Less than two months into the new school year, East Cheatham Elementary School principal Dawn Young can barely contain her excitement over the boost in enthusiasm, focus and the love for learning that she has seen among the students, faculty and staff.

The new county-wide program is based "The Power of ICU" by Danny Hill and Dr. Jason Nave, two Tennessee educators whose model for completing assignments promotes taking personal responsibility for seeing that quality work is achieved and turned in.

"Every student is expected to complete every assignment," said ECES intervention coach Melissa Jones. "But we're also making sure teachers give well thought out, relevant, quality assignments, and not just busy work or something that's just easy to do. And the work must be done. Students can't opt out by taking a zero."

Young decided to use the time early in the morning when students arrive and get breakfast as time for ICU.

"Our teachers also look for extra time in the day to work with students that are either not doing their work or they need more time to do their work or they need more one-on-one time so they can complete an assignment," Jones said.

Both Young and Jones believe that what has made a huge difference at ECES is the unique touch, spearheaded by physical education teacher Lacritia Sanson, that gets the day started off on a positive note.

Sanson uses the gym as a gathering place for students that don't need to go to ICU to complete or make up assignments.

"She (Sanson) has P.E. centers set up, learning centers set up, puzzles and games and video set up for exercises. There's also jump rope, sidewalk chalk, and she's even brought in portable bowling lanes that roll out that has the gym looking like a huge bowling alley," Jones said.

Positive rewards

For those that need help through ICU, Young believes the rewards are positive, powerful and affirming.

"The program teaches you to ask a child four questions," Young said. "What is it that you owe? Who do you owe? What do you need? How can I help you?"

The one-on-one time through ICU affirms the importance of learning and taking responsibility of completing an assignment, but it also helps to reinforce the value and potential of each student.

"It also provides an opportunity to build relationships with students," Jones said.

Upon arrival each morning, kids that don't go to breakfast go straight to the gym. Those that need help through ICU get a pass to get their breakfast and take it with them to class for one-on-one time with ICU.

Jones said for the younger students in ICU it tends to be a case of needing more one-on-one time to work on things like spelling words.

"For the those in third or fourth grade it's mostly kids that didn't finish their work or need to redo work if a teacher deems so," Jones said. "In most cases, the teachers let the kids know the day before if they need to report to ICU."

There's also an ICU list that can be accessed school-wide that has assignments noted for individual students. The list is designed to help reinforce accountability and awareness of the status.

"A teacher can say to a student, 'Hey, I noticed you're on the list,'" Jones said. "They can then ask the four questions. This shows they care and it puts a little extra pressure on the student to perform."

Jones said in the past, students that habitually did not turn in homework might miss recess, but the ICU program feels that taking away recess does not correct the problem.

"What I've noticed is that our kids are arriving earlier, even those that tended to be tardy last year," she said.

Both Jones and Young have noticed an improvement in morale, work habits and in taking more responsibility.

"The spirit of teamwork has been incredible," Young said. "My teachers are performing over and above what's expected, with enthusiasm and huge smiles on their faces. One teacher was out sick because she wasn't feeling well but called to say she'd here for ICU."