Setting and Context
Culture and Community Context
Cache la Poudre Middle School is only about 6 miles from Colorado State University’s campus, but in the 6-mile drive (or bike ride) you will notice a lot of changes. To get there you have to leave the city of Fort Collins and drive into the beautiful town of Laporte. The population of this rural town is only 2450 residents, 88% of the residents are of Caucasian descent. As far as educational standards are concerned in Laporte the population of residents with a Bachelors degree is below state average. The population with less than a high school diploma is above average at 13%. Cache la Poudre Middle School is one of the longest running middle schools in the Poudre School District; it first opened its doors in 1959. CLPMS focuses on the academic success of each student by focusing on the five R’s, respect, rigor, relevance, responsibility, and relationships. At this school “Every student has the right and responsibility to learn, every teacher has the right and responsibility to teach”. This train of thought has taught me a lot about my role as an educator. I have always felt a responsibility to teach but working here has opened my eyes to my right to teach and what a privilege that is.
Support Structure: Community, Parents and Volunteers
Cache la Poudre Middle School has several quick and effective methods to reach parents and community members to keep them informed. The school’s website has announcements from the principal, school calendars, as well as contact information of every teacher. A newsletter is sent out three times every quarter to inform parents about upcoming events as well as volunteer opportunities.
Parents are invited to take part in the School Improvement Team (SIT). The primary goal of a SIT program is to establish the direction of the school through a wide range of representatives, rather than having goals solely defined by administrators and teachers. I appreciate a school in which the input of parents is not only valued but also vital to the development of that school.
Parents are invited to take part in the School Improvement Team (SIT). The primary goal of a SIT program is to establish the direction of the school through a wide range of representatives, rather than having goals solely defined by administrators and teachers. I appreciate a school in which the input of parents is not only valued but also vital to the development of that school.
Demographic Characteristics
According to the National Center for Education Statistics the total student population at CLPMS is 365 students. The gender break down is fairly even with 195 males students and 170 female students. There are a total of 34 staff members with 27 full time teachers. Of those 27 full time teachers 20 have earned a masters degree or higher.
The breakdown of enrolment by ethnicity is as follows,
African American: 1%
American Indian/Alaska Native: 1%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1%
Hispanic: 7%
White: 90%
Student to Teacher Ratio: 14:1
Students who receive free lunch: 76
Students who receive reduced lunch: 32
Data collected at nces.ed.gov and psdschools.org
The breakdown of enrolment by ethnicity is as follows,
African American: 1%
American Indian/Alaska Native: 1%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 1%
Hispanic: 7%
White: 90%
Student to Teacher Ratio: 14:1
Students who receive free lunch: 76
Students who receive reduced lunch: 32
Data collected at nces.ed.gov and psdschools.org
Classroom Environment and the Students
The art room at CLP is a very positive environment for students. Creativity is literally expanding out of the room, the hallway leading up to room 131 is covered in murals and examples of student artwork. Once you enter the room you notice the students storage cabinets that have been painted by past students. The room gives you the sense that this is a working studio. The classroom is divided into two main sections. In the back of the room there are four sinks for “doing the dishes” at the end of each busy class period. This section of the room is also used for storage of ceramic art created throughout the school year. The front part of the room is where everyone sits during demos and work time. There are two large tables that seat eight and two smaller tables that sit four. There is a counter that runs along the wall with provides more space for the remaining students to work. There is plenty of special equipment in the room as well such as a kiln and six potters’ wheels. There is also a printing press for students to use when working on collagraphs. The room is old but this just reveals its character and experience; it is easy to see that a lot of strong work has been created in this space.
JB is hardworking and quite. He does not like to be called on in front of the class but is very willing to express his ideas one on one.
CB is reserved but kind. He is one of the most academically advanced students in the class. He is very detail oriented and strong in mathematics. He likes assignments that require problem solving.
TC always finishes his work quickly. I think he is generally unwilling to push his work further because he does not see how art relates to “real life”.
TD is a good student but has had lots of problems at home this past year which has increased his rambunctious nature.He is definitely the catalyst that stirs things up in the class. His peers all look up to him and emulate him. If you can seat him where he will not be distracted and provide consistent feedback he is capable of creating great work.
LD has an outgoing personality. She always manages to harness her high energy into creating elaborate works of art.
BD loves a good challenge. She will usually finish early so you always have to have a plan B and C to keep her engaged.
BE is an inventive student. He always works hard and is always adding his personal twists on each assignment. He is always willing to try something new.
SF- SF is a strong-minded individual thinker. Although he is a close friend with many of the rowdy students in this class he has no problem separating himself from them. He will often sit on his own so he can work better.
TG reacts well to structure in the classroom. As long as there are detailed instructions of what to do he stays busy. If he doesn’t know exactly what all the steps are he can be very disruptive.
KG is a very bright student. She is also quite compassionate as she is always trying to help her peers around her.
ZG struggles with work completion. He enjoys art but his drawings are off task. He is emotionally immature and struggles with peer interaction. He can be very quick to anger, when he acts out we give him a hot pass to the school resource room to talk to a counselor.
TH gives off a rough attitude in front of a large group but really warms up in small group work. He tends to ignore fine detail in most of his work.
LH is social during work time but respectful when the teacher has to make an announcement. He finishes his work on time but he rarely pushes himself. He has already missed class because he went to work instead.
JJ is a very expressive individual. He is very self-reflective and is always mentioning his emotions within his work.
KK is a key member in my rowdiest table. What surprised me was how he reacted after I was very stern and strict with his table. He seems to appreciate a strong and structured leader and now frequently seeks my approval.
KL is a hard working perfectionist. She is always searching for the most effective way to complete a task. She rarely speaks in class, but always wants to discuss her ideas after school is out.
HL is definitely a visual learner. Showing her lots of examples is the best way to communicate what is expected from each assignment.
EM really likes a consistent routine. She appreciates having the plan written on the board so she knows what to expect throughout the entire class period.
RM is always critical of her work and the work of her peers around her. I feel that this stems from self-confidence issues so it is best to give her lots of positive reinforcement.
AP always lets you know what is on her mind. She is quiet and diligent during work time but she never hesitates to offer her opinion during class discussion. She is not afraid to take risks and likes assignments that offer room to experiment.
GR is often off task and needs constant reminders on directions. His peers easily distract him.
CR seems to have low self-esteem. She often says she is not capable of completing her assignment.
BR will work hard if an assignment provides lots of student choice. She does not like assignments that are very rigid. She is outgoing an always provides input during class.
JR is very anxious in front of his peers. He needs to be given a warning if he will be called on in front of class.
AS has a good sense of humor and work ethic. He is always seeking to improve his work. Instead of asking, “Is this good enough?” he asks, “How can I make this better?”
ES seems to take a long time to come to a decision about her artwork. She wants to know how it will look and all the steps to get there before she is willing to start. I often encourage her to just start working and allow some ideas to come in the process of creating.
IS is easily distracted. If he is separated from his friends he will work well but he often forgets the directions.
CS is very motivated in the arts. She is very talented and always puts extra work in her assignments. She is enrolled as a student in the first section of this class and as a student aide during the second section of this class. It is important to include variety in the two classes to keep her mind moving.
EU is very detail oriented. He is very focused on the fine details and creates work with high craftsmanship.
CW shows great potential but is easily distracted by his peers. The best way to get him motivated is to give him a deadline because he seems to work best when he is under a deadline.
NW usually sits alone and produces good work. He does not like to redo anything. When critiquing his work it is always best to start with “What if?” rather than, “You should.”
JB is hardworking and quite. He does not like to be called on in front of the class but is very willing to express his ideas one on one.
CB is reserved but kind. He is one of the most academically advanced students in the class. He is very detail oriented and strong in mathematics. He likes assignments that require problem solving.
TC always finishes his work quickly. I think he is generally unwilling to push his work further because he does not see how art relates to “real life”.
TD is a good student but has had lots of problems at home this past year which has increased his rambunctious nature.He is definitely the catalyst that stirs things up in the class. His peers all look up to him and emulate him. If you can seat him where he will not be distracted and provide consistent feedback he is capable of creating great work.
LD has an outgoing personality. She always manages to harness her high energy into creating elaborate works of art.
BD loves a good challenge. She will usually finish early so you always have to have a plan B and C to keep her engaged.
BE is an inventive student. He always works hard and is always adding his personal twists on each assignment. He is always willing to try something new.
SF- SF is a strong-minded individual thinker. Although he is a close friend with many of the rowdy students in this class he has no problem separating himself from them. He will often sit on his own so he can work better.
TG reacts well to structure in the classroom. As long as there are detailed instructions of what to do he stays busy. If he doesn’t know exactly what all the steps are he can be very disruptive.
KG is a very bright student. She is also quite compassionate as she is always trying to help her peers around her.
ZG struggles with work completion. He enjoys art but his drawings are off task. He is emotionally immature and struggles with peer interaction. He can be very quick to anger, when he acts out we give him a hot pass to the school resource room to talk to a counselor.
TH gives off a rough attitude in front of a large group but really warms up in small group work. He tends to ignore fine detail in most of his work.
LH is social during work time but respectful when the teacher has to make an announcement. He finishes his work on time but he rarely pushes himself. He has already missed class because he went to work instead.
JJ is a very expressive individual. He is very self-reflective and is always mentioning his emotions within his work.
KK is a key member in my rowdiest table. What surprised me was how he reacted after I was very stern and strict with his table. He seems to appreciate a strong and structured leader and now frequently seeks my approval.
KL is a hard working perfectionist. She is always searching for the most effective way to complete a task. She rarely speaks in class, but always wants to discuss her ideas after school is out.
HL is definitely a visual learner. Showing her lots of examples is the best way to communicate what is expected from each assignment.
EM really likes a consistent routine. She appreciates having the plan written on the board so she knows what to expect throughout the entire class period.
RM is always critical of her work and the work of her peers around her. I feel that this stems from self-confidence issues so it is best to give her lots of positive reinforcement.
AP always lets you know what is on her mind. She is quiet and diligent during work time but she never hesitates to offer her opinion during class discussion. She is not afraid to take risks and likes assignments that offer room to experiment.
GR is often off task and needs constant reminders on directions. His peers easily distract him.
CR seems to have low self-esteem. She often says she is not capable of completing her assignment.
BR will work hard if an assignment provides lots of student choice. She does not like assignments that are very rigid. She is outgoing an always provides input during class.
JR is very anxious in front of his peers. He needs to be given a warning if he will be called on in front of class.
AS has a good sense of humor and work ethic. He is always seeking to improve his work. Instead of asking, “Is this good enough?” he asks, “How can I make this better?”
ES seems to take a long time to come to a decision about her artwork. She wants to know how it will look and all the steps to get there before she is willing to start. I often encourage her to just start working and allow some ideas to come in the process of creating.
IS is easily distracted. If he is separated from his friends he will work well but he often forgets the directions.
CS is very motivated in the arts. She is very talented and always puts extra work in her assignments. She is enrolled as a student in the first section of this class and as a student aide during the second section of this class. It is important to include variety in the two classes to keep her mind moving.
EU is very detail oriented. He is very focused on the fine details and creates work with high craftsmanship.
CW shows great potential but is easily distracted by his peers. The best way to get him motivated is to give him a deadline because he seems to work best when he is under a deadline.
NW usually sits alone and produces good work. He does not like to redo anything. When critiquing his work it is always best to start with “What if?” rather than, “You should.”
School wide Policies for Management, Conflict Resolution, Safe School and Students with Special Needs.
All CLPMS students are expected to follow the six P’s:
Be Prompt
Be Prepared
Be Polite
Produce
Participate
Problem solve
Cache la Poudre Middle School follows the Discovery model for classroom behavior management. This model uses “redirects” to inform a student that they are misbehaving and how this issue needs to be resolved. The following actions are used in every class in the school; each step is defined below:
Step 1. ASQ – Attending Skills Question
This step is reasonably relaxed and friendly. At the first sign of misbehavior the teacher will ask the student, “How are your attending skills right now?” “How can you fix it?” This is the student’s first redirect.
Step 2. NAB – Name a Behavior
The second redirect is more to the point. The teacher will make a direct statement about a specific behavior that needs to change. “This is your second redirect, you need to stop talking to your neighbor because you are a distraction to the rest of the class.” This step lets students know exactly what behavior issue they need to improve.
Step 3. PHIT – Private Hall Intervention Talk
The third redirect happens outside the classroom. The student now knows what specific issue they need to improve however they have continued to push that behavior. This is a problem-solving meeting. We have already addressed the specific issue that needs to be fixed by the second redirect, now we need to create a plan so the student can successfully return to the classroom.
Step 4. RAPS – Referral to Administration for Problem Solving
We always try to resolve behavior issues within three redirects. This essentially means that it is primarily the responsibility of the teacher to manage behavior issues within their own class first. If a student is particularly unruly, after the third redirect the student will receive an office referral. Once a student is sent to the office there will be a parent phone call and or conference set up. The student also faces possible in school suspension or even removal from that class.
Safety
There is an anonymous tip line that is available to students, parents, and staff 24 hours a day. If you ever or hear or see anything that compromises the safety of the school you are advised to call this number, (970) 488-7449. The School Resource Officer at CLPMS is Deputy Yarberry. Her presence is strong but kind. Seeing an officer in uniform walking the halls is a welcome reminder that CLPMS is a safe environment.
Students with Special Needs
Cheryl Duke is an exceptional counselor her at CLP. She is personally invested in all of the students here at school. She also regularly has meetings with staff to keep them informed of students who may be having difficulties in class. Every other Wednesday each department discusses ways to accommodate learners that are struggling in our classes. We also discuss ways to collaborate between departments to reach these students from multiple classroom settings.
Our school employs two educators involved in integrated services. These wonderful ladies have years of special education experience. They help provide caseloads for all students with special needs, which include insightful accommodations to make for each student.
Be Prompt
Be Prepared
Be Polite
Produce
Participate
Problem solve
Cache la Poudre Middle School follows the Discovery model for classroom behavior management. This model uses “redirects” to inform a student that they are misbehaving and how this issue needs to be resolved. The following actions are used in every class in the school; each step is defined below:
Step 1. ASQ – Attending Skills Question
This step is reasonably relaxed and friendly. At the first sign of misbehavior the teacher will ask the student, “How are your attending skills right now?” “How can you fix it?” This is the student’s first redirect.
Step 2. NAB – Name a Behavior
The second redirect is more to the point. The teacher will make a direct statement about a specific behavior that needs to change. “This is your second redirect, you need to stop talking to your neighbor because you are a distraction to the rest of the class.” This step lets students know exactly what behavior issue they need to improve.
Step 3. PHIT – Private Hall Intervention Talk
The third redirect happens outside the classroom. The student now knows what specific issue they need to improve however they have continued to push that behavior. This is a problem-solving meeting. We have already addressed the specific issue that needs to be fixed by the second redirect, now we need to create a plan so the student can successfully return to the classroom.
Step 4. RAPS – Referral to Administration for Problem Solving
We always try to resolve behavior issues within three redirects. This essentially means that it is primarily the responsibility of the teacher to manage behavior issues within their own class first. If a student is particularly unruly, after the third redirect the student will receive an office referral. Once a student is sent to the office there will be a parent phone call and or conference set up. The student also faces possible in school suspension or even removal from that class.
Safety
There is an anonymous tip line that is available to students, parents, and staff 24 hours a day. If you ever or hear or see anything that compromises the safety of the school you are advised to call this number, (970) 488-7449. The School Resource Officer at CLPMS is Deputy Yarberry. Her presence is strong but kind. Seeing an officer in uniform walking the halls is a welcome reminder that CLPMS is a safe environment.
Students with Special Needs
Cheryl Duke is an exceptional counselor her at CLP. She is personally invested in all of the students here at school. She also regularly has meetings with staff to keep them informed of students who may be having difficulties in class. Every other Wednesday each department discusses ways to accommodate learners that are struggling in our classes. We also discuss ways to collaborate between departments to reach these students from multiple classroom settings.
Our school employs two educators involved in integrated services. These wonderful ladies have years of special education experience. They help provide caseloads for all students with special needs, which include insightful accommodations to make for each student.