Project EXSEL
Evaluation Findings for the 2000-2001 School Year
Program Accomplishments by Objective

Recruit a minimum of 24 teachers (grades K-2) from the target schools to participate in the curriculum development and implementation process.

• Twenty-seven teachers were recruited to participate in the first year of the EXSEL program.

• Project EXSEL conducted a very successful kick-off event at the Good Grief exhibit at the Children's Museum.
  

Assess students' social and emotional needs in order to identify the focus areas for ASCA standards-based curriculum development.

• An ASCA standards-based student checklist was developed to determine focus of the EXSEL curriculum the impact of the program (pretest-October, posttest-May).

• Overall, checklist results showed that students increased from pretest to posttest in almost all Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) areas. The largest improvements were found in the areas of self-motivation, goal setting, problem solving and, resolving conflicts.
  During focus group interviews, teachers stated that they saw an improvement in their students' SEL verbal abilities and behaviors.
  

Develop standards-based lesson plans to infuse into literacy and social studies lessons. Project and target school guidance counselors will increase their ability to design, implement, and evaluate classroom-lessons that infuse the ASCA standards. Pilot standards-based lessons in target classrooms.

• Teachers and project guidance counselors developed three to five ASCA standard-based lessons. Lessons were infused into literacy and social studies classes.

• Teachers and project guidance counselors reported that the curriculum training sessions with Donna Klein were very helpful. Each school held six days of training.

• Teachers and project guidance counselors piloted standard-based SEL lessons in the target classrooms during the 2000-2001 school year. -Project guidance counselors initially modeled lessons for the classroom teachers; however, they eventually played a more supportive role when the teachers became comfortable with the SEL material.

• During focus group interviews, teachers stated they were comfortable with teaching SEL skills to their students. In some schools, a few teachers even extended the SEL lessons outside of the classroom to the playground and lunchroom.

• Teachers also stated that they found the piloting of lessons by the project guidance counselor to be helpful and they planned to use the SEL lessons in the coming year.
  

Conduct ongoing training for project-based guidance counselors

• Project guidance counselors met weekly with Robin Stem to train for their role in the EXSEL program.

• A final SEL training session was held in June 2001 for all project guidance counselors, guidance counselors, and EXSEL teachers. During this training, there was a panel discussion, a film on SEL, and the program compendia was distributed.

• A weeklong training in the area of SEL was held for project guidance counselors, guidance counselors, and the supervisor of guidance. The training took place at the Center for Social and Emotional Education during the summer of 2001.

Conduct monthly training for District Two guidance counselors. District Two guidance counselors will increase their ability to provide culturally competent and developmentally appropriate counseling services to students and their families.

• Nine full-day training sessions were held for project guidance counselors and guidance counselors. Overall, counselors stated the sessions were helpful, especially the culturally-based trainings. Some counselors did state however, that the developmental sessions should have focused exclusively on grades K-2 and some felt sessions were geared toward novice versus seasoned counselors.

• Counselors suggested that the format of the training sessions should be changed. They recommended using small groups and an interactive format, especially for emotionally sensitive topics.

• Project guidance counselors met monthly with the school-based guidance counselors to discuss implementation of the EXSEL program at their respective schools. They also used these meetings as an opportunity to discuss program concerns or issues.

Offer technology-based SEL training for classroom teachers and guidance counselors. District Two guidance counselors and teachers who participate in project-sponsored technology workshop will increase their ability to incorporate technology into SEL approaches and classroom activities.

Design and conduct workshops customized to the needs of the parent's population(s) in the target schools.

• Each school conducted two or more parent workshops. Workshops were customized to parents' needs. Interpreters were available for parents who did not speak English.

• Staff members reported that they were very pleased with the workshops. They did, however, recommend starting the workshops earlier in the year and providing ample notice to the staff and families, so attendance would increase.

Recruit and train parent volunteers to conduct school-based parent workshops (scheduled for 2001-2002 school year). Produce a technology-based compendium of effective practices for dissemination purposes.

• A program compendia, comprised of lesson plans and other SEL materials, was developed and disseminated to EXSEL teachers.

• Share project learnings within District Two in order to replicate the model in additional schools and grades.

• Project learnings were shared during guidance counselor trainings, regular meetings, and via the program compendia.

Share project learnings with the larger educational community interested in replicating project activities.

• EXSEL staff members attended monthly citywide meetings of the Directors of Pupil Personnel Services and the Directors of Guidance and attended meetings of the Education Advisory Board of NYU Child Study Center.

• EXSEL staff members attended a citywide conference for guidance counselors, co-sponsored by the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and NYCBOE.

• EXSEL staff members attended the grantee meeting in Washington, DC during the Summer of 2001.