When children act up, it makes it hard for other kids to learn. Lesley Guertin of nonprofit Cape Cod Child Development managed to reduce classroom incidents by 50%. Watch this 30 minute success story webinar to learn how she used Lean Six Sigma to transform early education.

1. Reducing Classroom
Incidents by 50%
Presented by Lesley Guertin
Quality Assurance Specialist
Cape Cod Child Development

2. About Our Presenter
• Quality Assurance Specialist
• Cape Cod Child Development
Lesley Guertin

3. DECREASE
INCIDENT REPORTS
PROJECT STORYBOARD
BY LESLEY GUERTIN

4. DEFINE PHASE

5. Phase Planned Actual
Define: 18-Apr
Measure: 16-May
Analyze: 20-Jun
Improve: 9-Aug
Control: 5-Sep
Process Start: Position Person
Process End: sponsor Anne Colwell 20%
In: Team Leader Lesley Guertin 20%
Team Members Stephanie Welch 10%
Out: Sue Major 10%
Barbara Kozma 15%
provide support and coaching to
teachers
incident reports, referral forms,
interagency coaching
JRI support, outside resources,
public school referrals
Goal Statement Timeline
The goal is to decrease the number of incident reports
from 30 to 15 a month by the end of the school year.
Scope Team Members
receive incident reports Time Commitment
Project Charter
Project Name: Lowering Incident Reports
Problem Statement Business Case & Benefits
There is, on average, 30 incident reports a month which
results in children not receiving adequate education
In the last six months, we have received a large number of incident reports.
Currently, we have some supports in place, such as JRI, Coaching, at
some, but not all sites. If the lack of support continues, we will have a
higher number of incident reports and less exposure of effective strategies
for teachers.

6. VOC TRANSLATION MATRIX
Key Take Away: Project needs to address the process of incidents reported to
JRI
Customer Comment
(What Are They Saying?)
Gathering More Understanding
(Why Are They Saying it?)
Customer Requirement
(What Do They Want?)
Voice of the Customer Translation Matrix
"it takes too long for JRI to come out for classroom
observation/intervention" - Teachers
The time it takes between doing initial referral to
having an initial visit is taking more than 2 weeks
Time it takes for initial visit will be less than
2 weeks.
"we don't have enough time to fill out the incident
reports" - lead Teachers/center managers
staffing issues hinder time for release of
staff to submit electronically
incident reports will be submitted within 24
hours of incident
"we would like to see fewer incidents" -
education administrators
prevention of incidents the amount of incidents will be documented

7. MEASURE PHASE

8. Key Take Away: There is a huge peak of incident reports from September to October.
It is also noted that incidents were on the decline in November but then continued to
climb in December.
BASELINE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS PER MONTH:
SEPT 2016 – FEBRUARY 2017

9. BASELINE HISTOGRAM OF INCIDENTS
Key Take Away: On average, 2 incidents were reported each day.

10. ANALYZE PHASE

11. FISHBONE DIAGRAM
Key Take Away: The classroom environment seem to have a big impact
among other things.
Fishbone Diagram
Systems
incident
forms are
not
completed
within
incident
forms are not
Process
lack of time
to supply
strategies to
all
classrooms
Forms
incident
teachers
JRI
incident
reports to be
completed
within 24
hours
classrooms
People Policies Place
Number of
Incident
Reports

12. PARETO OF INCIDENT TYPES
Key Take Away: According to the chart, hurting children, throwing toys and
hurting staff were the highest incidents recorded. This data was taken from
September 2016 – June 2016

14. IMPROVE PHASE

15. Solution Selection Matrix
Project Goal
Please rank each solution for each criteria
by using the 1-5 Scale as indicated belowEnter Goal Statement below:
(As stated on Project Charter)
Very Low
(less good)
Moderate
Very High
(best)
1 2 3 4 5
Potential Solution
(Provide Brief Description)
Potential to Meet
Goal
Positive
Customer Impact
Cost to
Implement
(1 = $$$
& 5 = $)
Stakeholder Buy-
in
Time to
Implement
(1 = Long
5 = Quick)
Total Score
Implement?
Yes/No
Weighted Criteria 10 9 8 7 5
change the classroom environment 5 5 1 5 3 153 Yes
implementation of the internal referral form 5 5 1 4 5 131
Yes
Key Take Away: Well as, classroom environments and the descriptions of
incidents.

16. Key Take Away: This classroom was constructed with three safe areas for
children. The prior construction included zero safe areas. Also noted are larger
areas for play.
LAYOUT: WEST MAIN CLASSROOM AFTER

17. INTERNAL REFERRAL FORM
Date: _________________________
Name of Child: _______________________________________________________________
Date of Birth: ______________________
Site and Classroom: _____________________________________
Primary Language: ___________________________
Date parent was notified: _____________________
By whom: __________________________________
How: __________________________ Case Note: yes no
Incident Reports done: yes no how many: ____
Developmental Screening: Brigance
Screening Date: _____________________________
Screening Results: Reason for referral:
Is this referral due to parent request? YES NO
Detail the presenting concern:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Indicate all attempts to resolve this concern within the current program. Include what was done, for how long and by whom:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________
What help are you looking for?
__school district referral __ Early Intervention
__Mental Health Referral __ Team Meeting
__ Physician referral __ Resources
__ Observation __ Parent Meeting
Submitted by: ____________________________________ Date: _______________________
Center Manager: __________________________________ Date: _______________________
Received by: ______________________________________ Date: ______________________
Action Plan:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Key Take Away: By developing
an internal referral form,
behaviors and/or special needs
will be observed and
determined by internal
specialists then referred out to
public school and/or JRI
services. This will allow more
time for external supports in
classrooms.

18. RUN CHART OF IMPROVED INCIDENT REPORTING
Key Take Away: It is noted the decline of incidents regarding the
classrooms where the environments were changed. Note the spike of
incident reports from March to April. The cause was the classroom
environment was changed back to original.
West
Main
Hyannis
West
Yarmouth

19. CONTROL PHASE

20. PROJECT BENEFITS AND LESSONS LEARNED
Lessons Learned
•I have learned that the impact of physical changes in the environment
can make a difference in the behaviors of children in the classroom.
•It’s better to look at the examples of the Bahama Bistro and then
interpret it into your process – with VOC and Process Walks that was
really helpful when I was figuring out how to do my project
Benefits
•Observing and determining if children will need special needs and/or
behavior services, will impact the quality of services for children by
providing classroom supports when needed.

21. Questions?

22. Getting Started
Check out more success stories from Go-Getters just
like you at GoLeanSixSigma.com/Success

23. Thank You for Joining Us!
More questions? Ask us at
contact@goleansixsigma.com
Click here to download free tools,
templates, infographics and more!
@GoLeanSixSigma/company/GoLeanSixSigma-com /GoLeanSixSigma