Lowell Public Schools Helping Students Stay the Course Jeannine Durkin, Deputy Superintendent for Student Support Services Heather Ganley, Supervisor of Attendance Nancy Crones, District Support Specialist Rosa Segarra-Morales, Attendance Monitor
Getting Started ● Changes in legislation helped to shape a new way of thinking ● Development of a District Attendance Intervention Plan that shifted from punitive to supportive ● Collaboration with partners city-wide HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
LPS District Attendance Intervention Plan LPS Website link: Attendance Intervention Snapshot HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/Page/176
2013/2014 ● Focused on attendance as a district priority ● Instituted school-based attendance teams/meetings ● Re-energized partnership with DCF/Juvenile Court ● Formalized Tier III court diversion program - Attendance Improvement Model (AIM) HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
2014/2015 ● Transitioned district focus to ● Included new partners “Chronic Absence” NFI Family Resource Center ➔ (new AIM location) ● Increased school-based Lowell Youth Development ➔ interventions Collaborative (LYDC) Increased AIM meetings (court Redesigned the Dropout Prevention ● ● diversion) Team with additional focus on elementary and middle schools Chronic Unexcused Excused Absence = 10% Suspensions Absences Absences or more of instructional days HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
Lowell Public Schools Chronic Absence (CA) Rate *Data from Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website: http://www.doe.mass.edu/ 2,561 2 , 5 4 0 Students S t u d e n t s CA 2, 512 C A Students 2, 379 CA Students 2,165 CA Students *SY CA 15/16
Attendance Improvement Model (AIM) Kristin A. Pepin, Probation Officer MIddlesex Juvenile Court-Lowell 89 Appleton St, Lowell, MA 01852 In 2013, the Lowell Public Schools, Lowell Juvenile Court and Lowell DCF collaborated to formalize a Court Diversion Program, aptly entitled AIM. Evolution of AIM: ● Identifying a need ● Coming together ● Program emerges ● AIM is launched HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
Lowell AIM Family Engagement Model Team Roles at AIM Meeting (to be assigned) Target Areas DISCOVERY - The team garners parent/guardian feedback as to why FACILITATOR - Attendance Supervisor/Monitor child is not attending school regularly. *creates agenda, leads meeting ASSESSMEN T - The team works with the family to identify barriers, DATA MANAGER - Attendance Supervisor/Monitor solutions and services as deemed necessary. *brings attendance and supporting documentation from X2 to team meetings REFERRAL - The team may provide the family/student access to TIME KEEPER - Assigned at Meeting services to resolve issues. Services may be provided by the school or *keeps team on task referrals may be made to services within the community. ACTION PLAN - The team develops a plan including specific steps RECORDER IN X2 - Assigned at Meeting and resources needed to improve attendance. *documents meeting and action plan developed FOLLOW UP - A school-based meeting is held to measure success ACTION PLAN - School Attendance Personnel with attendance and the parent/guardians’ utilization of services * records action plan recommendations, obtains signatures referred and determine further steps, if necessary. and distributes to parent/guardian(s) HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
NFI Family Resource Center Adam Murray, School Liaison 27 Prescott St, Lowell, MA 01852 Origin of FRC: ● 18 opened across the state in 2014/2015 in response to the new CRA law NFI in Lowell opened in May 2015 serving over 1200 families (600 of those were ● school-based referrals) AIM Collaboration: Flexibility in the model allowed for a unique collaboration with LPS to help service ● the needs of families The AIM "Aha" Moment that Led to ATTENDS: After collaborating with the AIM team, we believed there was more we could offer ● Court involvement not always a supportive motivator in creating successful ● change HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
ATTENDS Absenteeism and Truancy Training to Engage, Nurture and Develop Success Curriculum for Caregivers ATTENDS: ● A three week curriculum for caregivers of chronically absent students Three modules that the caregivers complete as part of the course: ● ○ Attendance Matters Health and Wellness ○ Pathways to Success ○ HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE ATTENDS Success: APRIL-MAY 2017 16 referred LPS caregivers, All 16 graduated
Attendance/Dropout Toolkit HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
Strategies Toolkit City-wide Attendance District Attendance Community Attendance/ LPS Tiered Awareness Intervention Plan Resource Dropout Data Supports Campaign Guide Overview HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
*Data from Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website: http://www.doe.mass.edu/ Below State Avg. 2 Years in a Row! HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
Tiered Supports HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
Elementary Tiered Supports Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier I District Attendance Intervention Plan Phone Call on or Before 3 Absences Systems Meeting with Care Providers Attendance Awards Ceremony Letter Home on 4th Absence Crisis Intervention Daily Principal's Attendance Report Attendance Letters in Google Drive Alternative School Referral Student Handbook w/District Attendance Policy Home Visit Referral to Outside Agency for Beginning of the school year "Importance of Attendance" School Based Attendance Team Meeting intensive community based supports Letter Assigning a Mentor (IHT, ICC) Classroom Attendance Competitions Referral to Catie's Closet SRO Home Visit Citywide Attendance Awareness Campaign Referral to Monthly Food Pantry Modified Day Attendance Pledge Collaboration with Medical Providers Tutoring Center Attender Bands Referral to School Administration Team Meeting Engagement Center In-zone transportation Referral for a Teacher Assistant Team meeting - TAT Court Referral (CRA/FTC) In-school Attendance Incentives School Based Attendance Meetings Special Ed Referral Bullying Policy and Support District Attendance Meetings Attendance Improvement Model (AIM) CTI After School Programs Attendance/Behavior/Safety Contracts Specialized Safety/Behavioral Plan Advisory/Open Circle Etc. Group or Individual Behavioral Incentives Increased Staff Supervision Engagement in Club/School Activity Referral to School Social Worker PBIS at Participating Schools Social Skills Group/Counseling Group Academic/Behavioral Data Review Lunch Group After School Sports/Activities Targeted Tutoring Group Resource Officer Staff/Peer Mentoring Common Planning Time - CPT Targeted Academic Intervention 21st Century CCLC Programs at Available Schools Meeting with Student and Family EWIS Bullying Investigation Signs in School About Importance of Attendance Lunch with Staff Counseling Referrals Referral to Mentoring Agencies (See Community Resource List) 504
Community Resource Guide LPS Website link: Community Resource Guide https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/Page/664 HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
Agency Name Population Served Services Provided Referral Procedure Cost
City-wide Attendance Campaign HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
City-wide Attendance Awareness Campaign Launched 1st City-wide Attendance Awareness Campaign August 2016 Be in School, Be on Track! Attendance Matters! Partners: District Attorney, Lowell Police, Lowell Youth Development Collaborative HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
National Night Out ● ● ● ● ● HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
Attendance Public Service Announcement ● Produced with the support of Jack Pinard, Lowell Public Schools Educational Television Program Coordinator ● Aired on Comcast satellite stations (Nick, Disney, AMC, etc.) in addition to local channels as of August 1st, 2017. HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
School-Based Attendance Events ● ● ● HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
Attendance Billboard With the support of Capital Associates Inc., LPS has a no-cost attendance billboard which was launched on August 18th, 2017 on Route 3 at the 110 exit in Lowell. HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
Summary ● Attendance and dropout rates needed improvement ● School-Based Attendance Teams implemented ● Collaboration initiated with community partners ● City-wide Attendance Awareness Campaign launched ● Data shows interventions are working HELPING STUDENTS STAY THE COURSE
In Lowell, we are getting better every day at helping students stay the course. We wish you continued success in charting the course for your students. Questions? Nancy Crones Heather Ganley ncrones@lowell.k12.ma.us hganley@lowell.k12.ma.us
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