S.A.M.

S
Stonebridge Academy Math Services:
The Path to Math Success!

Project Summary: Stonebridge Academy Math Services (SAMS) is a new program that will be
an extension of the non-profit independent school, Stonebridge Academy in Okmulgee, OK.
SAMS will provide free math services to the Okmulgee area. Those services include after
school math tutoring and ACT/SAT math workshops.

Total Cost of Project: $13,851

Funds Requested from Sponsor: $13,851

Prepared by: Kristin ODell, math teacher and math curriculum specialist at Stonebridge
Academy, 209 W. 8 th Street, Okmulgee, OK 74447. Phone: (918) 752-1200 Fax: (918) 752-
1201 Email: kodell@sbridgeacademy.org Website: www.sbridgeacademy.org

S t o n e b r i d g e A c a d e m y , 209 W. 8th Street, Okmulgee, OK 74447

Phone: (918) 752-1200 Fax: (918) 752-1201
E-Mail: kodell@sbridgeacademy.org Web: www.sbridgeacademy.org
Stonebridge Academy Math Services: The
Path to Math Success!
Submitted to The Sarkeys Foundation by Stonebridge Academy

Prepared for EPSY 5963, Summer, 2016.

Prepared by Kristin ODell, Stonebridge Academy math teacher and math curriculum specialist.

July 31, 2016

Proposal number: 123-456

S t o n e b r i d g e A c a d e m y , 209 W. 8th Street, Okmulgee, OK 74447

Phone: (918) 752-1200 Fax: (918) 752-1201
E-Mail: kodell@sbridgeacademy.org Web: www.sbridgeacademy.org
Stonebridge Academy Math Services
209 W. 8th Street Okmulgee, OK 74447 Phone: (918) 752-1200 Fax: (918) 752-1201
E-Mail: kodell@sbridgeacademy.org Web: www.sbridgeacademy.org/SAMS

Date: July 16, 2016

Kim Henry
Executive Director
Sarkeys Foundation
530 East Main St.
Norman, OK 73071

Dear Ms. Henry:

I am pleased to submit the enclosed proposal to Sarkeys Foundation. We are requesting $13,851
to provide free math services to the Okmulgee, OK community. Stonebridge Academy Math
Services (SAMS) is a program of the not-for-profit independent school Stonebridge Academy.
Through free math tutoring after school and free ACT and SAT math review workshops, we can
supplement the math educations that participants receive in their schools. Quality math education
is important not only for participants to reach their career goals, but also in meeting the demands
of adulthood (budgeting, calculating interests on home and car loans, saving for retirement, etc.).

We understand that in the past year you have given grants to assist educational programs,
including after school programs and math institutes, and we hope that you will be able to assist us
in the coming year.

Please visit our website, www.sbridgeacademy.org/SAMS, or call me (918) 752-1200 if you have
any questions. If you would like to visit, I would be happy to show you around Stonebridge Academy.

Sincerely,

Kristin ODell
SAMS Teacher
Abstract
Stonebridge Academy Math Services is a program in Okmulgee, OK that offers free after school
math tutoring and free ACT/SAT math test preparation workshops. Stonebridge Academy Math
Servicess mission is that students will become adults who feel confident enough in math to use it
effectively in their adult lives (calculate interests on home and car loans, budget their money wisely,
save for retirement, etc.) and not limit their career possibilities because of low math achievement.
Faculty of Stonebridge Academy Math Services will improve the attitudes and self-confidence (self-
efficacy) of tutoring participants (elementary and middle school students of Stonebridge Academy)
through encouragement and improve math grades of tutoring participants through one-on-one
math instruction. Research supports the theory that improving students self-efficacies in math
contributes to improving students math achievements, and vice-versa (Ferla, Valcke, & Cai, 2009).
Stonebridge Academy Math Services will provide free comprehensive ACT and SAT math review
sessions to middle and high school students to improve the ACT and SAT math scores of the
participants. Improved college admittance test scores lead to better college acceptance, better
scholarships, and decreased enrollment in remedial math courses (The College Board, 2016;
Logue, Watanabe-Rose, & Douglas, 2016). Stonebridge Academy Math Services requires $13, 851
in funding from sponsors to pay for a director, a teacher, and to purchase the supplies not provided
by Stonebridge Academy.

SAMS: The Path to Math Success i

Contents
Abstract........................................................................................................................................................ i
Contents ..................................................................................................................................................... ii
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 1
Goals and Objectives ................................................................................................................................. 2
Feasibility .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Literature Review ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Program Description .................................................................................................................................. 6
Time Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Staffing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Facilities and Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Communication and Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0
Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1
Budget ...................................................................................................................................................... 14
Current and Pending Support ................................................................................................................. 15
References ............................................................................................................................................... 16
Appendices ............................................................................................................................................... 17

SAMS: The Path to Math Success ii

Introduction
Stonebridge Academy Math Services (SAMS) is a program of Stonebridge Academy in Okmulgee,
OK that offers free math services to the Okmulgee area. Stonebridge Academy is a not-for-profit
independent school serving the Okmulgee area by offering a challenging curriculum to
prekindergarten through eighth grade students at a low tuition rate. Stonebridge Academys
mission is to encourage and challenge every student to develop academically, socially, and
personally in his or her quest of becoming an effective world citizen.

In alignment with Stonebridge Academys goals, SAMSs goals are to assist students in advancing
toward their career goals through increased math achievement in elementary and middle school
and college math test preparedness in middle school and high school. To meet these goals, SAMS
is offering both math tutoring and test preparation workshops. SAMS math tutoring is for
elementary and middle school Stonebridge Academy students that have been identified by their
classroom teachers as in need of additional math help. The SAMS test preparation workshops help
students prepare and pass math sections of college entrance exams like the ACT and SAT.

SAMS: The Path to Math Success 1

Goals and Objectives

Stonebridge Academy Math Services will improve the math educations of participants by focusing
on three goals. SAMS goals and objectives are:

G o a l : T o i m p r o v e t u t o r i n g p a r t i c i p a n t s m a t h r e l a t e d s e l f -
e f f i c a c i e s
O b j e c t i v e : At least 90% of tutoring participants will self-report more
positive attitudes toward math and their capabilities in math by the
end of the school year.

G o a l : T o i m p r o v e t u t o r i n g p a r t i c i p a n t s m a t h g r a d e s b y
t h e e n d o f t h e s c h o o l y e a r .
O b j e c t i v e : At least 95% of tutoring participants math grades will
increase from the grade they had when they began tutoring, and at
least 90% of tutoring participants will pass math with a 70% or better
on their final report cards.

G o a l : T o i m p r o v e w o r k s h o p p a r t i c i p a n t s A C T a n d S A T
m a t h s c o r e s .
O b j e c t i v e : To see a minimum of 5% improvement in ACT math scores,
or 2% improvement in SAT scores, for at least 75% of workshop
participants.

SAMS: The Path to Math Success 2

Feasibility

Stonebridge Academy faculty have experience working with funders to complete educational
projects for the Okmulgee community. The school is funded through the Sam Viersen Foundation,
which pays half of the cost of educating each student at Stonebridge Academy. Since opening in
2010, Stonebridge Academy has become accredited by AdvancED, increased enrollment by over
40%, and serves as an Americorp afterschool and summer camp mainstay.

Stonebridge Academy Math Services will supplement educational services by providing additional
math instruction. Stonebridge Academy will provide classrooms, chairs, desks, computers,
projectors, math supplies, and the use of a copy machine to SAMS. As an extension of Stonebridge
Academy, SAMS faculty will follow the Stonebridge Academy employee handbook for guidelines on
conduct, emergency procedures, professionalism, etc.

At least one Stonebridge Academy certified math teacher, Kristin ODell, will join Stonebridge
Academy Math Services as a tutor and workshop leader. Stonebridge Academy Head of School,
Wren Hawthorne, will select Stonebridge Academy faculty members to serve as faculty of SAMS
from a pool of interested school faculty members. Mr. Hawthorne will select a faculty member with
experience in program management to be the director.

If no faculty members express interest in participating in Stonebridge Academy Math Services (or
there are no qualified applicants), then Stonebridge Academy math teacher and curriculum
specialist, Kristin ODell, will fill the positions of director, tutor, and workshop leader for the first
year of the program or until the roles are filled by qualified applicants. In this case, Stonebridge
Academy may look for applicants outside of Stonebridge Academy to fill personnel openings.

SAMS: The Path to Math Success 3

Literature Review

Stonebridge Academys mission is to prepare students to be effective world citizens and to live
rewarding adult lives. The faculty of Stonebridge Academy Math Services is concerned with the role
that math plays in meeting Stonebridge Academys goals. Adults use math to varying degrees in
their everyday lives. Some people may only need the most basic skills for their home finances, while
others may require an expert understanding of calculus for their chosen career path. How can
SAMS prepare all students for life after high school? SAMS can begin by assuring students that they
are capable of math achievement.

Stonebridge Academy Math Servicess mission is that students will become adults who feel
confident enough in math to use it effectively in their adult lives (calculate interests on home and
car loans, budget their money wisely, save for retirement, etc.) When students believe that they are
not capable of succeeding in math, they limit their possibilities (Carroll, 2010). In the United States,
an estimated 25 percent of four- year college students and up to 80 percent of community
college students suffer from a moderate to high degree of math anxiety (Beilock & Willingham,
2014). Stonebridge Academy would like to see every student grow-up to be an adult who is
confident in their math abilities and feels competent to seek out a career they are passionate about
without worrying about how much math might be involved. As stated by Diana Steele and Alfred
Arth (1998), if students become math avoiders, they limit future studies in the area of mathematics
and are cut off from many occupations in our society. It is important that students in elementary
and middle school experience success in math because it gives them the confidence to continue
their math educations (Siegler et al., 2012). The math grades that a student receives and the
students confidence in their own math abilities are cyclical. Confidence is improved when students
make better grades, and students are more willing to work hard to get the grades when they feel
confident in their abilities (Ferla, Valcke, & Cai, 2009). Stonebridge Academy Math Services seeks
to improve students confidences in math (math self-efficacies) by providing positive experiences
with math and helping students to improve their math grades.

Many students need one-on-one instruction to help them better understand math concepts. In a
study of math students in urban schools by researchers at Ohio State University, students achieved
better success in math when involved in tutoring programs (Kim, 2010). Through after school
tutoring, students will receive the individual attention they need from a tutor who is a certified
teacher. To make math more enjoyable, the tutor will incorporate math games and fun activities,
while keeping an encouraging and positive attitude. A researcher from the University of Kentucky,
Ellen Usher (2009), found that many students reported better attitudes toward math when a math
teacher showed encouragement. By working with a Stonebridge Academy Math Services tutor,
students should feel better about math, gain more math skills, and make higher scores in their
math classes.

When students get to high school they should start to think about career goals and possibly college.
There are many paths one can take after high school. For many careers college is necessary. What
role does math play in getting to college and career? What service can Stonebridge Academy Math
Services provide that students may not get from their high schools?
SAMS: The Path to Math Success 4
For admittance into most major colleges and universities, students must submit ACT or SAT test
scores (The College Board, 2016). The ACT and the SAT are standardized tests that measure a
students abilities in reading, English, writing, science (ACT only), and math. Each section is scored
separately and then averaged to give the student a composite score. Math is a major component to
both the ACT and the SAT tests. Some high schools offer test preparation classes, but not all high
schools do, and students may only take the class for one semester of their entire high school
careers. These test scores are important to college-bound students as they determine admittance
to college, can affect scholarship offers, and can cause students to take remedial math classes in
college if scores are low (The College Board, 2016; Logue, Watanabe-Rose, & Douglas, 2016). In a
cross-national study, researchers found that ACT and SAT test preparation has typically only been
available to students whose families could afford expensive practice programs (Buchmann,
Condron, & Roscigno, 2010). According to an estimate by Census.gov (2010), 23.1% of Okmulgee
families live below the poverty level. Stonebridge Academy Math Services aims to make college
entrance test math preparation available to all students, regardless of financial status. By offering a
workshop (a comprehensive review session lead by a certified math teacher) every quarter,
students can prepare closer to their test dates and come to multiple workshops if necessary.

Based on the available research, Stonebridge Academy Math Services has found three areas that
can positively impact Okmulgee area students in regard to math education: Confidence in math,
math grades, and math test preparation. Math education is important for life after high school no
matter what path a student chooses to take (Steele & Arth, 1998). Students that choose to go to
college especially need to be able to demonstrate math competence on college entrance exams.
Programs designed to help students study for college entrance exams have been shown to work for
many students (Buchmann, Condron, & Roscigno, 2010). However, math success starts before
college entrance exams. Confidence in math and foundational math skills are acquired in
elementary and middle school (Siegler et al., 2012). Grades can help or harm a students
confidence in math (Siegler et al., 2012). Tutoring has been shown to improve math grades, which
can improve a students confidence (Kim, 2010). Enthusiasm and encouragement can also
improve a students attitude toward math (Usher, 2009). Through encouragement, tutoring, and
test preparation, Stonebridge Academy Math Services can make a difference in the math
educations of Okmulgee area students.

SAMS: The Path to Math Success 5

Program Description
Time Line

Aug 1, 2016: Hiring

Stonebridge Academy Head of School, Wren Hawthorne, will appoint a director and a teacher to
Stonebridge Academy Math Services. If one or more positions are not filled by August 8, 2016,
Stonebridge Academy math teacher and curriculum specialist, Kristin ODell, will fill the positions of
director, tutor, and workshop leader for the first year of the program or until the roles are filled by
qualified applicants.

August 8, 2016: Planning Phase

The Stonebridge Academy Math Services director and teacher will work in tandem to meet the
goals and objectives of the program. Beginning on August 8, the director and teacher will meet to
discuss goals, objectives, individual responsibilities to the program, and plans for evaluation.

August 22, 2016: Finding Participants and Marketing

The Stonebridge Academy Math Services director will begin requesting that teachers recommend
their students for tutoring. The SAMS director will begin sending out marketing materials and
tracking students that sign-up for the ACT workshops.

September 6, 2016: Math Tutoring Begins

The Stonebridge Academy Math Services teacher will begin tutoring Stonebridge Academy students
after school.

October 1, 2016: Test Preparation Workshop Takes Place

The Stonebridge Academy Math Services teacher will lead an ACT and SAT review session for
middle school and high school students. (A Residual ACT test at Oklahoma State University Institute
of Technology is on October 6.)

November 26, 2016: Test Preparation Workshop Takes Place

The Stonebridge Academy Math Services teacher will lead an ACT and SAT review session for
middle school and high school students. (A Residual ACT test at Oklahoma State University Institute
of Technology is on December 1.)

February 25, 2017: Test Preparation Workshop Takes Place

The Stonebridge Academy Math Services teacher will lead an ACT and SAT review session for
middle school and high school students. (A Residual ACT test at Oklahoma State University Institute
of Technology is on March 2.)

April 29, 2017: Test Preparation Workshop Takes Place

The Stonebridge Academy Math Services director and teacher will write reflections about the ACT
math workshops. (A Residual ACT test at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology is on
May 4.)

SAMS: The Path to Math Success 6

May 5, 2017: Math Tutoring ends
The Stonebridge Academy Math Services director and teacher will write reflections about the
tutoring program.

May 12, 2017: Evaluation and reflection due

By May 12, the Advisory Board will meet to discuss the programs efficacy in meeting goals and
objectives, ideas for improving the program, and set goals and objectives for SAMS for the next
school year. The director will write and send a report to the sponsor.

Methods
The Stonebridge Academy Math Services Director will create marketing materials and documents
for tracking tutoring participants grades, tracking tutoring participants attitude surveys, and
tracking workshop participants test scores during the planning phase. The SAMS director will also
design a system for teachers to recommend students for tutoring services. The Stonebridge
Academy Math Services Teacher will research ACT/SAT tests, purchase workshop curricula, and
develop a scope and sequence for the workshops during the planning phase. The SAMS teacher will
plan tutoring activities and reward systems.

The SAMS Director will keep a schedule of tutoring participants and their tutoring times. The SAMS
director will keep records of tutoring participant grades and survey reports. The SAMS Teacher will
administer surveys, report tutoring attendance, and make observations related to the students
attitudes and abilities. The SAMS teacher will communicate with classroom teachers of tutoring
participants to help direct instruction during tutoring. The SAMS teacher will incorporate math
games, homework help, and math skills practice into tutoring to accomplish the first two goals of
Stonebridge Academy Math Services (improving student self-efficacies in math and improving
student grades in math).

There will be ten tutoring participant spaces available. The SAMS teacher will see each tutoring
participant for 45 minutes once per week. The SAMS director will review each student
recommended for tutoring before approving them to receive tutoring services. To qualify for tutoring
services the students classroom teacher must demonstrate that the student meets at least one of
the following criteria: have a math class grade of less than 70% or consistently display frustration
and/or low self-confidence during math instruction and on math assignments. The SAMS director
will keep a schedule of tutoring participants and their tutoring times. The SAMS teacher will track
tutoring attendance and observations related to the students attitudes and abilities.

Stonebridge Academy is a small school with small class sizes. There are approximately sixty
students between first and eighth grade. Ten tutoring spots may be enough to meet the needs of all
Stonebridge Academy students that need math tutoring. In the event that there are more than ten
students that qualify for math tutoring, Stonebridge Academy Math Services will utilize one of the
following options. The SAMS teacher may reduce the time spent with each tutoring participant to
SAMS: The Path to Math Success 7
thirty minutes. This will allow fifteen students to receive tutoring instead of ten. The tutor may pair-
up students that are having difficulties in the same class, having difficulties in the same math
areas, or would benefit from working with a partner. The SAMS teacher may meet with students
every two weeks instead of every week, if the student does not require weekly tutoring. If utilization
of these strategies will not meet the needs of the students that require tutoring, an additional tutor
may need to be hired. In that case, the SAMS director will be responsible for acquiring additional
funding to pay another SAMS tutor (possibly through business sponsorships).

Students may be voluntarily released from tutoring services if they keep their math class grades
above 70% for four consecutive weeks and would like to stop receiving tutoring services. As part of
supporting the students self-efficacy in math, the decision to voluntarily stop tutoring will be the
students choice, not the choice of their classroom teacher, parent, or Stonebridge Academy Math
Services (i.e. if the student does not feel ready to stop tutoring, they will continue to receive tutoring
services). If the student has a math grade of 70% or better for four consecutive weeks, the SAMS
teacher will make sure they know that they may stop receiving tutoring whenever they feel they are
ready.

Involuntary release from tutoring services is possible, but should be highly unusual as it could put
the student in noncompliance with school policy and have implications for the students continued
enrollment at Stonebridge Academy. Involuntary release from tutoring services could result from
consistent issues with student behavior or tutoring attendance. Missing three consecutive tutoring
appointments or missing four tutoring appointments in one academic quarter will qualify as a
consistent attendance issue. The SAMS teacher, the SAMS director, the students classroom
teacher, and the Head of Stonebridge Academy may jointly decide to involuntarily release a student
from tutoring services following a meeting with the student, his or her parents, and the decision
making team. The meeting may result in a plan of action to reduce the attendance or behavior
issue rather than an involuntary release from tutoring services.

The SAMS director will secure lunches for the workshops. The SAMS teacher will lead the
workshops beginning with a greeting at 9:00am, a pretest 9:15-10:00, teaching 10:00-12:00,
lunch break 12:00-12:30, teaching 12:30-2:00, post-test 2:00-2:45, and closing statements 2:45-
3:00. Students will receive their scored pre and post tests, but the SAMS teacher will report the
scores to the director who will keep records of the scores.

SAMS: The Path to Math Success 8

Staffing

All personnel will be members of Stonebridge Academy faculty and must follow all Stonebridge
Academy procedures and guidelines outlined in the Stonebridge Academy employee handbook.

Director
The SAMS director will: communicate with the Sponsor, develop applications and write documents,
track student achievement and survey results, and oversee program planning and advertising. The
SAMS director should spend five hours per week working on Stonebridge Academy Math Services
projects. The SAMS directors responsibilities with SAMS will be in addition to his or her
responsibilities at Stonebridge Academy. The directors SAMS salary will be a supplement to his or
her regular salary at Stonebridge Academy.
Salary: $5,250

Certified Teacher
The SAMS teacher will: tutor math from 3:45 until 5:15 every Monday through Friday, regularly
communicate with the classroom teachers of the tutoring participants to track student progress to
provide the best instruction, administer surveys to tutoring participants, provide encouragement to
tutoring participants and model positivity and enthusiasm for math, find or create ACT/SAT math
pre and post tests, and teach an ACT/SAT workshop one Saturday every quarter 9:00am to
3:00pm. The SAMS salary of the teacher is supplementary to the teachers regular salary at
Stonebridge Academy.
Salary: $8,475

Facilities and Resources

Because tutoring will take place after school, the Stonebridge Academy Math Services tutor can see
students in his or her own classroom. Stonebridge Academy already has math supplies,
manipulatives, lined-paper, pencils, computers, projectors, etc. The only tutoring resources that will
be purchased with funds from the Sponsor are snacks for the tutoring participants, inexpensive
rewards for tutoring participants (such as stickers or small toys), and copy machine paper. Snacks
will help participants to concentrate on the task at hand rather than an empty stomach. SAMS
faculty will follow the Stonebridge Academy guidelines for food which will take into account nutrition
and allergy concerns. Rewards provide a way for the SAMS to teacher to increase motivation in
tutoring participants.

Because the ACT math workshops will be on Saturdays, they can take place at Stonebridge
Academy. There are classroom-sized rooms and larger rooms available. Both have access to
furniture, a computer, and a projector for leading the workshops. Resources Stonebridge Academy
Math Services will need to purchase with funds from the Sponsor for the workshops include ACT
and SAT curricula, ACT and SAT practice test materials, and lunches. By offering free lunches, SAMS
hopes to draw more participants, make the event more enjoyable for participants, and save time
during the workshop.
SAMS: The Path to Math Success 9
Communication and Marketing

Stonebridge Academy is a small school with one class per grade level and a maximum class size of
14 students. It will become part of Stonebridge Academy school policy to require students to seek
math tutoring if their math grade is below 70%. (Please note that students in grades below first
grade do not receive percentage grades and therefore do not qualify for math tutoring). If a
students teacher and parents (or guardians) feel that a student is in need of tutoring despite
having a passing grade, the student may receive math tutoring services. Even though it will be
school policy, SAMS will send a memo at the beginning and middle of each quarter to remind
teachers of the policy and to encourage them to check on the math grades of their students.

A description of the new program and the new policy regarding math tutoring will be in the parent-
student handbook. Because it is new, Stonebridge Academy Math Services will also send a letter to
the parents describing Stonebridge Academy Math Services and its goals, outlining the tutoring
policy, and encouraging parents to communicate with teachers about the math grades of their
children. In addition to these communications, there will be brochures in the Stonebridge Academy
office and a SAMS tab on the Stonebridge Academy website.

The workshops presented by Stonebridge Academy Math Services will cover information relevant to
both the ACT math test and the SAT math test. For brevity, titles on marketing materials will only
include the ACT. The ACT is more commonly used for Oklahoma colleges. Oklahoma State University
Institute of Technology in Okmulgee offers the residual ACT every month. The workshop dates are
scheduled for Saturdays that are immediately before residual ACT test dates at Oklahoma State
University Institute of Technology. To increase awareness of the program to the students that can
benefit from it the most, the SAMS director will send promotional information to local middle and
high schools, local middle and high school math teachers, local middle and high school counselors,
and the Assessment and Testing Center at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology. The
director will place brochures in the offices of local middle and high schools and at the Assessment
and Testing Center at OSU-IT. The director will send a letter to the local middle and high school
math teachers and counselors with information about the workshops and a flier to hang in their
offices or classrooms.

The SAMS director will promote community awareness and support. The director will send a press
release to the following newspapers in Okmulgee and neighboring towns: The Okmulgee Daily
Times, The Henryetta Daily Free-Lance, and Morris News. In addition to garnering general support
from the community, a press release will make parents aware of the services offered. To reach a
wide audience, the director will create a SAMS Facebook page. This page will contain information
about SAMS and the services provided. The director will make a Facebook event for each workshop
date in hopes that Facebook users will join the events. By creating events the SAMS director and
the SAMS teacher can directly communicate with participants by sending reminders, posting
updates, and even creating polls.

SAMS: The Path to Math Success 10

Evaluation

The Stonebridge Academy Math Services director will track the appropriate data for each of its
three goals throughout the school year. By May 12, 2017, the Advisory Board will analyze the data
to determine the level of success of the program. Incorporating the reflections of the SAMS faculty
with the conclusions made by the Advisory Board, the SAMS director and teacher will meet to make
adjustments to improve the program and set new objectives for the following school year. The
Advisory Board will be:

T h e S t o n e b r i d g e A c a d e m y M a t h S e r v i c e s D i r e c t o r
To be determined. The SAMS director will be someone that has had experience leading new
programs and will be most familiar with the data collected.

T h e S t o n e b r i d g e A c a d e m y M a t h S e r v i c e s T e a c h e r
Kristin ODell. Mrs. ODell is certified to teach Kindergarten through 8th grade with a middle level
math certification. She has 6 years of classroom teaching experience at Stonebridge Academy and
experience tutoring elementary school math, middle school math, and college algebra. She has
experience teaching ACT, SAT, and GED test preparation. Mrs. ODell will provide a math teachers
perspective when assessing the program.

T h e H e a d o f S t o n e b r i d g e A c a d e m y
Wren Hawthorne. Mr. Hawthorne has been the Head of Stonebridge Academy since it opened in
2010. He has overseen numerous Stonebridge Academy programs. He also has a background in
statistics. Mr. Hawthorne will provide an administrators perspective when assessing the program.

S t o n e b r i d g e A c a d e m y B o a r d M e m b e r
Hugh Robinson. Mr. Robinson has served on the board for Stonebridge Academy since before it
opened in 2010. He has had one child graduate from Stonebridge Academy and has another
enrolled currently. Mr. Robinson is an attorney in Okmulgee, OK. Mr. Robinson will provide the
perspectives of a parent and of a stakeholder of Stonebridge Academy.

Methods for evaluating each goal and objective are outlined below.

G o a l : T o i m p r o v e t u t o r i n g p a r t i c i p a n t s m a t h r e l a t e d s e l f -
e f f i c a c i e s
O b j e c t i v e : At least 90% of tutoring participants will self-report more
positive attitudes toward math and their capabilities in math by the
end of the school year.

The SAMS teacher will administer a survey to every tutoring participant when they begin tutoring.
The survey will measure the students attitudes toward math and their beliefs about their own
SAMS: The Path to Math Success 11
capabilities in math. At the end of each academic quarter, but before grades are sent home, each
tutoring participant will complete the survey again. Students that received tutoring, but are no
longer receiving tutoring will also complete the surveys each quarter. From this data the evaluation
team hopes to find a positive correlation between a students self-efficacy in math and tutoring
received. By tracking students that no longer require tutoring, the advisory board can better
understand the lasting effects of tutoring on students self-efficacies.

G o a l : T o i m p r o v e t u t o r i n g p a r t i c i p a n t s m a t h g r a d e s b y
t h e e n d o f t h e s c h o o l y e a r .
O b j e c t i v e : At least 95% of tutoring participants math grades will
increase from the grade they had when they began tutoring, and at
least 90% of tutoring participants will pass math with a 70% or better
on their final report cards.

The SAMS director will keep a record of the math grades of tutoring participants when they begin
tutoring. At the end of each quarter, the SAMS director will record the new math grades of tutoring
participants. The grades of students that received tutoring, but no longer receive tutoring will also
be tracked each quarter. By tracking the students that no longer require tutoring, the advisory
board can better understand the lasting effects of tutoring on students math grades. From the
grades collected, the advisory board will find that at least 95% of tutoring participants increased
their math grades in some way and that at least 90% of tutoring participants have a 70% or better
in math on their final report card.

Although the advisory board will analyze the data, the SAMS teacher will also check on tutoring
participants grades informally to inform and direct tutoring instruction.

G o a l : T o i m p r o v e w o r k s h o p p a r t i c i p a n t s A C T a n d S A T
m a t h s c o r e s .
O b j e c t i v e : To see a minimum of 5% improvement in ACT math scores,
or 2% improvement in SAT scores, for at least 75% of workshop
participants.

The SAMS teacher will find or compile a short ACT math practice test and a short SAT math practice
test. The practice tests will contain problem types that are similar to those used on the actual tests
and in the same approximate ratio as would be found on the actual tests. There will be several
versions of each test to ensure that participants always take a different version of the same test. At
the beginning of each workshop participants will take the short practice test that matches the test
they plan to take (ACT or SAT). Students that are undecided will take the ACT practice test because
it is more predominantly used in Oklahoma. This will provide initial data for SAMS and give the
participants a way to self-assess their math skills. A self-assessment will help direct the
participants thoughts and questions during the workshop. At the end of each workshop,
participants will take a post-test (a different version of the pre-test). A post-test will give the advisory
board the comparative scores needed to evaluate the workshop and give each participant a way to
SAMS: The Path to Math Success 12
self-assess how well they are doing and what they need to work on further. The scores of each
student will be given to the SAMS director to track. In addition to the practice tests, participants will
be asked to submit their actual ACT and SAT test scores from previous tests and any tests they take
before August 2017. To evaluate the program, the advisory board will first consider each
participants scores from the real ACT or SAT tests. If that information is unavailable, then the
advisory board will look at the participants practice test scores. The advisory board hopes to see at
least a 5% increase in ACT score (or 2% increase in SAT score) for at least 75% of the participants.
A 5% increase in ACT score is about 1 point for average scores. A 2% increase in SAT score is about
9 points for an average score.

SAMS: The Path to Math Success 13

Budget

Personnel Services Hrs/Week N. Weeks Annual Cost

1 director, at $29.00 per hour 5 36 $5,220
1 Certified teacher for math tutoring 1.5 hours per 8.5 36 $7,497
day, 5 days per week, and 1 hour per week of session
planning at $24.50 per hour
1 certified teacher for ACT/SAT workshops, 6 hours 8 4 $784
per workshops plus two hours of planning per
workshop for 4 workshops total, at $24.50 per hour

Total Personnel $13,501

OTPS
ACT/SAT materials for teacher and students $100
Photocopy materials for handouts and publicity $50
Snacks and workshop lunches $200

Total OTPS $350

Project Total $13,851

The director and the teacher of Stonebridge Academy Math Services will make salaries from SAMS
in addition to their salaries at Stonebridge Academy. The Advisory Board determines salaries based
on the salary data from www.salary.com. The directors salary is based on the reported salary of an
educational coordinator in Tulsa, OK (closest city to Okmulgee, OK used by the website): $41,601
per year divided by 36 weeks per year* and divided by 40 hours per week= $28.89 per hour. The
teachers salary is based on the reported salary of a math teacher in Tulsa, OK (closest city to
Okmulgee, OK used by the website): $35,180 per year divided by 36 weeks per year* and divided
by 40 hours per week= $24.43 per hour. Salaries were rounded-up to the nearest $0.50.

*A standard school year of 36 weeks has been used.

Curricula for ACT and SAT test preparation cost between $10 and $30 per book according to prices
on book purchasing websites such as Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. The teacher may use
the $100 to purchase a combination of books to create a comprehensive review.

Copy paper is the only supply needed for photocopying. Stonebridge Academy is providing
computers, printer, and ink.

Snacks for tutoring will include snack crackers, cheese sticks, graham crackers, and other similar
items. Lunches for the workshops will include large deli sandwiches from Walmart deli, chips,
cookies, bottled water, tea, and coffee. Plates, cups, and napkins will be purchased as well.
SAMS: The Path to Math Success 14
C u r r e n t a n d P e n d i n g S u p p o r t

Stonebridge Academy Math Services is a program that will be sustained through a combination of
grants, corporate sponsorships, collaboration with local educational organizations, and fundraising.
Currently SAMS is seeking funding from Sarkey's Foundation and Inasmuch Foundation, with plans
to seek funding from The Kerr Foundation next year. The SAMS director will be responsible for
reaching out to local businesses for sponsorships. Corporate sponsors will be listed on the
promotional materials for the math workshops, in the parent handbook for math tutoring, and on
the SAMS page of the Stonebridge Academy website. The SAMS director will also look for
opportunities to collaborate with other organizations in the Okmulgee area. SAMS may be able to
collaborate with the ACT testing center at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology or with
local high schools to provide funding or supplies for the math workshops. The members of the
Advisory Board will plan fundraising events for SAMS. The Advisory Board will turn to the tutoring
participants and their parents for volunteers to help with fundraising events.

SAMS: The Path to Math Success 15

References

Beilock, S. & Willingham, D. (2014). Math anxiety: Can teachers help students reduce it? American
Educator, 38(2), 28-32

Buchmann, C., Condron, D., & Roscigno, V. (2010). Shadow education, American style: Test
preparation, the SAT and college enrollment. Social Forces, 89 (2), 435-461.

Carroll, S. (2010). The relationship of math anxiety and mathematics comprehension in middle
school students (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ERIC. (ED521629)

Census.gov (2010). Retrieved from

http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml

The College Board. (2016). 8 things to know about how colleges use admission tests. Retrieved
from https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/testing/8-things-to-know-about-how-colleges-
use-admission-tests

Ferla, J., Valcke, M., & Cai, Y. (2009). Academic self-efficacy and academic self-concept:
reconsidering structural relationships. Learning and Individual Differences, 19, 499-505

Kim, T. (2010). An effective way to improve mathematics achievement in urban schools.

Educational Research Quarterly, 34(2), 60-71.

Logue, A., Watanabe-Rose, M., & Douglas, D. (2016) Should students assessed as needing
remedial mathematics take college-level quantitative courses instead? A randomized
controlled trial. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 20(10), 1-21

Siegler, R., Duncan, G., Davis-Kean, P., Duckworth, K., Claessens, A., Engel, M., Chen, M. (2012).
Early predictors of high school mathematics achievement. Psychological Science, 23(7),
691-697

Smith, A. (2016). Mainstreaming remedial math. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/06/23/college-students-placed-remedial-
algebra-have-better-outcomes-college-stats-classes

Steele, D. & Arth, A. (1998). Lowering anxiety in the math curriculum. The Education Digest, 63(7),
18-23.

Usher, E. (2009). Sources of middle school students self-efficacy in mathematics: a qualitative

investigation. American Educational Research Journal, 46(1), 275-314

SAMS: The Path to Math Success 16
A p p e n d i c e s

S A M S E v a l u a t i o n T o o l
Goals and Objectives
The Advisory Board
Math Attitude Survey
Report Card Sample
ACT and SAT Score Samples
Assessment Rubric
Effectiveness Scale

S A M S B r o c h u r e

SAMS: The Path to Math Success 17