Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships Make a Difference for High School Freshmen

Each fall, school leaders across the state are faced with ensuring that all incoming freshmen make a successful transition to high school. The statistics reveal that between 20 and 30 percent of all freshmen fail at least one class during their first semester. These struggling freshmen go on to have the highest percentage of discipline referrals, poor attendance, and eventually, the greatest chance of dropping out. Williamston High School’s approach is to face the challenge head-on with a multi-layered approach designed to make it more difficult for a student to fail than to succeed.

The strategy is based on small, quick wins in key areas: 1) developing a positive connection with the school early, 2) focusing remediation and curriculum emphasis on literacy and mathematics, and 3) providing comprehensive, systemic support for learning and for the monitoring of data. The results are worth noting—freshmen failure rates have decreased by more than 40 percent, attendance is up, and discipline referrals have been significantly reduced.

A Comprehensive Kickoff Leads to Success

Step one literally meets the at-risk students at the door. Those students most likely to need assistance because of reading ability, math scores, or attendance are personally invited by ninth grade teachers to a special orientation session designed to make a connection with each student, as well as to outline what’s important for every student to know and do. The focus of the two-hour session is on what it takes to be a successful student. In addition to learning study skills, students learn practical skills, such as how to use a planner and set a routine. Each student also makes a connection with someone they value as a mentor. This individual contact has proven successful in helping the most at-risk students make a connection before school even starts.

Focused Remediation Works

Data collected by Williamston Staff shows that many students who struggle in high school failed one or more classes in middle school, especially in English language arts or mathematics. For these students, a class for literacy, called PLAN, is assigned in addition to the regular language arts requirement. The goals of PLAN are to increase literacy skills in reading for all content and subject areas and to increase student confidence in their own abilities and organizational skills. Students learn to take responsibility for their academic success. Students also participate in mentoring activities with elementary children to develop reading fluency, literacy, and comprehension. Last year, all students in the PLAN class showed a significant increase in their grade point average between eighth and ninth grade. These successes go a long way in academic and social achievement. A similar class is planned in mathematics remediation.

Support Systems are Built Around Student Needs

The interplay of counselors, special education support staff, a homework lab, a success/intervention team, and solid and dedicated leadership is evident in the success of all Williamston students. Specific remediation, with success team coordinators, takes place during the school day; in addition, any student with a 1.0 or less grade point average is assigned to the homework lab to work on missing assignments. The intervention team meets bi-monthly to focus on systems that work, analyze data, and address specific concerns about students who may be falling through the cracks.
Success requires learning expectations, a committed staff, and an unrelenting commitment to excellence for all students (with focus on instruction and remediation around each student’s interests, learning styles and aptitudes, and a laser-like focus on data to make daily instructional decisions for individual students). These are the elements that have been instrumental in making significant advances at Williamston High School. It’s all about students and learning.

*Williamston Community Schools is one of the 12 districts served by Ingham Intermediate School District

For more information, contact: Kristine Grunwald, (517) 655-2142 ext. 7400, Grunwak@wmston.k12.mi.us.