Celebrating 75 Years: Boston College Law School 75th Anniversary Event Honoring Fr. Robert F. Drinan, S.J.

Boston College Law School held the kickoff event to celebrate the School's 75 years in existence on Monday, October 4, 2004, welcoming Father Robert F. Drinan, S.J., back to campus to address the Law School community. The celebration drew close to 300 people to campus as Father Drinan, who served as the Dean of BC Law from 1956 through 1970, kept the crowd enthralled with an energetic and inspiring speech. Drinan received the Law School's first Distinguished Service medal, in recognition of his many great contributions to the School, the legal profession, and the public interest.

School health policies and practices in Victoria- a comparison involving socio-economic status

Issue addressed: Health programs have been part of the responsibility of Victorian school education for 90 years. Yet rarely have there been studies to identify what is happening in school health promotion, or what the differences between schools might be, particularly in relation to the socioeconomic status of the school community and whether the school is in a metropolitan or regional area. Methods: In 1997 all Victorian schools (primary and secondary) in the State, Catholic and Independent systems were sent questionnaires in order to promote broader awareness about health promotion, and to identify what health programs, policies and activities the schools believed existed within their school community. A response rate of 43% was achieved, and results were collated under the six domains of the Health Promoting School model as outlined by the Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organisation. Data analysed in this paper compared highest versus lowest quartiles for socioeconomic status (SES), and schools in metropolitan Melbourne versus regional areas. Results: Most differences between schools based on socioeconomic status occurred in secondary schools and were related mainly to environmental policies and practices, use of back packs, the presence of safety policies, involvement of parents in school activities and the provision of services for mental and social health needs. All differences were in favour of the highest SES quartile schools. Environmental policies and procedures, and school-based health and welfare services were present more often in metropolitan schools than in regional and rural schools. Conclusion: Although there were notable differences between schools, the audit results pointed to more similarities than differences between schools in the highest and lowest SES quartiles for health-related policies and practices; there were even fewer differences between metropolitan and non-metropolitan schools. So what: Regardless of the actual advantages and disadvantages schools experience with respect to location or socioeconomic status, it is important to understand that school staff perceive that they can and do have reasonably comprehensive health policies, procedures and practices to address health issues. Nevertheless, clear differences between schools did emerge in certain health areas and findings will assist policy making and the allocation of limited resources.

Addressing the potential adverse effects of school-based BMI assessments on children

Introduction. Do child obesity prevention research and intervention measures have the potential to generate adverse concerns about body image by focussing on food, physical activity and body weight? Research findings now demonstrate the emergence of body image concerns in children as young as 5 years. In the context of a large school-community-based child health promotion and obesity prevention study, we aimed to address the potential negative effects of height and weight measures on child wellbeing by developing and implementing an evidence-informed protocol to protect and prevent body image concerns. fun 'n healthy in Moreland! is a cluster randomised controlled trial of a child health promotion and obesity prevention intervention in 23 primary schools in an inner urban area of Melbourne, Australia. Body image considerations were incorporated into the study philosophies, aims, methods, staff training, language, data collection and reporting procedures of this study. This was informed by the published literature, professional body image expertise, pilot testing and implementation in the conduct of baseline data collection and the intervention. This study is the first record of a body image protection protocol being an integral part of the research processes of a child obesity prevention study. Whilst we are yet to measure its impact and outcome, we have developed and tested a protocol based on the evidence and with support from stakeholders in order to minimise the adverse impact of study processes on child body image concerns.

Creating digital divas-scaffolding perception change through secondary school and university alliances

Over the last 20 years much has been done to encourage female students to choose computing courses and computing careers. Some instances of positive effects have been reported, yet the proportional disparity in gender in this discipline continues to grow. This paper reports on a program called 'Digital Divas'. Digital Divas aims to scaffold positive perceptions around computing in the early years of secondary school by involving female students in upbeat computing experiences over a semester. It introduces university undergraduates to the secondary classroom to provide informal role models and mentors, as well as interactions with young computing professionals. This classroom environment enables computer applications to be more strongly linked with future careers. The commitment to a semester length unit was influential in changing perceptions about girls and computing, and the program was supported by the wider school community. We posit that this type of curriculum intervention is needed and has the potential to build technical human capital in female students.

Assessing cost-effectiveness in obesity : active transport program for primary school children— TravelSMART schools curriculum program

Background: To assess from a societal perspective the cost-effectiveness of a school program to increase active transport in 10- to 11-year-old Australian children as an obesity prevention measure.
Methods: The TravelSMART Schools Curriculum program was modeled nationally for 2001 in terms of its impact on Body Mass Index (BMI) and Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) measured against current practice. Cost offsets and DALY benefits were modeled until the eligible cohort reached age 100 or died. The intervention was qualitatively assessed against second stage filter criteria (‘equity,’ ‘strength of evidence,’ ‘acceptability to stakeholders,’ ‘feasibility of implementation,’ ‘sustainability,’ and ‘side-effects’) given their potential impact on funding decisions.
Results: The modeled intervention reached 267,700 children and cost $AUD13.3M (95% uncertainty interval [UI] $6.9M; $22.8M) per year. It resulted in an incremental saving of 890 (95%UI –540; 2,900) BMI units, which translated to 95 (95% UI –40; 230) DALYs and a net cost per DALY saved of $AUD117,000 (95% UI dominated; $1.06M).
Conclusions: The intervention was not cost-effective as an obesity prevention measure under base-run modeling assumptions. The attribution of some costs to nonobesity objectives would be justified given the program’s multiple benefits. Cost-effectiveness would be further improved by considering the wider school community impacts.

Volunteering in a school kitchen garden program : cooking up confidence, capabilities and connections!

This paper reports on the evaluation of a kitchen garden program in primary schools in Victoria, Australia. It focuses on the motivations, impacts, and issues associated with volunteering in the program. The study revealed that volunteers are drawn from a range of sources, including: families of current and former students, former teachers, local residents, clients of aged care and/or disability services, other schools and communities, local universities, community organizations, the community services sector, and the corporate sector. Benefits to volunteers included: opportunities to use time productively, an increased sense of belonging, learning opportunities, and an increased sense of self-worth and enjoyment. For schools, volunteers enhanced engagement between the school and the local community, enabled them to engage more effectively with hard to reach groups, and increased student engagement. In addition, the involvement of volunteers improved the sustainability of the program, improved communication between teachers and families of students from minority ethnic groups, and gave students the chance to relate to new people, to learn from their experience and to have fun in working with the volunteers. Perhaps the most telling benefits to flow both to students and to volunteers were not the “three Rs—reading, w’riting and a’rithmetic” but the three Cs—confidence, capabilities, and connections. However, a clearly identified issue was the importance of matching volunteers’ motivations and needs with the roles they play to sustain current levels of volunteering and, therefore, the program itself.

Reassessing the theorisation of community experience within the digitally mediated, global context

This paper argues that the changing environment in which community experience occurs requires re-theorisation within the digitally mediated, global context. A range of work has certainly emerged addressing this, but there is more to be done, including tracing a theoretical lineage of community studies.

Beginning with the early Chicago School, community was described as geographically bounded. Decades later, community experience meditated by digital technology has been commonly understood to be about virtual community. Ironically, many virtual community scholars have perpetuated the Chicago School perspective in examinations of online groupings, the only difference being that such ‘boundedness’ now referred to relatively fixed locations in cyberspace.

As an emerging alternative, a parallel range of literature has focused upon the immersion of ICT-mediated social relations into everyday life. It is argued that Wellman’s networked individualism provides a way to integrate the online/offline mediated social experience, however it is not a sufficiently complete metaphor to describe spatially distributed, mediated community experiences. From the work of Robert Park, a member of the early Chicago School, the idea of the social ‘ecology’ of place can be adapted to provide a connecting thread into digitally mediated ecologies of community experience. 

An analysis of the role of teachers’ aides in a state secondary school: perceptions of teaching staff and teachers’ aides

In Victoria, Australia, one of the major roles of the teachers’ aide (TA) is to assist students with disabilities to access their education. Researchers have identified the inconsistencies in defining the roles of the TA, in a variety of settings, by TAs, teachers, parents, and other research participants. Four main themes that have been frequently reported in educational research related to the role of TAs formed the basis for this study: (a) inclusion in the school community, (b) curriculum, (c) classroom management, and (d) student support. Drawing on the results of a questionnaire administered to teachers and TAs at a government nonselective secondary school in Victoria, Australia, data were collected to explore the differing perspectives on the role of the TAs by the teaching staff and the TAs. In all, 65 individuals participated in this study. The participants formed 3 groups: TAs (n = 10), teachers (n = 49), and T/TAs (n = 6; participants in this group had worked as both a teacher and TA). The results of the study showed a diversity of views across the 4 themes. In 3 of the 4 themes that included inclusion, classroom management, and student support, the 3 groups agreed on the role of the TA. In the remaining theme, curriculum, opinions varied significantly. The results of the study reveal that a concerted effort to clarify the role of TAs would be beneficial to all stakeholders.

Scaffolding and bilingual shared reading experiences: Promoting primary school students' learning and development

This paper explores the connections between scaffolding, second language learning and bilingual shared reading experiences. A socio- cultural theory of cognition underpins the investigation, which involved implementing a language and culture awareness program (LCAP) in a year 4 classroom and in the school community. Selected passages from observations are used to analyse the learning of three students, particularly in relation to languages other than English (LOTE). As these three case study students interacted in the classroom, at home and in the community, they co-constructed, appropriated and applied knowledge form one language to another. Through scaffolding, social spaces were constructed, where students learning and development were extended through a variety of activities that involved active participation, such as experimenting with language, asking questions and making suggestions. Extending these opportunities for student learning and development is considered in relation to creating teaching and learning environments that celebrate socio-cultural and linguistic diversity.

Successful and sustained leadership: A case study of a Jesuit high school president

Fr. Marcelino García, S.J. has been the president of Belen Jesuit Preparatory School for 25 years. The longevity and success of his tenure is an exemplary case of effective leadership and provided significant insight into what constitutes effective school leadership. The target population for this case study consisted of the school’s 7 administrators, 90 faculty members, 10 English-speaking staff members, and 3 key informants. Data were collected using Bolman and Deal’s (1997) Leadership Orientation Survey along with the Jesuit Secondary Education Administration’s (1994) Administrative Leadership Profile Survey (ALPS). Data collected from the surveys were analyzed using the SPSS, version 10. The study also included data collected from focus interviews with Fr. García and six other significant members of the school community. The interviews were approximately 1-hour individual interviews that employed a semi-structured guide. A concurrent triangulation method was used that directly compared the results from these data collection methods. This was done by looking at the data as a whole and in parts. The parts were internal (faculty, administrators, and staff) and external (parents, alumni, and the superior of the Jesuit community) sectors. The comparison of the findings was then examined in terms of each research question. Analysis of the data revealed that while Fr. García’s predominant leadership style reflected the typical Bolman and Deal characteristics associated with the political frame, his leadership demonstrates access to all four frames. Research has found a correlation between multiple frame use and successful leadership. Relatedly, Fr. García’s capacity to approach his administration from various perspectives is indicative of success. In addition, from the perspective of Jesuit education, an analysis of Fr. García’s leadership indicated recurring themes that contributed to the school’s organizational health. The results of this study provide an extensive analysis of the administration of a unique leader. An analysis of Fr. García’s leadership style from two perspectives gives fresh insight into sustained and successful leadership.

Character education in a Muslim school: A case study of a comprehensive Muslim school's curricula

Deteriorating social behavior, negative media influence and violence among adolescents have given cause to pause and assess character development for the youth of this country. The purpose of this case study was to examine how a Muslim school’s curricula implemented character education. This study used a qualitative single-case methodology to examine character education as it was experienced by the participants in a private Muslim school. Data were collected from participant interviews, document analysis, and observations of classrooms, daily activities and special events. Data were analyzed to determine how character education was defined by the school, the method of delivery for the character education initiatives and the implementation of character education in this Muslim school. Analysis was based on Character Education Partnership’s (CEP) Eleven Principles of Effective Character Education (2007). The results of the study revealed: (a) participants defined character education using varied traits, processes, and expected behaviors. (b) The school delivers its character education curriculum primarily through the Islamic studies division; an add-on delivery method. Still, there was evidence of partial integration of character education in the core courses and (c) based on CEP’s Eleven Principles four were present and five were partially present in the school’s character education initiatives. Findings also revealed that the school’s emphasis on values, morality and spirituality was instrumental in their teaching character. Findings suggest that if participants in the school community work together they might formulate a definition of character education based on common process and expected behavior and create a collaborative working relationship to implement a character education program. Finally, addressing the absent and partially absent elements of the eleven principles could enhance the school’s character education initiatives. The study provides a process by which religious schools could examine their character education programs. The criteria used to measure the use of character education elements are transferable to other settings; however, this method of study does not allow generalization of findings.

The effects of the ethic of care in an all-boys school from 1903 to 1974

Nel Noddings’ 1984 publication, Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral Education was the first formal introduction of the concept of an “ethic of care”. It is a concept that stresses the importance of compassion in any relationship. For the purpose of this dissertation, the ethic of care was studied in a specific educational community. ^ This research focused on the role of care ethics in a secondary school (The Ransom School for Boys) from 1903 to 1974. The researcher identified this school as one that operated with an ethic of care and collected and analyzed data from historical school documents as well as from 60–90 minute individual interviews with six alumni, five retired faculty, and two administrators. ^ The case study addressed how students and faculty experienced care ethics within the school and how it has been maintained throughout the adult lives of alumni. An a priori coding rubric was used to examine the presence of care ethics at the Ransom School for Boys and in the adult lives of its alumni. This rubric was generated using information taken from the literature review and encompasses 36 different words to identify the presence of care ethics. ^ The primary research question was: How have alumni incorporated care ethics into their personal and professional lives? Secondary questions included: (1) How did the ethic of care present itself over the span of 71 years? (2) Was character education part of the formal curriculum at the Ransom School? (3) Was character education part of the hidden curriculum at the Ransom School? (4) Did the presence of care ethics support the values being taught in the home? ^ While there has been research done on the importance of care ethics in an educational institution, the research is void of direct evidence associated with care ethics in a school community, specifically, an all-boys, private school. Through deductive analysis, care ethics was found to be present and utilized at the school. The interviews and historical documents suggested that moral education was an integral part of the informal curriculum and helped to integrate the ethic of care within the community.^

Understanding and Developing Parental Involvement In My School

In the early years of the current decade, I spearheaded my school's and school board's participation in a research program on parental involvement led by Kenneth Leithwood from the Ontario Institute for Students in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. Despite all the extensive work I did as part of this research program and the ongoing professional reading I have done with respect to parental involvement and engagement, I have yet to share fully the knowledge gained with my staff or our parent community. Therefore, this purpose of this master's project is to provide a means for such dissemination. To do so, I have created two parallel presentations/workshops: one for staff during out first professional development day in September and one for parents at their second Parent Council meeting in October. The final chapter moves beyond these workshops to allow me to reflect on the progress made to date with parental engagement in my school and to look forward toward where I as Principal hope to lead my school community in the future.

The intersectorial approach in providing guidance and school support. The perspective of counsellors, tutors and principals

The provision of guidance and educational support requires joint work and the collaboration of different professionals and institutions, especially when we face complex problems that require a high level of specialization and the combination of knowledge from different areas. The research has aimed to examine the proximity of the institutional system of guidance and support to school in nine Autonomous Communities, to the intersectorial approach of counselling. We present the results of a descriptive study using the survey method, which allows knowing the opinions of counsellors, tutors and principals of Primary and Secondary Compulsory Education about the collaboration with the local public services (social, health, education, and employment) in the specialized support to students and schools. The final sample consisted of 9732 subjects who were selected from a random sampling proportional to the size of the subpopulations of each Autonomous Community. Results indicate how, in general terms, there is collaboration among the school and the local public services, although not as frequently as it would be desirable. In the same way, the professionals that were interviewed believe that the collaboration with social and educational services is quite adequate, but the assessment is not as positive when health and employment services are analysed. Finally, taking into account the different professionals considered, tutors from both educational stages are the ones that show a higher degree of satisfaction with the collaboration between the school and the local public services, except in the case of social services.

Tying it Together: Education-Focused Community Change Initiatives

Policymakers make many demands of our schools to produce academic success. At the same time, community organizations, government agencies, faith-based institutions, and other groups often are providing support to students and their families, especially those from high-poverty backgrounds, that are meant to impact education but are often insufficient, uncoordinated, or redundant. In many cases, these institutions lack access to schools and school leaders. What’s missing from the dominant education reform discourse is a coordinated education-focused approach that mobilizes community assets to effectively improve academic and developmental outcomes for students. This study explores how education-focused comprehensive community change initiatives (CCIs) that utilize a partnership approach are organized and sustained. In this study, I examine three research questions: 1. Why and how do school system-level community change initiative (CCI) partnerships form? 2. What are the organizational, financial, and political structures that support sustainable CCIs? What, in particular, are their connections to the school systems they seek to impact? 3. What are the leadership functions and structures found within CCIs? How are leadership functions distributed across schools and agencies within communities? To answer these questions, I used a cross-case study approach that employed a secondary data analysis of data that were collected as part of a larger research study sponsored by a national organization. The original study design included site visits and extended interviews with educators, community leaders and practitioners about community school initiatives, one type of CCI. This study demonstrates that characteristics of sustained education-focused CCIs include leaders that are critical to starting the CCIs and are willing to collaborate across institutions, a focus on community problems, building on previous efforts, strategies to improve service delivery, a focus on education and schools in particular, organizational arrangements that create shared leadership and ownership for the CCI, an intermediary to support the initial vision and collaborative leadership groups, diversified funding approaches, and political support. These findings add to the literature about the growing number of education-focused CCIs. The study’s primary recommendation—that institutions need to work across boundaries in order to sustain CCIs organizationally, financially, and politically—can help policymakers as they develop new collaborative approaches to achieving educational goals.