Kevin Custard and Jenn Walker October 16, 2012

Learners will understand the purpose behind a successful advisory program, its implementation, and curriculum development Learners will understand the evolution of a successful advisory program

 The mission of Omaha North High Magnet School is to prepare all students for success in life long studies and careers  Excels Goals:  Students will advance on grade level each school year with the goal of graduation in four years  All students will demonstrate respect and responsibility for others in the learning environment and school activities  To improve reading comprehension in all content areas  To improve numeracy in all content areas

 Enrollment 1800  Ethnicity White – 45% African American – 45% Other – 10%  Certified Staff 119  Grad Rate ’02-’03 – 66.1% ’10-’11 – 71.05%  Poverty Percentage 61.46

 Create a caring school climate  Building positive relationships  Monitor the academic progress of students  Promote critical thinking skills through discussion and problem-solving activities  Assist students in making responsible choices  Assist students in accepting responsibility for their own actions  Advisors are well trained in the provided curriculum Advisory is as important as AYP

 More one-on-one attention  Develop a Personal Learning Plan  Informed Course Selection  Smoother transition between grade levels  Career information  More timely help available to students in need  Develops positive school relationship between advisor and students The relationship built in an advisory program is more important than the curriculum

 Resistance to Change  Fear of the Unknown  Existing Rules and Traditions  Advisor Training  Scheduling/Space  Past Experiences

 This advisory program is a system in which certificated staff members are assigned to mentor a group of students  Advisors remains with group for four years of high school  students in each group  Meets weekly for 30 minutes  Wednesday is “Viking Time Day Schedule”  Advisors include Administrators, Counselors, Teachers and Curriculum Specialists Viking Time was the winning advisory name developed by student submission

 Buy-In from:  Teachers  Students  Parents/Guardians  Counselors  Administrators Advisory programs provide academic and emotional support to students

 Advisory Steering Committee Established  HSTW Leadership Team Members  Attended the national HSTW conference in Nashville in 2008 Focused on advisement sessions Obtained info other schools’ advisement programs  Toured local schools in Omaha with successful advisement programs  Addressed the importance of an advisory program during professional development  Jan Struebing (SREB) guided building leadership and provided professional development regarding creation and implementation

 Staff Surveyed About  Grouping- size, mix, continuity  Schedule – length and frequency  Linking advisory to other school programs  Materials and resources  Staff Input  Goals and Outcomes  Content, themes, format  Advisor – who, role and expectations?  Accountability- students, staff and program Advisory groups help the “Mid-Kid” most.

 Compiled survey data  Grade level specific lessons  Staff modified/wrote lessons, borrowed other school’s advisory lessons, paid in the summer  Staff were trained on the curriculum before school resumed in August, by assigned grade level

 Self Knowledge  Life Skills  Educational Development  Work Ethics & Citizenship  Career Planning  Other  Grade Reports  Student Conferences  Scheduling Information  Numeracy & Literacy Lessons

 Future goals  Study skills  Personal learning plan  Decision-making skills  Conflict resolution skills  Learning Styles  Stress Management  Reading Transcripts  Calculating GPA  Time management  Communication skills

 Test taking skills  Interest inventory  Career Clusters  Community Service  Team Work  Character Building  Study Skills  Time Efficiency  Graduation Requirements

 Resume  Job interview skills  ACT or SAT  College Search  Technical School  Military  Summer Opportunities  Community Service  Employment Exam  Decision-Making Skills

 Credit Checks  College applications  Scholarships  Financial aid  Career Information  Work ethics  Countdown to graduation  Register to vote  Military opportunities  Community Colleges  Specialty Schools

 Grade Reports  Students receive copies of the reports sent home  Students fill out progress charts, problem solve, set goals  Student is always in the loop as to the status of their grades  Student Conferences  One-on-one  Ensures that an adult in the student’s life has talked to them about grades.  Advisor can also help student problem solve, be advocate or support  Also a way for students to be praised/rewarded for progress, achievement

 January schedule is altered to be twice in one week to allow for students to select courses for the following school year  Guidance provides scripts for advisors to use to aide in this process  First day- students receive info, make initial selections  Second day – selections are reviewed by advisor  Counselors then have an individual conference  Teachers are more aware of/invested in graduation requirements  HUGE IMPROVEMENT IN SCHEDULING!

 Got it all together, and went for it!  Graduation requirements presented as professional development  Growing pains with scheduling  Quarterly grade-level advisor meetings  Evaluated program in general  Evaluated curriculum  Advisors and students surveyed

 Ineffective advisors were reassigned  Curriculum less paper intensive  More back-up lessons  Competitions  Door decorating  Olympics  Community involvement  Food time!!  “If you like kids, you like Viking Time”

 No revisions to the curriculum  Literacy/Numeracy Strategies included  More student voting  Teacher/student connections  Testing assignments easier (PLAN, Explore)  Grade level assemblies

 Literacy/Numeracy lessons required  Second day for silent sustained reading?  Continued evaluation/improvement  Pep rallies by grade level/Viking Time  Class of 2013 will be the first graduating class to have had Viking Time all four years

 Beck/Custard Viking Time is the best Viking Time at North High  “Our high school studies are important!”  Division of labor  Fun Stuff  Food  Baby Pictures  VT Challenges  Field Trips  Homecoming parade  The dorkier, the better. We are just ourselves!

 Don’t rush  Get staff input and buy-in all the way  Continuous review  Part of the school vocabulary  Be yourself  Don’t force advisor partnerships; use ones that already work  Include all staff  Have fun, form relationships!

 Kevin Custard –  Jenn Walker –  Viking Time Curriculum and a copy of this presentation are available online at: 42/Default.aspx