WELCOME! How Are You Avoiding the Transition Trap?

1. WELCOME!How Are You Avoiding the Transition Trap? Please look over the first page of your handout and jot down your thoughts on how your school helps students move in and out.

2. AVOIDING THE TRANSFER TRAP Helping Students (and Parents) Make Successful Transitions ASCA Annual Conference June 28, 2004 Mark Boggie Lead Counselor Buena High School Sierra Vista, Arizona

3. OBJECTIVES Participants will… • learn some “best practice” strategies for transitioning students. • learn how transitions effect families and individual students. (Information from the U.S. Army’s Secondary Education Transition Study (SETS)). • learn about S2S Field Test and other strategies designed to help students and parents transition.

4. WHY? At Buena High School for SY 2003-2004 School Enrollment: 2600 Transfers In: Approximately 700 Transfers Out: Approximately 700 Attendance Rate: 94.0 % Graduation Rate: 86.8 % What is the mobility rate in your school?

5. TYPES OF TRANSITIONS • Grade level transitions • Students new to the district at the beginning of the year • Mid-year moves • Special upperclassmen concerns • Other transitions

6. GRADE LEVEL TRANSITIONS These transitions include the normal transition from grade to grade within a school and the typical transition from level to level (elementary to middle/junior high and middle/junior high to high school)

7. Natural “Break” Transitions Some students are “fortunate” enough to move during the summer when school is not in session. Transition issues for these students are different from students who make a level transition and from students who make a mid-year move.

8. MID-YEAR MOVES Students transitioning mid-year have special issues when transferring from school to school.

9. UPPERCLASSMEN CONCERNS Some special concerns faced by upper-class moves are: • Meeting Graduation requirements • Financial aid/scholarship issues • Same opportunities for extracurricular activities • Post-Secondary requirements

10. The Secondary Education Transition Study • Conducted by the US Army • Studied the following transition categories • Technical and Procedural • Records transfer/Interpretation of records • Calendars and Schedules • Policy, Standards and Opportunity • Graduation Requirements • Extracurricular Participation • Support and System • Partnerships • Social/Emotional Needs

11. SETS FINDINGSTechnical and Procedural Categories Records transfer and interpretation systems are neither consistently efficient nor effective

12. SETS FINDINGSTechnical and Procedural Categories • Variations in school calendars add to the challenges of transition (especially end of semester differences) • Variations in school schedules increase the probability of transition challenges (especially transferring from a block to a traditional schedule or visa versa)

13. SETS FINDINGSPolicy, Standards and Opportunity Categories Problems with clear and timely information exchange, understanding/interpretation, coherent articulation of courses and credits, redundancy, and the lack of formalized reciprocity have caused problems

14. SETS FINDINGSPolicy, Standards and Opportunity Categories Extracurricular experiences are important to the “fitting in” process

15. SETS FINDINGSSupport System Categories Partnership is the safety net that the community weaves for the benefit of all children.

16. SETS FINDINGSSupport System Categories • Students are unique; they are children first…each new school situation brings a particular set of opportunities, challenges, and unknowns.

17. SETS FINDINGSSupport System Categories • Students need and appreciate caring, sensitive adults. Professional development and adequate staffing are identified as an on-going need…in addition, the need for the comprehensive evaluation and improvement of guidance professional-to-student ratios is evident

18. SETS FINDINGSSupport System Categories Students report that the best support they receive is from their peers. Other students can aide in the transition process. Schools need to recognize this and take advantage of it.

19. S2S Buena High School, in conjunction with the Military Child Education Coalition, participated in a field test this past semester to try different transition activities. Other schools involved included; Fountain-Fort Carson (Colorado), Radford (Hawaii), Terry Sanford (North Carolina), Carlisle (Pennsylvania), and Richland Northeast (South Carolina).

20. What is S2S? • Student 2 Student • Transition Assistance Program • Military and Civilian students • Assists students moving in and out of the District

21. What is S2S? • This program provides incoming students with information in three areas: • Academics • Relationships • Finding the Way

22. Academics • Courses offered • Comparison of graduation requirements • Graduation Plan • Unique programs offered • Chance to “brag” about Buena • Schedule/Calendar • Other credit opportunities • Pre-registration • Chart Your Course - MCEC

23. Relationships • Finding you way around town • Clubs • Lunch buddies • Extracurriculars • Meeting key staff members at Buena • Getting to know the teachers/staff at Buena

24. Finding the Way • School Tour • Community “Virtual Tour”- The Best of Sierra Vista • Maps – School, City • Traditions • Web site • Culture

25. Benefits to Students • Quicker acclimation to the school • Alleviates “hit and miss” information • Able to concentrate on academics sooner • Increased level of participation in school/community activities.

26. Benefits to Teachers • Students feel welcome and informed • Students have a uniform understanding of school procedures and expectations • Students are able to concentrate on academics without the worry about “procedures”

27. Benefits to Administrators • New students and parents have an increased comfort level with new school • Increased student achievement by making students feel comfortable in their new environment • Proactive rather than reactive

28. Benefits to Parents • Creates welcoming atmosphere • Parents perceive the school as caring about their transitioning student • Increases student achievement • Fosters two way communication • Provides support for student and parents

29. Benefits to the Community • Improves the working relationship between the school and the (military) community • Positive Public Relations Tool for the business/residential community • Provides business information to new families moving to the area

30. OTHER STRATEGIES Student Ambassadors Peer Support Groups New Student Orientation New Parent Orientation Transfer of Records Tours Develop a checklist for entering/leaving students Lunch Buddy

31. STRATEGIES Visit by Administration, Counselors, Teachers Parent Night Policies and Procedures for seeing the Counselor Visit next year’s teacher Nth grader for the day Scheduling Transfer of Credit Welcoming Activities by Counselor/Teacher Transfer of Extra-Curricular Activities

32. RESOURCES • www.sierravistapublicschools.com/bhs/bhsserv.htm\ • Example of a Parent Orientation Power Point • http://militarychild.org • “Best Practices” Document • http://schoolcounselor.org/index.cfm • Transition Documents • mpboggie@theriver.com