School and Community Intervention Plan

School and Community Intervention Plan

Joy Taylor
Concordia University, Irvine
EDU 542: School, Community and Diverse Family Structures
Dr. Kimberly Persiani

School and Community Intervention Plan

December 16, 2015School and Community Intervention Plan for Nipomo High School
Part I
School and Community Inventory
1. The average per household income is $59,673.
2. 10% of the community lives in single-family homes.
3. The median home sale price is $378,000 and has stayed consistent over the past year.
4. The education level of the population is: 13.6% no high school, 35% some college, 21%
bachelor and 12% graduate.
5. The population is 16,714 and rising.
6. An upscale neighborhood is being built surrounding a golf course, restaurant and shopping
center.
7. The occupations consist of 1, 997 white collar and 1, 394 blue collar workers with the
majority working in manufacturing and sales/office/administrative support.
8. Major economic contributors are manufacturing companies, farms, vineyards and financiers.
9. Nipomo is gaining businesses every year, the town is experiencing a lot of growth.
10. The ethnic make-up of the community 61% European-American and 34% Hispanic.
11. The general attitudes of Nipomo residents emulates a relaxed, family, down-to-earth feel. There
seems to be respect for different cultures within the community.
12. There is some sense of social strata in the community since there is a high economically
disadvantaged population along with many high-end neighborhoods and large country mansions spread
throughout.

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Classroom Observations and Connections to Inventory.

The students in my classroom reflect well the community inventory above. One notable difference
is in the percentages of ethnic make-up. NHS students consist of 51% Hispanic and 45% EuropeanAmerican ethnicity, with only 1.5% African-American and 1% Asian-American. With these statistics, it
is evident there is a larger Hispanic family community in Nipomo than a European-American family
community in Nipomo. With the school population at an average of 1000 (250 students per grade), 21%
are English Language Learners and 49% are socio-economically disadvantaged. Due to these statistics
there is a definite separation of students by social class and ethnicity. This gap is more evident to
Hispanic students as they make up almost the entire population of lower level English classes. There is a
general respect among diverse groups, however, strong bonds between diverse groups do not exist. A
majority of the Hispanic students have Spanish speaking parents with cultural differences regarding
education that make it harder for many Hispanic students to have sufficient academic parental support.
The PTA consists mainly of parents of European-American students.
There is a sense of social strata in NHS itself due to the fact that the campus is shared with students
who attend the new Central Coast New Tech High School. It is a lottery process to get in to this school,
however, it has created a feel of haves versus have-nots since the school is known for having all
new and modern technology and NHS is riddled with old computers and no major improvement in
technology. Many believe that the community should have invested in bettering NHS rather than
building a new school that creates a bad deal for the NHS attendees. On the 2013-14 School
Accountability Report Card it is explained that the Lucia Mar Unified School Districts plans on making
its schools (NHS one of them) a national example of 21st Century Learning which means major upgrades
in technology by 2017 (2013-2014).

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In spite of the prospective technology upgrade and updated curriculum, there has been a lot of
upheaval with a new principal replacing the dearly loved former principal in 2013. Teachers do not see
much of the new principal and feel more isolated in their job than ever before. The former principal
installed a new plan for creating a positive school climate called Titan Pride in 2007, and the plan is
still in place. Though it made some difference in student and parent involvement, it has not provided any
dramatic change and seems stagnant. Another obstacle to creating a positive school climate at NHS is
the quick turnover rate of teachers. The teacher salary is not competitive and teachers keep leaving for
better paying jobs all over California, particularly San Luis Coastal Unified School District or Bay Area
Schools. Two of the best English teachers at NHS moved to different states in 2007 where they were
hired at schools that pay well considering the cost of living in those areas. Many more great NHS
teachers have left every year since then due to wages that do not meet the Cost of Living Adjustment
(COLA) for the area. In 2014 NHS teachers went on strike for higher wages as they did back in 2007.
NHS and LMUSD are in year five of the Federal Intervention Program called Program
Improvement. 44% of students NHS are not proficient in English Language Arts and 43% of students
are not proficient in Mathematics. Of these students, 54% are Hispanic and 32% are EuropeanAmerican and 95% of English Language Learners are not proficient in either category.
Public Relations/Communications Plan
According to SARC parents are constantly being informed of school events through
bulletins, flyers, postcards, auto-dialer calls, and the schools website (2013-2104). All
communications are issued in English and Spanish. There are many ways parents can become
involved at NHS. Organized groups for parent involvement include the NHS Boosters, School
Site Council (SSC), Agriculture Friends, and the English Learner Advisory Committee (20132014). Parents and community members are invited to many school activities and events held

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throughout the year including parent conferences, Back to-School Night, Open House, athletic
events, and student performances. Partnerships with the community greatly enhance the
educational program at the school. Community partners include Nipomo Rotary, Nipomo
Chamber of Commerce, Olde Towne Nipomo Association, LMUSD Adult Education, The
Regional Occupation Program (ROP), California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo (Cal
Poly), Cuesta College, Hancock College, the Central Coast Greenhouse Growers Association,
ConocoPhillips, PG&E, Vons, Agriculture Friends, and the Nipomo High School Booster Club
(2013-2014).
Part II
Assessment Summary and Analysis
Need for intervention. Nipomo High School is a school with a diverse population, has
gone through many administrative changes over the past few years, is destined to become a
technological modern school with 21st century learning, and is labeled as a Title I school in the
Federal Program for Improvement. Since the ethnic majority is Hispanic with parents whose
first language is Spanish, there is a need for supporting ELL students and students of ELL
parents. There is a feel of mutual respect between students, however, there are few if any strong
bonds between diverse students due to a lack of cultural understanding and student body team
building. Since the campus is shared with Central Coast New Tech-High School, the feeling of
depreciation among the NHS student body is damaging to the general atmosphere and the 2017
goal of upgrading technology needs to be tended to immediately rather than two years from now,
and rules for respectful engagement when sharing the premises needs to be clear.
Administrators, staff and students need to develop positive and close partnerships with each
other in order to establish a cohesive plan of action in making the school a safe and productive

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environment. In order to gain 21st century learning skills, it is best if students are set up for
success by first creating a positive school climate by attending to the needs and circumstances
abovementioned. Renowned Doctor of Education John Shindler explains, the quality of the
climate appears to be the single most predictive factor in any schools capacity to promote
student achievement (Shindler) If the school climate is the top priority, there is a sure chance for
higher proficiency which would result in raising the schools Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
Criteria and bring it out of IP status.
Priorities. Creating an atmosphere that is inviting, encouraging and supportive towards
all students is crucial to raising student achievement across the board. In order to do this, the
first call-to-action is to establish clear communication on every level (administration, teacher
staff, parent, student and community), where each level is empowered by being a critical part of
positive change. Strategies to create respectful relationships and close bonds between all
participants must be promoted. Addressing the many needs of ELL students, for example,
boosting their Psychology of Success (Shindler), creating an emotionally safe environment
through respectful and strong relationships with diverse peers, promoting acculturation and
getting Spanish speaking and Hispanic parents to be involved is key for raising achievement.
With over half of the school population experiencing economic hardship, basic student needs
must be met through the school working together with the community to ensure all have
adequate food, clothing, school supplies and tuition for any after-school activity students choose
to be a part of. A partnership with Central Coast New Tech-H.S. must be established to ensure
respect among students and a positive atmosphere that enhances student success. With all of
these priorities met and ideals established, Nipomo High School will be a well-working, first-rate
citizen producing, family support making, academic scholar creating machine.

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Ties between community, school and classroom. The parents of NHS students and
students alike are unsure about the new Principal and unaware of the circumstances surrounding
the former principals departure. In light of this, the community, parents and students deserve an
honest look at the administrative policies and plans for Nipomo High School. Honest and
transparent communication is key in creating an atmosphere where people do not feel the need to
be secretive, spread rumors and put on a show of false pretenses. A majority of the community
does not understand why teachers strike, why principals are replaced, and why schools get low
scores on standardized testing. The community lashes out against each other due to the lack of
communication about the truth from the school district. If adults are not communicating
properly that neither can students. Research shows that Strong administrative leadership is a
key component of schools with high student achievement. Any leadership traits and behaviors
are positively related to student achievement, attitudes, and social behavior (Cotton, 2003).
With a larger percentage of Hispanic families in Nipomo than that of Euro-American
background, it is evident there is a void when it comes to celebrating Hispanic traditions and
opportunities for Hispanic enculturation and Hispanic culture appreciation among the EuroAmerican group in the community and at NHS. Through a volunteer program where fluent
English volunteers meet with Spanish speakers in the multi-purpose room at NHS, community
members, students and parents will build friendships and a feeling of respect and appreciation for
one another. Diverse relationship building strategies like this will help student success through
promoting acculturation for Hispanic students and their families. In a study focused on the
influence of acculturation on Mexican-American students, Castillo, Lopez-Arenas and Saldivar
(2010) found that Acculturation to White American culture was a statistically significant
predictor of educational persistence and they also explain that researchers have found

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acculturation to White American culture to be an important variable influencing decision to

pursue postsecondary education.
Since there is both an economically divided community and school population, the high
school and community alike with benefit from fundraisers to support extra-curricular activities
for individual students, a parking lot Swap n Shop, a monthly pot-luck where food has been
donated by local grocers and prepared by students, teacher, parents and community members to
begin with. Partnering with local grocers and volunteers groups from the community will bring a
supportive atmosphere to those in need, and build relationships that promote a sense of unity.
Educator Eric Jensen writes in his book Teaching with Poverty in Mind, Children raised in
poverty rarely choose to behave differently, but they are faced daily with overwhelming
challenges that affluent children never have to confront, and their brains have adapted to
suboptimal conditions in ways that undermine good school performance (2009). He explains the
most significant risk factors affecting children raised in poverty are emotional and social
challenges, acute and chronic stressors, cognitive lags, and health and safety issues. In knowing
this community and educators must address the needs of these students and their families so they
can succeed.
Community influence. A strong partnership with Hancock Community College and Cal Poly
State University will have an immense value to the boosting of student achievement for ELL,
Hispanic-American and socio-economically disadvantaged students. Bringing diverse college
students to the classroom who have walked in their shoes would allow diverse pupils to have a
vision for a future of education. Through this they would receive encouragement, how-tos, and
a feeling of familiarity with a higher-education mindset from an admirable college student.
Field- trips to both colleges will be highly beneficial to these students. Visiting both campuses

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on a monthly basis for various reasons, such as plays, a science lab experiment led by college
students, a poetry performance or a lesson in agriculture, would further foster a feeling of
comfort in the arena of higher-education for these students with a disadvantage.
Part III
Intervention Plan: Creating a Positive School Climate by Supporting ELL Learners
A top priority in creating a positive school climate at Nipomo High school is create a plan
for our ELL students and their families to attain higher success. In order to do this students and
families must have specific methods of communication from administrators and teachers. ELL
students must have strong support from all staff and high expectations from teachers and parents.
Teachers must create strong bonds between ELL students and their diverse peers to provide them
with emotional safety and social acceptance. Curriculum must be integrated with strategies for
acculturation and enculturation. Since a majority of ELL students are below the economic
divide, addressing their monetary needs must take place. Investing in the induction of these
concepts into Nipomo High School protocol, this school will experience a significant rise in
student achievement and overall student, staff and community well-being.
Communication with ELL students and their parents requires understanding their culture,
emotional status and language barrier. Media is the first form of communication students and
parents will glimpse to create a pre-conceived notion of the school they will be a part of. It is
important that the schools webpage pictures diverse students, multi-cultural celebration, lists
community resources, groups, clubs and activities that will appeal to diverse students. The
English Learner Advisory Committee will have an established web page on the NHS website and
will collaborate with the principal and teachers to host a special welcome orientation. A NHS
group for Spanish speaking parents will be formed to encourage supportive bonds between

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families, and to create a means for these parents to collaborate and contribute their thoughts and
advice on how to help make NHS more hospitable to their children and families. Once parent
involvement is established, parents will have learned the importance of and the methods for
supporting their children academically.
Strong support and high expectations from administrators, teachers and parents are
essential. At Annandale High, an ethnically diverse school in Fairfax, Virginia, ELL students are
encouraged to take advanced courses even if they will possibly get a low grade (Kugler &
Albright, 2005). This practice has been shown to encourage students by giving them a challenge
and showing them that teachers and staff care about their success. Furthermore, an ELL who
wants to drop out of an advanced course meets with her teacher, her parent, the advanced
placement coordinator, the guidance counselor, and the assistant principal to work out the
problem (Kugler & Albright, 2005). Although time-consuming and intensive, this commitment
to each student as an individual is at the crux of the programs success (Kugler & Albright,
2005). With the necessary support, encouraging a strong I can do it mindset in ELL students
will cause them to be more focused, involved and excited about school.
Students who are different than most of their peers can feel left out, be victims of
bullying and become depressed or anxious as a result. In order to stave off these common
circumstances, teachers must produce a classroom environment, curriculum and activities that
promote empathy for ELL students and promote a strong respect and close bonds between
diverse groups of students. Assigning curriculum that teaches the importance of putting oneself
in anothers shoes and diverse cultural traditions and practices helps students learn about one
another. Team building strategies will be assigned to strategically appoint diverse small-groups.

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With the right planning, the classroom can be the place where friendships between all students
are forged and built to help create a positive school climate.
To attain the highest academic achievement, as previously noted, studies show that
acculturation plays a major role. In order to familiarize ELL students with American customs
and traditions, it is important to build strong bonds between ELL students and fluent English
speaking American students. ELL students will have a club where they can have outings that
introduce them to American culture they may not ever be exposed to otherwise. As
aforementioned, a weekly English teaching/learning meeting will take place in the multi-purpose
room once a week. This will give Spanish speaking parents and students alike extra time to
converse with English speaking students, parents and community members. This will also help
create bonds between all involved.
Addressing the basic provisional and emotional needs of low-income ELL students is of
greatest concern. Students who are from low-income families experience many more stressors
than do those from homes with ample provision. Departments at NHS will be involved in
developing fundraisers and events to support and enrich the lives of economically disadvantaged
ELL and English proficient students alike. NHS will have an annual family carnival that
provides free of charge food and fun for school and community families. The energy put forth
into filling enhancing students life will ease stress for students and families alike resulting in
higher academic achievement and a more positive school environment.
Establishing the school plan identified above is the surest way to begin the process of
creating a positive school climate at NHS. With collaboration between the school administrators,
teachers, students, parents and community members, success is highly attainable. Though there
are many aspects to creating positive and thriving climate for student success at NHS, addressing

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the needs of ELL students is of the utmost importance. In closing, The Californias
Superintendents P-16 Council Report (January, 2008) entitled Closing the Achievement Gap
identified formally assessing and addressing school climate as an essential component in any
schools effort toward successful reform, achievement and making a difference for
underprivileged student groups (Shindler).

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Works Cited

Castillo, L.G., Lopez-Arenas, A. & Salivar, I.M. (April 2010). Journal of Multicultural
Counseling and Development: The Influence of Acculturation and Enculturation on
Mexican High School Students Decision to Apply to College. Vol. 38
Jensen, E. (2009) Teaching with poverty in mind. Retrieved from:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109074/chapters/How-Poverty-Affects
Behavior-and-Academic-Performance.aspx
Kugler, E.G., & Albright, E.M. (2005) Increasing Diversity in Challenging Classes.
(2013-2014). NHS Accountability Report Card (Report No. XXX). California Department of
Education. Retrieved from: www.needlesusd.org/.../NHS%20School%20
Accountability%20Report%
Shindler, J. Exploring the School Climate -- Student Achievement Connection: And Making
Sense of Why the First Precedes the Second. Retrieved from
http://web.calstatela.edu/centers/schoolclimate/research/School_Climate_Achievement_
Connection_v4.pdf