BAY MIDDLE COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL (BMCHS)

1. BAY MIDDLE COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL(BMCHS) Status Report August 21, 2007

2. Overview of BMCHS Project • As written • Strong career guidance grades 8-10 • Health occupations classes grades 11-12– half time HS/College during senior year. (50 students Fall ’07) • Full time college year 13 • Revised Plan • Build on success of first year students • Recruit students for expanded opportunities for second year • Build the capacity for expansion to full middle/early college program in 3-5 years

3. New Vision Focus efforts/resources 2007-2008 to: • Identify and recruit underserved students in the middle level grades. • Educate middle level parents and students on career preparation and options for success. • Model Bay Middle/Early College after successful Fitzharris Alternative High School programs. • Use the foundation grant to fund the program.

4. BMCHS Funding Mechanisms • Existing • Planning grant • In kind from Bay College • In kind from ISD • Operations 2007-2008 • Planning Grant Carry Over (18K) • OSF (3K) • Community Foundation (4K) • Pending • Gordon Foods (9K) • Plum Creek (9K) • RGK Foundation (9K) • Hannahville Indian Community (35K)

5. New Vision • Continue with planning grant one more year. • Utilize carry-over and new grant funds to design a system to match the new vision. • Continue to recruit additional partners who support the new vision. (Hannahville Indian Community). • Take advantage of the current funding mechanism already in place to support the alternative education program. (Foundation Grant)

6. Location of BMCHS - New Vision • Fitzharris High School – Wells, Michigan • Local districts: • Bark River-Harris Schools-Harris • Big Bay de Noc Schools-Cooks • Escanaba Area Public Schools-Escanaba • Gladstone Area Schools-Gladstone • Manistique Area Schools- Manistique • Mid-Peninsula Schools-Rock • Rapid River Schools-Rapid River • Nah Tah Wahsh PSA-Wilson

7. Location of BMCHS • Higher Education Partner • Bay de Noc Community College-Escanaba • Health Care Partners • OSF St. Francis Hospital-Escanaba • Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital-Manistique • Marquette General Hospital/Doctor’s Park Family Physicians-Escanaba

8. BMCHS Governance • In place • Partners committee • BMC Principal/Coordinator • To be determined • Student involvement • Parent involvement • Consider National Consortium list

9. Curriculum Development at BMCHS • Progress • Health Occupations I (Including MERSA Project and online components) • Seminar aligned to allow for college credit • Stress Reduction Class • To be determined • Second year course list and coordination with Bay College • Curriculum design consistent with National Consortium

10. BMCHS Student Support Services • Seminar • team building activities. • strategies for college success. • improvement of interpersonal skills/relationships. • TRIO • High School Support Network

11. BMCHS Student and Faculty Recruitment • Coordinator/principal in place. • Secondary Staff - Focus recruitment and professional development on staff with high potential – especially those successful in existing programs. • College Faculty – Expand recruitment of and focus professional development on staff with high interest and potential.

12. Integration and Training of BMCHS Faculty and Staff • Staff – • State partnership network • Mentorship • Site visits – Mott MC, Olive Harvey MC • National Middle College Consortium Institute • Faculty • Curriculum Development – Secondary and Post-Secondary. • Project based learning.

13. Professional Development at BMCHS • Curriculum Symposium • Site Visits (State Partners, Mott Middle College, Olive Harvey Middle College) • National Consortium Institute • Curriculum Development

14. BMCHS – projected numbers for Fall 2007 (original plan) Students • Two groups of approximately 25 students-a morning and afternoon class- were to be enrolled in Health Occupations I. Teachers • Health Occupations-2 Secondary • Seminar – 1 BMC Staff Member • Stress Management – 1 Bay College Instructor Support Staff • 1 half-time project assistant

15. BMCHS – New Vision • No students will be enrolled in fall ’07 • Focus efforts and resources to ensure success of new vision in 2008 – 2009. • Improve communication, commitment and involvement of partners. • Build on renewed interest and support expressed by 100% of LEA Superintendents and Bay College President

16. Coordination of Schedules at BMCHS • Original plan - utilize existing DSISD Schedule with morning and afternoon release of students from home schools to attend BMCHS. • There were many roadblocks when attempting to coordinate the Bay College courses with schedules from (8) different school districts located in two counties. • Trimesters vs. Two Semesters • 167 day schedules vs. 180 day schedules • Four Day Weeks vs. 5 Day Weeks

17. Student Transportation Issues at BMCHS • Initial plan • Utilize existing infrastructure between LEA and ISD. • Supplemental transportation via local public bussing system (DATA). • Student personal transportation to/from clinical sites. • New Vision • Location near/on Bay College campus relieves many transportation problems

18. BMCHS Public Relations • Curriculum symposium – January 12, 2007 • Meetings • local civic organizations • superintendents/principals • area high school counselors • Local Media • Television • College Paper - Bay Beacon • Newspapers – Escanaba and Manistique • Parent nights • Telephone conversations w/local parents • Letters to local school board members

19. BMCHS Successes • Partnerships were established. • Schools/Health Care Providers/Community Organizations • Parents • Relationships between K-12 and Community College have been strengthened. • Networks were established. (Mentor, other Middle Colleges (Michigan and others), National Consortium.

20. BMCHS Challenges • Short time frame from inception to implementation limited chances for thoughtful dialog between partners. • Less than full planning grant funding limited time/personnel available. • Education/Understanding/Communication of MC concept was difficult. • Changes of key personnel limited continuity. • Because of above items, commitment to the project (especially by the local administrators) was not complete.

21. Three Lessons Learned at BMCHS • This is a major project. Time must be allotted to consider options and choose the one that best fits your circumstances. • You need to have the commitment and support of administrators (ISD and LEA superintendents, college president) throughout the entire process to be successful. • Key decision makers need to be directly involved with the framework design of the project in order to have their support.

22. Our advice to new grantees • Listen to and make note of the pitfalls the past grantee’s experienced and try to avoid these problems. • Keep an open mind. Investigate and consider options. The concept that will work in your community may not be any of the designs currently in practice. • Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!