S.T.A.T.
Student-Teacher Access Time
Q & A
2-12-08
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Disclaimers: 1.The following Q & A is a compilation of many questions asked since April of 2007 when PHS began looking into other possibilities for improving student learning. While reading this document you may find some questions to be similar in nature. Although we have combined/consolidated many of them, there are a few that may appear to be similar and therefore the answer will appear to be repetitive. 2. STAT has evolved over the last year and will continue to evolve as PHS’s School Improvement Team receives input and ideas from various stakeholders. STAT is a work in progress and will continue to experience change to better fit the need students. |
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Why is PHS working towards implementing S.T.A.T? Student Teacher Access Time (S.T.A.T.) provides a block of time each day
where students and teachers can access each other for various educational
enhancement reasons (individualized support and instruction). Some examples
are: make up tests, extra help on projects, additional study times, music
sectionals, clubs and labs. Although Prairie is a wonderful school with great
kids, it still has many students who are receiving D’s and F’s in one or more
classes. PHS recognizes that by creating time for these students to
individualize their learning needs, it can provide them an academic
opportunity to influence their level of success. A catch phrase that may best
describe STAT is that it gives kids a “voice and a choice” in managing their
learning. Furthermore, while S.T.A.T.
may seem designed to help the low achieving students, it also will enrich the
learning of the high achieving students. PHS’s response to strengthen student
performance is based on research of high performing schools. This
includes: proactive intervention,
a system of privileges, teacher collaboration, personalized
instruction and time to develop positive relationships with students.
S.T.A.T. provides an hour of time where individual needs are satisfied. With
PHS’s current school schedule, no time is allotted for students to access
teachers/counselors except for limited times before, during, or after school.
Even these times are met with challenges due to bus transportation, sport
practices, or work issues. |
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Why a system of privileges? And how? Research tells educators that incentives that are not punitive in
nature have a greater impact on student motivation towards a specified goal
or expected behavior. In other words, the school of thought, “if you don’t
perform, you are punished,” is replaced with, “if you do well, you will be
given privileges.” This learning incentive environment is often used in the
business world. PHS believes students can make academically correct decisions
when given appropriate time, incentives, and guidance. The suggested privilege/incentive being
offered to students during S.T.A.T. consists of students with no F’s having
one hour of self-directed time every day with the expectation that two of
those days (selected by the student) are school related. Students must meet the
minimum requirements in order to be eligible for the privilege. What are
the minimum requirements? NO F’s. For example, a student who has an F or
multiple F’s will be expected to use STAT for purposes of improving his or
her grade(s). The use of their time will be monitored daily. The privilege of
having an hour of self-directed time is established and re-evaluated every
six weeks with progress reports. A student may not move from being
monitored (a monitored student when s/he has an F) to self-directed during
the six week period but can lose his or her privilege, if he or she begins to slip during the
six weeks. The question has been asked about why we don’t try to eliminate D’s. It
is anticipated that once Fs are reduced that we can add other requirements
such as D’s, and culminating project to the privilege criteria. To begin and
for simplicity reasons we are beginning with F students. |
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How does S.T.A.T. create more learning opportunities for all
students? During the one hour time frame, all students will eat lunch and
receive additional instruction according to their individual needs. Often
interventions target students who aren’t achieving at high levels. STAT
addresses the needs of all students regardless of how they are achieving in
school. For example, students in Advanced Placement classes will be able to
access their teachers for extra help to complete difficult assignments just
as easily as struggling students. Teachers and students may use the time to
schedule small group review sessions for students in addition of giving one
on one time. |
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How will students be held accountable during S.T.A.T.? Students will be held accountable by an attendance tracking system
and an intervention team composed of administrators, counselors, and
classified support personnel. Currently, students are held accountable
through attendance procedures and rules. This would not change with STAT.
Students will still be truant if they do not attend STAT opportunities. Each
grade level will have its own security monitors who will track kids daily. |
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How will students be monitored during S.T.A.T.? Each student has an ID card that contains a bar code. When students enter
a STAT area (classroom, peer tutoring lab, counseling center, club area, or
leave campus), they will scan their card. The information will be filed and
logged into two categories: “monitored” and “self-directed.” Attendance for
monitored students will be checked daily; for self-directed students, it will
be checked once a week. Each grade level will have a security monitor. This
person will work with students in a variety of ways to hold them accountable
for using the time appropriately. |
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Who are “monitored students” and who are “self-directed?” Students who don’t
meet prescribed criteria (no F's) will eat lunch and receive additional
instruction four days a week and possibly five depending on how many F’s they
have. These students are referred to as “monitored” students. Students who meet
the prescribed criteria will have five days to direct how they feel best
helps them with the expectation that at least two of the five days are school
related (clubs, instructional support, tutoring, etc.). These students are
referred to as “self-directed” students. |
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How will PHS know if S.T.A.T. is improving student learning. Every six weeks, PHS will run a grade report which will count and
identify students with F’s. If the number of these students decreases,
PHS can surmise that 30 minutes a day
of student self- directed time (accessing teachers or trained peer tutors)
with a system of privileges and interventions makes an academically positive
change on student learning. It is anticipated that visible results will not
come quickly even though it is hoped for. STAT sets the ground work and
redesigns the way we meet student needs. This transition will take time for
students and teachers. It is not expected, but hoped for, that Fs will be
reduced early on. Because of the significant change STAT is requiring, much
of our energy will be in setting the ground work. Positive academic results
may take over a year before we know for sure. |
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What are the roles and responsibilities of counselors during
S.T.A.T.? Although the ratio of student to counselor needs to be smaller, STAT
allows for the ground work for such opportunities of counselors connecting
with students for individual or small group needs. Counselors will also be
working with students to meet their needs to be successful by using STAT. For
example, a teacher may alert a counselor that a student is not performing
academically and the reason may be emotional or psychological in nature.
Counselors will be able to work with students to help them. |
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What are the roles and responsibilities of Assistant
Principals/Principal during S.T.A.T.? The administrators, counselors, and attendance monitors are known as
the STAT Team. Administration will be engaged in intervention and supervision. With
the assistance of additional classified assistance (security monitors), they
will be engaged in working with students to make sure they are on task during
STAT Therefore, the team will impose consequences and counsel students who
use STAT inappropriately. |
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How will students and parents be informed and educated about S.T.A.T. and how it works? The strategic approach to rolling out STAT includes four basic target
groups: students, parents, classified staff, and the school board. Each group
will need to be educated and trained on the details, the intent, the vision,
and the expectations. For students,
this will include educational assemblies for training and explaining. For parents this will include parent meetings similar
to the two that occurred in the spring of 2007 although much more in-depth. A
letter will be sent to all parents to attend a “training”
or “informational” night before STAT is implemented in April. Community
members are also welcome. |
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Teachers |
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What will teachers do during S.T.A.T.? Teachers will be in their classrooms ready to help students who are
required to see them (“monitored”) and students who need extra help or make up
work. Three or four times a month, a teacher will be working with other
teachers on curriculum, instruction and assessment or advising a club or
activity group on a given day. Most of the time, however, teachers will be
available for students. Teachers will eat their lunch during STAT time and
will have their schedule posted in their classroom so students know when they
are available. |
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How will students
know when teachers are available and when to go see them? Teachers will have a
chart (weekly calendar) in their room outlining their availability by week.
Students will use the teacher’s schedule to manage their individual
STAT. If a teacher is busy, the
student will be expected to visit that teacher when he/she is available. Each
student will learn to decide when to eat lunch and when to visit teachers
during the one hour. Teachers may also
schedule students, or groups of students, if necessary, for extra help during
STAT. Students and teachers currently do this same coordinating effort before
and after school. |
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What do departments or teachers do during collaboration time? Departments will
have the opportunity to meet once a week to discuss topics ranging from
professional development needs, as identified by the department, to the daily
nuts and bolts that departments are not often able to communicate due to time
constraints. Collaboration has been identified as a priority for departments,
and a strong characteristic in highly effective high schools. STAT will allow this opportunity. More
specifically, departments may identify a topic, such as Writer's Workshop,
and complete a book study that may help create understanding and lead to
implementation. Collaboration is not limited to departments. A select group
of teachers from separate departments may share a similar interest and
discover benefits of working together to improve student learning. |
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What process will teachers use to place students in the “monitored”
group? There is very little work or responsibility for teachers with respect
to placement of students in the monitored group. The system of privileges
will determine student status and the grade level attendance monitors will
manage student status. Administration,
counselors, and support staff will identify and monitor students. Students,
in general, may move back and forth from “monitored” to “self-directed” every
six weeks. “In general” means that a student could change from
“self-directed” to “monitored” during the six weeks, but a student can not go
from “monitored” to “self-directed” during the six weeks period. STAT is designed to give teachers that extra help in reaching
struggling students.. With the use of this time
teachers may reach out to struggling students better. If the student does not
respond, a teacher may inform the grade level security monitor for
assistance. This is currently done
when teachers email a counselor or admin and ask for help/intervention. This
process may still occur however, STAT, gives us a framework to work with the
student. For example, if Lazy Larry is
not showing up to class during STAT after repeated invitations, the teacher
can alert the grade level security person, who can follow up and assist the
teacher in finding out why Larry is not showing up and then assist in
resolving the concern. Another example could be that Falling-Behind Frank was
doing well in class, but in the last two weeks his grade dropped from a B to
an F. At this point, the teacher may contact a counselor or the security
monitor to determine what is going on. If this student is a “self-directed”
student, he/she could have his/her privilege revoked as explained earlier. If
not, reinforcement and tighter expectations can be placed on the student
until grades improve. Security monitors will track students using a STAT
tracking process. A individual plan will be created for students who need
assistance in making educationally sound decisions with their STAT. |
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What is the process teachers will use to assist “monitored” students? Teachers will assist administration and counselors by doing the same
things they do now when they notice a student who is falling behind or may be
experiencing some personal trouble except now each grade level will have
security monitor person that will track struggling students. When a student
is doing poorly, a simple email to a grade level security monitor will assist
in starting the monitoring process. Teachers will always inspire, encourage,
and even warn a student when they are not performing in class or using their
STAT time to further their progress in class. When such a situation arises,
and the student doesn’t respond appropriately, alerting the grade level
security monitor provides in-depth assistance. The security monitor allows
for follow-up, trouble shooting, develop individual plan, or impose necessary
consequences as the situation requires. It is important to alert them,
because the student may be doing similar behaviors in other classes; thus, a
student can be assisted comprehensively. When a student comes into a teacher’s class and scans in, that
student is to remain until the bell rings, just like a regular class.
Students must also scan out. If the student is late, the data base will pick that
information up and if the student develops a history of tardiness, or leaves
early the grade level security monitor will address the attendance concern. A
teacher may also email the grade level security monitor to inform them of the
student sporadic attendance. |
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How can S.T.A.T strengthen student-teacher relationships? What is the
teacher’s role in facilitating that relationship? Teachers and
students are familiar with the benefits of relationship building that emerge
in the classroom. However, 50 minutes a day when there is a lot teaching to
be done, there is generally not enough
time for stronger relationships to develop with those students who may need
it. Additionally, many class sizes exceed 30 students so some teachers teach
as many as 150 students each day making it more difficult to build
relationships. STAT will offers a
little more individualized time to teachers and students to develop
relationships. Although during STAT academics will be the focus, it also
allows for different time between teacher and student where relationship can
grow. |
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How will students
be supervised during lunch? Students will be
supervised by administration and security support personnel. The security STAT
monitors will be located all over the campus. There will be five in addition
to the two security, we have already. Placement of monitoring team will vary
depending on need. There will also be a in-house room during the STAT hour. The in-house room area
will be a station where students will report to address various issues: 1.
lost ID card. 2. Not using STAT for improving grades. 3. Intervention
support: behavioral and academic. STAT is privilege time and a student must
perform academically to access accordingly. |
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How will students be supervised during S.T.A.T.? Students who are monitored (multiple F students) will be required to
attend a class, a tutoring location or a club for four out of five days. All
other students will be expected to do the same however, only two or three of
the five days. As explained earlier the number of days students will have for
self-directed time during STAT will vary depending on needs. Students will be going in various directions and to various places.
Students will be required to scan in to the area they will be attending. With
the use of their ID cards students will track themselves while our security
monitors will assist in tracking them with information gathered when they
scan in and out. When students are with the teacher, they will take their own
attendance by scanning their ID card when they enter and exit the room.
Students will be expected to monitor themselves during this time. If they
leave early or do not stay long enough they will be contacted by a security
monitor. |
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What will students
do during S.T.A.T. (also see question #25)? Monitored students will be expected to take advantage of the academic requirement of STAT four out of five days a week. The “self-directed” students will have the privilege of using a maximum of three days a week for themselves. Both groups, self-directed and monitored, will be expected to use STAT appropriately. If a student in either group does not follow the intent and expectations of STAT, his/her privileges can be removed for a specified time. Recognizing (but not expecting) that there will be times that students will make poor choices, there will be a in-house room where students will receive support sufficient to redirect their behavior or consequences for skipping STAT such as detention during STAT. |
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What happens to “self-directed” students when they don’t use S.T.A.T.
appropriately? Student will lose the privilege if they do not meet the minimum two
day a week requirement. The loss of privilege will be in small increments or
large increments depending on the circumstance. Discipline actions will range
from student serving one hour detention to losing the privilege all together.
Junior and seniors may lose their privilege of leaving campus. Allowing
juniors to leave campus during lunch is a new concept to PHS. Arrangements
can be made if a parent does not want their son or daughter to leave campus. |
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What happens to “monitored” students who do not use S.T.A.T.
appropriately? Students who do not use STAT appropriately will incur the same type
of treatment they currently do when they do not attend periods 1-6. However, the
difference that STAT provides PHS is that we will be able to provide
additional positive and natural consequences for the choices. Examples
include: ·
hour
detention during STAT ·
one hour
lunch (privilege and incentive) ·
teacher
availability ·
counselor
availability ·
one hour
peer tutor lab |
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How will attendance be monitored for “monitored” and “self-directed”
students? (see number 5 and 19) Each student has an ID card with a bar code. When students enter a classroom,
peer tutoring lab, counseling center, club area, or leave campus with their
ID badge, it will be scanned, (juniors and seniors who qualify may not leave
campus unless they have their ID). When students scan themselves in, they are
essentially taking their own attendance. When scanning in, information will
be collected as to where and when. Students will also scan out when they
leave. The scanned information will be filed and reported into the two
categories: monitored and self-directed. If a student loses his or her ID card, he or she may obtain another
one under the existing process: $5 fee, students may obtain another ID card.
STAT security monitors will be responsible for making sure students have
their ID badges and will track those students who may have lost or forgotten
their ID. Students will be responsible for having their ID badges and
replacing them when needed. A monitored student, who has lost his/her ID or
forgot it, will report to the in-house room where he or she will be issued another
ID card. Monitored students will be expected to be somewhere every day.
Failure to do so is equal to skipping class. After students have been scanned
in, regular classroom expectations will be enforced. They must remain until
the bell rings to go to their next class, or to go to lunch. During the STAT
hours, a bell will ring approximately 5 minutes before mid-point to indicate
that a transition should be taking place. A second bell may ring ten minutes
later indicating that the transition from lunch to a classroom or a classroom
to lunch should be complete. Because each scan in and scan out time is
recorded the grade level security monitor will be able to identify when
students who habitually arrive late. Students, who scan in 10 minutes late to
a class, will be considered tardy. Warnings and consequences will be imposed
if behavior doesn’t change. Dealing with such behavior will be tracked and
monitored. All students must scan out when leaving. Once a student is in
an area he must remain until the session is over. Self-directed students will scan in and out (take their own
attendance) a minimum of twice a week regardless of the length of week. The
other days, they have the privilege of using that time for whatever positive
purposes they choose. This may include getting more help and using STAT to
further improve studies or using the time for social/personal time. If
students take unfair advantage of their privilege, he or she may lose it for
a period of time. Attendance for STAT is the same as attendance for any other
class. Monitored and self-directed students who do not attend STAT will be
considered truant, and attendance monitors will contact parents and assign
detention. |
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What beneficial opportunities do students have during S.T.A.T.? Student’s who
qualify and maintain “self-directed” status, may choose to have a one hour
lunch for a maximum of three days in a normal five day week. In a four day
week they would only be able to leave two of the days. For juniors and seniors this may include
leaving campus. For freshmen and sophomores it may include doing things of
their choice, from school work to socializing with friends, thus, allowing
some personal time during the day. Students may be engaged in the following
activities any day of the week:
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What will students do if a teacher isn’t available during S.T.A.T.? A student may walk into a classroom and realize he/she will not get
the attention he/she needs, because there are too many students in the class,
or there is a substitute. Some may come to only visit with the teacher, and
the teacher is not accessible. Students have other options Other student options include: ·
Working
at desk, or proper work station, without the assistance of the teacher. ·
Go to
the library to receive help from a peer tutor. ·
Go to
another class to receive help in another subject ·
Work
with friends. |
There
is nothing stopping a student from ditching school for any class. A few
students skip classes every once in awhile, and it is expected that they will
continue to do so; therefore, if a student skips S.T.A.T. they will incur the
same consequences as if they were skipping any other period. Students must scan
in and scan out. Students are responsible for taking their own attendance. If they don’t, he/she will be identified and
dealt with by the S.T.A.T. security monitor.
Each grade level will have a security monitor. Monitored students will
be tracked every day and self-directed student will be monitored weekly or as
often as necessary. Students who show up as “irregular” in his/her attendance
will be contacted by the security monitor. Security monitors will work with
students to resolve attendance concerns.
A bell will ring five minutes before the midway mark of STAT indicating
to staff and students that transitioning from lunch to class or class to lunch
should begin. A second bell will ring ten minutes later to indicate the
transition should be complete.
Does S.T.A.T. cause each teacher or student to lose 5 minutes of class?
Initially it may appear so, but perhaps not. It could be said that teachers and
students will gain 30 minutes of class time, not lose 5 minutes. By adding 30
minutes to the day, we increase instructional time for individual students by
redistributing 5 minutes from each class for individual student learning needs.
For example, research has clearly shown us that not all students learn the same
way or process the same information the same way (Breaking Ranks II- NAASP,
Differentiated Instruction-Carol Tomlinson and Rick Dufour).
The result of this research has led to improved instruction by “personalizing
it” and differentiating it and offering guidance, having ownership in school,
and creating a collaborative learning environment. Students may be strong in
one subject area and weak in another. How can a student spend more time in
areas they need? Who determines that need? When is that need going to be met?
It could be said that by not providing student’s personalized or
self-directed instructional time their learning suffers. Is there any wonder that alternative high
schools have been flourishing in the last 15 years? Kids need time to meet their
different learning needs. PHS provides group time for teaching and instruction,
but when will we provide individual time for learning? STAT is an attempt to
provide such time. By giving students and teachers 30 minutes to focus on areas
of weakness (or strength) they may receive more meaningful instruction per day.
For purposes of meeting the State of
It is not uncommon knowledge that teachers are extending themselves
beyond the call of duty every day. Students and teachers are constantly trying
to find one on one time. This includes before, after school and even while a
teacher is eating lunch. It might be argued that PHS’s current system causes
PHS more work as PHS attempts to find the time to meet individual student needs
just as much as students are searching and spending time to do the same. By
providing 30 minutes a day for students and
teachers, the opportunity to meet individual needs increases. Therefore, PHS collectively strengthen its
individual instruction by putting 5 minutes into a pool of time that allows
teachers and students to use it to meet their needs.
STAT does not impact Running Start students any more than our current schedule. Running Start is a program of choice. Currently students are making many choices that conflict with current schedule. Students will need to continue to make choices between PHS and running start.
There
are no permission slips for seniors to leave campus and there will be no
permission slips with STAT. The culture will be that qualifying juniors and
seniors will be eligible. Parents do have the option of informing the school
they don’t want their son or daughter to leave during lunch. Currently, there
are times, when parents make that request for their senior son or daughter.
All students who are Monitored students are automatically on a plan.
The plan is that they are to use the 30 minutes of S.T.A.T. every day to
improve those F’s so they change their status to Self-directed. Students who
are not taking advantage of S.T.A.T. will be identified quickly because they
are not going. These students will receive the personal attention by their
grade level security monitor or administrator (depending on their issues). Each
of these key players may have the liberty to impose a more specific plan
designed for that special student. For example, a student who is doing poorly
in science may be going to his art class too much and neglecting science. This
student will need to be redirected.
A teacher may identify a specific behavior and can send an email to
other teachers to see if they are experiencing the same. A teacher may also
alert a security monitor who will then address the issue with the student and
use an administrator or counselor if needed.
There are three staff members that are in two different departments.
Although the priority is to be available for kids, those three teachers will
need to determine availability.
No more Friday schedule. Every day will be the same except for the 8 or
so times a year we have an all school assembly. All special schedules for class
meetings, ASB meetings, Jostens, clubs, etc will be done during STAT.
Students
will be able to go almost anywhere there is space and
an adult in order to study. This includes but is not limited to, commons,
teacher classrooms, and peer tutoring center. A student doesn’t have to access
a teacher to go to their room and study as long as the teacher is present.
Data will be gathered weekly. Information will be collected on both, Monitored and Self-directed students as well as other elements of STAT. Base line data will be collected and compared to the data collected when STAT begins. Data will be collected by the attendance system, surveys, and other input gathering methods. When implementation begins in April the School Improvement Team and support staff will be expected to make adjustments according to the data and information collected. This information will be shared weekly.
Once
STAT is implemented work will be done to educate incoming 8th
graders. There are many opportunities in the spring as counselors and
administrators orient students.
Students
will be expected to have their ID cards every day, as they do now. It is not
expected that they wear them around their necks.
Students do not sign up to meet with a teacher but they can make verbal
arrangements like they do now before or after school. Students are responsible
for directing their learning needs with their teachers. Each teacher will have
a chart in their room that indicates when they are available each day of each
week. Teacher may recognize a common need among many students and may encourage
students to come on certain days. For example, if there is a big test coming
up, a teacher may indicate to students that if they need extra help or more
help, to come on a specific day. A teacher may organize some enhanced instruction
on certain days but in general STAT is to be student directed.
STAT
does not anticipate increasing teacher work load. It is actually designed to
reduce it. Teachers are responsible for providing their assigned students
instruction and learning according to board adopted curriculum. STAT assists
teachers as well as student by allocating time to meet individual needs.
STAT is designed around a system of privileges, personalizing student
learning needs for six subjects, and collaboration for teachers. There is not
enough time in a week for all these primary needs to be met in just two or
three days a week. (See #25 above)
Although not a primary reason, having STAT every day builds
consistency.
Hewlett Packard (HP) families have gracefully been a large supporter of making STAT possible. I-728 funds from the state that are designed to help improve student learning and building budget dollars can be used.