Agenda:

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Agenda TRUE Initiative Past, Present,
Future Constance Macek, TRUE Project
Coordinator TRUE Evaluation Dr. Debra Lively,
SVSU, TRUE Evaluator TRUE in the
Community Judge Faye Harrison The Peddlesfoots
in Action Adele Martin, Principal, List
Elementary Making Character Education
Visible Rich Van Tol, TRUE Project
Director Anita Collins and Lisa Workman, TRUE
Trainers

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TRUE Initiative Past, Present,
Future Constance Macek, TRUE Project Coordinator

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Our Goal Promoting character traits in young
children as a mechanism to
Encourage positive child behaviors Enhance
literacy academic achievement
Promote parental involvement
Prevent problem behaviors later in life

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Peddlesfoots Character Traits

• Trustworthiness
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Fairness
• Citizenship

• Caring
• Perseverance
• Courage
• Self-Discipline

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• 2006 We Got It!
• Partners in Character Education Grant
  recipientUSDOE Office of Safe and Drug-Free
  Schools, since the 1990s
• Saginaw ISD, Saginaw Community, Creating
  Character partnership
• First time Saginaw County has received this
  particular federal funding
• Approximately 300 applicants nationallyonly 35
  recipients
• Only two other projects received funding in
  Michigan
• TRUE the only early childhood program

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In the Community Year One (2006-2007) Approxi
mately 100 teacher kits and 800 parent kits of
the Peddlesfoots curriculum were distributed to
over 25 non-profit and faith-based organizations
working with families and children in Saginaw
County, such as Habitat for Humanity
Rescue Mission Women of Color
Ezekiel Project Big Brothers/Big
Sisters Boys and Girls Clubs
Underground Railroad
Mexican-American Council Training was provided
for all participants

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• In the Community Year One (2006-2007)
• Participated in Harvards Project Zero Five Day
  Training
• Incorporated Thinking Routines and Visible
  Thinking into the Curriculum
• Developed the Evaluation Design

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• In the Schools Year Two (2007-2008)
• Over 50 kindergarten classrooms used the
  Peddlesfoots curriculum!
• Representing all 13 school districts in Saginaw
  County
• Representing public, private, and parochial
  schools
• Training was provided for all participants

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In the Home Year Two (2007-2008) Over 900
parent kits were distributed to parents of
kindergarteners in Saginaw County

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• In the Schools Year Three (2008-2009)
• Over 50 first grade classrooms used the
  Peddlesfoots curriculum!
• Representing all 13 school districts in Saginaw
  County
• Representing public, private, and parochial
  schools
• Training was provided for all participants

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In the Schools Year Four (2009-2010) Experime
ntal Design with Saginaw County Preschools Head
Start, private, and Great Start Readiness
Programs In the Home Year Four
(2009-2010) Kits to participating families The
control group will receive training and materials
in the subsequent academic year

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TRUE Evaluation Dr. Debra Lively, SVSU,
TRUE Evaluator

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• Rigorous Evaluation Component
• Submission to SVSU Institutional Review Board,
  May 2007
• Evidence Based
• Character Improvement
• Academic Improvement-Literacy
• Evaluation Design  Successive Cohort Model
• Materials  Peddlesfoots Curriculum Visible
  Thinking (Harvards Project Zero)

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• Impact Year One
• 1,236 Kindergartners
• 24 Schools and 10 Community Partner Agencies
• 50 Teachers, 14 administrators, 10 other school
  staff
• 908 Families

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Impact Year One Listening skills Target
80 Actual 81.8 Speaking skills Target
80 Actual 80.9 Reading skills Target 80
Actual 81.6 Emerging writing skills Target
80 Actual 86.1 Behavior (Teacher
Rating) Target 80 Actual 95.2 Behavior
(Parent Rating) Target 80 Actual 86.8

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TRUE in the Community Judge Faye Harrison

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The Peddlesfoots in Action Adele Martin,
Principal, List Elementary

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True Initiative List Elementary School

• Joanne Mahnke
• Adele Martin
• November 19, 2008

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List Elementary

• Preschool 4th Grade
• Full-time Counselor

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Beginnings
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Kindergarten
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1st Grade
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Across the Curriculum
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Making Connections
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Curriculum Night
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Parents as Partners
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Character Kids A Great Combination!
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Making Character Education Visible Rich
Van Tol, TRUE Project Director Anita Collins
and Lisa Workman, TRUE Trainers

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Hope . . .

• "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
  committed citizens can change the world indeed,
  it is the only thing that ever has."
• Margaret Mead