From Failing to Fantastic- A Journey of School Transformation
First Presenter's Institution
DeKalb County School District
First Presenter's Brief Biography
Dr. Marchell Boston has 26 years of experience in education. He is one of the most experienced principals in metro Atlanta. His extensive principal experiences include serving as principal at five schools in the DeKalb County School District. He 10 years experience as an elementary school principal and 8 years of experience as a middle school principal. Dr. Boston has developed a reputation as a "turnaround principal." He is credited for removing an elementary school and a middle school from the GA Department of Education's Underperforming Schools list. He has served as middle school principal since 2015. Under his leadership, the school’s climate rating improved from 2 STARS to 4 STARS within his first four years. He attributes the school transformation to the development of a positive school climate and a consistent focus on developing and sustaining positive relationships among all school stakeholders. Dr. Boston is committed to creating fantastic school memories for all school stakeholders.
Document Type
Event
Primary Strand
Positive Behavior Interventions and Support
Relevance to Primary Strand
The proposal is relates most to PBIS as the focus of the presentation is the establishment of a positive school climate through providing students and staff. Celebrations and the establishing positive relationships among all stakeholders is also an emphasis. The 4 Rs- Respect, Relationships, Rituals and Routines serve as the foundation of creating a positive school climate. The presentation also relates to school safety. Stakeholder engagement is highlighted as critical component of establishing a safe and orderly environment.
Alignment with School Improvement Plan Topics
Climate and Culture
Brief Program Description
The presentation includes how a middle school in metro Atlanta transformed from a F-Failing School to an F!-Fantastic School. After being on the state’s list of underperforming schools for 10 years, there was a need for school transformation. The PBIS Framework was used as the framework for school transformation. Celebrations, acknowledgements and recognitions became part of the school’s culture, which as resulted in sustained improvement.
Summary
The 2015-2016 school year was a transitioning and reimaging year for a historically failing middle school in metro Atlanta. The need for school transformation was based on student achievement data, as well as stakeholder survey data. After an analysis of historical student achievement, climate data as well as parent and staff input data, it was apparent that student discipline and school climate was an area for growth. The sense of urgency to improve the climate resulted in the establishment of culture and climate non-negotiables for students as well as culture and climate non-negotiables for staff. The need for transformation also resulted in the focus on the 4 Rs; Respect, Relationships, Rituals, and Routines. The 4Rs were discussed among the teaching staff and shared/taught to students and parents. They were also linked to the impact that have on climate and culture.
The school instituted school uniforms, instituted employee of the month recognition, instituted weekly behavior recognitions, as well as quarterly behavior incentives. Recognitions of HOT lessons has also become a part of the school’s culture. Academic clubs were also created in which students earn membership based on quarterly assessments. Several new student clubs began and several family-oriented slogans/murals that promote togetherness and school pride were placed on the walls.
The school’s commitment to improvement is communicated to stakeholders as a narrative entitled, A Fantastic Story. The 2015- 2015 school year was chapter 1 of the story. The Fantastic Story is an evolving narrative about teachers, students, parents, and the community working together to create a promising future for our youth. Each stakeholder (parent, teacher, student, business partner) is a character in the Fantastic story.) Each year, or chapter of the story, the 4rs are reviewed, climate and academic goals are established and more opportunities for stakeholder engagement are increased. Each stakeholder group is reminded regularly that they are part of the school family and play a vital role in maintaining a fantastic climate.
Evidence
Chapter 1- A Fantastic Story: 2015-2016, Title Chapter: The Birth of Fantastic Freedom
CCRPI- 56.1 Climate Rating-2 STARS
Chapter 2- A Fantastic Story: 2016-2017, Title Chapter: Teaching with Intentionality
CCRPI- 61.4 Climate Rating- 3 STARS
Chapter 3- A Fantastic Story: 2017-2018, Title Chapter: Teaching and Serving with Intentionality
CCRPI - 65. Climate Rating- 4 STARS
The school was removed from GA DOE’s Focus Schools List. For the first time since 2005, Freedom Middle is not on any GA DOE Underperforming School lists.
Chapter 4- A Fantastic Story: 2018-2019, Title Chapter: Be Fantastic
CCRPI Score-60. 1 Climate Rating- 4 STARS
Chapter 5- A Fantastic Story: 2019-2020, Title Chapter: We Rise in Chapter 5
CCRPI- 72.6 Climate Rating- 4 STARS
The 72.6 score represents an 11.9 score increase as the 2018 CCRPI score was 60.7.
On December 19, 2019, the Governors’ Office of Student Achievement identified the school as a as a “Beating the Odds” School. The “Beating the Odds” designation was due to the fact that the school had a higher CCRPI score than schools in the state with similar demographics.
Learning Objective 1
Identify practical strategies to promote a positive learning environment through stakeholder engagement.
Learning Objective 2
Understand the process of creating a system of sustainable school improvement
Learning Objective 3
Understand the relationship between student and stakeholder engagement and school improvement goals.
Recommended Citation
Boston, Marchell, "From Failing to Fantastic- A Journey of School Transformation" (2023). Southeast Conference on School Climate. 102.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/secsc/2023/2023/102
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
From Failing to Fantastic- A Journey of School Transformation
The 2015-2016 school year was a transitioning and reimaging year for a historically failing middle school in metro Atlanta. The need for school transformation was based on student achievement data, as well as stakeholder survey data. After an analysis of historical student achievement, climate data as well as parent and staff input data, it was apparent that student discipline and school climate was an area for growth. The sense of urgency to improve the climate resulted in the establishment of culture and climate non-negotiables for students as well as culture and climate non-negotiables for staff. The need for transformation also resulted in the focus on the 4 Rs; Respect, Relationships, Rituals, and Routines. The 4Rs were discussed among the teaching staff and shared/taught to students and parents. They were also linked to the impact that have on climate and culture.
The school instituted school uniforms, instituted employee of the month recognition, instituted weekly behavior recognitions, as well as quarterly behavior incentives. Recognitions of HOT lessons has also become a part of the school’s culture. Academic clubs were also created in which students earn membership based on quarterly assessments. Several new student clubs began and several family-oriented slogans/murals that promote togetherness and school pride were placed on the walls.
The school’s commitment to improvement is communicated to stakeholders as a narrative entitled, A Fantastic Story. The 2015- 2015 school year was chapter 1 of the story. The Fantastic Story is an evolving narrative about teachers, students, parents, and the community working together to create a promising future for our youth. Each stakeholder (parent, teacher, student, business partner) is a character in the Fantastic story.) Each year, or chapter of the story, the 4rs are reviewed, climate and academic goals are established and more opportunities for stakeholder engagement are increased. Each stakeholder group is reminded regularly that they are part of the school family and play a vital role in maintaining a fantastic climate.
