1. VFEL Webinar Series Eight Elements of High School Improvement Student and Family Supports Stakeholder Engagement February 2012

2. The ultimate goal in school improvement is for the people attached to the school to drive its continuous improvement for the sake of their own children and students. Dr. Sam Redding

3. Virginia Foundation of Educational Leadership (VFEL) Webinar Faculty: Dr. Roger E. Jones jones@lynchburg.edu Dr. Carol C. Robinson carolc.robinson@gmail.com carolc.robinson@gmail.com Dr. John C. Walker walker.jc@lynchburg.edu walker.jc@lynchburg.edu

4. Today’s Agenda 1. Welcome (2 minutes) 2. Team Reports – Teacher Quality and Professional Development (10 minutes) 3. Research regarding Elements 4 and 5 - Student and Family Supports and Stakeholder Engagement (30 minutes) 4. Activity/Discussion (10 minutes) 5. Reflection/Next Steps for Webinar 5 (8 minutes)

5. Objectives  Participants will be able to incorporate programs to increase student and family engagement into the tiered intervention system  Participants will be able to utilize data to determine need and to implement evidence- based tiered prevention and intervention approaches  Participants will be able to connect with community stakeholders to determine tiered- level needs and implement prevention and intervention strategies

6. Team Reports Share how you used the 3-2-1 approach to discuss a portion of Element 3 with colleagues.

7. Student and Family Supports (Element 4)  Programs that engage and support family members are provided  Transition programs are in place that support students as they transition in and out of high school  A positive school climate which includes school safety and respect is fostered

8. Stakeholder Engagement (Element 5)  Multiple stakeholders are engaged in high school improvement strategies and initiatives  Partnerships with stakeholders are fostered to enhance teaching and learning opportunities  Multiple communication strategies are implemented

9. Graduation Completion Index (GCI) Would your Graduation and Completion Index improve if your students were supported by the Student Assistance Programming (SAP) process?

10. Research says…  Students involved in SAP:  Increased their attendance by 70 percent  Improved their promotion or graduation rates by 68 percent  Decreased their discipline problems by 60 percent (Fertman, Helper, Tarasevich, 2003, Retrospective Analysis of the Pennsylvania Student Assistance Program Outcome Data: Implications for Practice and Research- unpublished )

11. How can you do this at your school?  Implement a SAP team  And no, you do not need to make a new team to do this – modify an existing team and its role!

12. SAP WORKS WITH MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS AwarenessEducation Promotion and Prevention Early Identification and Assessment Referraland Intervention and Support Comm- unity Stake- holders Sustain- ability Plan STUDENTS STAFF PARENTS COMMUNITY STAKE - HOLDERS 12

14. School-based infrastructure of proven practices that brings help to students, families, schools and communities An integrated system of supports, including prevention, early intervention and services that address barriers to student learning, success and graduation Promotes healthy school climate and student development SAP PROCESS

15. SAP teams focus on an approach to services that recognizes:  The importance of family, school and community  Seeks to promote the full potential of every child and youth by addressing their physical, emotional, intellectual, cultural and social needs

16. Benefits of SAP Teams  Promote faculty identification of at risk student in advance of Early Warning System data  Capture more detailed information from faculty than reflected in an Early Warning System  Address barriers to learning and living  Coordinate school and community resources  Help students achieve and graduate by fostering resiliency and reducing risk factors  Encourage effective teaming  Improve school climate

17. Health Promotion Tier III Individualized/Indicated Tier II Targeted/Selected Tier I Universal Tier IV Recovery or Treatment

18. Getting Started  Immediate Steps  Long-term Planning

19. Getting Started: A Team Approach  Ideally, SAP Teams exist at division and school levels  Large and small school teams at the school level are both effective  The team has objectives at each tiered level  Team members have different, yet complementary roles  School meetings are held regularly to review cases  Mutual support helps school team members handle the stress of referrals and case management

20. Data – What to use and how to use it Immediately Available Attendance Discipline, Crime and Violence SOL results and benchmarks Graduation and Completion Index List By Sub-groups

21. Data – What to use and how to use it Future  Climate Surveys – Student, Parents, Staff, Community Stakeholders*  Student Survey types Youth Risk/Protective factors* Asset Development*  Focus Groups  Interviews *Survey Websites: Safe and Supportive Schools - http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=133 Pride Surveys – International Survey Associates Website - http://www.pridesurveys.com/ Asset Development Website - http://www.search-institute.org/developmental-assets

22. The Early Identification Process  Assistance for a student may start with a referral from within the school, from data that flags the student or from a community stakeholder  Train faculty to watch and listen for the signs of student problems and how to refer to the SAP Team  A student’s teachers may consult with the SAP Team  The SAP Team works with students and their parents  The importance of confidentiality never changes

23.  Newport News Public Schools http://sbo.nn.k12.va.us/youthdevelopment/student_assista nce.html http://sbo.nn.k12.va.us/youthdevelopment/student_assista nce.html  Prince William County Public Schools http://pwcs.studentservices.schoolfusion.us/modules/cms/ pages.phtml?pageid=163939 http://pwcs.studentservices.schoolfusion.us/modules/cms/ pages.phtml?pageid=163939  Pulaski County Public Schools http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZT3Eu1CD_c  Roanoke County Public Schools http://www.rcs.k12.va.us/SAP/default.shtml Examples of Established SAPs in Virginia

24. Discussion Identifying students in transition to and from high school and from grade to grade: Discuss articulation between middle and high school SAP teams for students in selective and indicated levels Discuss transition programming at all grade levels Post an effective practice in the chat box that your school uses to assist in transition and be prepared to discuss

25. Benefits of Stakeholder Engagement  Cooperation means having extra help for student assistance  Coalitions with community entities aid universal prevention efforts  Coalitions with community agencies help individual students  Memoranda Of Understanding (MOU) define working relationships  Effective student assistance involves parents and guardians

26. Stakeholder Examples  Area schools, public and private  Businesses and business groups  Churches, synagogues, mosques and other faith-based groups  Government entities (e.g. Department of Motor Vehicles, et. al.)  Law enforcement  Hospitals and public health agencies  Prevention and treatment agencies  Probation services  Social service agencies  Youth service organizations

27. Community Service Examples  Academic tutors  Al-Anon, Alateen and Alcoholics Anonymous  Community Service Boards  Employee assistance programs (school or corporate)  Health care providers and health departments  Mental health, family and substance abuse services  Religious groups, counselors and leaders  Shelters for the homeless/Food banks  Social services departments  Parks and recreation departments  Youth outreach and after-school programs (i.e., YMCA, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boy/Girl Scouts)  Youth sports organizations

28. Engaging Stakeholders  A community has a stake in its schools and mission  Collaboration is mutually beneficial  Community-School Prevention Councils Community-school universal-level planning Selective and indicated-level collaborative services

29. Engaging Stakeholders  Steps to community-school universal- level programming success: Form coalitions with groups most likely to help schools Assess needs based on objective data Establish goals that can be measured Fill gaps in prevention services Evaluate efforts to adjust programming

30. Engaging Stakeholders  Know the people and groups with whom to collaborate  Know how community agencies function  Schools and stakeholders share information back and forth to better coordinate efforts  Support stakeholder initiatives

31. Engaging Stakeholders  Develop Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) together Clarify expectations and roles Communication and coordination Confidentiality Monitoring and evaluation  Review periodically and adjust

32. Summary  Students benefit from programs designed by schools that provide smooth transitions, foster safe and respectful school climates, and encourage and support family participation.  Students benefit from the involvement of multiple stakeholders through partnerships and support services.  Multiple communication strategies are key in building relationships that encourage student attendance and academic endeavors.

33. Collaboration Examples of Community–School Collaborative Student Assistance Programming  Collaboration with Masonic Organization-Masonic SAP Model http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv8HgNN9AWQ  Nantucket High School http://www.plumtv.com/videos/nantucket-student- assistance-program http://www.plumtv.com/videos/nantucket-student- assistance-program

34. Efforts in student and family supports and stakeholder engagement that are NOT based on student needs will NOT raise your graduation rate. Community Stakeholders efforts Department efforts Feeder school efforts Central Office efforts Administrative organizational efforts Parent efforts

35. Needs Assessment  Take a few minutes to review the results of your needs assessment for Elements 4 and 5  Select an indicator that is a strength and be prepared to explain why it is a strength

36. Resources for Elements 4 and 5  National Registry of Effective Practices and Programs: http://nrepp.samhsa.gov http://nrepp.samhsa.gov  Hamilton Fish Institute: http://gwired.gwu.edu/hamfish/Programs/ http://gwired.gwu.edu/hamfish/Programs/  IES What Works Clearinghouse- Drop-Out Prevention: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/advancedss.aspx http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/advancedss.aspx  National Dropout Prevention Center: http://www.dropoutprevention.org/home http://www.dropoutprevention.org/home  Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Programs: http://www.ojjdp.gov/mpg/ http://www.ojjdp.gov/mpg/  Promising Networks on Children, Families and Communities: http://www.promisingpractices.org/programs_outcome.asp http://www.promisingpractices.org/programs_outcome.asp

37. Resources for Elements 4 and 5  Daniel L. Duke: The Challenges of School District Leadership  Mike Fullan: All Systems Go  Carol Dweck: Mind Set: The New Psychology of Success  Mike Schmoker: Focus: Elevating the Essentials To Radically Improve Student Learning  Douglas Reeves & Elle Allison: Renewal Coaching: Sustainable Change for Individuals and Organizations  Reeves and Austin: Personal Coaching  Megan Tschannen-Moran: Trust Matters and Evocative Coaching: Transforming Schools One Conversation at a Time  John Kotter: Leading Change: Why Transformative Efforts Fail

38. Resources for Elements 4 and 5  National High School Center http://www.betterhighschools.orghttp://www.betterhighschools.org  National School Climate Center: http://www.schoolclimate.org/about/ http://www.schoolclimate.org/about/  Find Youth Info: http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/index.shtmlhttp://www.findyouthinfo.gov/index.shtml  Safe and Supportive Schools: Engagement, Safety, and Environment: http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=01http://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov/index.php?id=01  Americas Promise: http://www.americaspromise.org/Our- Work/Grad-Nation/Building-a-Grad-Nation.aspxhttp://www.americaspromise.org/Our- Work/Grad-Nation/Building-a-Grad-Nation.aspx  Center for Innovation and Improvement: http://www.centerii.org http://www.centerii.org  National Center For School Engagement: http://www.schoolengagement.org/ http://www.schoolengagement.org/  Center For Mental Health In Schools: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/ http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/

39. What was one idea I learned during today’s webinar that I plan to share with colleagues at my school?

40. Next Steps  What are your defined practices for student and family supports and stakeholder engagement and are they effective?  Review the “Team Life Cycle” and “Team Assessment” documents for our next webinar

41. Regional Liaisons  Frank Ehrhart (fehrhart@cox.net)fehrhart@cox.net  Courtney Graves (cgraves18@cox.net)cgraves18@cox.net  Steve Sage (ssage@embarqmail.com)ssage@embarqmail.com  Linda Hyslop (linhyslop@aol.com)linhyslop@aol.com  Melanie Yules (melanieyules@yahoo.com)melanieyules@yahoo.com

42. Next Webinar Regional LiaisonDateTime Steve SageMarch 2010:00 Frank EhrhartMarch 201:00 Courtney Graves and Linda Hyslop March 2110:00 Melanie YulesMarch 211:00