Panther+Family+Support

=Welcome to Panther Family!!!=

Here is where we can build on ideas discussed at the workshop on March 9. Please feel free to make any additional suggestions, but please be careful about making changes to suggestions that have already been made. Its like brainstorming. We'll keep the suggestions until we can get together as a committee.

To create a spirit of concern, motivation, and accountability for academic effort. To provide a support system for students to improve study skills and academic attitudes. To provide a small community support within the larger school community. To foster cross-grade communication and friendships. To build leadership among all students, particularly upperclassmen. To create an atmosphere of individual and mutual accountability.
 * Purpose of Panther Family**

Plan:
 * When and Where:** ** Groups of students from different grades and 1 staff facilitator will meet for 1 full period every OTHER week. Proposed day and time: Wednesday, 3rd Period **
 * =====Groups of students from different grades: //We believe that this helps us meet our objectives to foster cross grade communication and friendships, building student leadership, building a small community that is representative of the entire school and providing a support system for our students. Students will be able to learn from others due to the wealth of varied experience in the group. We believe that our upperclassmen, and maybe some underclassmen, will take on leadership roles within the group. It will also be helpful for new students to have more familiar faces and people they see as supportive within the school.// =====


 * Will meet for 1 full class period every other week:// This needs to be a regular event to keep students more accountable and on track with their academic commitments. They can rely on this time to seek support from other students and the staff member in their groups. The meeting time needs to be a full period so students can individually share their experiences and be given their opportunities to get personal attention from the group. We have concerns that less time/frequency would not give the groups significant time to work towards the goals of the program, and would also result in the program not be taken seriously by students/staff. //


 * Proposed day and time: Wednesday, 3rd Period : //If the program meets during a class period in the middle of the week and the middle of the day, we believe students will be most focused at this time. The program should meet during a set time, such that the schedule rotates around it; thus, taking a small amount of time away from classroom teaching that will be spread out evenly, and predictably, throughout the year. This proposal respects the need of teachers to meet with every block on a consistent basis. The proposed time in the middle of the week allows students to come into the meeting with fresh experience from the beginning of the week, and go forth from the meeting to work on goals immediately.//


 * What: In these meetings students and teachers will share how the last two weeks have gone for them academically.**
 * Members will...**
 * 1) Discuss and record an academic achievement, an improvement made, and a challenge faced since the last meeting on a worksheet entitled, "Achieved, a Change, a Challenge." This process will be a timed writing exercise of about 4 minutes.
 * 2) Respond with suggestion, praise and questions to every member. The response will also be a timed writing exercise of about 2 minutes per individual worksheet.
 * 3) Write down a personal academic goal, called an "iPlan", which they intend to achieve before the next meeting.
 * 4) Continue to challenge/encourage one another to achieve their iPlans when they happen to meet up over the next two weeks. The iPlans will be the topic of round one when the Panther Family reconvenes.
 * 5) Discuss other pertinent academic issues such as getting oriented to high school, progress reports and report cards, and mid-term and final exams (each of these topics will utilize separate lesson plans).


 * How: Meeting facilitators will receive 4 different lesson plan formats that will be easy to follow and use. Each student will have a binder/notebook/folder that will stay solely with their PF. This can be used for the student and facilitator to track progress over the year.**


 * Introduction to high school lesson plan: In the class, students will discuss the importance of PF time. They will also discuss the importance of rising and succeeding as a community, not only individuals. There will be several leadership initiatives introduced during this lesson for upper classmen. The student-created list of what a "panther" is will be presented. This lesson will be constructed to be socially relevant, motivating, and helpful in community building. Big-panther/Little panther (if decided to return) can be presented at this time.
 * [[file:Panther Pride Intro Lesson.doc]]


 * Basic Lesson: This will be the lesson given most days PFs meet. Students and facilators will continue to grow as a community through discussion and collaboration over successes and struggles. Students will have an outlet to track their success, hard work, and seek support for academic struggles.
 * See [|Basic LEsson Plan Panther Family.doc] and [|Personal Academic Change Target.doc]


 * Progress Report Plan: Students will look at progress reports and report cards.


 * Midterm/Final Plan: Students will plan study schedules for midterms and final. Upper classmen will give tips.


 * Assessment of Program: Surveys will be given to students and staff 4 times throughout the year. This will help up measure the success and effectiveness of the program.**


 * What Else: Our committee still needs to do a lot. This is a list of what our committee needs (and hopefully will) do.**

1. Create a "What a Panther is List." This needs to be a student created list.-G Communicate w/ NHS -P 2. Make the other 3 lesson plans.Intro-D, Progress Report-A, Midterm/Final-J 3. Figure out what materials we are giving the students/staff at the beginning of next year.(Wait) 4. Create a uniform positive message on why Panther Family is important. Get all staff on board.Approve D's work-G 5. Create a survey that will give us trackable and numeric data.-A 6. Rename some of our initiatives to something accessible. Give each Panther Family a name. (Prides, named after the college of the staff member, "Achieved, A change, A challenge") 7. Figure out what the Privacy Policy should be of this group. Do we talk to or PF members teachers about grades and goals? Etc. 8. Discuss and determine advocacy role of the PF staff member. (yes, make guidelines for group leaders to introduce themselves and what role they have as a point person in special cases, for instance, if a student is having issues in all their classes. ) 9. Discuss scheduling needs with administration.-P 10. Determine a budget and discuss with administration.(Wait) 11. Discuss the possibility of a service day with administration/Sr. Ruth. P 12. Determine middle-school participation in program.-Sr. Judy-J 13. Discuss and possibly reinstate Big Panther/Little Panther within the frameworks of the Panther Family. Communicate NHS-P