EA7040

Program Communication
Stefania Hutchins
A chronic problem at Seneca Middle School, and a root cause of low achievement grades,

is student work completion. Many students do not complete homework assignments because

there isn’t an adult available to help them, they’re involved in extracurricular activities or sports,

or they lack motivation. Most families in the district either have both parents working full-time,

parents who speak limited or no English, and many students from divorced families are between

both parents’ home throughout the week, which can make it difficult to have a consistent routine

for homework completion.

There is currently not a common grading policy at Seneca to address the issue of missing

homework. Some teachers assign zeros when students don’t return assignments, while some give

fifty percent or even thirty percent. When a zero is factored into the student’s average for the

class, it can significantly reduce the overall percentage, making it difficult for the student to

recover their grade. A student with an A could forget one assignment, earn a zero, then the A

becomes a C. Not only is this not an accurate reflection of what the student knows and can do, it

is discouraging and unmotivating for the student, and worse, the student now has created a gap in

his/her learning by not completing the assigned work. While assigning a fifty or thirty percent

helps to not deflate the student’s grade, it also doesn’t solve the problem of failing to complete

work. Both scenarios result in the student not learning. To remedy this problem, it would be

appropriate to implement a Zeroes Are Not Permitted program in the school, not as a form of

punishment for students, but for students to have the opportunity to complete the assignment in a

supervised environment where help is available and to prevent them from experiencing learning

gaps. The expectation that all assignments will be completed in a timely manner will help
students to develop more conscientious work habits, improve their organization and time-

management skills, and ensure that moving forward to higher-level curriculum, there are not

gaps in their learning.

Many ZAP programs take place during lunch. Seneca students are only given twenty-

five minutes for lunch. By the time they get their food and return to the ZAP room, there

wouldn’t be much time available for working. Extending the ZAP program to also include two

after-school sessions per week would allow students time to complete lengthier assignments,

such as essays or projects.

ZAP would be introduced to the staff during PD days before the start of the 2019-2020

school year. Staff would receive PD on the benefits of a ZAP program and on procedures for

referring a student, as well as a school-wide common grading policy. The grading policy would

define parameters for grading work completed at a ZAP session and submitted late. Parents and

guardians would learn of the program during a curriculum night presentation, through School

Messenger, and on the school and teachers’ websites. Flyers would be available during times

when parents and guardians visit the school. Students would be made aware of work-completion

standards and expectations in each of their classes. Additionally, ZAP posters would be hung in

each classroom as a visual representation of the policy and program.

One challenge the ZAP program could present is staff buy-in. Teachers may see the

program as something extra to do. They may not be willing to volunteer to facilitate lunch and/or

after-school sessions, and there are many teachers who stand by the traditional policy of giving

zeros for work not handed in. While teachers view a zero as punitive, students tend to view a

zero as a pass to not do the work. Once a student is in a cycle of falling behind due to not

completing work, it is difficult for them to catch up, which could lead to behavior issues in the
classroom. Teachers must understand the long-term effects of students being allowed to continue

with these poor work habits.

There are also some potential challenges for students. Transportation home from the

after-school sessions may be difficult for families who are not within walking or biking distance

of the school, which would limit those students to the lunch sessions. Also, students who work

slowly may need more than one ZAP session to complete their work, which could cause them to

miss valuable social time during lunch or impede on their after-school activities. By creating a

ZAP room that is inviting, calming, and conducive to learning, where they may ask questions

and help is available, students will see ZAP as a positive experience.

Implementation Timeline

June 2019 August- November- January-March April-June 2020

October 2019 December 2020
2019
 Collect  Train staff  Survey  Implement  Continue
preliminary  Inform staff, changes from program
data from parents parents, the staff implementation
staff on  Post and survey if  Assess the
missing program students needed value of the
assignments details on for program
school feedback  Compile and
and on ZAP analyze data on
classroom program missing work
websites  Adjust
 Provide program
teachers days/times
with ZAP if needed
posters
 Sign-up
volunteer
staff to
facilitate
sessions