

contract for our parents. All information will be available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. School

community partners will assist in marketing the program in their community businesses.

StSS IV sites, through partnerships and involvement with the schools’ EESAC committees,

governments and local organizations, will inform the community, which includes private schools, of the

after-school program through EESAC meetings, written notifications, newsletters, and school and

program websites. The program website will be maintained by M-DCPS Math and Science Department

IT. Monthly StSS IV Leadership Team meetings, StSS IV representation at EESAC meetings and focus

groups with an external evaluator will provide an additional layer of dissemination of information. Copies

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of the formative and summative reports will also be made available to stakeholders through the Advisory

Board and EESAC meetings and PTA’s at each of the target schools.

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