PCUE HIGH SCHOOL PLATFORM

CALL TO ACTION: GRADUATION FOR ALL!

II. WE WANT A TRUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PARENTS/COMMUNITY, TEACHERS AND OUR SCHOOLS:

· Establish a Parent Resource Center in each high school to empower parents by providing information, holding workshops and trainings. The center should have flexible hours accessible in the evenings.

· The Center can be staffed by Parent Liaisons with assistance from parent volunteers and the parent group in the school – these Centers would be welcoming places for parents who now are too often not welcome in our schools.

· Include parent and student evaluation of teachers in annual review of teacher performances.

· Annual one-page school report card (including results from parent evaluation) sent to parents

· All communication to be in the languages spoken at home by parents

· Collect data regarding parent participation in each school and schools’ effort to contact parents—this data can be used to assess parent involvement in each school and improve relationship between parents and schools.

· Arrange face to face conferences with parents well in advance of students failing courses or lacking requirements for graduation.

· Improve and expand relationship with community organization that can bring school–based needed services for our public school children.

· Establish a program of additional paid hours for teachers who choose to strengthen school/family relationship by visiting students home.

II. DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE STUDENT SUPPORT SYSTEM:

1. Student Success Center with flexible and accessible hours in the evening:

a. One-Stop-Shopping:

· Social Worker, Guidance Counselors, Crisis Intervention Teacher, and Service Broker working together in one space accessible to students.

b. Academic advising:

· One Academic Counselor for every 150 students.

· Counselors to have at least one regular quarterly meeting with each individual student.

· All students must have an Individualized Student Academic Portfolio (ISAP) that reflects personalized students learning plan including a four-year academic plan and preparation for college or other career track.

· Academic advising available at accessible hours for students and parents after the school day.

c. College and post-secondary preparation for ALL our youth:

· Aggressive outreach and enrollment of students for PSAT and SAT.

· Train high school students to support and counsel other students through the college process.

· Initiate early awareness college activities in 9th and 10th grades.

· Develop career awareness events and workshop so young people can explore various career options.

· Recruit college students to assist students with college application and financial aid process.

· Engage parents and guardian of children in the college preparation efforts.

· Provide interested students effective help in entering living wage apprenticeship and technical training programs.

· Connect with Equal Opportunity Fund (EOF) programs at the colleges

· Develop a scholarship fund specifically to assist undocumented immigrant children planning to go to college.

· Support and advocate for DREAM ACT.

d. Tutoring Program

· Establish a Tutoring Center with after school hours.

· Hire a coordinator with experience in providing academic support for underserved students to coordinate the program. The ideal coordinator should be able to relate to program participants.

· Expand and develop an effective peer tutoring program.

· Hire and train qualified college students as tutors in all areas needed by students.

· Work with local colleges and universities to identify and train tutors.

· Create links between tutors/tutoring program and school teachers. Encourage tutors sit in part of the class to become familiar with what teachers are doing.

2. Mandatory extended-day academic support program for HSPA, SRA, and other subject areas needed by students

3. Mandatory summer schools for students who fail courses required for graduation.

III. WE NEED THE VERY BEST TEACHERS FOR OUR YOUTH!

· Redirect and invest money to build district’s capacity in teaching and learning by developing a cadre of school-based Teacher Coaches.

· Consultant hiring should be strictly based on student outcomes.

· At least one Technology Coach for each school, two for Dickinson because of its size.

· At least one Teacher Coach for each school, two for Dickinson.

· Computer training for teachers so that computer technology can be integrated with teaching and learning in the classroom.

· Once a week paid common planning time for teachers in each Small Learning Community, exclusively for joint planning to improve teaching and assist students who need additional support.

· Community walk-through for all newly hired teachers with parents and students participation

· Increase the number of highly qualified and competent teachers from communities where students come from by working with local universities and colleges.

IV. UPDATED COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY LABS:

· One computer for every 5 students in every class room.

· Additional computer labs to accommodate ALL high school students not just magnet students.

Regularly maintain and upgrade computers in the classrooms and computer labs and improve internet connection.