Desouza says the School Improvement Committee continued to meet during the summer summer, with 30 to 35 educators showing up for each planning session.

"I think we had so many teachers involved in our goal setting and new procedures meetings because we have that many teachers who truly want to see Cooper students be the best they can be," says Jill Folsom, an eighth-grade science teacher who is in her seventh year of teaching at Cooper. "We want 100 percent of our students passing in all test areas and in making changes and adaptations so that we can make that happen. Mrs. DeSouza approached our goal setting sessions in a very well-thought out and organized manner. We had brainstorming sessions where all ideas were accepted," says Folsom.

During the sessions, every concern was grouped into five areas that eventually became the school's goals for this school year. New procedures were created based upon those goals.

Parent Feedback Leads to Being On Track
In the process of making major changes, surveys were sent during spring pre-enrollment to parents of fifth-graders who would start attending Cooper this school year. Outgoing sixth- and seventh-grade parents were also surveyed by e-mails sent out in the summer.

"We received so much helpful information from the parent surveys," says DeSouza. "It was extremely successful. You have to have pretty thick skin to take the positive and negative comments, but we have the attitude that every comment will help in some way."

Elementary Schools Provide Inspiration for the Race
When the Cooper principals and counselors visited the elementary schools that feed into Cooper – Harvest Hills Elementary, Northridge Elementary and Tulakes Elementary – they were inspired by how quiet the hallways and classrooms were. Their observations at the elementary schools were an inspiration to the Cooper team and led to some of the changes being made at the middle school.

Let the Race Begin
Keeping in mind the school’s mission statement, "Success for All Students," the Cooper School Improvement Committee developed the following five goals and specific procedures to let the Amazing Race to Excellence begin.

Focus Goal #1: Create A More Safe and Orderly Environment
One of the committee’s greatest concerns was safety of the students, especially where problems were occurring outside the classroom. As part of the Amazing Race, a stripe was placed this summer on the floor in every hallway of the school establishing a "No Passing Zone" when traveling throughout the school. Rather than walking in groups and pushing their way through traffic, students now walk by classes on the right side of the stripe until their next destination. Not only do they walk in this orderly way, but teachers accompany them everywhere they travel.

"Class does not end for the teacher or students until they are in their next class or destination," explained DeSouza. "Students aren’t sent anywhere; they are taken."

Students are walked by their core teachers to their elective classes and by their elective teachers back to their core classes. Students are no longer allowed to go to the restrooms between classes, where bullying incidents may occur since teachers are unable to observe the students.

"We’ve basically taken away their down time between classes which was when most discipline incidents were occurring," DeSouza says.

"With so many teachers in the hallways between classes, many problems have been prevented, and if one occurs, the teacher or principal is able to move down the line quickly to get control of the situation rather than having to work through a crowd of students," Ellis says.

Ellis believes that the overall student morale is much higher than in previous years because the problems have decreased, the school has become a safer place and students are enjoying coming to school.

"I have seen a significant difference in our students," Ellis says.

An additional benefit to the new procedures of traveling throughout the school is that by minimizing the problems between classes, teachers no longer have to spend the beginning of class dealing with behavior concerns, so students can be on task immediately. Fewer behavior problems have lead to increased instructional time for students to focus on academics.

Focus Goal #2: Establish and Maintain High Expectations for All Students
"Proficiency is the only acceptable goal," says Wright.

One of the first expectations set by the faculty was that each student would carry an agenda book to and from school each day and to every class. As the student’s "Lifeline" at Cooper, the agenda book serves many purposes. The day begins with each student filling out essential information in his or her agenda book during Cougar Time, a time when small groups of students meet with individual teachers each morning to connect with one another and work on common goals together. Students realize the agenda book must accompany them to every class so that homework assignments, upcoming tests and other responsibilities may be recorded.

"Every night the agenda book goes home with the student for parents to check on the child’s work, and every morning the agenda book returns with the student," says DeSouza. "There were some who doubted that this plan would work, but our attitude was if we have high expectations, then they will do it. And they have."

DeSouza says that even though students may not have a backpack or books to carry home each night, they consistently have their agenda books in hand when she sees them walking through the neighborhood to school each morning.

The agenda books are also used by teachers as hall passes for the students. Since restroom breaks are taken by individuals during class rather than by groups between classes, these breaks are recorded by each teacher to monitor the whereabouts of each student throughout the day.

Also connected to the goal of high expectations are incentive lunches, a component of the ZOOM (Zeros Out, Only Mastery) program. Twice a week, seventh- and eighth-graders have an hour for lunch. If a student is caught up with work and has a 60 percent or above on all of grades, he or she may participate in the incentive lunch.

However, if students need extra help in these areas, they attend ZOOM, a time not viewed as punishment but instead as an opportunity for students to receive one-on-one assistance from teachers. Concepts are re-taught and time is provided for the completion of work if a student has been absent.

"The incentive lunch/ZOOM program has been very successful," says Folsom. "The number of students on my team who have Ds or Fs is under 8 percent, and I am not accepting those grades. The students are being assigned to ZOOM to get work completed or redone, as needed, so that they are getting the practice and the skills they need to pass each concept area being taught."

Folsom says students are also learning that incomplete work is not acceptable and that they are not going to get by with not doing the work.

"We care too much about our students to let them fall," she says.

During the incentive lunches, approximately 200 students go in four different directions. Students choose whether to go outside for physical activities such as walking the track or playing football; to stay inside and watch a movie on the school’s new large screen in the cafeteria; to head to the gym for other physical activities; or to travel to a classroom to participate in board games.

"I never thought I’d say that lunch duty is great, but it is now," says DeSouza. Assistant principals, counselors and teachers who supervise lunchtime agree that it runs smoothly under the new plan.

Sixth graders are also encouraged to have no zeros for grades by attending Zap, a time when they are allowed extra time outside three days a week while students who remain inside receive the extra help they need.

Focus Goal #3: Improve Relationships and Celebrate Successes
Besides celebrating student successes through incentive lunches and Zap, Cougar Time is set aside each morning to reach this goal. Since the Cooper Middle School mascot is the Cougar, the time designed to build and improve relationships is called Cougar Time. Toward the end of last school year, students were asked about their areas of interests. School counselors worked throughout the summer to develop Cougar Time classes based on common interests of students and teachers. From the dance and percussion team called "Stomp" to the school yearbook staff to a show choir and fitness club, each student was placed in a small group with a teacher to spend the first 20 minutes of each school day. Other Cougar Time groups are Fiesta, the Spanish Club; Hoop it Up; CSI; Leadership; Arts and Crafts; Cheer and more.

"Bonding is instant when a teacher shares a common interest with the students," says DeSouza. "We are seeing students emerging as leaders in the various areas that we might not ever have seen prior to these changes being made."

Focus Goal #4: Increase Support During the Day for Struggling Students
ZOOM, the time during incentive lunches that is tailored to fit each child’s needs, is one way to support struggling students during the school day. Other support classes called PASS Math and PASS Reading are part of an intervention program during the day to significantly boost student achievement.

Focus Goal #5: Increase Parental Involvement and Communication
Communication with parents began during summer when a survey was e-mailed to homes, asking questions about the student's experience at Cooper Middle School. When surveys were sent back to the school, the information was used to fine tune plans for The Amazing Race to Excellence.

Parent e-mails have been sent on a weekly basis since before the school year began that inform families about upcoming activities being held at school, such as Open House, PTSA meetings, ball games and band performances. Also included in the email are the plans each team of teachers has for instruction that week. Parents are encouraged to communicate directly with teachers if they have questions or concerns.

Volunteer forms including areas in which to become involved were also e-mailed to parents.

The Cooper Growl, the PTSA newsletter, is not only mailed to homes three times per year, but it is also posted on the school's website. The Growl includes letters from the principal and PTSA president, as well as articles of interest to students and parents.

The Home Stretch
"In all the years I’ve been here, I’ve never seen anything like it," says Cathie Jarrett, one of the school’s counselors who is beginning her seventh year at Cooper. "The kids are responding so well."

DeSouza and the team of innovators at Cooper Middle School will continue assessing the results of the Amazing Race to Excellence throughout the remainder of the school year. Parent surveys will be sent out again for feedback from the students’ homes and brainstorming sessions will resume after standardized testing in the spring.

"As a strong, professional learning community, we want Cooper Middle School to be an engine of hope and achievement for all students," says Wright.

By the looks from things so far, that engine is running smoothly and efficiently toward the finish line for every student.

• Agenda books
• Incentive lunches
• Zoom program
• Zap Time
• Passing lane in hallways
• Increased teacher supervision and involvement
• Specifically designed Cougar Times
• More communication with parents