Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons^™

The Impact Of A Peer Mediation Program On The Reduction Of Suspensions Caused By Violence, Donna L. Covely

Theses and Dissertations

This study determined the effectiveness of the peer mediation program at Deptford Township High School, grades 9 through 12, in reducing student discipline problems. Furthermore, the study determined that peer mediation prevented further disputes and/or resolved current misunderstandings, that the disputants were able to resolve their differences constructively, and that mediation prevented disputes from developing into more serious matters. It determined that peer mediation helped to reduce student violence, lowered suspension rates, required less administrative time spent on discipline, and provided a more peaceful school environment.

There was no sample for this study. Any at-risk student in grades 9 through …

An Evaluation Of The Klark's Kids Program For At-Risk Students, Joann Dekatch-Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to observe and assess the effectiveness of the Klark's Kids program for at-risk students in Grades 7 and 8 in the Pittsgrove Township Middle School Annex by using an action research design.

The subject sample included thirty-three identifiable at-risk students in September 1998. Of this group, only five or six students attended due to the voluntary nature of the program. Forty-two new students were identified in the month of October. Of the eighteen who attended, only twelve to fifteen students came on a regular basis. Evaluation procedures included grades, standardized test scores, grade point …

The Overall Effectiveness Of A Peer Mediation Program At Millville Senior High School And The Development Of A Peer Mediation/Advisory Program For A Middle School, Kyriakos M. Evrenoglou

Theses and Dissertations

The first purpose of the study was to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of a peer mediation student assistance program. The means to accomplish the purpose of the study was to investigate the overall attendance, verbal, and physical interpersonal conflict among tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students at Millville Senior High School during the 1995-1996 and 1997-1998 school calendar years. A quantitative ex post facto design was employed. In addition, a subcommittee of stakeholders was developed to collaboratively develop a plan that would extend the goals and potential benefits associated with peer mediation programs in the future Lakeside Middle School …

Assessing The Effect Of Increased Student Accountability And Parental Involvement On Student Attendance At Middle Township High School, Gladys Lauriello

Theses and Dissertations

The study examined what effect increasing student accountability through a series of pre-set consequences enforced on a "zero tolerance" basis, coupled with increased parent involvement through prompt communication regarding all student absences and tardy arrivals, would have on attendance. The study was held at Middle Township High School in southern New Jersey, a semi-rural school of grades 9-12 with a student population of approximately 1,000, most of whom drive or ride a school bus. The data was assembled during the first semester of the 1998-99 school year. The study, which measured attendance, both lateness and absence, through surveys and statistical …

Assessing The Level Of Effective Communication In Schools, Amiot P. Michel

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the level of communication which exists in the elementary schools in the Millville School District. Miliville is currently in the process of developing Lakeside Middle School. Lakeside Middle School will be composed of staff members from the three K-7 elementary schools and the current 5th and 6th grade students in the six elementary schools.

Surveys were developed to assess the effectiveness of the communication systems currently existing in the six schools. Surveys were then distributed to the six elementary school principals, future staff members, and the parents of the 5th and 6th …

Improving Student Bus Behavior In An Elementary School Through The Use Of Video Cameras And An Incentive Program, Mary L. Steinhauer-Kula

Theses and Dissertations

This report focuses on two strategies used to improve student behavior on school buses at Silver Run School, an elementary school in Millville, New Jersey. The purpose of this comparative study was to determine whether or not the use of video cameras on school buses and the implementation of the "Best Bus" program, a behavior incentive program, leads to improved student behavior as measured by fewer discipline referrals. Two consecutive school years, 1997-1998 and 1998-1999, were studied. In the 1997-1998 school year, neither strategy was utilized, while both were implemented in the 1998-1999 school year. In addition to the quantitative …

A Model For Instructional Change: An Approach In Inquiry-Based Science Education, Kimberly Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study to describe the effectiveness of a change model on schools implementing an inquiry-based science program. Findings indicated that a model incorporating input from all of the stakeholders in the learning community and offering training and continuous support realized the most sustained and successful implementation. The model used included training upon request, turnkey trainers, parent meetings, teacher input on instruction, principal meetings, and opportunities to revise the program within the school year. Teachers, parents, and principals were surveyed and interviewed throughout the implementation. This data determined the focus of the training and support. The study was …

Encouraging Positive Behavior At The Elementary School Level, Maureen Czbas

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to develop a behavior management program that addressed ways to eliminate infractions that interfered with the students' learning process. This addition to the curriculum did not eliminate the district's discipline policy but instilled in the student body an awareness of social expectations. It was hoped that the awareness gave students the opportunity to acquire the behaviors that were socially acceptable in school and in society.

The new program engaged the total educational family of staff, students, parents, and administrators. It was built on structure and harmony, allowing for flexibility of classroom instruction. The program, …

World Language Program In Elementary Schools, Claire S. Whittaker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover and evaluate the effectiveness of a World Language Program on the elementary students of St. James Regional School using a schoolwide action research design. This study's result were formulated into an evaluation to parents, teachers, and administrations on the progress of a FLES Language Program.

This project took place at a small Catholic elementary school consisting of the students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. This school is small and located in an economically depressed area. There is little exposure to foreign language in the community and none has been taught in the …

Resolving Conflict Through Peer Mediation, Scott A. Heino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to develop and conduct a peer mediation program in the upper elementary grades at the Elizabeth Haddon Elementary School in order to reduce conflict among students and increase the students' ability to resolve conflicts. An action research methodology was implemented to support a school environment conducive to learning with minimum instances of conflict.

The site of the study is the Elizabeth Haddon Elementary School in Haddonfield, NJ. The population of the study involves all upper elementary students at the school. The population of the study includes 25 staff members as well as the 180 …

An Internship In School Business Administration In The Camden City Public Schools, Camden, New Jersey, 1998-1999, Donna M. Houston

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the implementation of a computerized food service system would improve the present financial and management conditions of the district's food service department, by eliminating costly mistakes that repeatedly requires the district to repay monies to the government.

During the initial stage of the project, food service directors from various school districts in New Jersey were instructed to complete a survey to determine the effectiveness of using a computerized system. Data gathered from these districts indicated that the use of computers in school food service departments can greatly enhance the management and …

The Suburban Middle Class At Risk: A Profile Of Students Who Are Referred To The Office, Carole Joyce Pearson

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to identify the at risk students at a suburban high school based on the frequency of referrals to the office, and to determine why these students continue to misbehave. A list of students called down to the office was provided daily. Using the Call Down List, names of students who were referred to the office most frequently were compiled. A random sample of 23 students frequently on the list was used to develop a profile of the nature of the misbehavior, and the administrative action taken; patterns of attendance, lateness, and academic standing …

Promoting Staff Development At Midway School, Noreen C. Glading-Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Midway School loses forty percent of its teaching staff on a yearly basis. The purpose of this study was to identify specific factors and their relationship to the absence of a professional development program. The study was designed to answer the questions of how professional development affects the attitudes and outlook of teachers, and was staff development the most effective way of achieving positive attitudes or enthusiasm for the teaching profession.

The researcher used six teachers from three distinct groups, all with at least ten years in the teaching profession. All six teachers had experienced either traditional or individual forms …

Gender Bias And Women In Leadership, Rose Mary Judge

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of implementing a stronger equity plan to career major areas whose students have experienced inequity in a vocational program that perpetuates gender bias and harassment of female students. This particular sample involves twenty-two students who are in non-traditional career major areas.

Interviews involved the Building Principal, the Affirmative Action Officer, a Guidance Counselor, and two Career Major teachers. Surveys were used to collect data from students in non-traditional career majors. Questionnaires were given to all academic teachers. Data analysis consisted of using the information from the interviews, surveys, …

A Study Of The Shamong Township School District's Middle School Program At The Indian Mills Memorial School, Caroline Elizabeth Kerfoot

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the present middle school program at the Indian Mills Memorial School, and create a new program. The program was based on research that enumerated the best practices in exemplary middle schools and the needs and characteristics of young adolescents.

The sample was the 51 teachers of the IMMS, five administrators, parents, and one class each from fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades.

The survey used was Middle Grades Assessment Program from the Center for Early Adolescence, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There were different surveys for students, parents, teachers, and …

Behavioral Change Encouraged Noncoercively: An Effectiveness Study Of Riverside Middle School's Time Out Room, Dennis S. Perry

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the newly implemented time-out room in changing the negative behavior that is exhibited by some middle school children. The time-out room is similar to the traditional in-school suspension room. The rooms differ in the duration of time that a student spends in the room and the services that the child receives while there. The student who was sent to the time-out room for behavior deemed unacceptable developed a plan to prevent any future reoccurrence of a similar offense. The student who spent time in the time-out room also received …

The Quality Of School Life Scale As A Predictive Indicator Of Student Disengagement From School, Sandra M. Lazar

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this ex post facto, action research project is to test the hypothesis that the Quality of School Life Scale (Epstein & McPartland, 1976) has the predictive capability to identify students, early in a school year, who later in the school year manifest traditional disengaged behaviors. If the hypothesis is supported and students who, as a group, score lower on the QSL Scale display significantly more traditional disengaged behaviors than higher scoring students, the finding would support using the QSL as a proactive assessment tool to identify students who are at-risk for disengagement.

This study has several phases: …

Professional Development Through The Use Of Technology, Joan M. Geraci

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to introduce the Gloucester County Special Services School District educators to the concept of using technology for the purpose of professional development.

A descriptive research method was used in the study that included a Technology Survey of the Compensatory Education Teachers. Surveys were distributed prior to and following the inservice component of the study. The technology survey instrument utilized was developed by the Intern and pretested by administrators and educators in the district. The frequency of responses were recorded and calculated into percentages for purposes of data analysis.

After experiencing exposure to the Internet …

Discipline That Builds Student Self-Discipline, Lory O'Brien

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of a discipline method that builds student self-discipline in the interaction of high school teachers and their students using an action research design. Implementing a discipline system that builds student self-discipline means increasing the effectiveness of teacher management of disruptive students and decreasing the number of disciplinary referrals that are sent to school administrators.

A strategy for training seventeen volunteer teachers in a new disciplinary technique was planned, implemented and evaluated. The teachers involved in the study participated in three workshop sessions designed to teach them a discipline strategy that …

A Quantitative Study Of The Relationship Between Academic Achievement And The Developmental Study Of Vocal And Instrumental Music, James R. Ponter

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a quantitative relationship existed between academic achievement as measured by California Achievement Test scores and the involvement of high school students in the developmental study of vocal and instrumental music.

The California Achievement Test Level 20 (CAT-5) scores of a cohort of 170 students were evaluated from grades nine and ten. Students were grouped according to whether they were involved in developmental vocal music, instrumental music, vocal and instrumental music programs, or no music study.

Reading, Language, and Mathematics scores for students in music programs were compared to non-music students using …

The Multiage Classroom, Gertrude E. Ward

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain a thorough understanding of the multiage classroom and to compare the academic and social performance of students in the traditional type classroom to students in a multiage classroom.

The subject of this study were 24 students in the traditional fifth grade classroom at the Hurffville Elementary School and the 30 multiage students in the fourth and fifth grade multiage classroom at the Thomas Jefferson School.

The academic performance was evaluated through the use of curriculum based tests in the area of Reading and Math. Student surveys were used to compare the development …

A Study Of The Educational Climate Of A Suburban Middle School And The Effects Administrative Decisions Have On That Climate, Joseph C. Beierschmitt

Theses and Dissertations

Statement of Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to discover the organizational climate of Collingswood Middle School by using a survey of the students and the staff to evaluate the institutional climate. The data was used to target specific behaviors to make institutional changes that would hopefully improve the climate of the school. The result of these changes were then evaluated with a second survey to determine the effectiveness of the organizational changes.

Description of Methodology:

The study for the assessment of the organizational climate involved surveying the views of the school's administration, the staff, and the students of …

Technology: An Imperative In Schools Today, Maria Malanga

Theses and Dissertations

This study identified, prioritized, and fulfilled technological needs of faculty and staff at an elementary school. A list of technological skills in ascending hierarchical order was devised. From the list, a needs analysis was devised. Through the use of the survey, the intern was able to glean a holistic view of the needs of the faculty. Due to financial constraints, the intern provided workshops to fulfill the needs. A comparison of skills both before the workshops and again afterward, showed a significant increase in computer competency in five of the eight indicators-specifically the ability to recognize hardware components, power up …

Effects Of Support Group Participation On Teachers, Scott Flanegin

Theses and Dissertations

The study observed, analyzed and evaluated the effects of support group participation on the psychological, emotional, and professional needs of teachers. The study used a qualitative research design to gather data on seven female high school teachers participating in a professional development group. The research instruments used included a pre- and post-survey, a questionnaire, and journal entries. The survey recorded data concerning each teacher's pattern of contacts with colleagues, level of job satisfaction, resources for problem-solving used by the individual, and demographic information. Data analysis tabulated and compared survey response percentages before and after the study. The questionnaire and journal …

Using Television & Video To Teach English For Bilingual Students, Thu N. Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the visual program was to stimulate the learning ability in an interesting way. Twenty bilingual students were organized into three condition groups; group A read with videotapes, group B read along and group C read textbook only. Group A and B were students of mixing levels of limited to close mastering level of speaking. Group C mixed students of limited English to none. There were six units of twelve lessons. The students of three groups took the same pretest and posttest for each unit. A final test was given out to measure the reading skills of previous …

Peer Mediation: One Component Of Student Conflict Resolution, Alicia A. Erney

Theses and Dissertations

The study was designed to identify the effectiveness of the peer mediation program instituted at Edgewood Regional Junior High School. A quantitative analysis would establish the validity of the program and replace perceptions with statistical documentation. The action based research design compared the number of disciplinary referrals resulting in suspension for fighting or student assault to the number of cases referred to mediation. The student population was comprised of approximately one thousand students in grades seven, eight, and nine. The mediation statistics were compiled on a monthly basis from the information contained on student forms that were kept as part …

The Development Of A Code Behavior For Holy Name Parish School, Patricia Coonelly Munyan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to review the current discipline code in the school and to revise it if necessary. The study was carried out at Holy Name Parish School in Camden, New Jersey. The predominantly Hispanic school had a student population of 96 in the sample group, grades five through eight. A committee comprising the intern, one faculty member, five students, and four family representatives reviewed the current code and examined codes of other schools.

The intern examined school records for statistics on student disciplinary problems and found that no formal records existed in this area. For her …

Interventions For Increasing Substitute Teachers In Camden City Public Schools, Linnell N. Wright

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover and describe any methods or strategies, which could be utilized to reduce or eliminate the shortage of substitute teachers in Camden City Public Schools. The design of the study was based on an action research model. Two areas of intervention were selected for the action research: (1) District level intervention and (2) Substitute teacher preparation intervention. Two populations were surveyed for data collection and analysis: substitute teachers who were new to Camden City Public Schools as of September 1998 and school district principals.

The surveys designed for this study were constructed to …

A Study Of The Use Of Voice Messaging Technology To Maximize School And Community Relationships, Luis A. Pagan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to implement a district-wide voice messaging service that will bridge the gap between our parents and teachers, as well as to provide teachers, parents, and community a communications tool to ensure access and awareness with continuous information and education to all members of the school community.

Surveys were issued before and after the implementation of the Hotline to assess how families felt about the type and quality of communications they have with teachers and administrators at their children's school. Families from elementary, middle and high school were randomly selected to participate. This approach is …

The Effects Of Professional Development On Student Performance Of At-Risk Students, Carol Mizrahi

Theses and Dissertations

The study focused on effective instructional strategies that could be used to improve student performance in the classroom and result in a classroom failure rate of less than 25%. The effects of a professional development workshop presented on instructional strategies were examined as they related to student performance.

The sample of this research consisted of eleven teachers who were required to attend a district-developed instructional strategies workshop based on a midterm failure rate more than 24% during the 1997-98 school year. Four methods of data collection were used: evaluation form, participant observations, interviews, and review of students' grades. The data …