The Middle/High Years / Rallying Behind At-Risk Freshmen

When I started as an instructional coach at Spring Grove Area High School, I realized that too many of the school's freshmen were getting lost in transition; they never made it to their sophomore year. Together, a group of committed teachers and counselors and I found a way to help these at-risk freshmen transition more successfully to high school. But it took some trial and error—and learning to trust the power of relationships among students.

The problem of freshmen falling through the cracks at this midsized (1,200 students) suburban high school in central Pennsylvania stood out for me because I'd taught at one of the feeder middle schools right before coming to Spring Grove. It immediately became clear to me that certain freshmen whom I'd taught the previous year were struggling mightily. These youth, who had been supported by extended time in core subjects, teacher and student teams, and limited transitions, now found themselves attending eight separate classes a day—sometimes scattered throughout the large building. There were no supports or safety nets.