Pilot Schools

Healthy Schools for Healthy Students

Connections began promoting developmental assets in fall 2002.  We would like to thank the three schools which stepped forward to begin this exciting work.  Deep Run Elementary School, Burleigh Manor Middle School and Reservoir High School were the pilot schools which imbedded the asset framework deeply into the school culture, curriculum and relationships between staff and students.  Here are their stories:

Deep Run Elementary School

Deep Run ES focuses on building peace within the school community to enhance a safe and nurturing learning environment. Asset-building has helped to reinforce these principles through its focus on strong caring relationships, commitment to learning and the development of social competencies. It was determined that it was important for all children to have a connection with an adult in the building. In addition to Big Brother/Big Sisters, informal mentors allow children to feel a sense of belonging and be part of the school community.

The curriculum is infused with asset messages from writing prompts, asset-based readings provided by the local librarian and assets that are ties to content areas. Writing prompts allow the second through fifth graders to practice skills in expressing themselves on asset-based topics such as family support and conflict-resolution skills. A best practice developed at Deep Run involves projects that tie the curriculum and assets together. Teams look at their essential curriculum and come up with projects that incorporate the assets. Assets are introduced to parents through regular school activities such as “Donuts for Dads” and “Muffins for Moms” and the newly established tradition of “First Day” celebration in which staff, parents and community members make a special effort to honor the first day of school. As a committed team of teachers carry their passion for this work to their team members, the entire staff has grown in utilizing the framework. As a result Deep Run is fully engaged in promoting a safe and caring environment for learning to take place.

Burleigh Manor Middle School

Burleigh Manor Middle School is focused on putting developmental assets in motion by empowering students to participate in school at a variety of levels. Students actively share their voice and develop leadership skills through Common Ground, Peer Leadership groups, Town Council, and the School Culture Committee, as well as the Student Ambassador and Rock-a-thon committees.

Students, staff and parents are reading the same book, Zlata's Diary, an 11-year-old's perspective on the Bosnian war. We are participating in activities around our Asset of the Month which focuses on the assets of integrity, conflict resolution and positive peer influence. Our advisories promote the asset of the month on our Bobcat News television show.

"Assets in motion" is the word around the school community! Staff members are discussing assets though their professional development book club. Teachers have read Great Places to Learn by the Search Institute and are reading Please Stop Laughing at Me by Jodee Blanco.

Staff members and parents are creating caring, responsive relationships with our students that promote healthy adolescent growth. This began as an outgrowth of our advisory program, parents as partners through the PTA and parent participation on our school culture action committees. Burleigh Manor is using assets in the school community to build a healthy school for healthy kids through an intentional school-wide focus on high expectations and valuing young people for their contributions.

Click here to see Assets in Motion at Burleigh Manor Middle School.

 

Reservoir High School

“Kids don’t care what you know until they know how much you care,” is the phrase that Principal Adrianne Kaufman uses to describe the developmental asset initiative at Reservoir High School in Fulton, Maryland. “It’s all about caring, building relationships, and giving students the building blocks they need.”

Since Reservoir’s opening in 2002 and the beginning of the grant period the school’s staff and administration have taken leaps and bounds to make sure that Reservoir has a healthy school climate where youth can grow and thrive, where students are listened to, and where students are not simply given an education but also provided with the building blocks they need in order to grow into successful, competent adults.

Reservoir High School has a weekly Advisory which gives students the opportunity to develop positive relationships with faculty and students that they may not have associated with otherwise. Kaufman says, “The majority of the school buys into Advisory and understands that it can be used to encourage the building of relationships.”

Dr. Kaufman started a Principal’s Advisory which gives the students an opportunity to voice their opinion. It gives them a chance to talk about the things they like about their school as well as the things they would like to see changed. This outlet for the student voice gives them a sense of a caring school climate as well as a listening ear.

Possibly the most important step Reservoir has taken in the assets initiative is Project CommUNITY whose goal is to build bridges between the different social cliques at Reservoir that formed as a result of redistricting. Small groups of students attend overnight retreats which focus on building appreciation for similarities and differences. As stereotyping breaks down new relationships are formed and the school culture is impacted by new and expanded opportunities for students to relate to one another.

Click here to see Assets in Motion at Reservoir High School.