EDAD 694 – Chris Atkinson

Project 2 – March Madness Discipline Program

ISLCC Standard 5
ISLLC

School discipline is something that can be a large time consumer

for any middle school administrator. At Creekside, the Junior High
where I did my off-level internship, administrators determined that the
amount of time spent on discipline issues increases significantly in
March as it is the month that leads up to Spring Break. Therefore,
focusing on ISLCC standard five, I was able to help strengthen an annual
“positive behavior” program used to motivate student behavior and
therefore, decrease discipline referrals during the month of March.
The idea of the program is simple: use rewards to encourage
students not to receive discipline referrals. Below is a video that I
created where I interviewed the principal; this video was played to the
students to introduce the program.
 EDAD 694 – Chris Atkinson
Project 2 – March Madness Discipline Program
ISLCC Standard 5
ISLLC

This program essentially helps to promote a safe learning

environment for staff and students (ISLCC S3.P21).

In preparation for the launch of the program I filmed some

student-created skits that would be played for their peers to promote
our program: “March Madness.” Along with these videos there were
posters hung around the building, and I also created a website where
weekly updates were posted in order to communicate to the
community, staff, and students the weekly results.
In this particular project, my goal was to communicate the idea of
the March Madness discipline incentive program in a more streamlined
and efficient way. I believe I did this, and in turn, students worked to
treat staff, peers, and other community members with even more
respect and dignity. Modeling respect and dignity for everyone in the
school environment is a standard that needs to be set by the
administrator to see its reciprocal effects.
Using the office staff and resources to promote “March Madness”
was crucial to the success of the program. In order for us to keep
students focused on the goal we needed prizes that would really excite
a Junior High student to want to participate in this program. In order to
get prizes like a computer, iPods and gift cards we had to find the funds
necessary within the budget to purchase the items. Then working
together, we delegated responsibilities according to personal strengths
in order to allow the whole program to come together.
Overall, I developed ISLLC performances and dispositions that
reinforce the idea of the school leader as a role model, a public figure in
the community, and an ethical person of integrity.

1. How have your assumptions and beliefs been changed?

My assumptions have changed while doing this project in many

ways. When I first started my work at the Junior High level I had no
 EDAD 694 – Chris Atkinson
Project 2 – March Madness Discipline Program
ISLCC
ISLLC Standard 5

idea how much discipline the administrators dealt with on a daily basis.
At Creekside Junior High there are two assistant principals, and they
deal with almost 90% of all the discipline. This, of course, was
somewhat of a shock to me coming from the elementary where very
little of our administrator’s days are spent dealing with student
discipline cases. Over the course of my time at the Junior High and
through this project I saw how using a positive school culture to
incorporate programs really can help minimize the amount of time
spent on discipline (ISLCC S2.P3).
As a future administrator, I want my school culture to be a
positive environment where my staff is not afraid to try new things,
including incentive programs. This is directly related to how well the
school leader is able to develop a caring school community (ISLCC
S5.P7). This semester I also read an article by Jim Collins, author of
Good to Great. In this article Jim ponders the idea that values should
be directly tied into the organization’s vision. Jim says, “But there is a
big difference between being an organization with a vision statement
and becoming a truly visionary organization. The difference lies in
creating alignment— alignment to preserve an organization’s core
values, to reinforce its purpose, and to stimulate continued progress
towards its aspirations.” School leaders have to be able to align vision
and values.
At the onset of the project I was skeptical that this would actually
help lower student referrals. I was pleasantly surprised to see students
excited about the March Madness program and we saw a significant
decrease in student discipline referrals. Several students (all who met
the qualification of not having a referral) were chosen for prizes at
random during the last week. The winning grade level also won a
special celebration that took place in the gym, where they had a
cookout and were able to have some free socializing time.
This project was a huge success and it is something that I would
do if I were the school leader in a Junior High.
 EDAD 694 – Chris Atkinson
Project 2 – March Madness Discipline Program
ISLCC Standard 5
ISLLC

2. What ISLLC performances (skills) have YOU developed?

I have developed several ISLCC performances through my work on

the March Madness project. Some that I feel I have developed the
most are: ISLCC S5.P2 demonstrates values, beliefs, and attitudes that
inspire others to higher levels of performance, ISLCC S5.P6 treats
people fairly, equitably, and with dignity and respect, and ISLCC S5.P5
uses the influence of the office to enhance the educational program
rather than for personal gain.
I firmly believe in the saying “practice what you preach”. The
school leader is responsible to promote a safe positive school culture,
and one of the biggest factors in doing this is by modeling integrity and
ethical behavior. This is something that I did while I facilitated my
internship at Creekside. Unfortunately, modeling ethical behavior is
something that many principals seem to lack these days. In fact, this
year in the Indianapolis area (including the district where I teach and
conducted both internships) there have been news stories of principals
who have been pulled over for drunk driving and principals fired for
violating ISTEP procedures. As a school leader, you are choosing to put
yourself into the arena of a public figure and it is your responsibility to
maintain that image. When students and staff see integrity and ethical
behavior modeled, they are inspired to do the same.

3. Which ISLLC dispositions (attitudes) have YOU developed?

I have sharpened many of my ISLCC dispositions during the

facilitation of this project. Some of these dispositions are: ISLCC S5.D1
idea of the common good, ISLCC S5.D3 brining ethical principles to the
decision making process, ISLCC S5.D6 using the influence of the office
productively and constructively in the service of all students and
families, ISLCC S5.D7 development of a caring school community.
 EDAD 694 – Chris Atkinson
Project 2 – March Madness Discipline Program
ISLCC Standard 5
ISLLC

The dispositions that were developed are in step with the

performances practiced during this project. Again, the school leader
must be an example of ethical and just behavior.
During this project, it was crucial that I looked ethically at data
each week as I assessed who had the least amount of discipline
referrals. It could have been tempting to fudge numbers in order to
make students think it was closer than what it was, but in order to stay
ethical in the eyes of the staff, and by my own moral standard I did not.
The school leader must also work to shape a positive school
culture. The leader must work beside the community to initiate
programs that will help the school be seen as a positive learning
environment. The school must be developed and valued among the
community, this March Madness program promoted the school into the
community. The success of the project was communicated via a
website that was accessed by parents and other members of the
community. Theses dispositions developed will help me as a future
school leader.

4. How will you deal with this differently next time?

If I were to do this project over again I would use more of my staff

to promote the excitement of the project. It is not that students were
not excited to participate in the project, I just feel that if staff would
have been more proactive about promoting the website they could
have caused more of a buzz.
The prizes were fantastic; I cannot imagine promoting this project
without these awesome prizes (computer, gift cards, I-pods, and more).
I am proud of the way that I managed time in this project and was
able to collaborate with others. This project required strict deadlines in
order to be ready to roll out by March, it also required giving timely
updates to staff and students (done via web and a scrolling PowerPoint
 EDAD 694 – Chris Atkinson
Project 2 – March Madness Discipline Program
ISLCC Standard 5
ISLLC

during the day on school televisions). Making sure this all got done
required me to work with various stakeholders.

Artifacts Attached Below Rubric

Rubric On Next Page

 EDAD 694 – Chris Atkinson
Project 2 – March Madness Discipline Program
ISLCC Standard 5
ISLLC
RUBRIC FOR REFLECTIVE ESSAYS (Revised 6/07)
Name Chris Atkinson Date 3/28/09
Self-Assessment Score 99/100
Project Standard # (1-Vision, 2 – Culture/Instruction, etc.) : Standard 5
22 or 23 20
Excellent
Evidence of The essay clearly demonstrates
current knowledge and practice
Leadership & of effective leadership skills
Administrative such as collaboration,
communication, interaction with
Skills key stakeholders, identifying and
(23 points possible) resolving problems, organiza-
tional skills, & applying multiple
23 pts. perspectives to problems.
Professional The essay clearly demonstrates
professional growth through the
Growth analysis of experiences and
Through changing assumptions and
beliefs. There is evidence of
Analysis (23 new learning (being stretched).
points possible) Thoughtful self-assessment
23 pts. comments are included.
Application of The entire essay demonstrates a
clear, appropriate application
Standards, of the ISLLC standard &
Skills & the skills & dispositions to be
addressed for that standard.
Dispositions Responses to questions 2 and 3
(22 points possible) cite HOW Performances and
22 pts. Dispositions have been developed.
The artifact clearly substantiates
Artifact
(22 points possible) completion of the project and
will be a valuable addition to the
intern’s portfolio.
22 pts.
Meaning/ 10 8 6
Focus/ All writing is easily understood,
Grammar remains on topic, & has 0-1
(10 pts. possible) grammar errors.
9 pts.
Professor’s Score ________/100
18 16
Marginal
Essay provides minimal
evidence that effective
leadership and
administrative skills have
been practiced. Conclusions
show some alignment with
effective leadership
practices. Minimal use of
multiple perspectives.
Some professional growth is
evident and some basic
assumptions and beliefs
have changed. Self-
assessment comments are
minimal.
Most of the essay demonstrate
an appropriate application
of the ISLLC standard & the
skills & dispositions
to be addressed for that
standard.
The artifact minimally
documents the completion of
the project and is acceptable for
inclusion in the portfolio.
4 2
Most of the writing is easily
understood, remains on
topic, & has 2-3 grammar
errors.
14 < 12
Poor
No evidence of leadership and
administrative skills being
practiced. Conclusions do not
support current knowledge on
effective leadership practices.
No references to employing
multiple perspectives.
Experiences are usually
assessed from only one
perspective and little or no
change in assumptions or
beliefs are shown. Self-
assessment comments not
found.
None or little of the essay
demonstrates an
authentic application of
the ISLLC standard &
the skills & dispositions to be
addressed for that standard.
No artifact is provided or the
artifact does not authentically
document completion of the
project and should not be
included in the portfolio.
0
Some of the writing is
understood, does not remain
on topic and has 4 or more
grammar errors.
 EDAD 694 – Chris Atkinson
Project 2 – March Madness Discipline Program
ISLCC Standard 5
ISLLC

Videos I Created to Promote March Madness

- Skits were written by students
 EDAD 694 – Chris Atkinson
Project 2 – March Madness Discipline Program
ISLCC Standard 5
ISLLC

Website Created for Project:

http://www.wix.com/Catkinso/March-Madness-2009
94.7%

93.3%
94.1%
No, not the basketball
kind of madness!!
We are talking about
the kind of madness
caused by behavior!!!
Don’t let this
happen to you!
Prevent March
Madness!
Good behavior during March =
GREAT Rewards!!!