Building a Freshman Center from the Ground up

1. Building a Freshman Center from the Ground up -Traci Hammes, Principal thammes@usd345.com -Emily Stueve, Teacher estueve@usd345.com Seaman Freshman Center Topeka, Kansas

2. The way it used to be…

3. Now…

4. Research • Some high schools are failing 42% of ninth graders (nationwide average 25%) • Most high schools offer students little or no academic and social support • Ninth graders can feel that high school is “pointless and endless” • Even in well managed high schools, something was missing—connections between students and teachers

5. Before construction even started… • Teachers were selected • Vision was created • Summer retreats • Staff development for new technology

6. SFC Framework

7. “They don’t care what you know until they know that you care…”

8. Relationships • Seminar • Transition Activities • Careers • Mentoring • Stuco • ASAP • Circle of Friends/Friends of Rachael

9. Relationships

10. How does seminar work?

11. Seminar • Every teacher has a seminar - low numbers • One at risk seminar per team - even lower numbers • 90 minutes twice a week • 15 minutes SSR • 35 minutes Seminar Lesson • 40 minutes Academic time • Mentoring program • AIP - Academic Intervention Plan

12. AIP

13. Transition Activities • Curriculum Fair • Pre-enrollment • 8th Grade graduation tour • Orientation • Freshmen teachers visit with 8th grade teachers about student needs

14. Success 101

15. Careers • Every student must take Success 101 Class • Community Service • Kansas Career Pipeline • 10 year plan • Interest Surveys • Career Clusters

16. What students have said about community service… • “What I learned while I was doing my community service was that even the smallest of acts will make a difference in your community.” • “Volunteering makes you feel good inside, because you know you are doing something worthwhile in your community,”

17. What do students accomplish in Success 101?

18. How did Success 101 help you?

19. Stuco • Selected by students at the beginning of the year • Meet with principal every month • Meet with food service to decide on menu item • Public service announcements • Serve treats to ASAP students during finals week

20. Stuco Officers 2009 - 2010

21. Stuco Officers Visit Atria Hearthstone Nursing Home

22. Stuco Officers serve coffee before finals

23. ASAP • After School Academic Program • Times available with each core teacher • Morning and afternoon times • One on one time with teacher

25. Circle of Friends/Friends of Rachel • Counselor leads both groups • Circle of Friends • Focus is on building relationships • New students to the district • Students who may need improvement with social skills • Friends of Rachel - anti-bullying group • Mix-it-up days • Community Service • Game nights

26. Teaming

28. How does teaming affect students?

29. Teaming • Norms • Roles • SIT • Schedule • Principal and Counselor meet with teams once per week

30. Team Norms • Each team has different norms - team decides • Some examples: • Start and end on time • Don’t bring grading to team • Focus on the solution, not the problem • Talk about the same issue more than once - solve it or move on • Celebrate successes

31. What are the roles of the teachers on your team?

32. Team Roles • Leader • Secretary • SIT/Data person • Seminar liaison

33. Why is teaming so important?

34. SIT • Student Improvement Team • Identify students who need additional assistance • Come up with a plan to increase student success • Whatever it takes!

35. Schedule • Typical week - one Viking Day and 4 Block Days • Viking Day - 7 period schedule • Block Day - 4 period schedule • Teacher teams have common plan time. • Departments have common plan time for PLCs

37. Why is communication so important?

38. Communication • Open House • Phone/email/texts • Webpages/wikis/twitter • Newsletter • Student team meetings • Parent Teacher Conferences

39. Open House • Parents are encouraged to attend • Go through student schedule • Meet teachers • Learn about classroom expectations • Introduced to school policies and procedures

40. What are some ways you communicate with parents?

41. Phone/email/texts • Seminar teachers are expected to contact the parents of their seminar students before the first month of school • Weekly emails about what is going on in class • Email to text to students’ and parents’ phones

42. What has the response been to your communication efforts?

43. Webpages/wikis/twitter • Teacher webpages-informational • Wikis used for in class activities as well as resources for students outside of class • http://stuevebiology.wikispaces.com/ • Students following teachers on twitter

47. Newsletter • Upcoming events • Suggestions for parents • Pictures/stories about classroom/seminar activities • Sent out once a month

48. Parent Communication

49. Student team meetings • Monthly meetings • Announcements • Additional seminar lessons/activities • Team Competitions • Wear team colors

50. What technology was used at SFC?