SC GEAR UP
Weekly Memo - 11/02 to 11/08
Good Morning!
Don't forget, I still need last week's report on your schools. This is for all schools, in all regions. Don't just focus on the DE and Enrichment courses. I want by school reports on the schools, activities and students. Cover your tutoring programs and special events.
Capacity Building
"Decision Day"
Re-Assignment Task
Don't forget, I want to have your suggestions for re-design at the next meeting. Two things I want you to understand about my request:
1) I'm no asking you to give me names, just positions
2) I want you to use this more as an exercise on identifying the roles and capabilities of the coach position for the next two years. What has been missing in this grant has been a true academic focus on the part of the coaches. They seem to have a grasp on the encouragement part of their job in most places. What I'm told is missing is the true academic focus and effort to use data to tell a story or develop a plan. We have numerous standardized tests over the life of the grant that illustrate our student's aren't ready for college, even if their grades suggest otherwise. However, we have low tutoring numbers, no innovative programs with an academic focus, and some coaches that appear not to be motivated to do better.
There should be an academic intervention plan for every single GU student, especially those failing or almost failing a course. If that's not there in a student file, the coach isn't doing enough.
College Application Month events
We are entering the final stretch for CAM. Thank you for your support of these events as it has made a difference.
PLEASE MAKE SURE THE SURVEY IS GETTING DONE AT THE CAM EVENTS BY THE STUDENTS!!!
This is most important for data collection purposes.
College Goal SC Event Registration
Event Registration for College Goal SC is open through the SCCANGO website. I sent you and the coaches the link to register their high school. Remember all SC GEAR UP High Schools must host a College Goal event this year. I think it might be good to hold events even if you have one in your proximity, simply because most of the colleges will traditionally hold their events on the statewide date of 2/27. This may not work for the high schools, and so it may be good to give our parents options. Remember, College Goal is a family event and, unlike CAM, parents have to be involved to submit a FAFSA in most cases.
The statewide training will take place on November 12 from 10:00AM to 12:00PM, here in the main conference room at CHE. I want your thoughts on if you want the coaches to attend this meeting or if you want to do a separate GEAR UP training on College Goal SC.
ACT/SAT Prep
Objectives for 2015-16
The SCGU Grant objectives for 11th grade will be that 1) At least 25% of our cohort will have passed at least 2 math courses above Algebra by the end of 11th grade; 2) 80% of our students will pass U.S. History by the end of 11th grade.
Remember, the success of the SC GEAR UP Grant will be judged on three things:
1) Did your GU cohort graduate high school at a higher rate than the non GU cohorts?
2) Did your GU cohort enroll at a post-secondary institution at a higher rate than the non GU cohorts?
3) How prepared to succeed were our GU cohort when they arrived at college?
Finance
Need those Q4s asap.
College Access/Social Media Update
The SC GEAR UP Facebook and Twitter are now both up!!!! Please have the coaches encourage students to like and follow SC GEAR UP on social media. We can do better on Twitter and certainly on Facebook.
Don't forget about the newsletters as well!