Wayne Preparatory Academy’s Successful Programs for At-Risk High/Junior High School Students

Format

Poster Presentation

Location

Harborside Center

Strand #1

Academic Achievement & School Leadership

Strand #2

Social & Emotional Skills

Relevance

Wayne Preparatory Academy’s program provides a high quality, standards-based, student-centered program that prepares students to earn a high school diploma (HEAD) and gain the social and emotional skills to become productive members of society (HEART).

HEAD: Many students come to Wayne Prep behind in their school work. Part of the goal is to help them recover credits through the use of the blended classroom instruction which is easily tailored for differentiated instruction. Students work at their own pace. Over the past eleven years, attendance has improved from 61% to 85%, the number of graduates increased 9 fold, and the number of credits earned by all students rose from 457 to 1533.

HEART: Some students who come to Wayne Prep do not feel like they belong in school. Our programs help to make them feel welcome and to know the staff cares about them personally as well as their progress. Teachers encourage and help students set career goals, find jobs, apply to college, earn scholarships as well as handle personal difficulties and celebrate milestones. And, teachers try to help students with the problems that lead them to the alternative school. Mentors, other than staff, come to help students with their personal development.

Brief Program Description

Wayne Prep high school has made dramatic improvements in attendance, graduation and success in earning credits in a high poverty school system. Blended classroom instruction, programs, mentoring, smaller setting, and discipline will be topics discussed. The junior high “Steps for Success “ helps students modify their own behavior and report home to parents daily, successfully returning to their junior high school. The program is tailored for teachers and administrators.

Summary

Wayne Preparatory Academy’s program provides a high quality, standards-based, student-centered program that prepares students to earn a high school diploma and gain the social and emotional skills to become productive members of society. Wayne Prep challenges students grade 6-12 to reach their full potential academically, emotionally and socially. It equips students for the demands and opportunities of the twenty-first century by offering differentiated and individualized instruction that addresses the “whole child.” A professional and highly trained staff, in partnership with home schools and the community, work to ensure students achieve and successfully transition back to their home school or graduate by supporting academic and character growth. Wayne Prep provides a disciplined and caring environment, based on mutual respect, where each student is valued, has their individual needs met, and is encouraged to develop morally.

The techniques used at Wayne Prep, the alternative school for Wayne Township, will be reviewed. Over the past eleven years, the high school has made dramatic improvement in attendance, graduation and success in earning credits. Our attendance has moved from 61% to 85%, the number of graduates increased 9 fold, and the number of credits earned by all students rose 3 fold. Blended classroom instruction, homeroom programs, mentoring, smaller setting, and discipline are some of the techniques Wayne Prep has successfully implemented to help students become successful.

The Junior High staff has developed a special “Steps for Success” which helps students modify their own behavior and report home to parents daily. The program has resulted in returning students to their sending junior high school. The steps are graduated throughout a minimum of ten week session. The program is tailored for teachers and administrators of at-risk programs.

Evidence

Wayne Prep has taken a school wide approach to blended classroom instruction. High school students have been using digital content supplemented with direct personal teacher driven instruction for over ten years with students earning 3 times more credits now than over eleven years ago. Digital content is readily personalized to accommodate students’ needs. Students complete real world projects which have been shown to help improve attitudes toward learning and increase retention of the content. Teamwork skills are fostered as students work together on projects.

The school has small class sizes to help with student achievement of low income and minority children. Over 90% of the student body are income eligible for free and reduced lunch. And, 58% of the students are non white.

Each student takes responsibility for their progress in school. They sit down with the counselor to develop their Individual Service Plan. Once their goals are achieved, students may choose to return to their sending school. Many students enjoy the school so well that, upon achieving their goals decide to stay for the balance of their high school career.

Some students who come to Wayne Prep do not feel like they belong in school. Our programs help to make them feel welcome and to know the staff cares about them personally as well as their progress. Teachers encourage and help students set career goals, find jobs, apply to college, earn scholarships as well as handle personal difficulties and celebrate milestones. The students are encouraged to be generous and help others. Mentoring has been expanded to include people from the community as studies indicate mentoring can be beneficial for youth with a broad range of backgrounds and characteristics. This ongoing commitment to students’ well-being helps students to better focus their efforts at school which results in better attendance, higher graduation rates, and more credits earned.

Biographical Sketch

Karen Burkhart graduated from Winona State University with a degree in Chemistry, Iowa State University with a master’s degree in Organic Chemistry, Indiana Wesleyan University with a License to Teach middle and high school science. After managing the development of products and packages for Procter and Gamble and Bristol Meyers, she pursued her teaching degree at Indiana Wesleyan University. She has been teaching at the alternative school for the past 10 years.

Annie Brown graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in English and a minor in Ethnic Studies. She then completed a License to Teach middle and high school English at Indiana Wesleyan University. She has been teaching at Wayne Prep for the past 10 years.

Keyword Descriptors

blended classroom, alternative education, mentoring, student centered

Presentation Year

2016

Start Date

3-8-2016 4:00 PM

End Date

3-8-2016 5:30 PM

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Mar 8th, 4:00 PM Mar 8th, 5:30 PM

Wayne Preparatory Academy’s Successful Programs for At-Risk High/Junior High School Students

Harborside Center

Wayne Prep high school has made dramatic improvements in attendance, graduation and success in earning credits in a high poverty school system. Blended classroom instruction, programs, mentoring, smaller setting, and discipline will be topics discussed. The junior high “Steps for Success “ helps students modify their own behavior and report home to parents daily, successfully returning to their junior high school. The program is tailored for teachers and administrators.