Date Approved

5-31-2009

Embargo Period

4-24-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in School Administration

Department

Educational Services and Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Capasso, Ronald

Subject(s)

Middle school students; School improvement programs; Student activities--United States

Disciplines

Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated extracurricular program and evaluate its effectiveness on improving middle school students' emotional connectedness to the school. The integrated extracurricular program provided an opportunity for a diverse group of students to work cooperatively as a team toward a common goal.

The program's first extracurricular activity was a Haunted House event which was utilized for this study. Participants in the study included 232 students and 21 staff members. Two separate surveys were administered to the student and staff participants. Each survey resulted in general opinions about the effectiveness of the integrated extracurricular program toward increasing student participation and improving students' emotional connectedness with the school. The data from the surveys and after school club attendance sheets revealed that the Integrated Extracurricular Program's event of the Haunted House had a positive impact on the students' sense of connectedness and involvement with the school. However, the program's impact on school unity was explored as discrepancies surfaced between the student and staff responses.

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