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Burlington County, New Jersey
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In a high school with a block schedule, reaching students who have different teachers throughout the day.
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Site-based "attuners" help attune and demystify students and prepare management plans that are shared with students and their content teachers.
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Improved student performance and attendance. Participating teachers are better able to understand why some students aren't "getting it", and as a result, view their students in a more positive light.
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THE SCHOOLS ATTUNED PROGRAM
SUCCESS STORY
RANCOCAS VALLEY REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
"We've seen a positive change in the school climate. It's got our teachers comparing notes
on how they approach their classrooms differently using what they have learned."
Camille Rosenberg, Professional Development Coordinator,
Rancocas Valley Regional High School
Fast Facts: The only STAR school in Burlington County, New Jersey, Rancocas Valley Regional High School (RVRHS) is a comprehensive high school that offers challenging academic courses, in addition to many after-school activities and a variety of sports for students to choose from.
Demographics: Grade 9-12 public high school with 2,200 students and approximately 148 teachers.
Number of Educators Participating in the Schools Attuned Program: As of October 2004, 56 teachers.
Delivery Channel: On-Demand Program
Geographic Location: Mount Holly, New Jersey (45 minutes east of Philadelphia)
School or Institution Philosophy: The RVRHS motto is "Diversity is our strength."
Challenges: Rancocas Valley is a high school with a very large and highly diverse student body that comes from both suburban and urban environments. In a high school with a block schedule, reaching students who have different teachers throughout the day is harder than in elementary schools where students have a full day of exposure to only one or two teachers.
Action: The former superintendent of the Rancocas Valley school district heard Dr. Mel Levine speak and pursued bringing the Schools Attuned Program to the district. The school accessed professional development funds for preparing the first teachers in 2001. On-Demand Program courses were subsequently held yearly at the school with grant funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.
Implementation: The following activities help Rancocas Valley High School embody their motto of "Diversity is our strength."
- The participating educators, currently comprising a third of teaching staff, are primarily special education teachers who work with at-risk students and content teachers who team-teach with special ed instructors.
- Teachers who have participated in the Schools Attuned Program attend periodic Lunch & Learn sessions, where they review strategies and resources provided in Schools Attuned binders.
- Site-based "attuners" help attune and demystify students and prepare management plans that are shared with students and their content teachers.
- Teachers periodically demystify students in their classes by utilizing lesson plans on neurodevelopmental constructs that can be molded into specific content areas.
Impact: To date, Rancocas Valley High School has experienced these results due to the implementation of the Schools Attuned Program:
- There has been a positive effect on the school climate overall, reflected by greater tolerance and understanding within the diverse student population.
- Student attendance in class has improved throughout the school, with a marked increase in attendance for classes taught by teachers who have participated in the Schools Attuned Program.
- Teachers vary their instructional techniques to accommodate differences in learning of the students in their classrooms. With a resource binder full of accommodations and interventions, teachers are better equipped to teach to students' strengths.
- Participating teachers are better able to understand why some students aren't "getting it," and as a result, view their students in a more positive light.
The Schools Attuned Program is a comprehensive professional development and service delivery program that offers K-12 educators new methods for recognizing, understanding, and managing students with differences in learning. The Schools Attuned Program embraces the philosophy and principles of All Kinds of Minds, a non-profit Institute that helps students who struggle with learning measurably improve their success in school and life by providing programs that integrate educational, scientific, and clinical expertise.
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