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High school transition program used all year
Adjustment to high school isn't suddenly complete after the first week of school. To ease the transition, Las Virgenes Unified School District high schools established programs to help freshmen make the most of their first year in high school. Jim Nielsen, director of secondary education for the district, championed the effort starting with a program called Link Crew, which was adopted by Agoura High School. Calabasas High created a similar program dubbed Coyote Connect. Coyote Connects Calabasas Principal Dave Jackson has told board members the Coyote Connect program is a great success. Social studies teacher John Reich said the first part of the program makes ninth graders feel welcome and provides an opportunity for them to connect with peers, teachers and administrators. More than 200 parents became involved before school opened, and a Coyote Camp followed, giving incoming freshmen a way to further their connections on campus. The focus of the second phase is on students who become "academically lost" and land on D/F lists after five weeks. Teachers and administrators reach out to students in many new ways, Reich said. Students periodically meet with counselors and "connect" teachers, he said, but the emphasis is on working through personal problems to determine how to get students back on track. In some cases, Reich said, students were placed in the wrong classes, or may need tutoring. Family issues also can get in the way of learning, he said. Sometimes students just need simple questions answered. Social studies teacher Kathryn Heukrodt said that at the end of the school day one of her students came to her class frantic because he thought he had somehow missed his last class. As it turned out, the class he was concerned about was scheduled for the spring. Since she had already met the boy through the transition program, he felt comfortable asking her for help, Heukrodt said. Coyote Connect program also promotes participation in extracurricular activities. Students were encouraged to attend the first home football game. "It was the largest crowd I've ever seen," Reich said"The enthusiasm was electric." Link Crew At Agoura High School, the Link Crew program helps ninth graders meet new demandsPrincipal Larry Misel said Agoura High's 40 Link Crew leaders are available over the course of the year to help freshmen in any area-social, athletic or academic. The school's movie night is a testament to Link Crew's success. Last year, Misel said, 40 students attended; this yearmore than 400 students participated, he said. The first dance of the season also proved successful; 600 students attended. A student-produced video on the program was shown to board members. Freshmen were shown at assemblies singing, dancing and getting to know each other and their teachers. "I saw something on the first day of school that I had never seen before," said Cathy Prater, a chemistry teacher at the school. She said she saw among students, teachers and administrators an increased openness and willingness to help one another. Misel discussed the staying power of the program. Younger students who might not ordinarily speak with others in higher grade levels now feel comfortable talking and asking questions. "We want to make sure the high school years are the best years of their lives," Misel said. Board member Pat Schultz told school officials she appreciated the way the transition programs created a camaraderie between teachers and students. |
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