Making Transition Work

1. Making Transition Work High- School- Redesign Making Middle Grades Work Sharon Dugas, Principal Raecheal Vizier, Literacy Coach Bayou Blue Middle School

2. Getting Started Activity Drawing the pig! How many geometric shapes does it take to draw a pig?

3. The Results… • Top- Optimism • Middle- Realist • Bottom- Pessimist • Face • Left Side- Traditional • Right Side-Not Family Oriented • Straight- Like to Play • Lots of Detail- Caution, Analytical • Little Detail- Emotional, Naïve, Risk Taker • Big Ears- Better Listener • Long Tail- Talker • Four Feet- Secure, Stubborn, Firm • Two Feet- Insecure, Major Change

4. A Model High School Should… *assure student involvement in learning using effective instructionalstrategies and innovative curriculum *have high expectations for every student *provide students with a safe and supportive learning environment *allow students to be challenged with educational opportunities

5. What do we want for our students? • Cooperation with community, parents and educators that will provide a safe, supportive environment with a variety of educational opportunities to empower each student to develop the attitudes, behaviors, skills, and knowledge to become self-assured, responsible, and economically productive citizens.

6. Why should you focus on transition? • A high school drop out cost you and me approximately $209,000 over the lifetime of one drop out. • How many actually drop out? • 7,000 a day during the course of a school year in the United States of America

7. National, State, & Local Problem • Nearly one of three grade 8 students in the United States do not graduate from High School. (NASSP, 2006) • Half of Black and Latino students don’t make it to graduation. (NASSP, 2006) • More students fail 9th grade than any other level. (Mclver, 1990) • No standards and resources in place to meet transitional needs. (NASSP, 2006)

8. Research • 8th and 9th grade is a defining period for teenagers. • Research indicates that students who participate in transition programs are less likely to drop out of high school • A clear plan assesses student needs and identifies courses and learning opportunities. • Comprehensive transition programs provide students with insight into their futures.

9. 12 Components to a Freshmen Transition Program • Gather 8th grade data • Establish summer bridge program • Freshmen orientation program • Support extra curriculum opportunities • Implement an advisor/advisee program • Provide tutoring and support

10. Establish twilight school • Freshmen academy • Freshmen teachers are united • Incorporate a freshmen seminar class • Team students with a matched set of teamed teachers • Appropriately modify staffing and scheduling

11. Best Practice for Middle Schools Focus on transition throughout the school year • Advisory • Students using LA-eportal • Students complete a rigorous research paper on a career • Complete interest inventory • Focus on five year plan and including both student and parents in process • Rigorous curriculum for math and ELA

12. Getting Started • Create a transition team • Guidance, 9th grade teachers, parents • Contact you middle/Jr. highs early • Work together to create and implement transition plan

13. Visit the Middle School • Have your transition team, make arrangements for elective teachers and coaches to visit 8th graders • Agriculture, FACS, ROTC, Coaches, etc. • They should present information (power point) • Allow high school students to participate in presentation • Provide handouts including brochures • Acknowledge prerequisites for classes or eligibility requirements for athletics • Allow students to sign up if they are interested

14. 9th Grade Orientation • Plan for your 8th grade students to visit the high school in the spring. • Provide students with tour of school • Provide students with schedule & map • Set up for small student presentations (like science projects) and allow students to walk through • Have performances: drum line, band, cheerleaders, dance team, etc.

15. Teachers Connecting • At some point during the year, preferable in the beginning, plan a day where 8th and 9th grade teachers can meet. • Discuss numbers • Discuss student transition • Discuss curriculum • Analyze data: test scores, benchmarking, etc. • Social concerns

16. Transferring Materials • Transition teams should plan to transfer student data including intervention reports, testing materials, benchmarking and edu-test data • Review Response to Intervention protocol for both schools • Set up a meeting to review and explain the data

17. Promote 9th Grade Success • Create common planning time (CPT) for core teachers • Ease & enhance the transition into grade nine • Eliminate the “general (open) track” • Implement a flexible schedule • Provide equitable access to learning opportunities for all students • Provide grade 9 guidance counselors • Personalize learning • Implement “Teaming” Center for Secondary School Redesign March 2007

18. Follow-up/Closure • Contributions • Discussions • Comments • Questions