Freechild Institute School Services

Our work supports high-quality school and district student engagement, promoting meaningful student involvement, encouraging student voice, building a safe and supportive school environment, and more.

As home to SoundOut — creator of the Meaningful Student Involvement — Freechild brings firsthand understanding of the challenges in K-12 schools, districts and state agencies. The depth, breadth and power of our school improvement work is strengthened by extensive, research-based knowledge that can engage all students, everywhere, all of the time.

Following are our services for K-12 schools, tools, and case studies of work we’ve done with schools.

Freechild Services for Schools

The Freechild Institute contracts with government agencies to provide training, consultation, evaluation, freelance writing and more to support youth engagement efforts. Contact us for details »

Tools

We have also created a number of tools to foster youth engagement in schools. They include…

For a complete booklet of case studies or more information about contracting with the Freechild Institute, please contact us.

K-12 School Case Studies

SERVICE LEARNING—From 2006 to 2018, the Freechild Institute contracted with Seattle Public Schools Service Learning program to support student engagement and meaningful student involvement. Freechild’s activities included project planning, program design and delivery, evaluation, training, technical assistance, speaking, and professional development services. Staff provided large and small group facilitation; communication and public relations; project management; and other consulting services, too.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT—The Freechild Institute’s SoundOut program consulted the Student Engagement Initiative at the Alberta Ministry of Education in Edmonton from 2010-2012. Teaching the Ministry staff about his Frameworks for Meaningful Student Involvement, Freechild staff consulted adult partners on next steps and possibilities for the initiative. Adam wrote an extensive student engagement research review for the Ministry, and detailed international best practices for them from the US, the UK, and Australia. In 2011, Adam F.C. Fletcher keynoted at the annual SpeakOut Conference for 700 students, teachers, administrators, and the Alberta Minister of Education.

21st CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS—From 2010 through 2013, Adam contracted with Educational Service District 123 in Pasco, Washington to provide a series of trainings focused on integrating Meaningful Student Involvement into 21st Century Community Learning Centers programs. More than 40 participants attended almost 48 hours of professional development throughout three years. Topics covered included student-adult partnerships, the Cycle of Engagement, my Frameworks for Meaningful Student Involvement, and more. Adam also introduced a new component to each of the training events focused on personal engagement in schools, and how each individual participants’ perception of schools affects how they interact with learners. Each participant made plans for action, and were provided consultation throughout the year. From 2012 to 2013, Adam provided 20+ hours of professional development for 20 sites from this program to facilitate the SoundOut Student Voice Curriculum. Participants learned to facilitate learning and projects focused on Meaningful Student Involvement for participants, and used the curriculum at their discretion.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES—For three years from 2006-08, Freechild’s SOUNDOUT program contracted with the New York State Student Support Services Center to provided expert guidance on Meaningful Student Involvement in school improvement. Freechild staff provided ongoing training and consulting to the NYS Student Support Services Center as they implemented a statewide initiative focused on meaningful student involvement. Working with dozens of K-12 schools statewide, Adam F.C. Fletcher’s activities included keynote presentations and individual school consultations at workshops across the state, as well as ongoing consulting and writing for the Center. Outcomes included the development of a replicable statewide strategy for engaging and sustaining meaningful student involvement in school improvement. Freechild staff also worked with a number of regional BOCES focused on student voice, student engagement, and related topics as part of this project.

RACIAL EQUITY—From 2006 to 2008, the Freechild Institute conceptualized, launched, and directed the Seattle Student Equity Project as a partnership with the Seattle Public Schools Office of Equity and Race Relations. Freechild worked with eight high schools in Seattle to create, develop, and support Student Equity Teams focused on Meaningful Student Involvement and race relations in high schools across the city. Every Student Equity Team was invited to participate in a program including four components: Ongoing Training for students and adults focused on each project theme in order to increase the capacity through knowledge-sharing and skill-building; Student-Led Evaluations of student perspectives about equity and race relations in Seattle Public Schools; Service Learning Projects that are designed, implemented, and evaluated by students in response to student-led evaluations, and; Cross-School Collaborations through monthly meetings and training that encourage students to share experiences and brainstorm responses.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING—The Freechild Institute’s SOUNDOUT program worked with a number of partner agencies, schools, and the state education agency in Washington State from 2003 to 2007 to facilitate the SoundOut School Improvement Planning Pilot Project. Elementary, middle, and high schools across Washington State. He facilitated student voice training, programs, and evaluations focused on the role of students in formal school improvement activities. Freechild staff worked in elementary, middle, and high schools across Washington State to facilitate training, programs, and evaluations regarding the role of students in formal school improvement activities. They created professional development, student training, whole-school forums, and systemic evaluations of student voice and meaningful student involvement. Funding was provided by the HumanLinks Foundation, with additional support from Yakima Public Schools, and the Center for Bridging the Digital Divide at Washington State University.

For a complete booklet of case studies or more information about contracting with the Freechild Institute, please contact us.