1. The Machinery of Middle College Success

2. a little bit of history
Before Oct. 2015, college counseling and advising was done only at the Norco College counseling department.
No college counselor/advisor dedicated to JFK
Low rates of comprehensive SEPs
Low rates of certificate/degree completers
Enter in the new key players
Ed. Advisor: Daniel Landin (Norco College) – Fall 2015
Student Advisor: Erin Cole (JFK) – Fall 2015
College Counselor: Maria Jurado (Oct – Summer 2016), Erin Spurbeck (Fall 2016 and beyond)
These positions began their work in earnest in October

3. Evolution: the beginning
Create a presence:
What did we do to create our initial presence?
College Knowledge Hour
Began October 26th, 2015
Number of contacts during the school year: 355
Fall: 83 / Winter: 114 / Spring: 161
Takes place at least three times a week during Excel period and Lunch
Provides a place where students can book appointments for/ meet with the college counselor onsite, meet with an educational advisor, pick up some information on degrees, transfer requirements, etc.; address any college issues.

4. Evolution: the beginning (cont.)
Beyond creating a presence on campus, we also identified those students who were near to completing an associate’s degree, or on their way to completing an AS/AA degree and/or certificate.
How did we go about doing this?
The now defunct MCS Information Sessions
Focus was put on students in the junior/ senior classes
What did we learn? : Many students were taking classes without direction
We realize we need to change the college culture at JFK.
AD/Cert 101 presentation (Associate degree and Certificate info)
All sophomores (January 2016)
College 101 presentation
Incoming JFK students and their parents (April 2016)

5. Evolution: the beginning (cont.)
Degree Completion:
Class of 2016: 8
Class of 2017: 15+ (Projection)
Class of 2018: 30 (Projection)
The majority of students who are on track to complete an associate’s degree are also completing the IGETC transfer pattern.

6. Evolution: Next Phase Maintain work with degree/certificate completers
Help more students complete 30 college units
Beyond 30 unit completion, have more students completing IGETC or CSUGE
Take measures to increase/ maintain student success, especially with regular underperformers
Tutor Connection
Bringing college tutors onsite to JFK
Regular meetings with those JFK students on academic/progress probation

7. Evolution: Next Phase (cont.)
Take measures to improve enrollment
Application Workshops
For winter, spring, and summer terms
Registration Lab
Increase the number of students who receive comprehensive educational plans, the goal being that eventually all students receive a comprehensive sep

8. It’s Who you know Who makes this all possible?
Centralized fieldworkers
Educational Advisor (Norco) and Student Advisor (JFK)
Primary people who conduct, prepare, and deal with the minutiae of presentations, workshops, advising, etc.
Admissions & Records operations assistants, as well as counseling staff and administrators from both institutions

9. Fieldwork/Teamwork:
This is what helps us foster a good working relationship: (Nothing new here, but we’ll mention these points for review)
Open communication, (Lay it out all on the table…the good, the bad, the ugly, and any ideas you may have to make things better!)
Recognize that team effort is the only way to get the thing off the ground
Doing what you can with what you have at the time that you can do it.
Remain flexible!!!
Both key players understanding procedures and inner workings of their respective areas.
Pie in the sky v. real world
Change isn’t always welcome
Sometimes things have to come in phases

10. Questions?