San Diego Charger players Steve Gregory and Jeromey Clary, in partnership with Athletes for Education (AFE) and the San Diego Unified School District, will play an integral role in the District’s ninth grade attendance and dropout prevention programs in the 2009-2010 school year.
On August 4, 2009, the Board of Education approved the expansion of GAME ON! ninth grade attendance incentive program and 10-to-Succeed, the male leadership development program, using Title I* stimulus funding, for the 2009-2010 school year. Each of the district 16 Title I high schools will implement these programs along with establishing a young woman’s leadership development program at each school.
The basic program components include the following:
GAME On! –
- Beginning with the first day of school, September 8, 2009, attendance of all ninth grade students at each school will be tracked by the school on a weekly basis. Posters promoting good attendance featuring Steve Gregory and Jeromey Clary have been produced and will be posted at participating High Schools.
- Students will receive incentives and awards for “Excellent” attendance (98% and above) and “Most Improved” at key grading periods through June 2010. AFE will provide promotional materials such as balls, caps and autographed posters as attendance awards (which SDUSD will purchase & AFE athletes will autograph). Students will have the opportunity to participate in special events, i.e. Chargers game tickets, Movie days, Holiday Parties, Bowling parties, to recognize good attendance, improved academic and citizenship (which SDUSD will support in partnership with AFE).
- Incentives will be given to students on a weekly, quarterly, semester and year-end basis with a potential to grow into larger, more enticing items based on the student’s progress. Steve & Jeromey will periodically attend school assemblies as motivational speakers to recognize students with “perfect,” “excellent” and “most improved” attendance and improved academic & citizenship.
10-to-Succeed -
- Building on the district’s successful pilot, the 10-to-Succeed male leadership development program will be expanded from three schools to sixteen. At each school ten young men in grade 9 who have a demonstrated need for improvement in attendance, academic performance and student behavior will be invited to become part of a 10-to-Succeed leadership team. With daily contact and mentoring it is expected the students will improve in each area. AFE, Steve Gregory and Jeromey Clary’s mentorship programs, will work with two schools in the Southeastern communities of San Diego –SG Squad will work with Hoover and Clary’s Crew will work with Madison.
- 10-to-Succeed blends traditional school-based mentoring and community-based mentoring. It includes required student data collection, necessary academic monitoring and student personal goal setting. Social activities and adult- parent relationships commonly found in community based mentoring programs are program components.
- Each school team is sponsored by one or more community/business organizations that have committed to provide volunteer adult mentors, sponsor team activities and provide other resources. Volunteer mentors/community partners commit to meeting with students periodically to discuss career and life goals, coordinate field trips to colleges or places of employment, provide funding for meals and recreational activities, and conduct any other approved and agreed upon activity tailored to meet the needs of the site. Steve and Jeromey and will meet with the “10” students on a regular schedule to provide motivational and inspirational support. The athletes will work with teachers & administrators to help the students set attainable goals and will provide motivation for students to reach them. Motivation could include trips to Chargers & Padres games, special meals or other activities (which SDUSD will support in partnership with AFE).
Young Women’s Leadership Development Program –
- The district will design and implement a young women’s leadership development program at all 16 district Title I high schools in 2009-2010. Ten young women will be identified and invited to participate based on their need for improvement in academics, attendance and discipline. Prior year grade 8 data will be used to identify grade 9 students most likely to struggle in the first year of high school and thus most likely to benefit from participation. AFE, Rosanne Geraty and Breanna Clary will provide support to the Young Women’s group at each of the partner schools. They will meet with the “10” young women on a regular schedule to provide motivational and inspirational support. The young women’s group will be provided similar incentives and activities as the young men (which SDUSD will provide).
- The model will mirror 10 to Succeed. It will include student/parent learning contracts, academic tutoring, support intervention services, a team and individual goal setting focus and exercises, community service activities and career exploration/academic skill development.
- Staff will recruit school and community mentors and encourage community partnerships to support the school teams and also will monitor and report student progress regularly.
WHY NINTH GRADE – WHY ATTENDANCE INCENTIVES
Research shows that a student’s success in the ninth grade is directly linked to the likelihood the student will successfully graduate high school with a diploma by the twelfth grade. According to a recent study, in a typical large urban school district, out of 100 entering 9th graders, 45 will drop out before the 12th grade, only 36 will be enrolled in the 12th grade and will be eligible to graduate, while 64% of 9th graders who reach 10th grade will be enrolled in 12th grade three years later, only 25% of students who repeat 9th grade will be in 12th grade three years later. (Quint 2006)
Regular, daily school attendance strengthens academic progress and helps students build strong school connections with other students and adults. In addition to providing student in the pilot program with tangible and privilege awards this pilot engages parents and adults to help motivate students to come to school and stay in school.
* Title 1 is the nation’s oldest and largest federally funded program. Annually, it provides over $7 billion to school systems across the country for students at risk of failure and living at or near poverty. Schools with large concentrations of low-income students receive supplemental funds to assist in meeting student’s educational goals. Low-income students are determined by the number of students enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program. For an entire school to qualify for Title 1 funds, at least 40% of students must enroll in the free and reduced lunch program. 16 out of the 18 San Diego Unified High Schools/Complexes are designated as Title I schools.
Click on the photo to enlarge
| GAME ON at Madison High School 2009-2010: Steve Gregory & Jeromey Clary |
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