Connecting With Every Student: Life Optionsby Jennifer Krzewina, PhD, School Psychologist, Menasha High School It’s Tuesday at 10:10 a.m. and for the next 30 minutes, students see a familiar face that they will be greeted by for the entire duration of their high school career. A connection. A caring adult. A relationship that could be one of the most important protective factors in buffering against truancy and dropout, and one of the most impactful factors in promoting school connectedness. For thirty minutes, two times a week, they will attend Life Options, a Menasha-born four-year curriculum and class that addresses the ever-changing needs of our high school population, but most of all the need to feel cared for by someone at school. In this article, we will highlight a program unique to Menasha High school, one that has had a large impact on our students for the last ten years. We will offer an overview of its history, the curriculum content, and how it is linked to new Academic Career Plan state requirements. Finally, we will provide a sample lesson that offers a glimpse into the day-to-day grind of the program itself. About Life Options At Menasha High School, we realize that every student is on a unique path, and we have a responsibility to support them as they identify a plan and a back-up plan for after graduation. No matter their goals - whether it is the world of work, military, postsecondary school, or any other plan, we want them to leave here prepared for their journeys. Therefore, in addition to providing a safe place and adult connection for students, Life Options is an effort to develop practical and social skills in order to prepare them for the larger world. There is a reason that Life Options is a school-wide curriculum. Results from a growing number of research studies indicate that enhancing protective factors in all children and adolescents can increase resiliency, prevent risk behaviors, and reduce adverse health and educational outcomes. The Life Options curriculum is based on this premise. Although our school has many small group intervention programs to address specific health risk behaviors and mental health concerns (e.g. Student Assistance Programs, The CAT Project, United Way PATH program, etc.), Life Options addresses the physical and emotional health of all students at Menasha High School. The concept of Life Options started about ten years ago when a committee of community members from a variety of settings – businesses, non-profit organizations, and education met to brainstorm what a successful school in the twenty-first century looks like. They concluded that the most important components of student experiences include having a trusting relationship with an adult in school and student awareness of their postsecondary options. Shortly after this meeting, twelve staff members from Menasha High School worked together to create lesson plans related to relationships and postsecondary pathways. Life Options was born. Since then, Life Options has been revamped several times. Most recently, new lessons and a more streamlined approach to information dissemination were designed by teachers and student services staff. No matter what lessons are changed, however, the underlying goals remain the same – to help prepare students for the future, to promote school connectedness, and to address overall emotional and physical health. Simple lesson plans and accessibility allows teachers to focus on their relationships with students. Every two months, Life Options lesson plans and relevant handouts are uploaded onto every teacher’s Google calendar. Time is set aside during monthly collaboration days and weekly grade-level meetings for teachers to discuss lessons and do any necessary preparation together. It also gives them a chance to share thoughts on previous lessons. In addition, every teacher is assigned a “Life Option Buddy” who substitutes for the class if a teacher is out of the building. This helps with consistency and helps ensure that students maintain feelings of safety and connection. Below is a list of some current lesson topics:
Service Learning Volunteering, also known as “service learning,” is an important part of the culture at Menasha High School, and a key feature of the Life Options curriculum. It is a way to promote school-community connection as well as a greater awareness of community needs. Students are introduced to the concept as freshmen, when they learn that every Menasha student is required to complete nine hours of volunteer work for each year of enrollment at Menasha High School. Those who go above and beyond the required number of hours may receive a special service cord at graduation. At Menasha High School, we have observed the impact of service learning on the mental health of our students. As research demonstrates, there are many benefits to volunteering. Engaging in selfless acts of kindness creates feelings of social connection. Connections with others in turn increase self-esteem and reduce the risks of mental health problems such as depression. Academic Career Plans Little did we know that what happens in Life Options would so closely align with the new Academic Career Plan (ACP) state requirements, which will soon be mandatory for every high school in the state. ACP requirements involve students documenting their academic and career progress, plans, and goals in an online system called “Career Cruising”. The system aligns well with Life Options lessons and allows for students, parents, and teachers to view student growth. Conclusion As previously stated, the ultimate goal of Life Options is for students to feel connected with a trusting adult in the building for the duration of their time at Menasha High School. Additional emphasis is placed on service learning, goal-setting and postsecondary planning, and coping with difficult situations. Twice a week, for thirty minutes, students can expect the same teacher, same group of peers, and same compassion as any other Tuesday or Thursday they will spend at the high school. And with so many potential inconsistencies and changes that come up on a daily basis in their lives, it is often the one place that makes all the difference. Example Lesson
References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School Connectedness: Strategies for Increasing Protective Factors Among Youth. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2009. Corporation for National & Community Service, Office of Research and Policy Development. The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research, Washington, DC 2007. Read more at:
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