PLUS Block Simplified and Streamlined

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PLUS BlockSimplified and Streamlined
New and Improved

• 2009-2010

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Acknowledging that most of us have questions
about PLUS Block, and perhaps some criticisms,
some of your colleagues have worked
cooperatively with administration to redefine
what PLUS Block is and how it works.
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• What is PLUS Block?
• PLUS Block occurs daily for 30 minutes after the
  second class of the day.
• PLUS Block is intended to be a daily intervention
  to help students be more successful in
  understanding and fulfilling their academic
  expectations.
• Students are assigned one PLUS Block teacher for
  their Chelmsford High School experience.

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• Goals of PLUS Block
• ? Improve student achievement
• ? Provide adult mentor opportunities
• ? Foster a positive and safe school culture
• ? Enhance school-wide communication

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• Some of the opportunities available
• to students during PLUS Block
• Guidance Meetings
• Study Groups
• Class Orientations
• House Meetings
• College/Career Search
• Performing Art Center Presentations
• Scheduled PLUS Block activities
• can be found on the PLUS Block Calendar
• http//www.chelmsford.k12.ma.us/chs/calendar/plusb
  lock.htm

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• How does PLUS Block work?
• After the second class of the day, students
  report to their PLUS Block, where PLUS Block
  teachers will
• Take attendance
• Read announcements
• Mentor students
• Provide Academic Support (if applicable)

PLUS Block will not meet on Early Release Days
or when there is a 2 Hour Delay.
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Teachers can choose to keep a student for
Academic Support when that students class meets
prior to PLUS Block.
Example On A day, requested student in B class
will remain with that teacher for academic
support.
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• How else can PLUS Block work?
• Teachers can also request a student to report for
  Academic Support on other days by giving the
  student an ACADEMIC SUPPORT PASS prior to the day
  student is to report.
• (However,the class before PLUS Block takes
  precedent)

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• PLUS Block Responsibilities
• PLUS Block is a privilege and an opportunity for
  enhanced student success, both academically and
  socially.
• Attendance, participation and appropriate
  behavior are EXPECTED.
• Although the priority is academic support,
  students will occasionally attend assemblies and
  other special activities announced as mandatory.

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• Students
• Arrive to PLUS Block classroom on time, or if
  requested, remain in academic class for support.
• Listen to announcements from PLUS teacher and
  P.A.
• Any movement from PLUS Block requires a pass,
  which must be obtained prior to PLUS Block.
• Academic Support Pass from subject teacher
  (in appendix)
• Library Pass from librarian
• Career Center Pass from Career Center
• Room Pass for bathroom, nurse, guidance etc.
  (PLUS teacher discretion)

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• PLUS Block Teacher
• ? Take attendance in X2
• ? Read Daily Bulletin
• ? Distribute/collect student paperwork/notices
• ? Mentor your students
• o Direct them to appropriate services
• o Facilitate their interests
• o Guide them in the decision-making process
• ? Ensure students follow procedures by
• o Requesting that they sign in and out of PLUS
  Block
• o Checking for Passes
• o Reporting excessive unexcused absences to Dean
  via email

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• Subject Teacher
• ? Require students who need academic support
  to report to your PLUS Block class
• o Keep student who needs academic support in your
  classroom for PLUS Block on days when you have
  the student in class prior to PLUS Block
• o Give student pass to your PLUS Block for days
  student does not have your class prior to PLUS
  Block, if necessary
• ? Ensure student signs in for academic support
• ? Sign pass upon completion of academic support
  session

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PLUS Block Procedure Illustrated
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• How does this apply to my schedule?
• Every teachers schedule is different and not
  everybody has the same number of preps each week
• Some classes will meet 4 times a week, others
  only 3
• Your classes will not have a built-in Support
  PLUS Block every week
• But you should have some planning blocks
  scheduled prior to PLUS Block that you can assign
  to those classes that do not have a built-in
  Support PLUS Block

Lets take a look at an example
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Example Teacher Schedule
A Honors Chem
C, F, G H2 Chem
E Physical Science
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We hope that this presentation and the
modifications outlined herein will help make
PLUS Block much more understandable and
effective for students and staff.