Towards Sustained School Success (TSSS)

Project

 

 

 

 

Evaluation Report on the

Towards Sustained School Success Project at the Bocage Secondary School – A Pilot Project

 

 

 

May 25, 2018  

 

 

Core Project Team

• Leader:  Ms. Betty Combie,  bcombie2000@yahoo.com 
• Facilitator:  Mr.  Rupert Ellis,  rupert_ellis@yahoo.com
• Member:  Ms.  Joanne De Lima – Michel, Joannedelima@gmail.com 

 

 

Contents

 

Acknowledgements. 3

Executive Summary. 4

Introduction. 6

About the Project. 6

Evaluation method. 8

Survey Results. 9

Evaluation. 12

Status of Performance Indicators. 12

Issues Encountered. 13

Lessons learnt. 13

Recommendations. 14

Conclusion. 15

Bibliography. 16

Appendices. 17

Appendix 1 - TSSS Framework. 17

Appendix 2 - Project Activities and Timeframe. 19

Appendix 3 – Action Plan for BSS for 2016. 21

Appendix 4 - Student Survey Form.. 27

Appendix 5 - Staff Survey Form.. 28

Appendix 6 - The School Improvement Team (SIT)Terms of Reference (ToR). 29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acknowledgements

The TSSS team would like to sincerely thank the management, staff (technical and ancillary), students and parents of the Bocage Secondary School (BSS) for participating in this project.  Their input, cooperation and collaboration were invaluable.    Special thanks to the Bocage Secondary School past student, Angela St. Denis, who assisted in the coordination of discussions with the BSS past students.

 

The team would also like to thank the District 3 Education Officer and the Chief Education Officer for their endorsement of the project.

 

Finally, thanks to the management of the Centre for Adolescent Renewal and Education (C.A.R.E.) and the principal of the Dame Pearlette Louisy Primary School who shared their experiences and their best practices with us.

 

 

 

 

Executive Summary

The situation of increased gang membership, school dropouts, youth unemployment and youth related crimes calls for different approaches all aimed at better meeting the needs and expectations of young people.  It is in this context that a team of volunteers (TSSS Project team), who were involved in the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School (LHCSS) progressive journey, wanted to assist schools at enhancing their students’ experience and to unlock these students’ potential to succeed.   In October 2015, the Principal of the Bocage Secondary School (BSS), Mr. Cuthbert Elizee, signed a Project Charter to participate in the TSSS Project.

 

Objectives

The two major objectives were:

• Develop a framework for sustained school success using a local example, Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School (LHCSS), and a best practice guideline (ISO/IWA 2:2007 -  Quality management systems — Guidelines for the application of ISO 9001:2000 in education)
• Use this framework to assist BSS to:

–      operate more effectively

–      enhance the students’ experience and unlock their potential to succeed

 

The major deliverables of the project were:

• A draft framework entitled TSSS Framework (Appendix 1) for sustained school success was prepared based on local best practices and international guidelines
• An assessment of BSS took place involving management, staff, student and parents against the TSSS Famework
• Aa assessment report was generated and validated by BSS staff
• An action plan (Appendix 3) was prepared based on the assessment report and implemented
• Training of staff (inclusive of issuance of certificates) related to:
  • Effective management in Education (A Professional Development Day activity)
  • Train-the-trainers in Doing Work Well (a sample of teachers and ancillary staff)
  • Educational assessment and evaluation seminar (Heads of Departments/their representatives)
  • Training of a group of students (inclusive of issuance of certificates) in Doing Work Well
  • Post-assistance survey of BSS students (Appendix 4) and staff (Appendix 5) was conducted and analysed
  • This evaluation report on the project

 

Evaluation

The staff surveys conducted at the end of the assistance period and addressing relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and impact of the project respectively revealed generally:

• The project was relevant.
• Adequate time should be two years; and that the project was not very demanding on the school’s resources.
• The objectives were somewhat met.
• The positive impacts outweighed the negative ones.

 

 

The evaluation of the performance indicators established at the start of the project is revealed in the table below:

Performance Indicator	Evaluation
Increase average student experience rating	Both the student survey and the staff survey revealed an increase in average student experience
Setting and reviewing of measurable objectives aligned to the school’s strategic direction	An action plan was prepared and ensured the objectives were measurable and aligned to the school’s strategic direction; and these objectives were reviewed during the project.
Increase number of students involved in school activities	Staff reported greater student involvement. The actual numbers were not tallied.
Increase in the number of school activities	During the project the Dance Troup was formed; the School Prefect programme was also established.
Increased motivational level rating	On the average, motivational level of students was enhanced.
Increased love for school rating	On the average, love for school among students was enhanced. Among the staff, the rating was 50% and 50% for Yes and No respectively.
Increased loyalty to school rating	On the average, loyalty for school among students was enhanced. Among the staff, the rating was 30% and 70% for Yes and No respectively.

 

The issues encountered, and the lessons learnt from the project are included in the body of the report. 

 

Recommendations

The following are the recommendations for Bocage Secondary School:

1)      Establish and support the work of the School Improvement Team (SIT).  Terms of reference for SIT (Appendix 6) were prepared by the TSSS team and submitted to the BSS Principal towards the end of the assistance period.

2)      Set annual objectives for the school and review the school’s performance at least twice during the year.

3)      Organise the facilitation of team building activities for management and staff in an effort to  promote togetherness among staff.

4)      Regularly highlight the achievements/talents of students and the school

5)      Give priority to extracurricular activities to ensure students can tap into their full potential

6)      Continue the promotion of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle among the students and within the school system

7)      Utilise the timetable as a control tool to address issues at the school; for example, indiscipline.

8)      At least yearly conduct a students’ survey to determine how well the students’ needs and expectations are being met.

Evaluation Report on the

Towards Sustained School Success (TSSS) Project at Bocage Secondary School (BSS)

 

Introduction

In May 2015, a group of three volunteers: Betty Combie, Rupert Ellis and Joanne De Lima-Michel (past principal, past teacher and past student of the Leon Hess Comprehensive School respectively) began meeting to plan for the project entitled: Towards Sustained School Success (TSSS).  A concept note was prepared and circulated to the Ministry of Education, Principals’ Association, the Saint Lucia Teachers Union and other education officials.  In October 2015, the Principal of the Bocage Secondary School (BSS), Mr. Cuthbert Elizee, signed a Project Charter to participate in the TSSS Project.  The TSSS technical assistance at BSS was supposed to be one year – October 2015 to October 2016.  This date was revised to end the TSSS/BSS technical assistance in July 2017.

 

The Bocage Secondary School has operated as a full-fledged secondary school for about twenty years. The school was first established in 1990 as a senior primary school. At the start of the project, Its student population was a little over four hundred (400) with about three times as many male students as female students, and its teaching staff was thirty-eight (38).

 

This evaluation report represents the closing report for the TSSS at BSS project. It addresses inter alia:

• Project objectives, strategy, activities and timeframe
• Evaluation method
• Survey results
• Evaluation
  • Status of performance indicators
  • Issues encountered
  • Lessons learnt
  • Recommendations for BSS

 

About the Project

Rationale

The situation of increased gang membership, school dropouts, youth unemployment and youth related crimes calls for different approaches all aimed at better meeting the needs and expectations of young people.  It is in this context that a team of volunteers (TSSS Project team), who were involved in the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School progressive journey, wanted to assist schools at enhancing the students’ experience and to unlock these students’ potential to succeed.

 

Core Project Team of Volunteers:

The core project team comprised the following persons and their areas of specialty:

• Leader:  Ms. Betty Combie (Quality & Project Management; Educational Assessment & Evaluation)
• Facilitator:  Mr.  Rupert Ellis (School Management)  
• Member:  Ms.  Joanne De Lima – Michel (Business Administration)

Objectives

The two major objectives were:

• Develop a framework (See Appendix 1) for sustained school success using a local example, Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School (LHCSS), and a best practice guideline (ISO/IWA 2:2007 -  Quality management systems — Guidelines for the application of ISO 9001:2000 in education)
• Use this framework to assist BSS to:

–      operate more effectively

–      enhance the students’ experience and unlock their potential to succeed

 

Performance Indicators

The performance indicators include:

• Increase average student experience rating
• Setting and reviewing of measurable objectives aligned to the school’s strategic direction
• Increase number of students involved in school activities
• Increase in the number of school activities
• Increased motivational level rating
• Increased love for school rating
• Increased loyalty to school rating

Beneficiaries and Expected Outcomes

The beneficiaries and the expected outcomes were as follows:

• Students – more enriched school experience; more equipped to improve performance; greater interest and participation in school related activities; enhanced motivation; greater love for and loyalty to their school
• Principal and staff – enhanced teamwork; greater empowerment;  greater involvement/participation; greater ownership; enhanced collegiality;  greater love for and loyalty to their school
• Parents -  more involvement/participation;  greater love for and loyalty to the school
• School – achievement of objectives; more student-focused;  Increased external recognition; an appealing environment
• Ministry of Education – more enriched students’ experience at secondary schools; a piloted framework for sustained school success

 

Strategy

The strategy employed is presented in the diagram below.

 

The activities undertaken to deploy this strategy as well as the timeframe are presented in Appendix 2. 

 

 

The major deliverables of the project were:

• A draft framework entitled TSSS Framework (Appendix 1) for sustained school success was prepared based on local best practices and international guidelines
• An assessment of BSS took place involving management, staff, student and parents
• Aa assessment report was generated and validated by BSS staff
• An action plan (Appendix 3) was prepared based on the assessment report and implemented
• Training of staff (inclusive of issuance of certificates) related to:
  • Effective management in Education (A Professional Development Day activity)
  • Train-the-trainers in Doing Work Well (a sample of teachers and ancillary staff)
  • Educational assessment and evaluation seminar (Heads of Departments/their representatives)
  • Training of a group of students (inclusive of issuance of certificates) in Doing Work Well
  • Post-assistance survey of BSS students (Appendix 4) and staff (Appendix 5) was conducted and analysed
  • This evaluation report on the project

 

Evaluation method

The evaluation of the project aimed to determine and/or examine the following:

-          How well the objectives were met?

-          How adequate was the allotted time?

-          How relevant was the project?

-          What were the impacts?

-          The Issues encountered

-          The lessons learnt  

Two survey instruments were prepared by the project team and administered by the school to the students and staff respectively.  Both instruments were prepared taking into consideration the relevant objectives as well as the expected outcomes stated at the start of the project.

Students’ Survey

 The students’ survey was a repeat administration – meaning the same instrument issued to the students in the year 2015 was again administered in the year 2017.  The instrument was developed based on the expected outcomes stated at the start of the project.  The student survey instrument is presented in Appendix 4.

Staff Survey

The staff survey aimed at determining the effectiveness, efficiency, impact and relevance of the project at BSS as well as the expected outcomes stated at the start of the project. The staff survey instrument is presented in Appendix 5.

 

Survey Results

The survey instrument was administered to a sample size of 187 students in 2015 and a sample size of 154 students in 2017.  Table 1 presents on the results of the students’ surveys conducted in 2015 and repeated in 2017.

 

TABLE 1 – Students’ Survey Results

 

In both administrations, the samples captured male and female students from Form 1 to Form 5.  The results revealed an enhancement in all areas except in the case of “How safe you feel at school?”  The largest percent increases in 2017 were observed as it related to the enhancement of love for and loyalty to the school in questions 7 and 8 respectively.

 

 

 

Staff Survey Results

Ten (10) survey responses were received from the BSS staff.  The instrument was administered by the school towards the end of 2017.  Individual responses are presented as R1 (Respondent 1), R2 etc.

1. How relevant was the project to the school’s goals?

Very relevant – 60%                        Somewhat relevant – 40%                           Not relevant – 0%

1. The project duration was supposed to be one year.  It lasted two years.  How long should such a project last?

Less than one year- 0%      One year- 10%       Two years – 60%     More than two years- 20%

R4  - Depends on nature of situation      

 

1. How demanding was the project on the school‘s resources?

Very demanding- 0%          Not so demanding- 90%           Not at all demanding-10%

 

1. How well were the two objectives met?
   1. Objective 1: To assist the school in meeting its objectives

Met- 20%                     Somewhat met- 70%                      Not met at all- 10%

 

1. Objective 2: To assist the school in enhancing the students’ experience and unlock their potential to succeed.

Met- 20%                     Somewhat met-50%                       Not met at all-30%

 

1. List any positive impacts as a result of the project.

• R1 – Teachers are seeing the number of positive things that can be undertaken at BSS
• R2- Change in time table structure.  Greater student involvement.  Development of school groups.
• R3 – The prefect programme took off.  Students got more involved in activities.
• R4 – Students have been allowed to take a more active role in activities
• R5- Students were given opportunities to get more involved
• R6- More reflection on school
• R7- It eliminated the time-table confusion.  It assisted in the re-introduction of clubs/groups at the school
• R8 – The project brought a lot of ideas but many have not been applied
• R9 – Better participation (by the) with the students
• R10 - Allows students to focus on the positive aspects of the school which would help to boost school pride within the school.  Focus on students’ talents in order to place school in a positive light (e.g. the different clubs)

 

1. List any negative impacts as a result of the project.

• R1, R2 – None
• R3, R5, R8, R9 – No response/Dash
• R4- Non-attainment of set goals (not a direct impact of the project)
• R6- Some aspects were not implemented by staff
• R7 – The PTA was never established.  Some plans were never implemented e.g. the Doing Work Well plan
• R10 - Not enough time to train ALL students particularly in a homeroom session

1. What did you enjoy most about the project?

• R1 - Opening our eyes to our potential
• R2- New insights and suggestions
• R3- Teachers were involved and voiced their opinions
• R4- That an effort was being made to improve the school image
• R5- The idea of doing work well
• R6- Training
• R7- The self-reflective aspect of the project helping teachers to monitor themselves to better teach.
• R8- The simple novel ideas which would make a big difference in the functioning of the school.
• R9 - The exchange of ideas
• R10 – For the past few years at BSS, it has been difficult focusing on positives especially because of the indiscipline. It was wonderful having to highlight the positive in our school.

 

1. What did you not like about the project?

• R1, R2, R4, R6, R7, R8, R9 – No response/Dash
• R3 – It did not address staff relations and HR
• R5 – The actual monitoring of the programme was not done
• R10 – All school objectives made by the project were not met satisfactory

 

1.  (A) Did the project enhance the following for staff members:
   1. Collegiality                                                  Yes - 30%                             No - 70%
   2. b.      Love for the school                                  Yes - 50%                             No - 50%
   3. c.       Loyalty to the school                               Yes - 30%                             No - 70%
   4. d.      Involvement/participation                   Yes - 70%                             No - 30%
   5. e.       Empowerment                                          Yes - 50%                             No - 50%
   6. Ownership                                                  Yes - 70%                             No - 30%

 

(B) In cases where “NO” was chosen in 9 (A), could you suggest ways the project could have ensured enhancement?

• R1, R3, R5, R6, R8 – No Response/Dash
• R2-The issues at the school were not completely dealt with. E.g. high levels of indiscipline and lack of clearly identified working structure to deal with it.
• R4- Some major issues were not tackled and have yet to be fully dealt with.
• R7- Staff is still divided on a few areas which need improvement in order to get to the point of being a sustained school.
• R9- There wasn’t any change. No team bonding drills
• R10 – (a) Hopefully with more staff activities this should be built.  This is a work in progress.  (b) This one would take a while as well since we have only taken small strides to building student pride which will in turn make them loyal to the school.

 

 

 

1. Could you state any other relevant comment (s)?

• R1- It was a good reminder for us to be told that Bocage has a lot of talent and we need to work together to bring out the best in everyone
• R2 – The project was a very good project however everyone had to be fully devoted to its success.  There was a clear imbalance in the enthusiasm of all stakeholders.
• R3- I valued the devotion of the team and how committed the team was.
• R4- The goals were actively pursued in the beginning, but less effort was put in as time passed
• R5, R6, R7, R8- No response
• R9 – Better communication between staff and administration
• R10 – I really like the effort placed in trying to gain relationships with our students’ parents.  Hopefully in due time it would be beneficial to our students.

 

Addressing relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and impact of the project respectively, the staff responses revealed generally:

• The project was relevant.
• Adequate time should be two years; and that the project was not very demanding on the school’s resources.
• The objectives were somewhat met.
• The positive impacts outweighed the negative ones.

Evaluation

The project aimed to develop the TSSS framework, assist BSS to operate more effectively and to enhance the student experience and unlock their potential to succeed.

 

Status of Performance Indicators

Table 2 evaluates the performance indicators for the project.

 

TABLE 2 – Evaluation of Performance Indicators

Performance Indicator	Evaluation
Increase average student experience rating	Both the student survey (Question 3) and the staff survey (Question 4(b)) revealed an increase in average student experience
Setting and reviewing of measurable objectives aligned to the school’s strategic direction	An action plan was prepared and ensured the objectives were measurable and aligned to the school’s strategic direction, and these objectives were reviewed during the project.
Increase number of students involved in school activities	Staff reported greater student involvement. (Question 5). The actual numbers were not tallied.
Increase in the number of school activities	During the project the Dance Troup was formed; the School Prefect programme was also established.
Increased motivational level rating	On the average, motivational level of students (Question 4) was enhanced.
Increased love for school rating	On the average, love for school among students (Question 7) was enhanced. Among the staff, the rating was 50% and 50% for Yes and No respectively.
Increased loyalty to school rating	On the average, loyalty for school among students (Question 8) was enhanced. Among the staff, the rating was 30% and 70% for Yes and No respectively.

 

Issues Encountered

Issues encountered at BSS during the project included:

-          Setting time for the project activities against a busy school schedule

-          Convincing staff to change problematic/non-working strategies

-          Achieving complete and continued staff commitment

-          Inadequate transfer of information from Project Team to staff and students

-          Lengthy lulls in action plan implementation

-          Engendering ownership of the project

 

There were major infrastructural issues at BSS which impacted the students’ and teachers’ experiences.  Although this issue was beyond the scope of this project, attempts were made to seek assistance from the Ministry of Education as well as the private sector.

 

Lessons learnt

Taking into consideration the issues which arose as well as the survey responses from the staff, lessons learnt included:

1)      Ensure early ownership by establishing the School Improvement Team from the onset.  The lack of ownership of the project was evident in:

• The commitment to some of the action plan activities in the absence of the TSSS team
• The number of completed staff surveys received.
• Staff survey responses:
  •  Some aspects were not implemented by staff 
  • The project was a very good project however everyone had to be fully devoted to its success.  There was a clear imbalance in the enthusiasm of all stakeholders.

It was necessary to identify and train “champions” at the school from the beginning to work with   TSSS team and continue the work, as well as promote the project in the absence of the TSSS team. 

2)      The commitment to participate in the project must include a scheduled time for project meetings.

 

The staff survey responses revealed a preference of two years for the project. However, in the two years spent at BSS, the meeting times were very irregular and sometimes too far apart.  There was a lull of six months at one time.   The staff comment that the goals were actively pursued in the beginning, but less effort was put in as time passed, might be indicative of loss of interest over a two-year period.

 

The TSSS team is of the opinion the project can be completed in one year provided there is a stipulated schedule for regular meetings.

 

3)      Determine and address the team status of the staff.  A team is a group of people working together to achieve goals for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.

Staff related issues were evident from the following staff survey responses:

• “It did not address staff relations and HR”
• “Staff is still divided on a few areas which need improvement …”
• “There was no change.  No team bonding drills”
• A need for “better communication between staff and administration”

Team building activities among staff might be necessary at the start of the project to ensure staff harmony.

Recommendations

The TSSS team is convinced that BSS is equipped to ensure continuous progress as it relates to achieving its objectives as well as enhancing the students’ experience.  However, it will require the deliberate effort of the school’s management and staff. The following is being recommended to BSS:

• Establish and support the work of the School Improvement Team (SIT).  Terms of reference for SIT (See Appendix 4) was drafted by the TSSS team and submitted to the BSS Principal towards the end of the assistance period.
• Set annual objectives for the school and review the school’s performance at least twice during the year.
• Organise the facilitation of team building activities for management and staff.
• Regularly highlight the achievement of your students and the school.
• Give priority to extracurricular activities to ensure students can tap into their full potential
• Continue the promotion of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle among the students and within the school system
• Utilise the timetable as a control tool to address issues at the school; for example, indiscipline.
• At least yearly conduct a students’ survey to determine how well the students’ needs and expectations are being met.

 

Conclusion

This report is being shared with the education community to inform on the project and its results. Other documents prepared during the project and available if requested are:

• TSSS Framework Form
• TSSS/BSS Project Charter
• TSSS/BSS Assessment Report
• PowerPoint Presentations on the TSSS project and TSSS/BSS project
• May 2017 Information sheet

 

Many lessons were learnt from the management of the TSSS project at BSS.  These lessons will serve as input into the coordination of this project at another school whose principal is willing to participate. 

 

Bibliography

1)      A case Study of School Management Processes – Leon Hess Comprehensive School.  Corporate Planning Unit, Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development, Youth & Sports. 2003

2)      ISO/IWA 2:2007 -  Quality management systems — Guidelines for the application of ISO 9001:2000 in education

3)      ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management System – Requirements

 

 

 

Appendices

Appendix 1 - TSSS Framework