Emery Secondary School

Advisory Plan 2004-05

 

 

“Creating and Sustaining Relationships

 for Success”

 

 

“How personal the secondary school environment is matters more than any other single factor in encouraging students' engagement and their willingness to work hard on academic goals. When teachers connect with and understand their students' families, cultures, and life outside school, students achieve at higher levels.”


McLaughlin, Milbrey W. and Talbert, Joan E.  Contexts That Matter for Teaching and Learning. 1993

 

 

“A high-quality education starts with relationships. One of the major strengths of a small school is that it can personalize education by supporting the development of meaningful, sustained relationships among teachers and students. In study after study of successful small schools, students compare their school to a family rather than a factory and link their academic achievement to their caring relationships with teachers.”

 

Darling-Hammond, Linda. 10 Features of Effective Schools. 2002

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

ADVISORY PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS                      Page 3

 

VISION & MISSION                                                                Page 4

 

 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW (2003-04)   

Advisory Design Planning                                                                                     Page 5

 

Program Goals, Role of Advisor, and Curriculum                                            Pages 5-8

 

Professional Development & Support                                   Pages 9-10

 

Assessments, Feedback, and Identified Needs                                      Pages 10-11                                                                          

Expenses                                                                                                          Page 12

 

Additional Data Used to Guide Planning for 2004-05                                   Pages 12-16

 

 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW (2004-05)                                 

 

2004-05 Advisory Program Summary                                  Pages 17-18

 

2004-05 Advisory Program Action Plan                               Pages

 

2004-05 Budget                                     Pages

 

 

 

 

              

                

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADVISORY PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

 

 

Mary Esther Augustine

Emery Secondary School, Counselor

(9-12)

 

Kathy Crow

Emery Secondary School, Art Teacher

(9-10 SLC)

 

Mark Davis

Emery Secondary School, Social Studies Teacher and Advisory Co-Coordinator

(11-12 SLC)

 

Fran Farley

Emery Secondary School, English Teacher

 (7-8 SLC)

 

Heidi Gill

Bay Area Coalition for Equitable Schools, School Reform Coach

 

Shira Miess

Emery Secondary School, Special Education Teacher

(9-10 SLC)

 

Melissa Sackett

Emery Secondary School, Counselor

(7-8)

 

Mark Salinas

Bay Area Coalition for Equitable Schools, School Reform Coach and

Advisory Co-Coordinator

 

Greg Thomas

Emery Secondary School, Science Teacher

(9-10 SLC)

 

Maureen Wiser

Emery Secondary School, Science Teacher

(11-12 SLC)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VISION

 

 

Our vision is to create an equitable[1] school culture where every student feels supported, acknowledged, and cared for through meaningful relationships.

 

 

ESS School Vision:

 

The Emery Secondary School will be organized into Small Learning Communities of 7th and 8th Grades, 9th and 10th Grades, and 11th and 12th Grades to foster community in which each student and teacher will receive the attention and support she or he needs to enable all students to be academically and socially successful.

 

-Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) 2003-04

 

 

 

MISSION

 

 

To create a grade-level appropriate advisory program that engages students in authentic learning and fosters relationships so that all students can fully reach their academic potential with the support and guidance of an adult advisor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW (2003-04)

 

 

Program Design Planning (Summer 2003)

 

Committee Planning Meetings (7/16, 8/13, and 8/19)

·        Review several advisory models

·        Discuss vision, purpose, structure, and group configuration

·        Identified goals, role of advisor, and purpose of the advisory program

·        Identified weekly “theme days”

·        Identify training topics support structures

·        Planned a three week advisory orientation plan

Advisory Orientation Outcomes:

·        Bonding (student-to-student, staff-to-student)

·        Buy-in (from both students and staff)

·        Established Routines (expectations)

·        Created a plan for sharing the team’s work with the entire staff (and community) at the summer retreat

 

ESS Retreat - Advisory Workshop (8/27-8/28)

·        Reviewed the purpose, goals, and curriculum framework for the advisory program

·        Reviewed how an advisory program can create conditions to promote student success

·        Discuss how the advisory program can support each SLC’s vision of powerful teaching, learning, and relationships

 

Curriculum Research, Development and Lesson Plan Design

·        Mark Salinas (June-August)

 

Program Goals, Role of Advisor, and Curriculum

 

 

Advisory is...

 

 

Advisory is not…

 

·        Building relationships, increasing respect and trust

·        Advisement, assistance, advocacy

·        Well-structured, yet flexible

·        A supportive and caring environment (academically and socially)

·        A unique experience

·        Building self-esteem and community spirit

·        Student ideas, opinions, and empowerment

 

·        Forcing friendships or identities

·        A substitute for guidance and counseling

·        Free time

·        Daily study hall

·        Experienced the same by all

·        A structure for “finger pointing”

·        “One size fits all”

 

 

 

 

Advisory Program Goals (2003-04)

 

 

 

 

 

1. Improve School Culture

·        Promote a college-going culture

·        Promote school spirit and pride

·        Foster a sense of respect and community among students and staff

 

2. Improve Communication

·        Adult to student, student to student, school to home

·        Acknowledge and discuss SLC and school-wide issues

 

3. Develop Advocacy

·        Having an adult that each student can go to for support

·        Advisor re: student academic achievement

·        Advocate re: liaison between student and others in the building

 

4. Build Relationships

·        Adult to student, student to student, school to home

·        Learning about individual students and their needs

·        Providing a home base and “safe haven” for each student

 

5. Validate the Student Experience

·        Promote student voice and leadership

·        Acknowledge and discuss social and community issues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Related to Single Plan Student Achievement (SPSA) Goal #3:

Create a Safe, Respectful and Supportive Learning Environment

 

 

Role of Advisor (2003-04)

 

 

The advisor should…

 

·        Implement the advisory curriculum on a daily basis

·        Meet individually with each advisee at least once per semester (formally)

·        Be available to advisees when they have a pressing issue or crisis

·        Gather information on advisees (informally and formally)

·        Provide a secure space for advisees’ reflective journals and student work portfolios 

·        Communicate regularly with advisees’ parents (telephone, phone, mail, or email)

·        Meet advisees’ parents at least once during the school year

·        Refer advisees to counselors and/or the principal for major academic, counseling, and guidance concerns

·        Review advisees’ previous academic and guidance records at least once during the fall semester

·        Serve as advisees’ advocate in parent conferences and disciplinary matters (when available)

·        Support advisees’ annual course selections during the spring, including input on transitioning from one SLC to the next

·        Collaborate with other SLC advisors

·        Ask for support from colleagues when needed

·        Remain professional at all times (use discretion when disclosing personal experiences)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<

 

Curriculum Focus (2003-04)

Weekly Theme Outline

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emery Secondary

 

 School Advisory

 

Program

 

Weekly Theme Outline

2003-04

Monday

“Outlook for the Week Day”

Purpose:

o        To develop academic success through organizational and study skills

 

Potential activities/topics:

 

Ø      “Calendar-check”

Ø      Student Organization

Ø      Weekly goal -setting

Ø      Test-taking Skills

Ø      Study skills

Ø      Journaling

Tuesday

“Social Issues Day”

 

Purpose:

o        To explore a variety of prosocial skills associated with youth development

o        To develop problem-solving skills

 

Potential activities/topics:

 

Ø      Conflict resolution

Ø      Managing peer pressure

Ø      Diversity and tolerance

Ø      Alcohol and drug awareness

Ø      Stereotyping and discrimination

Ø      Managing stress