DRAFT. Executive Summary. RYO Correctional Facility School. Steve Piccard 360 Galen St Deer Lodge, MT

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1 Steve Piccard 360 Galen St Deer Lodge, MT Document Generated On November 1, 2012

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Description of the School 2 School's Purpose 4 Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement 6 Additional Information 8

3 Introduction Every school has its own story to tell. The context in which teaching and learning takes place influences the processes and procedures by which the school makes decisions around curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The context also impacts the way a school stays faithful to its vision. Many factors contribute to the overall narrative such as an identification of stakeholders, a description of stakeholder engagement, the trends and issues affecting the school, and the kinds of programs and services that a school implements to support student learning. The purpose of the Executive Summary (ES) is to provide a school with an opportunity to describe in narrative form the strengths and challenges it encounters. By doing so, the public and members of the school community will have a more complete picture of how the school perceives itself and the process of self-reflection for continuous improvement. This summary is structured for the school to reflect on how it provides teaching and learning on a day to day basis. Page 1

4 Description of the School Describe the school's size, community/communities, location, and changes it has experienced in the last three years. Include demographic information about the students, staff, and community at large. What unique features and challenges are associated with the community/communities the school serves? Description of School Reintegrating Youthful Offenders (RYO) facility is operated by Community, Counseling, and Correctional Services, Inc. (CCCS) which is a private, not-for-profit, 501-c (3) corporation that was incorporated in Headquartered in Butte, Montana, CCCS provides services for local, state, and federal agencies including correctional and other human service programs designed for adults and juveniles. In 2002, CCCS successfully responded to a competitive RFP issued by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) to design, build, finance, and operate a 60-bed secure detention facility in Galen, Montana. The total cost for this project was $9.6 million. RYO is recognized as one of the finest juvenile correctional facilities in the country. The facility has received American Correctional Association (ACA) accreditation typifying RYO and CCCS' commitment to be held to the highest correctional standards. RYO is located in Galen, Montana, in southwestern part of the state. Galen is a small farming, ranching community that does not offer community services. The facility has two housing pods that are able to host 24 youthful offenders in each pod. Approximately 95% of the youthful offenders are from various Native American Tribes from Montana, Arizona, North Dakota, South Dakota and California. In addition to the pods we have a short term housing area for youthful offenders from various counties throughout Western Montana that has 12 units. The education staff consists of seven full time teachers, part time librarian, part time school psychologist, and full time principal. Five of the educational staff has been employed by CCCS for 8 to 10 years. All staff is accredited through the Montana Office of Public Instruction. The Principal has been at RYO since July, During the past 27 months the facility has included many positive changes that enhance the reintegrating of all youthful offenders back into society. The following are changes that occurred during the last three years: ï± Principal started at RYO in July, 2010 ï± Developed a student handbook to assist the offenders and staff ï± Created educational incentive programs to motivate the offenders ï± Created individual educational files for each offender in all academic areas to monitor progress, assess various learning styles and create a program for each individual within all classes ï± Hired a highly qualified staff member from the state of California to teach various science courses. ï± Hired a teacher to expand our math program and enhance each offenders ability to understand basic math content, introduce Algebra and offer elevated curriculum to offenders which have significant college aspirations RYO has very unique challenges that must be met daily in the educational classroom. Each teacher offers various subjects for the 5 periods taught daily. Each class size is from 8-10 offenders in which the offenders could all be in different academic subject areas in the same room. RYO correctional facility educational department is on a year round school year that consists of 5 quarters. The offenders can earn.25 to.50 credits per quarter in each class. To earn a high school diploma each offender must earn 20 credits in all academic areas. Page 2

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6 School's Purpose Provide the school's purpose statement and ancillary content such as mission, vision, values, and/or beliefs. Describe how the school embodies its purpose through its program offerings and expectations for students. Community, Counseling, Correctional Services, Inc. CCCS Our Mission CCCS is a team of individuals dedicated to meeting the human service needs of youth and adults to promote healthy living through education, treatment, training, and supervision. Our Vision CCCS is a company, through diversity, that continues to change lives, one-life-at-a-time, one-day-at-a-time, by providing services and programs in need. Reintegrating Youthful Offenders RYO The Mission of RYO Correctional Facility Education Department: o To provide opportunities for at-risk students to develop skills, attitudes, and knowledge for moving into the next phase of their lives. o To enhance personal growth opportunities for the purpose of reintegrating back into the communities. o To collaborate with parents, outreach programs, aftercare providers and the community to meet at-risk youth's ever changing needs and expectations. o To continually access and utilize the available financial/physical resources for the development of educational programs. The Vision RYO Correctional Facility is to decrease recidivism rate and to transition our youth back into educational environments and job assistance programs upon discharge. o Develop and support positive, motivated staff o Meet the needs and expectations of each youth o Maximize the potential of each student o Effectively implement curriculum and develop professional growth Page 4

7 School Wide Learning Expectations Life-Long Learners who: ï± Demonstrate mastery of basic academic subjects ï± Self motivated and cooperative ï± Demonstrate the ability to work independently and collaboratively ï± A responsible citizen ï± Display's and uses knowledge of technology ï± Appreciate the fine arts Effective Communicators who: ï± Express themselves through writing ï± Ability to speak effectively ï± Listen and respond appropriately to the views of others Self-Aware Individuals who: ï± Respect all people and living things ï± Are able to set realistic goals ï± Show a respect for discipline A Physically Well-Balanced Individual who: ï± Shows teamwork, leadership, and independence ï± Show respect for physical and emotional health ï± Recognize needs of and participates in community service ï± Respects self and others' property, opinions, beliefs, rights, and cultures RYO embodies it purpose through various programs and our learning expectations. With the facility being a residential treatment facility we have the opportunity to work with all offenders 24/7. This enhances the opportunity to deliver our expectations for each youthful offender. Page 5

8 Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement Describe the school's notable achievements and areas of improvement in the last three years. Additionally, describe areas for improvement that the school is striving to achieve in the next three years. Notable Achievements and areas of improvement The administration and educational staff have made some notable achievements in the last three years. The reintegration of youthful offenders back to their communities or society is a complex task. The staff has explored and included programs to enhance each offender's ability to be successful upon release. The following programs are some of the achievements that have taken place in the last three years: Achievements o National Wildfire Training-Youthful offenders attend and complete 40 hours of training within the facility each spring. (5 year certificate) o Flagging Certification-Youthful offenders successfully complete a 16 hours of training to enhance their employment opportunities when released (3 year certificate) o Medicine Wheel-Youthful offenders examined various ways in which the medicine wheel is used in various tribes. Balance seemed to be a key philosophy within each tribe. o 93 % rate of all offenders receiving a high school diploma or GED. o ACT tests administered in the facility o Sylvan Reading Program - gains of 1.5 grade levels in Math, Reading, Spelling Visiting Team Report: December, 2011 Commendations and Recommendations Notable Achievements: Commendations ï± The school has data available to assess the school's progress in achieving social expectations of the student. ï± Teachers try to individualize instruction to meet the student learning needs. ï± Technology is in the classrooms and is available to increase student achievement. ï± Teachers meet collaboratively with the principal every Wednesday. ï± Many staff members expressed that the educational component of RYO has improved since the current principal was hired. It was common to hear that he provides positive leadership and is trying to better the atmosphere to better student learning. ï± The climate of the school is safe, positive, and supportive. ï± Student records are maintained in a confidential and secure manner. ï± The school provides special education services related to the identification, monitoring, and referral of students. ï± The school has a current health service plan that includes on site registered nursing services, dental services, and other medical services. ï± All advertising and promotional literature is truthful and ethical. ï± The facility manager has a great program for making sure that equipment is adequate, properly maintained, catalogued, and replaced when needed. ï± The principal is leading improvement efforts by his words and actions as well as by example. ï± The school improvement effort is externally validated on a periodic basis. The external monitoring report is used as the improvement plan to meet federal accountability requirements. Page 6

9 ï± The school support services are some of the best in Montana's schools. The school is commended for giving students better services than they would receive away from the facility. ï± The facilities are well kept. A sense of pride in the building can be felt when walking through the facility. Areas of Improvement: Recommendations ï± Adjust learning expectations to focus more on academic expectations. These need to be aligned with the mission statement and the common core standards. ï± A curriculum showing a scope and sequence to learner outcomes should be created for every content area. This will be accomplished for English and Math that will align with the common core standards for Montana. ï± Teachers need to base classroom assessment on student learning ï± Students were engaged in most lessons that were observed, however a system of immediate feedback from students needs to be developed. ï± Analysis of instruction strategies was not evident during the visit. ï± The professional development program must allow for opportunities for teachers to collaborate in developing a broad range of student assessment strategies. ï± A priority on surveying assessment results to drive curriculum and instruction is vital. ï± School administrator must be given sufficient authority to lead the school in achieving the mission, beliefs, and expectations. ï± The school needs to continue building on the strengths of their school services. Although the principal and case manager are currently providing guidance services, all educational staff should receive training to act as advisors for the students. ï± The principal must have a more active involvement in the budgetary process set by the corporation. Although the main focus is not education at RYO, if an educational component is going to stay part of a student's program, more funding must be spent on student instruction. Most of the educational materials are purchased with Title I Part D money. ï± The financial resources are not to provide services to all the students in the facility. The materials are brought to support those students in the high school graduation track with little additional material purchased for the GED or college bound students. Page 7

10 Additional Information Provide any additional information you would like to share with the public and community that were not prompted in the previous sections. Page 8