Coppell High School Freshman Transition Program

FTP
@

CHS
Freshman Transition Program

2013 2014

FTP @ CHS 2013 2014

Purpose
As a Coppell High School family, we seek to create an environment that helps to orient and to connect freshman learners to our high school culture while promoting student leadership, academic achievement, and personal success. The Freshman Transition Program (FTP) was established to: ease learners into the Coppell High School culture provide freshman learners with healthy academic and personal support structures expand leadership opportunities for upperclassmen build a safe and nurturing community interconnect all learners, educators, and administrators ensure on-going support and continuous evaluation for freshman learners.

The ultimate goal of The Freshman Transition Program is to help all students build their learner capacity and foster a sense of family necessary for a productive high school experience.

Evidence of Need
A pool of learners, parents, educators, and administrators contributed valuable information to the development of The FTP through committees, surveys, and research. Based on the information provided, the following represents the need for a comprehensive program to support our freshman learners: Learners are over-committed in extracurricular activities Learners are over-extended in academics Learners are not organized; Learners do not manage time wisely Learners are overwhelmed by the size of CHS; learners experience culture shock Learners are not prepared for the learner expectations of rigorous courses High-risk learners need more of our attention Learners must learn to advocate for their needs within the learning environment; Learners lack motivation Educators & administrators need to have healthy, continuous conversations about freshman learners Learners do not know what to do when they are struggling or falling behind, both academically and personally; Educators & administrators must be prepared to assist these learners.

FTP @ CHS 2013 2014

Program Phases
Prior to Freshman Transition Week:* August Fish Camp Annual schedule pick up and building orientation Educators Training & Development We will train and develop educators on The FTP during the August staff development week. The training and development information is detailed in Appendix D. Peer Leader Training & Development We will train and develop selected upperclassmen to co-facilitate Keystone Sessions during the first weeks of school. The training and development information is detailed in Appendix D.

Freshman Transition Week (during the school day):* A Freshman Lunch Section We will designate the small commons as the freshman area for the first five days of school. Cowboy Spirit Camp We will expose learners to the Coppell Way. In a fun, studentdriven, and student-centered way, we will teach the school song, the school history (Plunger Boy, Silver Spurs, etc.), school traditions (cheers, game responses, etc.). This experience will be hosted during 4th period lunches in the freshman lunch section. The CHS spirit committees will present the Cowboy Spirit Camp. Keystone Sessions We will invest two days of learner-centered AM/PM sessions at the start of the school year to reflect learner needs for our freshman community. The keystone sessions are detailed in Appendix B. A sample schedule is outlined in Appendix C. The Partial Integration Plan for the 2013-2014 school year is detailed in Appendix E. [Full Integration Proposed for the FTP 2014 2015 Implementation Phase]

Freshman Transition Week (after the school day):* Parent Communication Meeting & Panel We will provide a meeting to help ease parents through the freshman transition. The theme: Surviving Your Learners Freshman Year Freshman Mixer We will culminate the weeks activities with a freshman event (fundraising event, dance, BBQ, field day, lock-in, etc.). We will provide learners with a tshirt for attending. [Proposed for the FTP 2014 2015 Implementation Phase]

*Dates and times for the 2013 2014 Freshman Transition Week can be found in Appendix F

FTP @ CHS 2013 2014

Program Phases (contd)

Post Freshman Transition Week and On-going Support: At-Risk Learner Protocol We will provide a step-by-step guide for all educators who teach freshman learners that includes the RTI process and best practices for at-risk learners. The at-risk protocol ensures on-going support and evaluation for at-risk learners. The at-risk student protocol is detailed in Appendix A. The on-going evaluation windows for the administrative team can be found in Appendix F. On-going Evaluations We will conduct mid-year and end-of-the-year surveys of parents and learners to monitor learner progress. Educators will assess learners, and the learners will complete self-assessments on four (4) main domains: (a) organization & time management; (b) study & test-taking skills; (c) social connectedness; (d) self-advocacy. The evaluation date windows can be found in Appendix F. Freshman SPUR Groups We will ensure that freshman learners are grouped together during SPUR with a supportive educator. During selected SPUR sessions, learners will be provided with additional support customized to meet their needs based on on-going educator and learner evaluations. Middle School Support Structure We will contribute to the middle school support structures in place. We recognize that the high school transition process begins for 7th and 8th grade learners, parents, and educators. These support structures will include engaging videos about identified areas concerning freshmen, Q&A sessions with all relevant stakeholders, etc. Middle school planning dates can be found in Appendix F.

2013 - 2014 Committee Members

A sincere thanks to the following individuals on the Freshman Transition Program development committee: Anthony Poullard (Chair) and Rhoda Hahn (Co-Chair); Tabitha Branum, Jason Byrd, Clara Caussey, Stacey Helmbrecht, Jonathan McKinney, Melanie McWhorter, Gretchen Pace, Laura Salamone, Kim Thibodeaux, and Alissa Womack

FTP @ CHS 2013 2014

Appendix A At-risk Learner Protocol

At-Risk Student Protocol We will provide a step-by-step guide for all educators who teach freshman learners that includes the RTI process and best practices for at-risk learners. Purpose: The At-risk Learner Protocol creates a standard process for all educators that teach an at-risk freshman learner. For purposes of this document, an at-risk student is defined by, but not limited to: failure of a class excessive absences excessive behavior issues

Protocol: In order to best meet the needs of all of our learners, the following learner protocol represents the steps we must take when a learner is at-risk: A) Discuss the concern and develop solutions with the learner, and in most cases, include the parent(s) in the initial communication as well. The initiating educator must document the date and details of the student conference. B) Collaborate with the learners educators and administrative team to gather commonalities and to highlight the concern. This step will ensure that all educators are aligned. The initiating educator must document the date and details of the teams communication. If the problem persists or becomes worse within the next two weeks (10 class days), the educator and administrative team must: Initiate the RTI Process. Include the parent(s) in all communication concerning the issue. Schedule a face-to-face conference that includes the learner, parent(s), educator(s), and a member of the administrative team to develop solutions to best meet the needs of the learner.

Additional Support Structures: Contact the LINK Mentorship Program sponsor for additional peer support for the learner Coordinate with the educator/administrative team to assign a campus mentor. (It is recommended that the campus mentor not be a part of the learners educator/administrative team.)

FTP @ CHS 2013 2014

Appendix B Keystone Sessions

Keystone Sessions We will invest two days of learner-centered AM/PM sessions to reflect learner needs at the start of the school year for our freshman community. An educator-learner team will lead each session. Each team will include at least one educator and at least one learner to meaningfully collaborate and co-facilitate each session. The following three sessions are mandatory for all freshman learners: 1) Organization & Time Management to provide learners with best practices to be organized and manage their time to be successful at CHS, including balancing academic responsibilities and personal endeavors. 2) Educator/Learner Interaction to equip learners with the necessary tools to effective communicate with educators and advocate for needs, especially when conflict or student concerns arise. Additionally, this session will provide learners with best practices for inclass behavior and class participation. 3) Cowboy Family Connection to show learners the keys to making CHS smaller and manageable. This session will include strategies to create new friendships, to be involved in Coppell Cowboy Life, and to be a connected member of the Cowboy family. Each learner will choose three of the following student-choice sessions: A) Goal Setting to help learners set SMART goals for their academic experience and personal endeavors. B) Note-taking Strategies to provide learners with best note-taking practices for any classroom situation. C) Test-taking Strategies to provide learners with the best test-taking practices for any classroom situation. D) Study Skills & Resources to provide the learner with an opportunity to take a multiple intelligence assessment in order to evaluate how the learner best interprets vital information and should prepare for assessments. This session will include valuable resources/tools to guide the study process. E) I want to be a student leader. Whats next? to expose and provide students with the opportunities to become a class officer, student council member, peer-mentor, and other current and future school leadership opportunities.

FTP @ CHS 2013 2014

Appendix B Keystone Sessions (contd)

F) School Technology 101 to expose learners to the technology options at CHS, review primary logins (Gmail, Student Portal, etc.), the role of the iTeam, etc. G) Digital Wellness & Responsibility to teach leaners how to be proactive instead of reactive to technology situations/scenarios, as well as expose learners to best practices and acceptable use of technology. H) Ins & Outs of School Spirit to expose students to what it means to be a real Cowboy or Cowgirl at CHS; this session will show all of the ins & outs of the Coppell life. I) Upperclassmen Q & A Session to provide freshman learners with an opportunity to ask relevant questions to juniors and seniors about their high school experience; also provides upperclassmen an opportunity to reflect on their high school experience.

FTP @ CHS 2013 2014

Appendix C Sample Schedule for Keystone Sessions

Keystone Sessions We will invest two days of learner-centered AM/PM sessions to reflect learner needs at the start of the school year for our freshman community. An educator-learner team will lead each session. Day One Afternoon Schedule (Day One sessions are mandatory seminars that each freshman must attend). Students should be divided into freshman SPUR groups for Day One seminars. Period 5 ~ 1:02 p.m. 1:54 p.m. Period 6 ~ 2:00 p.m. 2:52 p.m. Period 7 ~ 2:58 p.m. 3:50 p.m. Day One Learners will be divided into their future SPUR groups. The SPUR group of learners will move on a set schedule to ensure that all learners attend the mandatory sessions.

Day Two Morning Schedule (Day Two sessions are student-choice seminars that each freshman must attend). Students will use the Sched App to register for the student-choice seminars and an attendance list will be created for each session. Period 1 ~ 8:20 a.m. 9:12 a.m. Period 2 ~ 9:18 a.m. 10:10 a.m. Period 3 ~ 10:20 a.m. 11:12 a.m. Day Two Learners will be provided with the schedule of their student-choice selections during the Day One session. Learners must have all student-choice sessions selected two (2) days before the rotation. Ideally, schedule selection would be driven through a content class, but can also be arranged during all lunches. Learners will attend their chosen sessions based on their schedule.

FTP @ CHS 2013 2014

Appendix D Training and Development for Educators and PeerLeaders

Educator Training & Development We will train and develop educators on The FTP during the initial staff development week. All educators and staff members will be introduced to the Freshman Transition Program, including the protocol to best meet the needs of all learners. All freshman educators will be trained on The FTP during the August staff development, including the at-risk learner protocol, on-going evaluative tools and expectations, sample presentations for keystone seminars, and the schedule of events. During the initial rollout, we will receive feedback to address any questions or concerns; the feedback will be published for all educators in a Q&A format. o Educators that have 90% or greater of freshmen in a class period will be petitioned to develop and lead a learner-centered seminar with an upperclassman during that class period. If needed, an educator who has a PLC period or another staff member may be asked to lead a seminar during the morning or afternoon sessions. For Keystone presenters: Each freshman educator will be asked to rank all of the mandatory sessions on Day One in order of preference. Additionally, each freshman educator will rank his/her TOP THREE (3) student-choice seminars to present on Day Two. The FTP committee and the administrative team will coordinate to schedule each educator according to his/her preference during the class period(s) of predominantly freshmen. o Educators are encouraged to choose an upperclassman to co-facilitate the seminar. If not, The FTP committee can assign an upperclassman on behalf of the educator. The upperclassman will receive an excused school-related absence for the class period(s) to present with the educator. o The educator-learner team will be provided with a seminar syllabus with available resources to guide the planning process. By the first day of school, each educator will receive his/her syllabus for the keystone seminar to lead. The syllabus will include the purpose of the seminar, evidence of need for the seminar, learner outcomes, the skills to develop, scenarios, and important contacts for learners to know to use freely to structure the seminar. The team will need to prepare the seminar and incorporate both the educators and the learners voices in the presentation.

FTP @ CHS 2013 2014

Appendix D Training and Development for Educators and PeerLeaders (contd)

o There will be an optional help session for the educator-learner team prior to the rotation. See Appendix F for the designated date. o The keystone sessions are designed for freshman learners and should not interrupt the bell schedule or class structure for upperclassmen. If a presenting educator has 10% or less upperclassmen in a predominantly freshman class, the upperclassmen may be included in the session as well. Peer Leader Training & Development We will train and develop selected upperclassmen to cofacilitate The FTP keystone sessions during the first weeks of school. A digital training will be provided for the upperclassmen that are selected to co-facilitate keystone seminars. The training will address the purpose of the educator-learner team and the role of the upperclassman as a co-facilitator. The educator working with the upperclassman will direct the learner to the video and provide any additional support for the upperclassman.

10

FTP @ CHS 2013 2014

Appendix E: 2013 2014 Keystone Session Integration Plan

Educator Training & Development We will train and develop educators on The FTP during the initial staff development week. All educators and staff members will be introduced to the Freshman Transition Program, including the protocol to best meet the needs of all learners. All freshman educators will be trained on The FTP during the August staff development, including the at-risk learner protocol, on-going evaluative tools and expectations, and the schedule of events. During the initial rollout, we will receive feedback to address any questions or concerns; the feedback will be published for all educators in a Q&A format. All freshman educators will be trained on the Keystone session protocol and presentation tools before the rotation day.

Keystone Sessions We will invest one day of learner-centered sessions to reflect learner needs at for our freshman community. All freshman learners will rotate through the mandatory keystone sessions on a one-day rotation schedule date designated by the administration. The mandatory sessions include: Organization & Time Management; The Educator & Learner Interaction; and Cowboy Family Connection. For the 2013-2014 implementation, the sessions will be prepared in advanced for the rotation day. The FTP development committee will meet to create the keystone presentations to be facilitated by the presenting freshman educators. If possible, educators are encouraged to recruit a senior learner to co-facilitate the session as an educator-learner team. The keystone presentations will be made public for parent, learner, and educator access throughout the school year. The keystone sessions will end with an opportunity for feedback from educators and learners to use in the 2014-2015 implementation plan.

11

FTP @ CHS 2013 2014

Appendix F: 2013 2014 Freshman Transition Program Schedule

August 15: August: TBD August 26: August 26 August 30: August 26 August 30: September 4: September 9: September 30 October 4: October 14 (or prior): October 16: October 14 October 25: November 11 Nov15: December 2 October 13: January 6 January 17: January 27 January 31: February 2014: February 10 February 21: April 28 May 2: May 5 May 9: May 12 May 16: Freshman Schedule Pick-up & Fish Camp Introduction to FTP for Staff First Day of School First Five Days: iPad Rollout Freshman Lunch Section Small Commons Parent Communication & Panel: Surviving Your Freshmans Year Curriculum Night Freshman Learner Survey for First Six Weeks Training for FTP Educators Mandatory Keystone Sessions for all freshman learners Administrative Team verifies protocol for each at-risk learner (1st) Freshman Learner Survey for Second Six Weeks Administrative Team verifies protocol for each at-risk learner (2nd) Submit Middle School Plan to HS and MS administration Learner & Parent Survey for First Semester Middle School Plan in Action (solidify dates in January 2014) Administrative Team verifies protocol for each at-risk learner (3rd) Administrative Team verifies protocol for each at-risk learner (4th) Learner & Parent Survey for Second Semester FTP Evaluation and Planning for 2014 - 2015

12