With a new school year, comes changes.
In 2016, we acquired new leadership throughout the administration. In 2017, we received brand new Chromebook laptops that have added benefits for students. This year, T3, or Tiger Team Time, has shifted from a more independent study to personalized study. To do this, we did have to say goodbye to the Freshman Mentoring Program.
FMP started around 14 years ago by Mr. Theoharis, Mr. Cumpston, and Mrs. Hennings. They went on a trip to Blue Valley High in Kansas City. Blue Valley is a PLC school, which Hastings High was looking into becoming at the time. After that, they went to Adlai Stevenson in Chicago, where PLC started. Both of these PLC schools have FMP programs and the teachers decided to look into that a little more.
When FMP began at Hastings High, it started off small and grew from there.
“We had a second-period study hall, this was still the 45 minute periods. We handpicked four seniors (two girls and two boys) and grabbed the freshman in that study hall. We then brought them up to do different activities,” Theoharis said.
Right away teachers started seeing those ties between the freshman and upperclassmen. FMP went school-wide that next year and that started a change in climate.
“I have talked to other people and the biggest thing is that connection made between students. Bullying wasn’t a big issue anymore,’ Theoharis said. “FMP created a positive framework. Any successful organization has to have that culture and FMP helped make that.”
That said, what is the new program replacing FMP?
As a PLC school, Hastings High bases its programs for assisting students on four things. First, the School Improvement Team had teachers set up power essentials and targets for what they want students to be able to do. Second, they teach the essentials. Next, teachers are going to bring the students in and direct them towards those targets, which is why T3 is changing. Last, when students already know those essentials, they start working with Naviance for career exploration and ACT Prep.
Edficiency is being used to create a flexible T3 period. Students will use the program to request teachers to meet with them. Teachers will use it to give students aid in understanding their specific essentials. It can change every day and that is the responsibility of the student to know. Students will check their T3 through the program or through their student email. Students who do not prioritize a class or are not requested by a teacher, are placed at random in an open T3.
“Students are gone all summer and teachers are gone. You guys come back and the first day of school you already have things to do. So it takes time to implement these new processes,” Szlanda said. “You throw too much out and people are going to feel overwhelmed so we’re going to chunk it out, we’re going to go slow to go fast.”
The strategy is that students will get the help they need by being directed towards it. The program is catered to help every student with the targets in their specific classrooms.
“Unfortunately when you make changes, some things do have to go away (referring to FMP). When you’re making changes, it can be good when you’re adding things to take things away,” Szlanda said, “We don’t want people to feel overwhelmed.”
The freshman will still have their 8th-grade tours in the spring and as far as who is giving them is still in the works. There is also a meeting for incoming freshmen and new students in the auditorium before the school year starts. They can walk through the building then as well.
Theoharis emailed every applicant when it was all decided. Many seniors that participated last year had worries that their time as a mentor would go unsung. To that, Szlanda answered with no hesitation.
“Yes they will definitely be recognized for being an FMP Mentor. We want to recognize what you’ve all done for Hastings High School,” Szlanda said.
