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“Got Ninth-Grade Academy? Learn How to Change Your School”

A Fairmont High School (NC) experience …. “Got Ninth-Grade Academy? Learn How to Change Your School”. Welcome to…. Robeson County (NC) Rural District Avg. Income = $31,499 (30.49% below poverty) Ethnic Groups : Native Americans → 37.9 % Caucasian → 35.9 %

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“Got Ninth-Grade Academy? Learn How to Change Your School”

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  1. A Fairmont High School (NC) experience … “Got Ninth-Grade Academy? Learn How to Change Your School”

  2. Welcome to… Robeson County (NC) Rural District • Avg. Income = $31,499 (30.49% below poverty) • Ethnic Groups: Native Americans → 37.9 % Caucasian → 35.9 % African-American → 23.8 % Other (Hispanic, Asian, etc.) → 2.4 % • 35% → do not have a High School diploma • 65% → have a High School diploma or less • 11.5 % → earned a 4-yr. college degree or more • serves 24,000 students • 43 schools: 23 elementary → 10 middle → 6 high → 1 early college

  3. Who are we… Fairmont High School (Home of the Golden Tornadoes) • Student Population (662): African-Americans → 303 Caucasians → 158 Native Americans → 155 Mixed → 28 Hispanics → 16 Other → 2 • 48 certified teachers, 60(+) staff members • 77.7% of student population free or reduced lunch

  4. The data… State Assessment Scores… • Composite Scores → 07 – 08: 60.6% 08 – 09: 57% 09 – 10: 78.7% 10 – 11: 77.8% 11 – 12: 73.05% Subject Comparison 09/10 & 10/11 Year:07-08(%)08-09(%)09-10 (%) 10-11 (%) 11 – 12(%) • English I 52.7 48.2 69.1 53 61 • Algebra I 43.6 37.9 62 72.1 80.5 • Geometry 66.7 75 90.2 N/A N/A • Algebra II 46.4 53.3 98 96 N/A • Biology 63.9 62.3 81.3 71.4 87.7 • Phy. Science 67.6 55.6 88 88 N/A • Civics 88.6 71.6 78.7 88 N/A • US History 67.2 71.2 82.1 90.2 N/A

  5. The data (continued)… • Drop-out Rate 07-08 → 8.75% (64) 08-09 → 7.5% (51) 09-10 → 8% (54) 10-11 → 3.9% (24) 11 – 12 → 2.1 %(14) • Graduation Rate 07-08 → 47.1% 08-09 → 59.4% 09-10 → 65% 10-11 → 74 % 11-12 → 83.42% • Suspension #s 07 – 08 → 583 08 – 09 → 563 09 – 10 →377 10 – 11 → 365 11 – 12 → 274 • 9th Grade Retention #s 06 – 07 → 92 07 – 08 → 53 08 – 09 → 17 09 – 10 → 36 10 – 11 → 12 11 – 12 → 8

  6. We believe all students … Can achieve a high school diploma and our belief starts before they walk into our doors

  7. Our plan… • Bridging the Gap • Summer Evaluation • Transition Academy • Freshmen Academy (HSTW model) ↓ 10th grade promotion

  8. Bridging the Gap… (* see handout) Connecting Middle School to High School • Middle school principal’s phone # • Exceptional Children’s department • E.C. department chair meets with middle school E.C. teachers • Identify • Correctly place (discuss individual cases) • Folders completed

  9. Bridging the Gap… • Core subject teachers interaction (meeting) • Explain hurdles for all subjects from both sides • Get teachers to identify glaring weaknesses • Create plan to benefit high school & middle school • (Ex: 7th – 8th grade E.O.G. = Reading Comp. → 9th grade E.O.C. = Grammar & Reading Comp. → 10thWriting Test )

  10. Bridging the Gap… • 8th Grade Assembly • Feeder schools are invited to the campus during school to see the operation and to receive information about the high school • 25 min sessions (4 total) • Intro to 9th grade Academy team + current 9th grader reflection + 12th grader reflection • Discipline issues + expectations • English + Math emphasis (activities) • CTE Information + World History/Earth Science emphasis

  11. Bridging the Gap… • “Future 4 Kids” – Course Planner • Program for students and parents to technically interact with the guidance department in registering classes for high school • Students along with their parents usually attend a session on middle school grounds in April/May to set up their registration • All students’ registration should be completed by the end of May (for evaluation by high school)

  12. Summer Evaluation… • June/July • Examine “End Of Grade” scores for rising 9th graders • Evaluate who passed 1st time prior to re-testing • Establish Honors & Non-Honors (creates class size for scheduling) • Identify at-risk students for Academy teachers • Participants: Principal, Guidance Department, Assistant Principal, and 9th Grade Academy Coordinator

  13. Tornado Transition Academy… • 3 day mini-school session for rising 9th graders to interact with the FHS staff and learn “what” the Tornado Academy is all about!!! • Day 1 – Teachers plan and prepare all activities for the rest of the week • Day 2-4 – Students participate in different sessions full of activities

  14. Tornado Transition Academy… • Types of Activities: • Leadership • Team-building • Subject-oriented • Introduction to school • Technology • Physical • Transportation provided • Lunch is available for free • Student incentives for attending • No CHARGE!!!

  15. Tornado Academy… • Building Layout – Blueprint is necessary!!! • “School within a school” • Administration, support staff, and teachers should be clustered together in the school • Easier to monitor and participate in grade-level activities • Tornado Expectations • Exactly what “we expect” of these 9th graders from the minute they enter our halls • These expectations can be in addition to the high school handbook (more rules, more procedures, etc.)

  16. Tornado Academy … • Weekly Academy Team meetings • Common planning • Agenda • Stand-Up and Applaud • Academic Performance • Discipline Issues • Procedures • Absenteeism • Parental Contact • Professional Development • Specific strategies: Word Walls, Foldables, Gallery Walk • Self-reflection (Improvements in class management + strategies) • Achievement mindsets • Grading System – “Inc” or “Not Yet” • A.L.C. (Alternative Learning Center)

  17. Tornado Academy … • Lunch • All 9th graders as one group (most 9th graders are not prepared for a high school lunch room) • If at a large school, do the best you can in having the 9th graders together even though you might not be able to make it one group • If upperclassmen are assigned to the 9thGrade lunch, separate them in the lunch area • 9th Grade staff are required to eat in the lunch area to help monitor the students

  18. Human Resources …

  19. Tornado Academy… • 9th Grade Student Support Team • 9th Grade Counselor • Scheduling + credit check (extremely important) • Emotional/family issues • Conducts SSMT (Student Services Management Team) & 504 plan meetings • 9th Grade Social Worker • Absenteeism • Emotional/family issues (house visits)

  20. Tornado Academy… • 9th Grade Drop-out Prevention Coordinator • Actually works with 10th grade as well (target group) • Parental contact • Multiple activity & program planner (Anti-Bullying week, 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, etc.) • 9th Grade Parent Liaison • Parental contact • Parental involvement activities • Community relations

  21. Tornado Academy… • 9th grade Academy Coordinator • Conducts weekly meetings • Plans student success celebrations • Interacts with students • Assists Administration • Conducts & attends Professional Development workshops • Attends Central Office meetings

  22. Tornado Academy… • Tutoring • All teachers in the academy must be available for tutoring at least once a week • Schedule tutoring so subjects do not overlap with each other (try not to allow the student to have to make a choice) • Parental contact for targeted students • 1 – 1 ½ hours • Transportation is available

  23. Keep in mind… • Some states claim that 70 to 80 percent of 9th graders who fail will not graduate • Students who did not earn promotion to 10th grade have a 1 in 4 chance to earn a diploma within 8 years (Neild & Balfanz, 2006) • “On-track” students are 3.5 times more likely to graduate from high school in four years than students who are “off-track” (Allensworth & Easton, 2005)

  24. Student Success Celebrations… • Academic success, limited tardies& absences

  25. Student Success Celebrations… • Top Tornadoes • Bi-weekly selection of students in the Academy for success in classroom or athletics • Chosen by the teachers at our weekly meetings • Display in the Academy showcases the chosen student

  26. Student Success Celebrations… • Academic success: Day trips, honor roll recognition, and student incentives

  27. Community & Parent Partnerships…

  28. Community & Parent Partnerships… • Parent Webpage • Parent Resource Center • Monthly Parent Newsletter • Blackboard Connect Announcements • Parent Survey • Parent Teacher Organization • ParentNet Group (Fall 2012)

  29. Community & Parent Partnerships • Parent Recognition @ EOC Banquet • Quarterly Community Leader’s Breakfast • Business Partnerships i.e. student employment • Partnership Wall • FHS Foundation (Fall 2012)

  30. Continuing Success towards the Ultimate Goal = GRADUATION • 3 Main Areas of Concentration • Core classes (Adequate amount of credits) • Guidance department conferences • Attendance • Drop-out prevention

  31. Lowest Class Attendance Percentage by Month (2011-2012) • Class Percentage • Month 1 Junior .95 • Month 2 Sophomore .93 • Month 3 Junior .93 • Month 4 Sophomore .92 • Month 5 Seniors .92

  32. Drop-Out Information • 2010 - 2011- 2011 2012 Differences Freshmen 11 3 +8 Sophomores 4 7 -3 Juniors 5 4 +1 Seniors 5 0 +5 Totals 25 14 +11 County Total 242 N/A 2010-2011 County Drop-Out Rate 3.48% N/A

  33. Interventions and Strategies • Monitor Daily Attendance • Attendance Letters • Phone Calls • Home Visits • Student Conferences • Parent Conferences • Weekly Meetings with Support Staff • Follow Up Process – Withdrawals (Verification of New Enrollment)

  34. Interventions and Strategies (Continued) • After School Tutoring • Saturday Academy • Remediation (EOC’s) • ACT Prep • SAT Prep • Future for Kids (F4K) • Work Keys Prep • Freshmen Transition Academy • Advisor/Advisee-Character Education • Partnerships With Businesses • (Students with Jobs) • Mission Dropout- first twenty (20) days

  35. Technology Resources…

  36. What’s next on the agenda…

  37. Fairmont High School Contacts… • Travis Kemp – (9th Grade Academy Coord.) • travis.kemp@robeson.k12.nc.us • Sandra Pridgen – (School Social Worker) • sandra.pridgen@robeson.k12.nc.us • ZaveryMcDougald – (Parent/Community Liaison) • zavery.mcdougald@robeson.k12.nc.us

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