Action Plan

Introduction

In order to improve community communication and relationships at Chicago Academy High School in Chicago Public Schools in Chicago, Illinois, it is important to develop an action plan that incorporates the principles of negotiation put forth by Fisher and Ury. To begin with, it is essential to create a safe and inviting environment where all stakeholders feel welcome to participate in the conversation. This involves setting up physical space for dialogue, as well as establishing ground rules that encourage respect and open-mindedness. Once a safe space has been created, the next step is to foster a spirit of collaboration among all parties involved. This means working towards a collective vision for the school community and developing a shared understanding of the issues at hand. Finally, it is important to maintain open lines of communication and keep all stakeholders informed throughout the process. By following these steps, it will be possible to improve community communication and relationships at Chicago Academy High School.

Problem

At Chicago Academy High School, the need for improved community communication and relationships is evident. The student population is racially and ethnically diverse, and many students come from low-income households. The students are not living up to their truest potential in school and failing to find success in their post-secondary options.

Communication and relationships issues are leading to students failing in post-secondary options. While there are many factors that contribute to this problem, it is clear that communication and relationships play a significant role (Brown, 2011). For example, students from low-income homes are less likely to have access to effective communication channels, such as reliable internet connections and phone lines. As a result, they may miss important deadlines or announcements. In addition, students from racially diverse backgrounds often feel isolated and disconnected from their peers, which can lead to academic disengagement. Improving communication and relationships within Chicago Academy High School will help to address these issues and create a more supportive environment for all students. As Brown (2011) notes, one of the keys to enhancing communication and relationships is to allow for, accept, and embrace vulnerability.

Context

Chicago Academy High School is located in a community with a wealth of violence. The school district has been cutting back on staff and resources, which has led to larger class sizes and fewer extracurricular activities. As a result, many students feel isolated and disconnected from their peers. Some students have brought weapons to school. The school is also racially diverse and many of the students come from low-income homes. Consequently, the school has been struggling to provide adequate post-secondary options for its students. While the community surrounding the school is full of potential violence, the school itself remains a safe haven for its students. Despite the challenges it faces, Chicago Academy High School provides its students with a supportive environment where they can thrive.

Community Challenges

The Chicago Academy High School is a racially diverse school with a large number of students from low-income homes. The school has struggled in recent years with students failing to meet the necessary requirements for post-secondary options. One of the big challenges facing the school is how to improve communication and mentorship within the community. Brene Brown, a well-known speaker and writer on the topic of vulnerability, has said that "vulnerability is the core of shame and fear and our struggle for worthiness, but it appears that it's also the birthplace of joy, belonging, love, courage, empathy, and creativity." Brown's message speaks to the importance of community members being open and honest with each other in order to create meaningful connections. The Fisher/Ury model of win-win negotiation can also be applied to the challenge of improving communication at Chicago Academy High School. In this model, both parties in a negotiation come to the table with a willingness to find a solution that meets the needs of both sides. By applying these concepts, the school can create an environment where community members feel safe to communicate openly and work together to find solutions that benefit everyone involved.

Additionally, when it comes to creating a safe and supportive environment for all students, improving relationships is essential. This is something that can be seen clearly in the context of Chicago Academy High School. By improving relationships within the school, we can create a more supportive environment that will help these students succeed. One way to do this is by promoting vulnerability and openness. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we open up the possibility for more honest and meaningful relationships. We also give others the opportunity to show us their support. Another way to improve relationships is by using the Fisher/Ury model negotiation to encourage stakeholders in the school and the community to recognize one anothers needs and find creative ways to address those needs together. By using this approach, we can build stronger relationships with those around us while also creating a more supportive environment for all students.

Chicago Academy High School is located in a community that faces many challenges. However, the school has to become a beacon of hope for the community, relying on the efforts of its students, faculty, and staff. Together, these role players have to work to create an environment where everyone can feel safe and respected. This will not always been easy, but the school has to become a model for other schools in the city and beyond. But because conflit is rife in the community and in the school, it is essential that everyone work to get to yes by recognizing the other person at the opposite end of the table, across the room, or across the street, as a human being. Life is a negotiation, and when approaching a negotiation, it is important to first define the areas of agreement and disagreement. Once this has been done, it is possible to begin to look for points of commonality between the parties. These points can then be used to build a consensus that can help to resolve the dispute. By using this approach, it is possible to create an agreement that is acceptable to both parties, rather than allowing the negotiation process to degenerate into even greater conflict. This is the approach that must be implemented. It starts with highlighting everyones needs and moving forward in harmony from there.

Goals For Improvement

Chicago Academy High School has a long history of violence, failing students, and lack of success...

…community members, and administrators will take place at a town hall. This will be organized by the alderman, the principal and the staff along with community leaders providing supporting roles in urging stakeholders to attend.

This activity will take place in January 2023. The town hall will focus on supporting the work done in December and moving it forward in a collaborative and communicative manner. Here is where vulnerability will be encouraged by the principal, staff, and community leaders, helping all stakeholders to step forward and identify their fears, concerns, needs, and hopes. The action will be led by the principal, staff, and community leaders, each taking turns at the head of the town hall, inviting attendees to give their voices towards unity and commitment. The evaluation will be done by way of a next-day telephone survey to see where there was success and where areas could be improved with delivery and if there is need for another town hall.

Step 3

The activity of implementing positive behavior interventions and supports to help to create a positive school climate where violence is less likely to occur will consist of the following steps:

1. Establishing clear and consistent rules and expectations for student behavior.

2. Providing positive reinforcement for desirable behaviors.

3. Addressing problematic behaviors in a constructive and proactive manner.

4. Building strong relationships between students and staff members.

5. Creating opportunities for student participation in school decision-making.

This activity will take place in the school gymnasium with teachers and students so that all know what the new climate will be. The activity will be led by the principal, teachers and staff, and feedback will be accepted and encouraged from students. The date will be in February 2023. The evaluation method will be surveys and interviews of teachers, staff, and students.

Step 4

This activity will consist teaching students conflict resolution skills. Conflict resolution skills are essential for students to learn how to resolve disagreements without resorting to violence and are part of the Fisher/Ury model of negotiation.

Focus group training will be the most effective method for teaching these skills. This will be a series of focus groups extending from March 2023 through to the end of the school year until all students have had an opportunity to participate. The steps involved in focus group training for this activity are as follows:

1. The principal and staff will lead the group and identify goals.

2. The students will be selected in groups through purposive sampling.

3. The leaders will provide an overview of conflict resolution skills

4. Role-play will commence with different conflict scenarios.

5. The leaders will debrief the role-plays

6. Participants will reinforce the importance of conflict resolution skills.

By following these steps, students will be better equipped to handle disputes in a constructive and nonviolent manner.

The evaluation method for this will take place in the focus group itself and will be immediate. Data will be collected through direct observation but also through surveys and interviews conducted at the end of the focus group. The point is to gather as much data from participants at the time as possible and to refine the focus group over the course of the series so that participants are always getting the very best intervention possible and so that leaders can satisfy…