Brattleboro Area Middle Schools Parent Discussion Night

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Brattleboro Area Middle SchoolsParent
Discussion Night
Learning for Life Caring for Others Doing the
Right Thing Together
Putting Middle Grades Students on the Graduation
Path

• Robert Balfanz
• National Middle School Association

October 8th, 2009
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A Policy Perspective

• Research shows that the middle grades will play a
  key role in graduating all students from high
  school and preparing them for college, advanced
  career training, military or other service to our
  country, or prepared for the workforce
  requirements of the 21st century.

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Two Major Research Findings

• In high poverty environments, a students middle
  grades experience strongly impacts the odds of
  graduating from high school.
• To achieve the nations goal of graduating all
  its high school students ready for college and
  career, it will be essential for students to
  enter high school with close to grade-level
  skills and knowledge.
• SCHOOL MATTERS!

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Off-Track Behaviors

• Course Failure (s)
• Attendance Patterns
• School Behaviors

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One Major Finding from the research study the
Off-Track Behaviors

• Sixth graders who failed math or English/reading,
  or attended school less than 80 of the time, or
  received an unsatisfactory behavior grade in a
  core class had only a 10 to 20 chance of
  graduating on time!

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ATTENDANCE!

• The research shows that in some school districts,
  students who missed a month or more of school
  (25-30 school days) had greatly diminished their
  chances of graduating with their peers.

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Mild or Sustained Behaviors

• Not paying attention in class, acting out, and
  not getting along with teachers in a sustained
  fashion can have long-term effects on each
  students ability to graduate from high school
  with his/her peers.

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The Impact of Low Grades- The Early Warning
Elements -

• Not meeting state and local standards
• Receiving D grades on a regular basisthey can
  be predictive of F grades
• An attitude of not caring about what one is
  learning
• Not staying after school to take advantage of the
  extra academic support provided
• Not accepting responsibility for ones learning

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What If There are No Successful Interventions?

• Behaviors do not typically self-correct
• They lead to
• course failures
• non-promotion
• and ultimately, dropping out

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The Research Shows

• Students who
• Come to school (when well!) attendance
• Are prompt few tardies
• Do their work effort
• Cooperate with peers and teachers behaviors
• will get good grades and graduate on time!

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The Middle Grades Matter

• Teachers had the strongest impact on whether or
  not a student would close or widen achievement
  gaps during middle grades.
• Attendance, behavior and effort all had a strong
  impact on the likelihood that students would
  close the achievement gaps.
• Parental involvement matters, even though your
  children may say they dont want it.

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The Good News

• Middle Grades students are resilientthey can
  turn their lives around with effective
  interventions and positive supports in their
  livesat home and at school.
• Middle Grades students still care about learning
  and about pleasing adults.
• Middle Grades students desperately need structure
  and reasonable freedom with the structures as
  they work to become responsible young adults.

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What BeliefsDo Our Students Need?

• Middle Grades students need to believe that
• hard work will bring life success, that positive
• behavior is recognized and desired, and that
• they need to invest their personal resources and
• apply effective effort to succeed.

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Our Challenge

• Find ways to support and accelerate the learning
  for all struggling students
• The BAMS LOS Policy
• Teacher and Team Academic Support Policy
• The BEAMS Daily Academic Support Session
• The BAMS Pass to Play Concept

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BAMS Offerings

• A highly knowledgeable staff who care about
  teaching middle schoolers
• A solid core program organized taught by a team
  of interdisciplinary teachers working together
• An enriching exploratory program which focuses on
  real-life experiences and hands-on learning
• An enriching after school program available for
  free to all students
• An enriching athletic program
• Varied approaches to academic support sessions
• A student-centered advisory program

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How Can Parents Help?

• Help your child come to school every day and on
  time
• Check your childs HAB every night, or on a
  regular basis
• Let him/her know that you believe completing
  homework is important
• Call schooltalk to counselors, teachers,
  administratorsif you have questions or concerns
• Monitor your childs behaviors and check in on
  them at school
• Support his/her academic efforts
• Expect them to make mistakes and need your help

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Conversation

• Questions
• Thoughts
• Concerns

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Brattleboro Area Middle SchoolsParent
Discussion Night
Learning for Life Caring for Others Doing the
Right Thing Together
Putting Middle Grades Students on the Graduation
Path

• Robert Balfanz
• National Middle School Association

October 8th, 2009