9th Grade Academic Success Intervention

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9th Grade Academic Success Intervention

• Dr. Marci Dowdy
• Counselor
• Glendale High School
• Springfield, Missouri

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SIMS (Students, Interventions, Measurements,
Settings)

• Students 9th grade students with one or more
  Ds Fs on 1st quarter report card (2007-08)
• Interventions Counselor met monthly or
  bi-monthly with each student individually. An
  average of 12 individual conferences were
  conducted with each student throughout the school
  year. During each student conference, progress
  report was reviewed and students were encouraged
  to talk with teachers about missing assignments
  and make up work. Counselor attempted to meet
  with each parent at least one time during the
  school year. Student and GHS Coordinator of Site
  Intervention also attended the parent conference.
• Measurements Ds Fs were counted and
  compared each quarter.
• Settings - Counselor met with each student
  individually in Counseling Center at Glendale
  High School.

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Purpose of the Intervention

• This intervention was used for the purpose of
  calling attention to missing work and empowering
  students to advocate for themselves with
  teachers. Students were given a print out of
  their progress report during each individual
  conference with counselor. Missing work was
  highlighted and discussed and counselor
  encouraged students to talk individually with
  teachers to request make up work for missing and
  incomplete assignments.

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Identification of Students

• Seven students were identified at mid-first
  quarter based on one or more Ds or Fs .
• Six males and one female were identified for this
  intervention.

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The Participants

• 7 students
• 6 males
• 1 female
• All students are in 9th grade

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The Program/Intervention

• Counselor met with the students individually
  monthly or bi-monthly throughout the 2007-08
  school year. An average of 12 individual
  conferences were conducted with each student
  throughout the 2007-08 school year.
• Progress monitoring/progress reports printed and
  given to students
• Identified strengths and weaknesses
• Open discussion
• What impacts grades
• Missing assignments
• Suggestions on how to talk to teachers about make
  up work and missing assignments
• Attendance
• Obstacles to good grades

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Program Goals

• To increase student success (grades) by helping
  empower students to complete assignments and
  advocate for themselves with teachers
• Teach students self-monitoring skills
• Increase student organization and minimize other
  obstacles
• Help students learn to set short term goals and
  prioritize

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The Data
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The Data Continued
10
The Data Continued
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The Data Continued
12
The Data Continued
13
The Data Continued
14
The Data Continued
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The Data Continued
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The Data Continued.
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Conclusions

• Students must complete 5 credits by the end of
  their 9th grade year to move to 10th grade. All
  students completed a minimum of 5 credits.
• Four of the seven students were encouraged by the
  counselor and chose to go to summer school to
  make up failing grades before their 10th grade
  year.
• Relationships between counselor and students were
  established in 9th grade through individual and
  intentional contact. Hopefully these students
  will continue to feel comfortable with their
  counselor throughout their high school career and
  see him/her as a resource.
• Counselors advocated with administration for the
  establishment of a credit recovery class for 3rd
  and 4th quarter for 9th grade students. This is
  a new intervention at Glendale High School. It
  has proven helpful for failing 9th graders to
  receive enough credit to move to 10th grade and
  avoid reclassification. Prior to this year,
  credit recovery classes were reserved for juniors
  and seniors at Glendale High School.

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Suggestions for Future Research

• Contact parent more often during student
  conferences
• Inform parent at the beginning of the year that
  student will meet with counselor bi-monthly
• More teacher/student/parent conferencing
• End of year fun activity with students and
  parents