How do the Student Services employees know who needs help? How do they share the outcome of their outreach?
Loren Kroh
As the Academic Coordinator during class start/finish and breaks I try to walk around the school talk to students and make myself available. Also when a student is absent we call them immediately to follow up, and the students generally appreciate it. Also we provide report cards after each module, and generate a letter stating if the student falls short on hours or performance.
At my institution we have implimented whats called the stich program. Once a week instructors meet with administration to discuss any "at risk" students. The stich program insures that no student falls between the cracks.
The institution I work for uses a variety of methods to demonstration School Commitment and how we do what we can to avoid students from dropping.
To keep students motivated we have a variety of programs including Student Council, service and product discounts, and the LEAP program. (LEAP stands for Learning, Education, Achievement, Performance.)
In the LEAP program we recognize and reward students for their accomplishments whether that be for good attendance, meeting a retail goal, receiving a compliment letter from a guest, etc. Students earn LEAP points that they can in turn use to redeem for a wide variety of items in our LEAP catalog (ranging from a T-Shirt to an Apple TV, to specialized tools they can use in the industry.)
Also, part of what my department does is to track students who haven't been in attendance for a number of days. Once they've been absent for a week, I will send them an email (if they have an email on file) or a physical letter stating that they haven't been in school and that they are in danger of being terminated if they are absent 14 consecutive days. Since this process has started, the number of drops for this reason has decreased. The email/letter can also prompt the student to communicate what the issue is that they are having that we can resolve prior to them dropping.
We have parking lot bar-b-ques and ice cream socials when the students come back from vacation. We also call them personally when they are absent to check up and see if everything is ok.
My organization has a Student Body Services Department where one function is to send a Reminder for Attendance(Absence)and offer make up opportunities.
At our school, each group of student has Student Body Government, which meets regularly to communicate students' concerns. This way, when students feel heard, they feel less powerless.
We have added a new implelentation into the weekly routine: once a week, on Friday, program coordinator and campus administrator stop by a class for 10 minutes to check on how the students are doing, to update them on the latest happenings on campus, any changes, address students' concerns and complaints, if any.
I hope, this new practice will show valuable in student retention rates and stimulate some improvements in morale of our students, faculty, and staff (even though, the morale is pretty good now)
also give weekly progress reports, this allows the student to acknowledge their accomplishments and see what they may still need to do. It keeps them in control and supplies a nonconfrontational way to keep students on track.
Our school has set up a network of student ambassadors--upper level students that have demonstrated success and commitment to the program--that interface with existing students, especially students during their first term, to provide assistance, tutoring, role models, and seek volunteers for additional school functions. In my opinion, this helps create a culture to which many students will respond positively and aid in the school's commitment to each student's success.
My institution does a great job of showing its commitment to the success of our students. Every six months we have a job fair and all students are encouraged to attend. My institution goes out of their way to ensure that only the top companies,such as Disney and Compass Group, are invited to participate. This shows that my institution is not only concerned about the student while they are in school, but their careers after they graduate as well.
A practice that has been effective is a Student Services department that addresses various issues a student faces. For instance, calling a student when they haven't shown up for class shows the student the school cares and wants to hear what barriers are preventing them from attending class.
You certainly have a lot of choices. What have provided to be most effective?
Loren Kroh
Our school commits to contacting our students through six different avenues: We call, email, text, call references, send letters, and pull them out of class.
We also assign mentors to the students that struggle academically.
What format do you use for the weekly progress reports? Are they oral or written?
Loren Kroh
Katie, sounds like your institution has a strong student centered culture. In your third point you mention that students are free to speak in your morning and evening meetings. What are these meetings? Who participates? What's their objective?
Loren Kroh
Katie, sounds like your institution has a strong student centered culture. In your third point you mention that students are free to speak in your morning and evening meetings. What are these meetings? Who participates? What's their objective?
Loren Kroh
I also give weekly progress reports, this allows the student to acknowledge their accomplishments and see what they may still need to do. It keeps them in control and supplies a nonconfrontational way to keep students on track.
on the first day of class I have them give me their phone numbers and if they are absent I call them myself. This shows I really care about them. I also give them one on one weekly progress reports so we can discuss what help they might need.
We actively are requested to take part in the success of our students. Very simply and quite easily shown, this year we required to partake in max knowledges retention series. I myself am enjoying it. This series is exactly mirroring what we have been instructed to do by the company but is set out very well.
Jacqueline, how can you loudly announce a student's entrance in a funny way that isn't embarrassing to the student?
