School News For Spring, 2006

Thorndike, Maine
At Mt. View Junior High School in Thorndike, Maine students are leaders. In response to results of the My Voice survey, students and teachers wanted to increase Belonging as well as Leadership & Responsibility. After much discussion, the teachers put forth the idea of using an underutilized Friday morning homeroom time. The teachers and students designed a program where every Friday morning volunteer student leaders guide their peers through a series of activities that help students learn about each other. On any given Friday, students might be creating hopes and dreams puzzles, untangling themselves from human knots, holding in-depth discussions on issues of respect, as well as, just enjoying being together. The staff believe that leadership qualities exist within all students and accordingly the peer leaders represent a diverse group of students.

For more information on student led activity sessions, contact QISA.

Belfast, Maine
At the Captain Albert Stevens School in Belfast, Maine, volunteers are truly valued. For the third straight year, over twenty-five community members are involved in an aspirations mentor program. The program has offered more than 125 students the opportunity of having an extra caring adult in their lives for the school year. Aspirations mentors must attend monthly training sessions. The sessions focus on understanding the 8 Conditions that affect aspirations as well as the intricacies of being a mentor. Mentors meet with their students on a weekly basis during lunch, recess or other teacher-designated times. During their time together, students and mentors enjoy other’s company, talk, play games or work on projects. Through evaluations of the program teachers report increases in student self-confidence, enjoyment of school, completion of work and assignments, and the development of new peer and adult relationships for students. Mentors report gaining a greater understanding for the challenges students face. They also enjoy getting to know some great kids.

For more information on the 8 Conditions That Make a Difference™ mentoring program, contact QISA.

A Special Thanks to MBNA and the Cobe Foundation
Schools introducing innovative initiatives face a challenging financial endeavor. Thanks to the support of MBNA and the Cobe Foundation the above-mentioned programs in Belfast and Thorndike have been made possible. On behalf of the schools, QISA thanks you for your commitment and dedication to improving schools in the state of Maine.

L.L.Bean Comes Through Again!
After an incredibly successful partnership with L.L.Bean and the five districts in which they have operations, they have awarded the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations another year of funding to work with the school districts of Portland, Freeport, Brunswick, Waterville, and Lewiston.

Thanks to the amazing generosity of L.L.Bean and the commitment to aspirations work by all the districts, the following services and products will be made available during the 2006-07 academic year:

• Deploy the 6-12 My Voice Survey to each middle and high school student.
• Provide on-site review of the data generated from the My Voice Survey (one site visit per district)
• Provide Project Aspire Aspiration Cards for every k-5 grade classroom in the district. (These are activities that support the conditions of student aspirations and citizenship)
• Provide each teacher in the district a Teacher Self-Reflective Guide (52 pages, fully illustrated) that highlights their impact on the 8 Conditions that affect student aspirations.
• One teacher workshop on Aspirations in each district (this will be open to the grade level(s) of the district’s choice and be based on the Self-Reflective Guide)
• On-line Project Aspire Activity Books for grades k-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. These Aspirations Activities will be downloadable from the website.

Wheldon Secondary School
Nottingham England
In their second year, the Aspirations Team divided themselves into 3 groups of whole school change work. One team took up the challenge of making teaching assistants (TAs) feel more valued for their work and more understood for their capabilities. This sub group of the Aspirations Team conducted staff meetings where staff, kids and TAs were interviewed, skits were performed and a new contract was developed for TAs and staff to use. Such work fostered better communication, increased sense of Belonging and more harmony in the classroom. The second sub team worked with senior managers to build the interview process for the new Head Teacher. The session on aspirations was conducted by the team. The third sub group worked directly with a large group of kids who were not attached to any particular leadership group. This extraordinary team organized the whole campus into putting on a demonstration of "Locomotion" for 5 minutes to break the Guinness World book of Records. The meaningful part is that the record was performed at the official opening of the rebuilt school, which was burned down 2 years ago. Picture well over a thousand staff, students, primary children, parents, special needs visitors and the county council outside the school with the press all doing "Everybody's dooooin' the locomotion".... with dance steps.
Very un British….

Hamstead Hall Secondary School
Birmingham, England
This site will play host to 15 primary schools on May 18th to launch the sport specific version of the My Voice survey. Hamstead Hall is a Year 2 Demonstrations Site and has taken its responsibility as a hub site seriously. This is the second workshop they have hosted this year and their networking has been instrumental in bringing Head Teachers of diverse primary schools together. Hamstead Hall's work is the forerunner of the "Keep Your Eye on the Target" pilot program that QISA and the YST hope to initiate next year for 11,000 children.

The City Academy Bristol
Bristol, England
Only in its first year of being a Demonstration Site, but no stranger to innovation, The City Academy in consultation with the Aspirations Team has re written its whole Yr. 7 Curriculum to be more inventive and creative. The idea is to demolish the timetable, do away with traditional tests, group teachers and learners together for their expertise and break all the barriers for a more creative learning environment. The Aspirations Team is responsible for the induction of the new teaching staff and will prepare them around the 8 Conditions. In the upcoming year the school will concentrate on the Conditions of Fun & Excitement, Curiosity & Creativity, and Spirit of Adventure. The City Academy Bristol is one of the fastest improving schools in the country and it is not hard to understand why.