Dr. Bill Daggett, Founder of ICLE and an internationally known speaker on the importance of preparing our graduates with the skills needed for the future workforce, Ray McNulty, President of Successful Practices Network and the National Dropout Prevention Center, and Dr. Sandy Addis, Director of the National Dropout Prevention Center, coauthored an Op-ed asking if we’ve correctly addressed what students need for graduation, especially those most at-risk, and proposing that we have additional avenues that can help increase graduation rates. Their article is available here.
Dropout Prevention_OpEd2019Author: admin
Davidson River School Starting New ‘Trauma’ Program – Transylvania County, NC
For the new school year, Davidson River Principal Barbara Grimm is promoting a program she believes will increase graduation rates and test scores and, ultimately, heal trauma.
Grimm presented details about the program, “Trauma-Skilled School Model,” during the Transylvania County Board of Education’s meeting Monday night.
The program, according to Grimm, teaches school faculty and staff to use the same language and approach when it comes to getting their students on the path toward academic success.
“We know that one out of every four children attending school has been exposed to a traumatic event that can affect learning and/or behavior,” said Grimm. “We believe strongly that 100 percent of Davidson River kids have faced some manner of trauma.”
Grimm said introducing the model at DRS came from working with the National Drop Out Prevention Center, and it hinges on the idea that working to improve test grades and dropout rates cannot be done without first working with students to heal trauma (which has a large impact on learning) and build resilience to it.
Adopting the program will involve a two-year process of training school personnel and reorganizing curricula to address students’ needs. Grimm said that funding to adopt this model has already been secured through grants.
BKW to learn trauma skills and to help unprepared students
BERNE — Berne-Knox-Westerlo will be working with two national organizations to become “trauma-skilled” as a school district, and to identify and help students most at risk for absenteeism and being unprepared for college.
BKW will work with the National Dropout Prevention Center over the next two years to train a team of staff members in “trauma-responsive skills,” Superintendent Timothy Mundell told the school board last week. The team’s training will then be applied across the district in a program that has been used in schools throughout the nation.
BKW to learn trauma skills and to help unprepared students
Berne-Knox-Westerlo will be working with two national organizations to become “trauma-skilled” as a school
BKW will work with the National Dropout Prevention Center over the next two years to train a team of staff members in “trauma-responsive skills,” Superintendent Timothy Mundell told the school board last week. The team’s training will then be applied across the district in a program that has been used in schools throughout the nation.
Trauma-Skilled Certification Programs Announced by National Dropout Prevention Center
Trauma-Skilled Specialist Certification and Trauma-Skilled School Certification Address Skills Gap
Anderson, SC—(April 23, 2019)—The National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC), a division of Successful Practices Network, announces two new certification programs, the Trauma-Skilled Specialist Certification for individual educators and the Trauma-Skilled School Certification for schools and/or school districts. Both programs address the growing need for educators and schools to adopt specific action steps that will increase the opportunities for trauma-impacted and stressed students to succeed and graduate.
The certification programs provide opportunities for individuals and schools to apply and demonstrate the National Dropout Prevention Center Trauma-Skilled Schools Model framework, introduced in October 2018. This Model goes beyond “trauma informed” and “trauma sensitive” to actions and skills and has attracted national attention from educators, schools, districts, and state agencies. Numerous school districts across the country have begun implementing the Model. Additionally, the National Dropout Prevention Center is conducting Trauma-Skilled Schools Institutes around the country as well as hosting the 1st Annual National Trauma-Skilled Schools Conference, June 24-26,2019, in Kissimmee, Florida. Information about and a registration link for the Trauma-Skilled Schools Conference is available at https://dropoutprevention.org/conferences/national-trauma-skilled-schools-conference/.
Designed as professional development for practitioners and others who work with at-risk youth, the Trauma-Skilled Specialist Certificationrequires in-depth training in the Model by NDPC Faculty Members at an institute or conference and demonstration of knowledge through application and testing. After program completion, Trauma-Skilled Specialists are prepared to support implementation of the Model in their schools and districts. Certified Specialists are recognized on the NDPC website, in publications, and at conference events. For additional information and to apply, go to https://dropoutprevention.org/trauma-skilled-specialist-certification-program/.
A second certification, Trauma-Skilled School Certification, endorses schools and districts that have effectively implemented the National Dropout Prevention Center Trauma-Skilled Schools Model. Implementation requires job-appropriate training of all school personnel in trauma knowledge, modification of school climate to support traumatized and stressed youth, and acquisition of educator skills to maximize success of all students.
NDPC has assembled the Trauma Skilled Schools Faculty, a team of experienced educators from across the nation, who are available to assist schools and districts in implementation of the Model. Trauma-Skilled School Certification typically requires a one- to two-year implementation period and verification by the Trauma-Skilled Faculty. Schools and districts across the nation are currently pursuing Certification with some anticipated to complete the process in 2020. Certification verifies to students, parents, and communities that specific steps are in place to effectively meet the needs of trauma-impacted students. Certified Trauma-Skilled Schools and Districts will be recognized in the media, on the NDPC website, in publications, and at national conferences and will receive ongoing support from NDPC in maintenance of the Model. The publication, Improving School Outcomes for Trauma-Impacted Students, is available at https://dropoutprevention.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Trauma-Skilled-Schools-Model-Final-I.pdf.
About the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC)
Begun in 1986 to serve as a clearinghouse on issues related to dropout prevention and to offer strategies to increase school graduation rates, the NDPC is also a well-established national resource for sharing solutions for student success. The organization’s website—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging students and reducing dropout. In addition, the NDPC conducts on-site learning institutes and third-party evaluations and Program Assessment and Reviews (PARs) for schools and districts nationwide. By promoting awareness of successful programs and policies related to dropout prevention, the NDPC impacts education from the local to the national level. In 2018, NDPC joined Successful Practices Network and continues to deliver its mission and services under SPN’s guidance.
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Mendoza: Why stay in school?
Now that the Department of Education (DepEd) is implementing early registration for all public school enrollees of incoming Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 7 and Grade 11 starting on January 27, 2019, it is now a challenge for our educators through the leadership of their school heads to let them stay in school. In an article written by Chris Blake published on Seattle Pi (education.seattlepi.com), he enumerated the benefits of staying in school and emphasized that dropping out of school affects the ability of the dropout to get a job, its social standing and even its personal health.
Blake cited that staying in school produces less unemployment because according to the study conducted by the National Dropout Prevention Center, people who drop out of high school are “four times as likely to be unemployed as those who have completed four or more years of college.”
Research-Based Trauma-Skilled Schools Model Jointly Released by Two National Organizations
Research-Based Trauma-Skilled Schools Model Jointly Released by Two National Organizations
Model Addresses Strong Links Between Childhood Trauma, School Violence, Truancy, Low Grades, and Dropping Out of School
Anderson, SC (October 24, 2018)—In response to an alarming rise in the number of students who have experienced trauma and mental health issues and who do not succeed in school, the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC) and the Successful Practices Network (SPN) announce the release of the Trauma-Skilled Schools Model.
The Trauma-Skilled Schools Model was developed to address two serious challenges faced by our nation’s schools: The growing negative impact of childhood trauma and the absence of clear and doable action steps to address it. “When it comes to students who’ve experienced childhood trauma, schools have a real solutions gap,” said Dr. Sandy Addis, Director of the National Dropout Prevention Center. “That’s why we combined the resources of two national nonprofit organizations to study this issue and to generate a solution.”
High numbers of students, possibly more than half, have experienced one or more childhood traumas that sometimes distort mindsets and negatively impact behavior and learning. Educators do not know about most of the traumas and are not expected to be mental health professionals. They must, however, deal with trauma’s influence to achieve acceptable school behavior, teach effectively, and help students graduate. Recent research suggests strong links between childhood trauma, school violence, truancy, low grades, and dropping out.
Much of the recent discourse about student mental health, stress, and trauma has focused on helping educators become “trauma informed” and “trauma sensitive”, but knowledge and sensitivity are insufficient to alter the dismal school outcomes of these students on a large scale. The Trauma-Skilled Schools Model provides schools specific steps, tools, and resources to ensure that practices and instruction develop resilience and foster success of trauma-impacted youth.
Dr. Bill Daggett, Founder and Chairman of SPN noted, “Simply doubling down on academic delivery of content will not produce increased learning for many of these students. Without deliberately addressing mental health needs and building resilience, we won’t be able to engage, prepare, and graduate most of the stressed and trauma-impacted youth.” Ray McNulty, President of SPN, states, “To achieve better school outcomes for these students, we must critically consider our current approach, reshape their school experiences, and deliver instruction differently. The Trauma-Skilled Schools Model is a guide for that change.”
A publication detailing the Trauma-Skilled Schools Model is available at https://dropoutprevention.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Trauma-Skilled-Schools-Model-Final-I.pdf. For additional information, contact Dr. Sandy Addis by email at haddis@199.250.201.124 or by phone at 864-934-8572 or visit www.dropoutprevention.org.
About the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC)
The NDPC was begun in 1986 to serve as a clearinghouse on issues related to dropout prevention and to offer strategies designed to increase the graduation rate in America’s schools. Over the years, the NDPC has become a well-established national resource for sharing solutions for student success. It does so through its clearinghouse function, active research and evaluation projects, publications, and through a variety of professional development activities. The organization’s Web site—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging students and reducing dropout. In addition, the NDPC conducts a variety of third-party evaluations and Program Assessment and Reviews (PARs) for schools and districts nationwide. By promoting awareness of successful programs and policies related to dropout prevention, the NDPC impacts education from the local to the national level.
About Successful Practices Network (SPN)
SPN was founded in 2003 by Dr. Bill Daggett, and led by Ray McNulty, with an initial five-year grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Since inception, the nonprofit has won multiple additional grants that have allowed the organization to conduct proprietary research and create exclusive instructional and assessment tools that are shared broadly with a network of users. SPN has also worked one-on-one with educators at the state, district and school levels, helping all craft a plan to improve student-centered learning as tailored to their unique school and student needs. Learn more at https://spnetwork.org/.
For Additional Information Contact:
Lynn Dunlap
National Dropout Prevention Center
Phone: 864-642-6372 Ext.105
Email: ldunlap@199.250.201.124
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McCormick County School District adds Star Academy Program
September 2018
The McCormick County School District today showcased its new Star Academy Program, a “school within a school” that helps at-risk and disengaged students get back on path to graduation.
Introduced in McCormick at the start of this school year, the Star Academy Program is recognized as one of the most effective dropout prevention programs in the nation. Created in 2005 for the Pickens County South Carolina School District, the program is both an intervention and acceleration solution.
National Dropout Prevention Center Names Five Additional Research Fellows
National Dropout Prevention Center Names Five Additional Research Fellows
Fellows Crucial to Nationwide Dropout Prevention Research
Anderson, SC—(September 17, 2018)—The National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC) announces the addition of five Research Fellows who will join existing NDPC Research Fellows from across the nation. Fellows are selected based on academic research and expertise in dropout prevention. Their work enhances and moves forward dropout prevention initiatives nationwide. Founded in June 2012, Research Fellows’ contributions have ranged from a published meta-analysis related to dropout prevention to research presentations to academic research and publications, all centered around cutting-edge dropout prevention initiatives.
Recently named as NDPC Research Fellows and their associated institutions of higher learning are Dr. Gloria Boutte, Professor, University of South Carolina; Dr. Beverly Cross, Holder of the Chair of Excellence in the College of Education, University of Memphis, TN; Dr. Randy Heinrich, Professor, Argosy University, Phoenix, AZ; Dr. Randy Nelson, Department Chair, Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach, FL; and Dr. Dina Pacis, Chair, Educational Administration, School Counseling/Psychology, National University, San Diego, CA. In their roles with NDPC, Research Fellows have the opportunity to engage in and publish dropout prevention research, present their work at national conferences, and serve as content experts for NDPC initiatives.
These Research Fellows join existing Research Fellows, Dr. Shanan Chappell-Moots, Old Dominion University; Dr. Jennie Farmer, Clemson University; Dr. David Fleming, Clemson University; Dr. Kathy Headley, Clemson University; Dr. Eurmon Hervey, Southern University; Dr. Greg Hickman, Walden University; Dr. Patrick O’Connor, Kent State; Dr. Robert Shumer, University of Minnesota; and Dr. Dee Stegelin, Professor Emeritus, Clemson University, who serves as current NDPC Research Fellows Chair.
NDPC Research Fellows will convene at the National Dropout Prevention Conference in Columbus. Ohio, on Monday, October 28, 2018, to coordinate future initiatives and research for the coming year.
About the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC)
The NDPC was begun in 1986 as a clearinghouse on issues related to dropout prevention and to offer strategies designed to increase the graduation rate in America’s schools. Over the years, the NDPC has become a well-established national resource for sharing solutions for student success. It does so through its clearinghouse function, active research and evaluation projects, publications, and through a variety of professional development activities. The organization’s Web site—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging students and reducing dropout. NDPC conducts a variety of third-party evaluations and Program Assessment and Reviews (PARs) for schools and districts nationwide. By promoting awareness of successful programs and policies related to dropout prevention, the NDPC impacts education from the local to the national level.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Lynn Dunlap
National Dropout Prevention Center
Phone: 864-642-6372 Ext.105
Email: ldunlap@199.250.201.124