September 2012 Luísa Tavares Moreira

O UR S CHOOL Number of Teachers Elementary School – 6 to 9 years of age (1st cycle) Middle School - 10 to 11 years of age (2nd cycle) - 12 to 14 years of age (3rd cycle) High School – 15 to 18 years of age (secondary cycle) Vocational education Kindergarten School – 3 to 5 years of age Number of Students Administrative service – 12 Assistance workers

The school is located in a rural area near the town of Póvoa de Varzim. There is a wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds amongst our population. The school opened in 1995 and in 2003 it was constituted as a Group of Schools named Campo Aberto – Beiriz, which includes two kindergartens, four elementary schools and the main building, with middle and high school.

C ONTEXT OF THE P ROJECT Projeto Fénix had its origin in Beiriz Group of Schools; The Ministry of Education included our Projeto Fénix in Programa Mais Sucesso Escolar (More School Success Programme), a governmental programme that regulates projects intended to fight against academic failure. It has given the opportunity for other schools to adopt this specific typology. It has been implemented countrywide in 43 schools since 2010, having the supervision of a University and the Portuguese Ministry of Education.

Each school operates according to a four year contract which defines the increase of the success rates to 1/3 of the results in a specific grade level as an annually stipulated target. In order to achieve these results, schools are given a credit of 35 hours to be distributed among two grade levels (one from the 1 st cycle and another from the 2 nd or 3 rd cycle). In Projeto Educativo (Educational Project) the educational community defines the school guide lines which are included in Projeto Fénix.

An inclusive school, guided by values, towards academic success Decreasing academic failure Improving results Preventing drop outs and absenteeism Marzano (2005) who says that (…) school is the indicated focus for the reforms. PROJETO EDUCTIVO

Evaluation Success Learning achievements

D YNAMICS EIXO I EIXO II

Possible to implement in each grade level Portuguese and Maths 3 (C/D/E grades) Low and Medium performance Good performance Very good performance Principle of the Relative Homogeneity Fénix classes Non-Fénix classes

EIXO I - D YNAMICS FÉNIX CLASSES NON FÉNIX CLASSES NEST CLASS Possibility: 1 or 2 Fénix classes; 1 or 2 nest classes.

This Dynamic – EIXO I – requires certain conditions: FÉNIX NESTS -management of school timetables (mother-class and nest-class at the same time); -physical resources ( at least an extra classroom); -human resources (at least an extra teacher for each one of the subjects); EXTRA TEACHER -Team work permanent monitoring of the students progress; management of the curricular planning, defining what is essential; definition of the teaching-learning strategies. STRONG PEDAGOGICAL LEADERSHIP EXTRA TEACHER Possibility: 1 or 2 Fénix classes; 1 or 2 nest classes.

A B Students with specific difficulties may punctually reinforce curricular contents by shifting from one class to another. A A A A A A B B B B B B EIXO II - D YNAMICS

This Dynamic – EIXO II – does not require the same conditions as EIXO I It implies management of school timetables (both classes must have the same timetable), teachers team work and consequently a strong pedagogical leadership. 1st Cycle 45 minutes a day – Portuguese 3 times a week – Maths 2nd or 3rd Cycle 45 or 90 minutes a week – Portuguese 45 or 90 minutes a week – Maths

Students representations They considered that the implementation of Projeto Fénix, made them: be more motivated; feel more willing to learn; learn faster in Portuguese and Maths; learn better in the other subjects. And they also thought: the mobility amongst Fénix classes / Nests didnt cause any awkwardness ; students felt comfortable with the fact of going to the Nests when they felt learning difficulties because they could overcome them more easily;

They also considered: their children learn more in these classes; school was able to find solutions to promote all students learning and academic success; familys involvement at school increased. They appreciated that their children attended the Fénix classes.

Hi gher self-esteem to the students and teachers; Better learning, mainly in Portuguese and Maths; Better students individual results; Parents/ tutors awareness that school does everything for all students success; Greater cooperation, involvement, articulation and professionalism of the teachers; Better school environment; Greater global success of the School. Projecto Fénix was capable of providing:

School YearNumber of Schools with the Project 2009/ / / % 2012/

The overcoming of learning difficulties in nuclear subjects, such as Portuguese and Maths; The importance of students´ results, but also of their progression; The promotion of the students self-esteem and the academic self- concept; The effective use of the pedagogical differentiation principle; The definition of the educational learning goals for each school year, so that the curricular contents may be worked on; The reduced number of students in the Nests allows a real opportunity for a teacher/student interaction and also to work on lacking basic knowledge and skills. Strengths of the Projeto Fénix

The logic of the Fénix organization allows new ways of pedagogical partnership and a more frequent communication amongst teachers; The success of the Project brings forward: More communication amongst the teachers and the Head Teacher/School Board; The decrease of dropout rates at schools where the Project is implemented; Greater academic demands, a better academic culture and school environment; The Fénix schools network allows the exchange of experiences and the access to pedagogical resources.

PROJETO FÉNIX School Family Community

ALL STUDENTS can learn more... have the same time, with another quality of time... No one is left behind!