Kudos A Quote from Vincent Harding: * Kudos to all of us doing this - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Kudos – A Quote from Vincent Harding: * Kudos to all of us doing this difficult work! * I met this young man in Eugene’s apartment, and this young man came up to sit next to me because he wanted to talk in a more personal way. It turned out that he was one of the leaders of the drug-running folks at the time. …. But what he said to me was that he really felt that one of the reasons why he had gone in the way that he had gone — not trying in any way to excuse himself — was the fact that he, like many other young people, were operating in a situation where they felt it was just very, very dark all around them. And what they needed were, as he put it , some signposts, some lights that would, help them…

Quote from Vincent Harding * Live human signposts ,that would help them to see the possibilities for themselves and will open up possibilities (they couldn’t see) in any other way except seeing it through human beings who care about them. If we teach young people to run away from the darkness rather than to open up the light in the darkness, to be the candles, the signposts, then we are doing great harm to them and the communities that they have come out of.

Overview of Presentation * What is your relational style? * Golden Tickets – a simple way to celebrate significant events that appear small. * Advisory- a system that can embed relational connections throughout the whole school/program * Threshold – Connecting with students who have disconnected.

Appreciation * Appreciation to all of you for being willing to be a light for students who are facing great challenges.

Threshold Program Part of the Maine Academy of Natural Sciences Helping Students Transform Themselves from School Leavers to School Completers

Program Model * Threshold is a relationship based home-visiting, high school program. * One teacher works with 10 students using a standards-based curriculum to individualize instruction * Teachers visit each student once a week; students work independently on assignments between visits

Students * Students have left school, aren’t attending regularly, and are at high risk of not completing their education. * 19 of our 40 students identified themselves as socially anxious; 6 were teen parents * 25% of our current students have IEP’s (Individualized Education Plans)

Threshold Graduation

Students * 68% economically disadvantaged * 63% live in one parent homes or with relatives * Live within 60 minutes of MeANS

Teachers • Teach all content areas required for graduation; • Are certified in at least one core content area (math, science, ELA, social studies) one special education teacher per 15 -20 IEP students • Spend two to three hours each week in student homes with each of their 10 advisees.

Teachers * Monitor student activity daily through internet * Support classes in on-line curriculum such as Odysseyware, Kahn Academy and Community College offerings * Support at-home parents and work with them to support Threshold – Intergenerational work

Teachers * Take small groups on field trips * Plan and implement Threshold “Mondays” at MeANS * Connect students with necessary social service, health, employment resources. (In conjunction with Social Worker)

Teachers * Meet weekly as a staff * Employ truancy protocols when students do not respond to program opportunities – balancing accountability with supportive problem solving. * Connect students with special education services as needed/required

New Additions to Threshold * Social Worker: Jo Werther, LCSW joined us in January and has been working with families and staff. Trained in DBT (Dialectic Behavior Therapy); and versed in trauma-based work, as well as child- protective and crisis work. Will be focusing on acute needs (loss, anxiety, abuse) as well as supporting staff in learning relational strategies.

New Additions to Threshold * Instructional Specialist – Ana Rothschild a veteran of 6 years at MeANS – 2 in Threshold teaching position will take over in May as Instructional Specialist tailoring our Standards Based Curriculum for individual project based learning – using Empower software as a base.

New Additions to Threshold * Dean of Students: Becky Dennison, LMSW is now Threshold Dean of Students, much experience in adult education in Farmington Area as well as alternative education at Mt. Blue High School; Will act as program manager for Threshold * Agriculture Coach: Joe Schmalzel our greenhouse director will be the Ag Coach and develop hands-on projects for students and Threshold groups.

Maine Public Program on Threshold * Program from Maine Public on Threshold: Robbie Feinberg * http://mainepublic.org/post/program-teachers-make- house-calls-maine-students-suffering- anxiety#stream/0

Philosophy and Research * Relational Education - for at-risk students the teacher-student relationship is critical to student engagement and success (Carpuzzi & Gross, 2014; Davis, Forstadt, & Lee 2006; Klem & Connell, 2004; Meier, 2002; Sagor & Cox, 2004; Pariser, 2010) * Year Round Education - shown to improve educational outcomes for at-risk students (Balinger, 1995) * Home Visiting Model: Nurse-Family Partnership, (Bridgeland, Dilulio, & Morrison, 200 ; DeAngelis, 2012; Handville, 2007; Schachter, 2013; Sagor & Cox, 2004) Passages - Home Visiting for teen parents In 8 counties in Maine. * Close Collaboration with Community Agencies - (Adelman & Taylor, 2010; Advocates for Youth, 2016; Handville, 2007; and McWhiter et al., 2016).

Community Involvement

Philosophy and Research * When we reach out to the neediest adolescents we help to build stronger communities in Maine * These are the students who tend not to leave the state, and will be an important part of our community.

Threshold Graduation

Architecture of Program - Issues * Recruitment – how to get the word out to prospective students – reaching some of the most isolated families in Maine – Next year growing to 60 students * What we have done: contact with - Parents, guidance counselors, medical professionals, mental health professionals, community case managers, community health/visiting nurses, JMG teachers, local charter school leaders, homeless liaisons – no direct use of social media yet.

Architecture of Program - Issues * Student capacity for independent work in between meetings with teacher; * Counter incentives from state/feds to work with the neediest students – effect on attendance rates, standardized scores etc. * Finding appropriate teaching staff interested in a position of this nature. We are looking for 2 new teachers for the program!!

Architecture of Program - Issues * Intergenerational Trauma * Providing Professional Development and support for teachers in this new framework

Stats * Started with 40 students * Ages 19(3), 18 (5), 17 (4), 16 (7), 15 (1), 14 (1) * 20 female, 20 male, 5 parenting students (two dads) * 4 graduated in January 2018 * 3 transferred to Job Corps, 1 to adult ed, 3 enrolled but didn’t show, 1 dropped * 4 joined during course of year * 48 - 60% at any time consider anxiety a major issue for themselves, some with diagnoses

Attendance Stats Attendance Records Comparison – Previous School Year vs. Threshold * 55% improved attendance by 20% or more* * 29% improved by 40% or more * 74% improved attendance * 26% declined in attendance * 3% had perfect attendance both years * * doesn’t include 4 home schoolers, and three newly admitted students

Current Academic Stats * On NWEA assessments * Math - 77% showed growth as of March 4, 2019 * Reading – 64% showed growth as of March 4, 2019 * Language – 72% showed growth as of March 4, 2019 * 25% of students showed growth on all 3 assessments * 36% of students showed growth on 2 assessments * 86% of students showed growth on at least 1 assessment * During Classes: Highly Engaged – 29 73%; Partially engaged -8; Unengaged 3

Stories * Parenting Teens - Growing up fast and wanting one’s past not to repeat itself * Students with IEP’s - where possible working towards reintegration into more conventional learning environments * Students with current family trauma – getting services to them * Students engaged and making progress – supporting them in being successful * Students stuck in familiar ruts – How to avoid school when it comes to you!

Stories * This I believe Essay – This I Believe (if time permits) * https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2V1bUhGN- TATGstY0l0X1ZqZFRwMy1sa0hWQlJ3TE9LLWZZ/view * Threshold Mondays – Water, Climate Change, Water Sampling, Insulation, Building Window Boxes * The challenges – loss, no heat, medical emergencies, transportation, isolation * The Successes; getting motivated to graduate; the bandana comes off!

Students Build Plant Boxes

Social Anxiety: A Brief Review * In the US alone 40 million adults struggle with an anxiety disorder * 15 million adults struggle with social anxiety * 6 million deal with panic disorder (adaa.org, July 23, 2016)

Social Anxiety: A Brief Review * The two poles of human behavior – avoidance and pursuit * Moving away from pain; moving towards pleasure; the internet can help us avoid social interaction * Intolerance of uncertainty a core problem for anxiety sufferers – getting stuck trying to do more and more to make things secure