Mission/Vision
The BCSD consulted with a wide variety of stakeholders to propose services based on student, family, and community needs and had developed The Rock-It Academy, before, after, and summer school programs to help meet the needs of students providing:
- A safe, consistent, structured, and supportive environment before and after school;
- Academic assistance in reading and math, especially for less advantaged students;
- Educational enrichment activities that families are unable to provide;
- Assistance with family literacy so parents can help their children succeed; and
- Activities to enable academic achievement, e.g.., social skills, healthy snacks, and exercise.
The Rock-It Academy was developed to provide a safe and stimulating environment offering the mentoring and advocacy that engage and support high needs children. The proposed is designed to address children’s needs in three areas: academics, social skills, and physical well-being.
- Increase Academic Achievement: Iowa-certified teachers assess each student individually and deliver appropriate instruction at no more than a 1:10 teacher-student ratio. The program will align with school day instruction through regular input from District teachers and administrators, based on CSIP goals, and regular communication with school staff.
- Build Social Skills: The program will emphasize character development in activities that increase cultural awareness, such as music, dance, cooking, and recreation. The program will help increase social competence through the same “Second Step” and Olweus curricula that the District uses during the day. Program staff will promote a positive, professional, and respectful environment and Youth Mentors, who supervise children at a 1:15 ratio whenever they are not working with teachers, provide enrichment activities, advocate for students, and serve as role models.
- Improve Physical Well-Being: The program will provide healthy snacks and meals. Children will participate daily in a wide variety of physical activities that combine learning and exercise and help develop teamwork skills. During the school year, the program will offer monthly Family Literacy events where children, families, and program and school staff share a meal and participate in activities focused on literacy and mathematics.
Goals & Objectives
To provide a safe environment that will:
Goal 1: Increase students’ academic achievement
- Children actively participate in literacy and math activities as recorded by staff.
- In annual surveys, school staff report that participants improve academically.
- Participants’ literacy and math achievements increase as measured by Iowa Assessments scores, grades, and other BCSD assessments.
Goal 2: Increase student, parent, and school staff communication to improve student success
- At least 20 families at NAE attend Family Literacy events regularly.
- Program parents collaborate with teachers in cooperative IAP goal setting.
- Program parents attend twice-yearly conferences with school and program staff.
- Parents, students, school staff, partners, and other community members contribute to the program’s advisory committee.
Goal 3: Increase student attachment to education, their peers, adults, and the community
- At least 30 children at NAE participate in a service learning project.
- At least 80% of NAE participants attend field trips to community partner sites.
- Program staff report increased social skills in start and end-of-year assessments.
- NAE participants report that the program is “fun” and they like to attend.
- In annual surveys, school staff report that students who need to do so improve their behavior, are more motivated, and increase their ability to get along well with
Program Evaluation
An electronic database has been designed to capture all data necessary for 21st CCLC reporting requirements, including individual program attendance, program activities, program goals and objectives, and assessment results.
Data Measures
- Student achievement data from the Iowa Assessments and other district-wide assessments
- Student achievement data measured at the beginning and end of the NAE summer session
- Student level data regarding the attendance and enrollment in the regular school day program
- Student level enrollment and attendance in the NAE before/after school and summer programs
- Student level data on discipline referrals, suspensions, and school safety
- School and program level data from parent, teacher, student, and staff surveys
- Qualitative data describing implementation of the program including operational changes, staffing, and a discussion of how the program is meeting its objectives as stated in the application
- Assessments of students’ social skills at the start and end of school year and summer programs