Transcript Intentional Guidance: Small Groups: Academic Support

Intentional Guidance:
Small Groups: Academic Support
Spring Semester 2013
Hugo Gonzalez and Maia Weldele
Principal’s Message
“Our priority is to increase our
Senior graduation rate.”
“All hands on deck for this
upcoming senior class.”
Graduation Rates Over Time
88%
86%
86%
83%
84%
82%
80%
79%
80%
78%
76%
74%
72%
70%
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Our
Vision
Goals for Hoover High School
 10% increase in the percentage of students who are eligible
for and who apply for college
 10% increase in the percentage of students who apply for
FAFSA
 70% reduction in the number of seniors who are not on target
to graduate from start of year to 2nd term progress report
HOOVER: What did we “MEASURE”?
# of Seniors out of 410 who are at risk of not
graduating because of ….
410
450
400
We focused our
intervention on
these students
350
300
250
200
150
122
100
74
95
GPA
Credits
50
59
0
Computer Lit
CAHSEE
Sr. Exhibition
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
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
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
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
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
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).
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
RESULTS
Small Groups:
Academic
Support
Attitudes
I believe that being organized will help
me do better in school
90%
77%
80%
70%
Increase of students
who strongly agree
and agree
66%
60%
50%
40%
33%
23%
30%
20%
10%
0%
0%
Strongly Agree
Agree
0%
Disagree
Pre
Post
0%
0%
Strongly Disagree
I know how to
effectively manage my time
90%
Increase of students
who strongly agree
and agree
80%
80%
77%
70%
60%
50%
40%
23%
30%
20%
20%
10%
0%
0%
0%
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Pre
Post
0%
0%
Strongly Disagree
Knowledge
The power or ability to recover quickly from problems
or adversity” is the definition of which word:
Correct Answer: Resilience
100%
90%
80%
88%
80%
Slight Increase
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
20%
12%
10%
0%
0%
Resilience
Persistence
0%
Healthiness
Pre
Post
0%
0%
None of the above
The definition of prioritize is
Correct Answer: To put things in order of importance
Nice Increase!
120%
100%
100%
80%
80%
60%
40%
20%
20%
0%
0%
0%
To do one thing
over and over
again
0%
To study hard and
get good grades
0%
To put things in
order of
importance
Pre
Post
0%
To ask for help
when needed
0%
a.
0%
Non of the
above
Skills
To create a SMART goal, you must
include:
100%
Significant
Increase!
90%
80%
70%
Correct Answer: Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Realistic and Timely
88%
60%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
20%
20%
0%
Smart
0%
0%
Specific, Measurable, Serious, Meaningful,
Attainable, Realistic, Artistic, Relevant and
and Timely
Tiresome
Pre
Post
0%
12%
0%
Only school related
Short, Mature,
Appropriate,
Remarkable and
Technical
GPA Average by Progress Report
2.22
S2 Progress 1
Slight
Decrease
2.17
S2 Progress 2
Averages by Semester Grades
Average GPA by Semester
1.83
9-11th
Is on the
increase
1.99
Semester 1
Number of Students At-Risk Due to GPA
Mid Year Data
1.7 to 2.0
We expect 8 out of
the 10 students to
be above a 2.0 GPA
after 2nd Semester
Report Card
10
5
2
9-11th
Semester 1
Semester 2
SENIOR MEASURES
450
410
400
Overall decrease in
students not at-risk
due to GPA
358
350
300
250
Total- Oct 4th
200
Total- Jan 28th
150
123
96
74
100
45
50
37
50
59
27
0
Sr. Exhibition
Computer Lit
GPA
Credits
CAHSSE
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”
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
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!
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!
THANK YOU
Thank you to the Principal, Dr. Podhorsky, the School
Counseling staff & the 12th grade Teachers for their
collaboration and support.
Also, thank you to the SENIORS who gave us the opportunity to
be someone in their lives!
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.
QUESTIONS
THE END!