Intervention – What happens when students struggle?

Students who do their homework and engage in class do well at GHS. Students who are not in attendance, who do not do their homework, complete classroom activities, or engage in instruction, or who do not participate in makeup learning opportunities provided by their teacher risk failing.

When students do not pass a class, they may have the opportunity to complete assigned units in Edmentum to recover a lost credit or may attend summer school (as long as they earned at least a 60 in the respective class or have their teacher’s permission). Students who do not engage in credit recovery will need to repeat a course.

The GHS faculty recognizes that students are still developing, maturing, and learning. Their prefrontal cortexes are not fully developed, some of them have challenging home lives, and others battle with mental or physical illness, all of which causes students to not do their homework or engage in learning, and it is our responsibility to help students in these times of difficulty.  When students begin to struggle, teachers at GHS use the following strategies to assist students:

Level 1 Interventions – When a Student Begins to Struggle in Class:

• Teachers may communicate with students' parents or guardians via email, phone, or a conference.

• Teachers may insist that students stay after school for extra, more personalized assistance.

• Teachers may request parent meetings.

• Teachers may consult with school counselors, social workers, RAM Lab staff, Jobs for Maine’s Graduates specialists, coaches, club advisors, or assistant principals.

• Teachers may provide extra time in class.

• Teachers may modify the work as needed to focus on essential assignments or extend deadlines.

• Teachers may send assignments to students in a list and drop assignments or lowest grades as appropriate.

• Teachers may meet with students during a student's study hall.

• Teachers may consult with a student's other current or previous teachers to learn about strategies that work.

• Teachers may share missing work with support staff (educational technicians, RAM Lab staff, assisted study hall staff) who can assist a student who is struggling.

• Teachers may provide office hours.

Level 2 Interventions –  When a Student Continues to Struggle in Class:

• Students may be assigned units in Edmentum to complete missed instruction or to recover a lost credit.

• Students may be referred to the RAM LAB in place of their study hall for remediation and intervention.

• Teachers, school counselors, and administrators may consider schedule changes, in consultation with parents or guardians, to focus on graduation requirements

• Teachers, school counselors, and administrators, in consultation with parents or guardians, may consider course level changes (i.e. advanced to college preparatory level).

• Teachers may consult with Special Education teachers or Instructional Strategists.

Level 3 Interventions – When Level 1 or 2 Interventions Do Not Work

• Students may be assigned an assisted study.

• Students may be referred to a 504 team for evaluation.