Freshmen Transition F.U.S.E. Freshmen Utilizing Senior Experience

1. Freshmen TransitionF.U.S.E.Freshmen Utilizing Senior Experience Moore High School Moore, Oklahoma

2. Freshmen Transition • Where and When? • Moore Public Schools • 2008-2009 School Year

3. Why Important? • Research shows that success during the freshman year of high school is critical to the success of students throughout their high school careers (Rysewyk,2008; Hertzog, 1999). • Goal was to provide an emotionally secure and physically safe environment where freshmen felt cared for and academically supported.

4. What Program? • Link Crew/ Boomerang Project • www.boomerangproject.com • Use of trained upper classmen to mentor and support incoming freshmen.

5. Link Crew/Boomerang ProjectPhilosophy • We believe in education. • We believe the voice of one teacher can have a profound impact on the life of a child. • We believe that what happens in your classroom and at your school can change lives. • We believe in students and what they have to offer. • We believe in the hope and opportunity that schools provide. • We believe in the vision of what schools can be. • We believe you get back what you give.

6. Coordinator Basic Training • Spring training • Intense 3-days of Learning, Review and Practice. • Follow-up training in the Fall • One-day training for on-going training and follow-up activity ideas.

7. Development of F.U.S.E. • Recruitment of mentors • Teacher recommendation. • Students from every social group in order to have a good representation among mentors. • Look for nontraditional leaders. • Application process. • GPA is not a deciding factor. • Teacher committee makes final decision.

8. Development of F.U.S.E. • Training of mentors • May Day in the Spring. • An intense 2-Day training in August—10 hours—must attend all 10 hours. • Start with low risk activities and take students to higher risk activities while building trust in themselves and others.

9. Objectives • Empower juniors and seniors as role models. • Increase academic success through support of peers. • Develop Leadership skills in students on campus. • Allow successful older students to pass on positive traditions to younger students. • Expose students to a variety of individuals at the school in positive situations. • Teach students that by working together they can be successful and enjoy one another. • Help create a supportive and positive atmosphere on campus. **Taken from Link Crew Coordinators Handbook

10. The Big Day! • Orientation • Develop relationships with mentors and other students. • Become familiar with school and people available to support them. • What Every Freshman Should Know • Have fun, fun, fun!

11. F.U.S.E. Follow-Ups • Mentors teach lessons to Freshmen throughout the year: • Making Choices • Building Strong Relationships • Achieving Excellence • Cooperation and Competition • Finding the Balance • Sometime’s It’s Just Not Fair • Goal Setting

12. F.U.S.E. Social Activities • Tailgate Party • Valentines Treats • Halloween Dance • Thanksgiving Lunch with Mentors • Ice Cream Social • Finals and Cocoa

13. What We Learned? • Survey to Freshmen Parents

14. Our Response • Developed F.U.S.E. Mentors Leadership Class • Created additional opportunities for F.U.S.E. Mentors to be involved with Freshmen • Mentors assigned to Freshmen T.A.A. • F.U.S.E. Newsletter • Birthday Cards and Wishes

15. Letter from Parent • Dear Mr. Coyle, Ms. Knowles and Ms. Harris, • My son, Mark, is a freshman at Moore High School.  I wanted to tell you how grateful I am for the way our children were welcomed and transitioned to high school.  It is an exciting move up for them, but can be so traumatic!  You and your staff went above and beyond to make sure they transitioned well, and in doing so, gave them a terrific start.  As a parent, I cannot tell you how grateful I am for the relief.  Mark is a smart guy, well liked and comfortably social, yet even I had a great amount of concern.  We are a few weeks into the school year, and I have been able to breathe a huge sigh of relief.  Mark is happy, and truly already feels like he is at home there.  • The FUSE program, in my opinion, is pure genius.  I don’t know where the program originated, or how it was brought to Moore, but it is incredible.  Mark’s birthday was made memorable for him because a senior took the time out to find him in class, and wish him a happy birthday.  This impressed me SO much!  As a teacher, I can appreciate the fact that it was a distraction, but as a mother I cannot tell you how greatly appreciated that simple gesture was.  To me, it illustrated the stark difference between the way freshmen are accepted at MHS, and the way freshmen USED TO BE targets of pranks at bullying by upperclassmen. • As educators we know that learning cannot occur if children aren’t feeling safe and accepted.  You have my deep gratitude for the way you and your staff created that environment for my son and his peers.  If there’s ever any way I can support your efforts, please do not hesitate to contact me.  I will be happy to help in any way I can. • Sincerely,

16. Advisory • Meets every three weeks for thirty minutes. • Each student keeps the same advisory for four years. • Current program was developed over a three year period. • Key changes that were implemented: • Provide lessons based on a monthly theme. • Each grade level should have different lessons. • Distribute progress reports. • Curriculum is a combination of prepared programs and staff developed materials.

17. Advisory • Advisory students are placed with a teacher at the start of their freshman year. • Students that do not advance stay with their advisory. • Super-seniors are placed with graduation coach for advisory. • Positive effect on both students and staff.