Coaches for academics
Assign each incoming 9th grader a coach (faculty member or outside mentor) who is fully responsible for making sure that student is doing what he/she needs to do to graduate and move into the next phase of education. This is in addition to high school counselors (who have an average of 300 kids to steer each year). Grants from foundations could be used to support outside mentors (see Best Practices link to South Atlanta coaching program).
I think that this is a great way to offer kids a mentor that will encourage them to stick with their education. Students need more support than our system’s overburdened counselors are able to offer them.
A couple of questions: Do you favor the mentors being staff members or outside parties? What would their relationship to the school be like?
In Atlanta, they have hired former educators and graduate students which I think is a wonderful first pool. We could also utilize Big Brothers Big Sisters pool of mentors to augment These folks would be IN the schools – working with 10 children each – seeing them attend class, making sure they meet their goals academically and are participating in activities that will enhance their resumes for college. Holding students to standards, and just holding them accountable is the key to success. Most students who drop out cite the fact that nobody expected much of them. So why perform? We can change that.
ksb
This is basically what should be happening already as part of the High School and Beyond Plan — which is a requirement for high school graduation. Hale did an effective job with their advisory periods when my son was there. Outside mentors are great, too, but it’s important to give them training to help them work with the school system to advocate for their mentee.
Responding to Michele, Garfield will be trying advisory periods this year, to fill the role that Kay suggests. I see a need for additional coaching beyond that, but not all students would need this.