Intentional Guidance: Small Groups: Academic Support

1. Intentional Guidance: Small Groups: Academic Support Spring Semester 2013 Hugo Gonzalez and Maia Weldele

2. Principal’s Message “Our priority is to increase our Senior graduation rate.” “All hands on deck for this upcoming senior class.”

3. Graduation Rates Over Time Our Vision

4. Goals for Hoover High School • 10% increase in the percentage of students who are eligibleforand who apply for college • 10% increase in the percentage of students who applyfor FAFSA • 70% reduction in the number of seniors who are not on target to graduate from start of year to 2nd term progress report City Heights Educational Collaborative, 2010

5. HOOVER: What did we “MEASURE”?

6. Intentional Guidance Target Group “At-Risk” Seniors • Started with 74 Students at risk due to Low GPA (2.0 or below) • Screened 36 students with GPA from 1.7 to 2.0 • Held “At-Risk” Senior Conference • Pre-Interviewed students from “At-Risk” list to inform them of the study skills or motivation groups • 10 seniors agreed to participate

7. What we did.. • Groups met once a week for 8-weeks • Met each week in a different period • Each group had 7 or 8 students • Groups held February 6th – March 26th

8. Group Curriculum • Adapted study skills and motivation curriculum from Iowa’s department of Education • Created weekly lessons on: • Time Management • SMART Goals • Resiliency • Vision Boards • Organization • Graduation Speech • Groups consisted of videos, icebreakers, check-ins and lesson

9. ASCA National Standards Academic Standard A: Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across the life span. • A:A1.5 Identify attitudes and behaviors that lead to successful learning • A:A2.1 Apply time-management and task-management skill • A:A3.1 Take responsibility for their actions Standard B: Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college. • A:B1.1 Demonstrate the motivation to achieve individual potential • A:B1.3 Apply the study skills necessary for academic success at each level Standard C: Students will understand the relationship of academics to the word of work and to life at home and in the community. • A:C1.6 Understand how school success and academic achievement enhance future career and vocational opportunities

10. ASCA National Standards Career Standard C: Students will understand the relationship between personal qualities, education, training and the world of work. • C:C1.1 Understand the relationship between educational achievement and career success  Personal/Social Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others • PS:A1.1 Develop positive attitudes toward self as a unique and worthy person • PS:A1.3 Learn the goal setting process Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goal. • PS:B1.1 Understand consequences of decisions and choices

11. Research Says • “Research on school attendance consistently shows that low absenteeism is correlated to students' positive school behavior, participation in extracurricular activities, higher grades, and better long term educational outcomes.” (Bureau of Educational Research, 2009). • “The National Center for Education Statistics (2002) found that the dropout rate of at-risk students is twice as high as their achieving peers. Still, at-risk students are not given needed support and are not being selected to receive remedial services” (Education Trust, 1999,2001).

12. Group Timeline: Sessions • Pre-Conference Interviews • Permission slips and individual meetings • Week 1: Get to know you • Week 2: Goals: Solution-Focused Goals • Week 3: Time Management • Week 4: Goals: SMART Goals • Week 5: Vision Boards • Week 6: Organization • Week 7: Resiliency • Week 8: Graduation Speech

13. RESULTS Small Groups: Academic Support

14. Attitudes

15. I believe that being organized will help me do better in school Increase of students who strongly agree and agree

16. I know how to effectively manage my time Increase of students who strongly agree and agree

17. Knowledge

18. The power or ability to recover quickly from problems or adversity” is the definition of which word: Correct Answer: Resilience Slight Increase

19. The definition of prioritize is Correct Answer: To put things in order of importance Nice Increase!

20. Skills

21. To create a SMART goal, you must include: Correct Answer: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely Significant Increase!

22. GPA Average by Progress Report Slight Decrease

23. Averages by Semester Grades Is on the increase

24. Number of Students At-Risk Due to GPA We expect 8 out of the 10 students to be above a 2.0 GPA after 2nd Semester Report Card

25. SENIOR MEASURES Overall decrease in students not at-risk due to GPA

26. Students Say… • “I got motivation to do my job and do better in life” • “I learned from this group to be confident with my self and also to talk to others. I learned that there's people out there that care about me and that want to help me to achieve my goals” • “I believe everything they showed us has helped me because everything they showed me is helping me be a better person” • “To me this group really helped me really express myself and I learn to not be shy and care about those that surround me. This is very amazing group and I wished it could be longer”

27. LIMITATIONS • School wide testing (CAHSEE) • Blood-drive (A couple of them) • Experienced resistance (from some) to students leaving class • Some students didn’t receive passes in a timely manner • Student’s absences • Block scheduling impacted group time

28. WHAT WE LEARNED • Students don’t care what we know until they know that we care • Planning and organization is key to have successful interventions • Not all teachers agree with interventions • Will not be successful 100% of the time • Even when results are not what we expected, we learn how to do it better next time • STUDENTS NEED MORE SUPPORT! • Catch them early! • Consistency matters!

29. NEXT STEPS • Interventions are only as good as their follow-up • Check in with students regularly • Leave lesson plans for next year’s interns/counseling team • Have a larger pool of students • Start earlier • Garner teacher support and buy-in earlier • Never give up!

30. THANK YOU Thank you to the Principal, Dr. Podhorsky, the School Counseling staff & the 12thgrade Teachers for their collaboration and support. Also, thank you to the SENIORS who gave us the opportunity to be someone in their lives!

31. SCHOOL COUNSELING The School Counseling program is contributing in a meaningful way to the academic achievement of all students. Thank for you for your support of the school counseling program.

32. QUESTIONS HOO-RYDE! THE END!