Running head: CAPSTONE FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL PLAN 1

My Five-Year Professional Plan

Year 1
Analysis of Data: 1. From the 2016 and 2017 PSAT and SAT test scores
determining how Challenge Theory Learning might compare
statistically to other learning in achievement data.
2017 Evidence Based Mean Math Overall
Reading & Writing Score Mean Score
Mean Score
State 478.0 469.0 947.0
District 437.0 428.8 865.7
JCOS 502.9 452.2 955.1

2016 Evidence Based Mean Math Overall

Reading & Writing Score Mean Score
Mean Score
State 475.6 468.4 944.0
District 450.3 434.2 884.4
JCOS 507.4 454.4 971.8
Source: Colorado Department of Education, 2017, pp. 30, 59

2. The PSAT/SAT is designed so that students ideally would

average 1000 points on the 1600-point scale if they did well.
This means that while JCOSs overall mean scores are above
state and district levels, ideally the school could still improve
between 54.9 and 29.2 points.
3. Although there is obviously still room for improvement,
achievement data indicates that challenge-based learning
schooling without grades, credits, or traditional classroom
dynamics and graduation requirements meets or exceeds
Running head: CAPSTONE FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL PLAN
Professional Learning Goals:
Professional Learning Opportunities:
1. Use access to the archives to delve into further history of the
founders ideas, theory, practices, and standards. Meet with
as many founding members/advisors as possible to ensure
continuity of archives, but also to establish deeper
foundation and research into Challenge Theory potential.
2. Capitalize on position as SAC co-leader to participate in the
reframing of the Passage process in order for them to better
fit the new Colorado capstone requirements.
3. Research which degree would be best, or necessary, and its
requirements to develop not only a new theory, but the
school and education for the teaching thereof.
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expectations, giving credence to the hypothesis that
Challenge Theory may be a legitimate learning theory.
1. My goal for the second half of this year is to begin sorting
through the schools archives, separating the wheat from the
chaff and cataloguing the books, articles, and publications
currently available.
2. I have never submitted any of my scholarly writing for
consideration for publication, yet have been encouraged to
do so. I would like to research the best opportunities for my
writing for publication.
3. For Challenge Theory to truly be considered a legitimate
learning theory, I need to consider how to complete my own
research, and schooling. This may require a doctorate in
either Human Ecology or Education Psychology. I will need
to decide if I am going to pursue that in my second year.
Progress Monitoring:
1. Many founders former advisors, principals, parents, etc.
are not only far past retirement age, but are becoming elderly.
I will make this list initially based on the documents in the
archives by the end of the 2017-2018 school year. All
interviews will be complete by the end of the 2018-2019
school year.
2. My time as co-leader is over at the end of the 2018-2019
school-year. The capstone requirements take full effect in the
2020-2021 school. While the Passage process is complete in
the English, Science, and Social Studies, we will have the
Math requirement fully accounted for by the end of the 2018-
2019 school-year.
3. Deadlines for most schools are 12/1. My decision has to be
reached before on schools and programs by 9/1/17.
Running head: CAPSTONE FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL PLAN
Year 2
Analysis of Data:
Professional Learning Goals:
Professional Learning Opportunities:
1. Continue in position as SAC co-leader to contribute to
development and advisory position on Passage process and
the schools achievement position within the district.
3
1. Depending on how test-scores continue to track, and district
decisions on its current path to graduation to include capstone
projects, JCOS will be in a position to no longer be the only
school offering this learning path to graduation. The school
will have to decide how they will do what they have always
done, only better.
2. The archives hold almost 50 years of material from
educators, administrators, and experts who have written
about or for JCOS in all its iterations. The key to progress
may be held in the schools past. They may be able to give
better direction not only on how to restructure the Passages
(or a Passage) to meet capstone requirements, but increase
overall achievement.
3. The archives/interviews will also hold information necessary
to begin building toward making the case that the learning
occurring at JCOS may translate beyond the community or
schools built on its philosophy.
4. Begin doctorate program
1. Determine which schools already offer a capstone project in
the district and how they compare to JCOS in the
PSAT/SAT. If JCOS is falling behind, the school may need
to continue to re-evaluate its Passage process.
2. Digitize the archives in a searchable database that might be
accessed by advisors and students at will, and by outside
educators for a service fee (to go into the trip trust fund).
3. Begin building an alternative database of interviews.
4. Work toward these goals meshing with my doctorate program
and find a student-teaching position.
Progress Monitoring:
1. The final decision for Passages need to be made for the 2017-
2018 freshman by the end 2018-2019 school year as they
Running head: CAPSTONE FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL PLAN
2. Develop digital database and begin digitization of archives
and interviews on school website.
3. Seek feedback from founders, staff, and students on usability 2. Have initial programing approved by administration by the
and usefulness for community. Determine what changes need
to be made based on their feedback.
4. Find a mentor that may help me investigate the possibilities
for a future for Challenge Theory.
Year 3
Analysis of Data:
Professional Learning Goals:
Professional Learning Opportunities:
1. Journaling what progress I am able to make in my student-
teaching opportunities and incorporating feedback from
students and mentors to add to my research.
2. Remain in contact with the staff and administration of JCOS.
As I have students in the school, this is not a challenge.
Begin discussions on the future of a nonprofit professional
development and research center for Challenge Theory.
4
enter into the Walkabout program. That is also the end of my
term as SAC co-leader.
end of 2018-2019 school year.
3. Run focus groups throughout the initial programming and
development of the website for approval at end of 2018-2019
school year.
4. I would hope to find a mentor early in my schooling, but no
later than the end of my first year.
1. My focus will turn fully to my second year in my doctorate
program. I will use the information Ive learned during my
time as SAC leader and archivist to drive my research into
developing Challenge Theory into an accepted learning
theory within the educational community.
2. I will also likely be student-teaching at whatever university I
am attending, and I will be incorporating as much of
Challenge Theory into my own instruction as I can.
1. My first obligation is to pursue my own studies with vigor.
2. Applying as much of Challenge Theory strategies to
university students as possible to raise achievement and
create a sense of ownership among students.
3. Continue to work on digitization of JCOS archives.
Progress Monitoring:
1. Journaling is a personal challenge and habit I struggle with,
therefore one that needs to be developed. As such, I would
want accountability with a mentor in the form of monthly or
quarterly meetings to check my progress.
2. It is traditional for JCOS students and staff to form triads for
support. I plan to ask the current principal to be a part of my
personal triad and be a mentor as I have known him for many
Running head: CAPSTONE FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL PLAN
Research details of 501(c)(3)s attached to public
schools and how they operate.
Year 4
Analysis of Data:
Professional Learning Goals:
Professional Learning Opportunities:
1. Develop strong dissertation outlining theory of challenge
learning and how it might be used to help adolescents better
transition into a productive, mature adulthood.
2. Meet with JCOS and district leaders to push the professional
development and research center forward, laying the
groundwork for opening the following year.
Year 5
Analysis of Data:
5
years. He is already open to this possible future. And he will
help hold me accountable.
1. This will be the year of my dissertation, which will obviously
incorporate alternative learning and the future of Challenge
Theory. This will be an enormous challenge, as my new
research will have incorporated young adults, traditional
schools, and many current unknowns.
1. Finish doctorate program strongly.
2. Look toward how the professional development and research
center may move forward.
Progress Monitoring:
1. Meet monthly with mentors to ensure my dissertation and
plan remains on track amidst my studies.
2. Ensure deadlines are met on or before due date.
3. Set up calendar for meetings with school and district leaders
with end goal of details, including board of directors, worked
out by the end of the school year.
4. Write the grant for funding by 12/1.
1. This will be the first year in the job market as a full-fledged
educator. My challenge is educating educators and
continuing to research the possibilities and future of
Challenge Theory.
2. I will also be launching the professional development and
research center to accomplish that challenge.
Running head: CAPSTONE FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL PLAN
Professional Learning Goals:
Professional Learning Opportunities:
1. Refine training and development methods to best practices
based on feedback from volunteers, leaders, and school
leadership. Align practice with foundations bylaws to ensure
all requirements are met for both training and research.
2. Continue to meet regularly with mentors, documenting
progress of the foundation to ensure not only accountability,
but input from outside sources.
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1. Find volunteers and leaders who are open and willing to help
train or develop those who are hired for or come to visit the
school.
2. Work with current staff to research methods and results of
Challenge Theory within the classroom.
Progress Monitoring:
1. Meet with board of directors monthly to reflect on progress,
feedback, and process. Goals and data analyzed at meetings
and acted upon accordingly.
2. Schedule monthly or quarterly meetings with mentors to
review documentation of the foundation and its progress.
Review process of accountability of research and publication
of research to ensure its sustainability.
Running head: CAPSTONE FIVE-YEAR PROFESSIONAL PLAN 7

References

Colorado Department of Education. (2017). 2017 sat/psat district/schools overall. Retrieved from

https://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/2017satpsatdistschoverall