Implementing CSIjr at the Elementary School

CSIjr was begun as a way for high school students to take an active role in school improvement. The first group, Kinnick High School 2004, attended faculty meetings and staff developments, led data review assemblies for their peers, and made presentations to faculty and students at their school, other schools, and at various workshops and conferences. When the first elementary schools expressed an interest in starting CSIjr at their schools, I was skeptical. How much of what my CSIjr students did would the elementary students be able to do? And would elementary students even be interested in school improvement?

As any educator knows, the minute you start to have doubts about your students’ abilities, they will surprise you. The elementary students were no exception: there are now successful CSIjr groups in several elementary schools, including Charonda Cosey’s at Sullivans Elementary, which has many pre-school student members.

Some of the successes, pitfalls, ideas... Elementary School CSIjr groups have:

* formed a PARTNERSHIP with CSIjr at a local secondary school. The students from the secondary school are volunteering to teach Cornell notes, one of their interventions, to the elementary classes. As a result of the first meeting, the two CSIjr chairs are also planning on having more interaction between their two groups.

* had students creating posters for the mission statement and then explaining the mission to the faculty at a meeting.

*had students act as guides for the Open House - CSIjr students, wearing badges, greet parents at the door and offer to escort them to their child's classroom. If you're having someting like "Reading Night", where parents would go from class to class in a group, have a CSIjr student carry a signboard on a stick, indicating which group he/she's leading. and lead the group from class to class.

*Had groups of CSIjr students go to classrooms and explain school improvement and the school's plan to the students.