BOCES program gives ninth-graders a fresh start in the Adirondacks |
On Board Online • June 13, 2016
By Jason Franchuk
Special Correspondent
Ian Byrnes could have an extra hour of sleep if he attended the high school closest to his home in Albany County.
Instead, he gladly wakes up at 5:30 each morning for a 75-minute bus ride. The 14-year-old attends a full-day program at the Southern Adirondack Education Center in Hudson Falls.
Most of the 24 students are beyond the traditional age of freshmen, as many fell behind due to attendance issues. Some have disciplinary records. Most are boys.
To administrators in Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES, they're just kids who need another chance.
The WSWHE BOCES approach is called the Skills Training and Education Program (STEP). It's targeted at freshman because they have the most slippery slope in terms of drop-out rates.
"It's about the disengaged student," said Nancy DeStefano, director of special and alternative education.
Assistant Principal Linda Beck-Fragale said some of her fellow educators were skeptical about the target population. '"
But that's exactly what the BOCES has done - with a one-to-three staff ratio.
In every classroom there are signs about expectations of behavior, along with tips on how to handle adversity and conflict. Faculty gives immediate, positive rewards when students show good behavior. "Progress, not perfection" is a program mantra.
"These are kids who have the ability," said DeStefano. "They've gotten stuck in a schedule in public schools that doesn't work for them. It doesn't work for their learning styles. It doesn't work for their attention, or meeting the needs of their interests."
The approach used in the program was pioneered in Boys Town, the famed Nebraska orphanage that evolved into a leading not-for-profit serving at-risk children.
Many students do well on a daily basis but have difficulty handling a disagreement with a teacher or fellow student. The Boys Town Specialized Classroom Management system stresses the importance of staff reframing the situations to praise students for what they're doing well, like making eye contact or using an appropriate volume of voice.
On a recent Monday morning, one group of students was busy building picnic tables, an ongoing project. Another had tempting smells like muffins and sizzling red meat coming from a culinary classroom.
Soon a half-dozen students were listening to a lesson delivered in a traditional high school classroom format. The 90-minute lesson ended with a quick game of basketball. It was a deal the teacher struck with the student to provide an incentive to finish the lesson plan satisfactorily.
A weekly foosball (table soccer) tournament is viewed as a way to build camaraderie, confidence and social skills.
Byrnes said he likes "everything" about the program, but he appreciates the merit-system tracking. Each student carries around a sheet of paper that is critiqued every day, in each class. Students gain or lose points, meaning they either gain or lose reward possibilities or freedoms.
"It works," he said.
In the fall, another 30 ninth-graders will be added to this group of two dozen, as 10th grade is added. (It's unclear whether any new sophomores will join the mix next year.) DeStefano said her staff is in the midst of filling out next year's roster, regularly in contact with various school administrators.
The plan is to have students stay in the program for two years, then return to their regular districts.
However, some students may return to the BOCES as 11th-graders for half-day programs in career and technical education.
"The goal is to re-engage them in their education and future to get them back on track to graduate," DeStefano said. "The program is designed to provide students with required academics for graduation and exploratory career and technical education experiences."
Instruction includes a strong emphasis on technology, project-based learning, collaboration and instruction across disciplines and a team philosophy for teachers and students. A video and brochures have also been created, most notably with the comments of some proud parents.
Attendance and behavior have been markedly improved this year while student data is regularly collected on attendance, skills levels, academic progress and retention.
Although the day seemed to go smoothly for both staff and students when On Board visited the program in early May, there was at least one disciplinary intervention. After acting up in a math class, a couple of students were sent to another room with a faculty member. But after a few minutes, these students emerged, held doors for passing visitors, smiled and said hello. Progress, not perfection.