Lowell Public Schools Helping Students Stay the Course Jeannine - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Lowell Public Schools Helping Students Stay the Course

Jeannine Durkin, Deputy Superintendent for Student Support Services Heather Ganley, Supervisor of Attendance Nancy Crones, District Support Specialist Rosa Segarra-Morales, Attendance Monitor

• Changes in legislation helped to shape a new way of

thinking

• Development of a District Attendance Intervention Plan that

shifted from punitive to supportive

• Collaboration with partners city-wide

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

Getting Started

LPS District Attendance Intervention Plan

LPS Website link: Attendance Intervention Snapshot https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/Page/176

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

• Focused on attendance as a district priority
• Instituted school-based attendance teams/meetings
• Re-energized partnership with DCF/Juvenile Court
• Formalized Tier III court diversion program - Attendance

Improvement Model (AIM)

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

2013/2014

• Transitioned district focus to

“Chronic Absence”

• Increased school-based

interventions

• Increased AIM meetings (court

diversion)

Unexcused Absences Excused Absences Suspensions Chronic Absence = 10%

• r more of

instructional days

• Included new partners

➔ NFI Family Resource Center (new AIM location) ➔ Lowell Youth Development Collaborative (LYDC)

• Redesigned the Dropout Prevention

Team with additional focus on elementary and middle schools

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

2014/2015

Lowell Public Schools Chronic Absence (CA) Rate

*Data from Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website: http://www.doe.mass.edu/

2,165 Students CA 2, 379 Students CA 2, 512 Students CA 2 , 5 4 S t u d e n t s C A 2,561 Students CA *SY 15/16

Attendance Improvement Model (AIM)

Kristin A. Pepin, Probation Officer MIddlesex Juvenile Court-Lowell 89 Appleton St, Lowell, MA 01852

In 2013, the Lowell Public Schools, Lowell Juvenile Court and Lowell DCF collaborated to formalize a Court Diversion Program, aptly entitled AIM. Evolution of AIM:

• Identifying a need
• Coming together
• Program emerges
• AIM is launched

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

Lowell AIM Family Engagement Model Target Areas Team Roles at AIM Meeting (to be assigned)

DISCOVERY - The team garners parent/guardian feedback as to why child is not attending school regularly. FACILITATOR - Attendance Supervisor/Monitor *creates agenda, leads meeting ASSESSMENT - The team works with the family to identify barriers, solutions and services as deemed necessary. DATA MANAGER - Attendance Supervisor/Monitor *brings attendance and supporting documentation from X2 to team meetings REFERRAL - The team may provide the family/student access to services to resolve issues. Services may be provided by the school or referrals may be made to services within the community. TIME KEEPER - Assigned at Meeting *keeps team on task ACTION PLAN - The team develops a plan including specific steps and resources needed to improve attendance. RECORDER IN X2 - Assigned at Meeting *documents meeting and action plan developed FOLLOW UP - A school-based meeting is held to measure success with attendance and the parent/guardians’ utilization of services referred and determine further steps, if necessary. ACTION PLAN - School Attendance Personnel *records action plan recommendations, obtains signatures and distributes to parent/guardian(s)

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

NFI Family Resource Center

Adam Murray, School Liaison 27 Prescott St, Lowell, MA 01852

Origin of FRC:

• 18 opened across the state in 2014/2015 in response to the new CRA law
• NFI in Lowell opened in May 2015 serving over 1200 families (600 of those were

school-based referrals) AIM Collaboration:

• Flexibility in the model allowed for a unique collaboration with LPS to help service

the needs of families The AIM "Aha" Moment that Led to ATTENDS:

• After collaborating with the AIM team, we believed there was more we could offer
• Court involvement not always a supportive motivator in creating successful

change

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

ATTENDS

Absenteeism and Truancy Training to Engage, Nurture and Develop Success

Curriculum for Caregivers

ATTENDS:

• A three week curriculum for caregivers of chronically absent students
• Three modules that the caregivers complete as part of the course:

○ Attendance Matters ○ Health and Wellness ○ Pathways to Success

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

ATTENDS Success: APRIL-MAY 2017 16 referred LPS caregivers, All 16 graduated

Attendance/Dropout Toolkit

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

LPS Tiered Supports Attendance/ Dropout Data Overview City-wide Attendance Awareness Campaign Community Resource Guide

Strategies Toolkit

District Attendance Intervention Plan

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

Below State

• Avg. 2 Years

in a Row!

*Data from Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website: http://www.doe.mass.edu/

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

Tiered Supports

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

Elementary Tiered Supports

Tier I Tier 2 Tier 3

District Attendance Intervention Plan Attendance Awards Ceremony Daily Principal's Attendance Report Student Handbook w/District Attendance Policy Beginning of the school year "Importance of Attendance" Letter Classroom Attendance Competitions Citywide Attendance Awareness Campaign Attendance Pledge Attender Bands In-zone transportation In-school Attendance Incentives Bullying Policy and Support CTI After School Programs Advisory/Open Circle Etc. Engagement in Club/School Activity PBIS at Participating Schools Academic/Behavioral Data Review After School Sports/Activities Resource Officer Common Planning Time - CPT 21st Century CCLC Programs at Available Schools EWIS Signs in School About Importance of Attendance Phone Call on or Before 3 Absences Letter Home on 4th Absence Attendance Letters in Google Drive Home Visit School Based Attendance Team Meeting Assigning a Mentor Referral to Catie's Closet Referral to Monthly Food Pantry Collaboration with Medical Providers Referral to School Administration Team Meeting Referral for a Teacher Assistant Team meeting - TAT School Based Attendance Meetings District Attendance Meetings Attendance/Behavior/Safety Contracts Group or Individual Behavioral Incentives Referral to School Social Worker Social Skills Group/Counseling Group Lunch Group Targeted Tutoring Group Staff/Peer Mentoring Targeted Academic Intervention Meeting with Student and Family Bullying Investigation Lunch with Staff Counseling Referrals Referral to Mentoring Agencies (See Community Resource List) 504 Systems Meeting with Care Providers Crisis Intervention Alternative School Referral Referral to Outside Agency for intensive community based supports (IHT, ICC) SRO Home Visit Modified Day Tutoring Center Engagement Center Court Referral (CRA/FTC) Special Ed Referral Attendance Improvement Model (AIM) Specialized Safety/Behavioral Plan Increased Staff Supervision

Community Resource Guide

LPS Website link: Community Resource Guide https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/Page/664

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

Agency Name Population Served Services Provided Referral Procedure Cost

City-wide Attendance Campaign

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

Launched 1st City-wide Attendance Awareness Campaign August 2016 Be in School, Be on Track! Attendance Matters!

Partners: District Attorney, Lowell Police, Lowell Youth Development Collaborative

City-wide Attendance Awareness Campaign

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

• National Night Out

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

Attendance Public Service Announcement

• Produced with the

support of Jack Pinard, Lowell Public Schools Educational Television Program Coordinator

• Aired on Comcast

satellite stations (Nick, Disney, AMC, etc.) in addition to local channels as of August 1st, 2017.

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

• HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

School-Based Attendance Events

Attendance Billboard

With the support of Capital Associates Inc., LPS has a no-cost attendance billboard which was launched on August 18th, 2017 on Route 3 at the 110 exit in Lowell.

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

• Attendance and dropout rates needed improvement
• School-Based Attendance Teams implemented
• Collaboration initiated with community partners
• City-wide Attendance Awareness Campaign launched
• Data shows interventions are working

HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE

Summary

In Lowell, we are getting better every day at helping students stay the course. We wish you continued success in charting the course for your students.

Questions?

Nancy Crones Heather Ganley ncrones@lowell.k12.ma.us hganley@lowell.k12.ma.us