School Stories - Queen Elizabeth College - No secrets, no surprises

 Even before QCC begins, I'm liking the documentation they have provided as resources to share! They can be found here - 

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B8HiRczKc0HIWGpCWEI2REF1ZVU&usp=sharing&tid=0B8HiRczKc0HIUzdlUUc2c0Z6TVk

Only 210 students yr 9-15 - range if cultures and nationalities.

QCC had an interesting background - new student numbers high at Yr10/11 high absenteeism; unpredictable achievement....

Selection of the team was crucial -different skills  needed for different jobs. Team has been unchanged since Oct 2012.

# Visible Expectations

A lot of money spent on signage - making the values visible - seen from every part of the school.

Classroom expectations laminated on desks - for different aspects of a lesson - might be different for each subject. These  are not 'one size fits all' - teachers can focus on one or two of these expectations.  

All of the values are incorporated into the website design. 

Postcards home for top 'gold star' rewards (below)

Open night Quiz - good idea for prospective students - around the visible

info

All data needs to be available - otherwise there is no trust. 

- ODRs

- transparent

- collated using SWIS and excel

- analysed

- used to plan interventions and rewards 

# Big 5 and specific solutions

- logical efficient and powerful model of solution development 

- allows everyone to be aware of the issue

- target specific behaviours of a specific group  (this is somewhat a Tier2 issue and response) - manageable behaviour modification in a small school - worked with 8 Yr 10 boys around teaching basic social skills - weekly meetings - behaviour modification programme - replacement behaviours discussed 1-1 ; this was then reinforced by classroom behaviours. Students then need space to practice and make mistakes. 

#Challenges

- workload for all staff - double data entry an issue

- consistency amongst staff - 2-4 years to get the staff to do things regularly - make them as effortless as possible (eg referral as tick boxes) - staff need to be reminded to give out the reward cards ; dealing with new staff 

- communicating with whanau - can be a battle 

# Successes

- uniform and lateness - consistent approach - group approach year level at a time - no single teacher left to address issue alone a classroom - a 'correction script' - questions around the issue in a supported environment; compromises around jewellry and piercings 

- small group of defiant and disruptive 

- seeing and rewarding positive behaviour  - staff have become good at identifying good behaviour - seniors often feel left out 

Summary 

-simple paperwork

- supported approach