Target Population/Total Students:
The entire school population is involved in advisories – all grades. 504 students. Advisories have students from the same grade in order to discuss grade + age appropriate topics. All teachers are involved helping to create a culture of personalization throughout entire school.
Challenges:
- Programming
- Attendance for some students – attendance. Good for most
- Teacher training/ Professional Development
How did school overcome challenges?
We are re-assessing the programming issues and next year we plan to have advisories within the school day rather than at the end of the day. We plan to have each grade advisories on different days.
How did you evaluate that this practice was effective?
Implemented this year – too early to evaluate effectiveness. Planning on a survey for students and teachers
How will you continue to sustain this practice?
Professional development will continue as well as teacher team meetings in order for teachers to share their best practices.-
About the Practice
Weekly advisories with small class sizes use College Board advisory curriculum. Advisories meet once a week for 45 minute class on Fridays at the end of the day.
In addition we offer the Connect with Kids Program through our advisories. This is an instructional media program that supports students, parents and educators through videos of real life scenarios which focus on issues of academic achievement, character development, college readiness, substance abuse, digital citizenship, and health + wellness, advisories watch videos which generate dialogue about these relevant issues. The videos incorporate common core standards as well + foster resilience in students. Connect with Kids does PD with teachers; working on parent engagement and training leadership roles for students – will give survey to students and teachers.
