Chelsea High School Freshman Academy

Why a Freshman Academy Goals & Foundations of the Academy Student Support and Academy Programs/Culture Year 1 & Year 2 Teacher Collaboration & Instruction Year 1 & Year 2 Year 3 Successes & Challenges of implementation Questions

Why a Freshman Academy?? National Research CHS Data Programs previously in place for 9 th graders Freshman Orientation: 3 hour event, 2 days before the first day of school Individual teachers and staff members, guidance counselors, deans, administrators, social workers, coaches, club advisors

CHS Freshman Academy Teacher Collaboration and Instruction Student Support Academy Programs and Culture

Chelsea High School Freshman Academy Year 1: Focus on students and program development Year 2: Began shifting the focus to instruction

Student Support Transition from middle to high school Academic support Social/Emotional support Policies and discipline

Transition from middle school to high school 8 th grade student and parent outreach Monthly events held in different locations (middle schools or high school) and at different times of day Familiarize students and parents with the building and high school policies Intro to High School Week: voluntary program that mixes academics with “high school skills” Freshman Orientation: 3 hour event two days before the first day of school

Academic support Remedial sections for core subject areas (mandatory) Academic Intervention meetings: students, teachers, parents (mandatory) Peer Tutoring program: during the day, pull-out model for 3 weeks at a time (mandatory) Homework Center: 4 days per week, core subject area teachers (voluntary)

Social/Emotional support Teacher Advocate program: one-on-one meetings for general student support (mandatory/assigned) Repeating 9 th grade student meetings: data review and goal setting (mandatory) Peer Mentor program: Juniors and Seniors matched with 9 th grade students for the year (voluntary) Social Worker groups: learning values and problem- solving (assigned/voluntary)

Policies and discipline Pre-referral system: Discipline system before an official discipline referral Used for minor infractions Students process behavior in order to return to class Universal Procedures Common for all Academy core classes Support students in transition to high school

Academy Programs & Culture Efforts to create programs that were unique to the Freshman Academy and a culture where students self-identified as being members of the Freshman Academy. Emphasis on the importance of a successful Freshman year to a student’s overall high school career Focus on personalizing the educational experience of each Freshman Academy student

Academy Programs & Culture Early College Awareness College visits (over 100 students each year) CHS Alumni Assemblies Connection to 8 th grade staff Peer observations and meetings between 8 th & 9 th grade teachers Data sharing at the end of the school year (at-risk students) Student Feedback sessions Quarterly “Focus Lunches” to obtain student feedback on academics and Academy programs

Academy Programs & Culture Recognition and Motivation Monthly assemblies with topics pertaining to academic success and future goals Quarterly recognition awards for attendance, grades, and effort (public recognition at assemblies) Incentives program in class: “Devil Dollars” Freshman Academy parent outreach Positive feedback for parents as well as intervention meetings Academy culture & identity T-shirts, buttons, bulletin boards

TEACHER COLLABORATION & INSTRUCTION Established Professional Learning Communities that consist of 9 th grade teachers Provided structured collaboration time during the school day Implemented early release day and after school professional development meetings for Freshman Academy staff members

What is a PLC? A professional learning community is made up of team members who regularly collaborate toward continued improvement in meeting learner needs through a shared curricular-focused vision.

BENEFITS of a PLC? The benefits to the staff and students include a reduced isolation of teachers, better informed and committed teachers, and academic gains for students. Hord (1997b) notes, "As an organizational arrangement, the professional learning community is seen as a powerful staff-development approach and a potent strategy for school change and improvement."

The Essential Elements of a PLC: A Shared Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals A Commitment to Continuous Improvement A Collaborative Culture Supportive and Shared Leadership Supportive Conditions

A PLC is a collaborative venture. “Isolation is the enemy of learning. Principals who support the learning of adults in their school organize teachers schedules to provide opportunities for teachers to work, plan, and think together.” NAESP, Leading Learning Communities: Standards for What Principals Should Know and Be Able to Do

PLC Structure at Chelsea High School Interdisciplinary teams made up of core subject area teachers All team members teach 3 to 5 freshman classes Meetings are held during an administrative duty period twice per week Meetings are mandatory for all members (some have volunteered but not all)

PLC Meetings Collaborate on lesson plans/ideas Discuss common practices (UbD, Key 3) Discuss Freshman Academy practices (universal procedures, incentive program, recognition program, immediate interventions) Evaluate student data Discuss individual students (progress, problems, ideas, interventions) Meet with individual students and/or parents

PLC Coach A PLC Coach is a person who supports a PLC team in using effective teaming practices and in using data to determine students’ progress. At times, the PLC Coach will ask questions that allow a team to reflect on its own practices and processes (or lack of practices & processes). At times, the PLC Coach will make recommendations based on best practice. In all cases, the PLC Coach will respect the professional expertise of the teachers with whom he/she is working.

Challenges of Implementing PLCs Creating and working as teams Understanding the importance of de-privatization of teaching/classrooms Struggling with implementation of new Academy procedures Wanting immediate results Sustaining energy and commitment

Additional Collaboration Time Year 1: Monthly early release days Year 2: Two staff meetings (Aug. & Feb.) Professional Development pertaining to 9 th grade staff/students

Chelsea High School Freshman Academy Year 1: Focus on students and program development Year 2: Began shifting the focus to instruction Year 3: Separate positions Grade 9 Coach: Instruction Grade 9 Outreach worker: Students Focus on instruction New message to students… need for knowledge, not just credits

New school-wide vision & focus CHS Vision of a Graduate Chelsea High School graduates will be self- aware, adaptive, socially competent and literate community members.

The CHS Instructional Theory of Action IF we have a purposeful and systematic approach to instruction with collaboration and reflection THEN our students will learn, be confident, and be ready for our future.

Goal for the Grade 9 Academy

New Programs/Services MassGrad Student advocates Targeted attendance interventions Academy-wide goal setting (core classes) “Why Try?” groups with deans, social workers and guidance counselors High-achieving student support Honor Roll/High Honor Roll “Above C-Level” Monthly staff meetings: Professional Development

Grade 9 Portfolio Beginning the launch of a 9 th grade portfolio project that aims: To build connections for students and teachers about the impact that daily choices have on establishing and achieving college and career goals To demonstrate college-readiness and career- technical skills by showing progress made from freshman to senior year It is hoped that the portfolio will travel with students and be built upon throughout their high school experience

Continued growth… Fostering Academic Support Together (FAST) Student Support Team model Coordinating systems of support vs. one-time interventions Maintaining programs without grant funding, such as peer tutoring Improved parent involvement/connection

Ongoing challenges Obtaining longitudinal data from 3 years of the Academy Bridge Academy Grade 10 house Attendance Connection with 8 th grade staff Transfer/mid-year arrival students Sustained parent involvement Temporary grant funding

Tracking data Quarterly grades (all classes and core classes) Promotion to the 10 th grade (required classes AND credits) vs. repeating 9 th graders Attendance rates Drop-out rates Community & Teacher Advocate program participants Intro to High School Peer mentor program participants

CHS Freshman Academy Teacher Collaboration and Instruction Student Support Academy Programs and Culture

Questions? Comments?

Thank You

A Short Bibliography for More Information about Professional Learning Communities Failure is Not an Option: Six Principles that Guide Student Achievement in High Performing Schools, Alan Blankstein, 2005 Getting Started: Reculturing Schools to Become Professional Learning Communities, Robert Eaker, Richard DuFour, Rebecca DuFour, 2002 Leading Learning Communies: Standards for What Principals Should Know and Be Able to Do, NAESP, 2002 On Common Ground: The Power of Professional Learning Communities, Richard DuFour, Robert Eaker, Rebecca DuFour (Editors), 2005 Professional Learning Communities At Work: Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement, Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker Whatever It Takes: How Professional Learning Communities Respond When Kids Don’t Learn, Richard DuFour, Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, and Gayle Karhanek, 2004