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

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

New Vision Focus efforts/resources to: 1.Identify and recruit underserved students in the middle level grades. 2.Educate middle level parents and students on career preparation and options for success. 3.Model Bay Middle/Early College after successful Fitzharris Alternative High School programs. 4.Use the foundation grant to fund the program.

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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. 1.Trimesters vs. Two Semesters day schedules vs. 180 day schedules 3.Four Day Weeks vs. 5 Day Weeks

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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!