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Group mentoring

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

The FCPS Equity Statement Fayette County Public Schools shall commit to providing educational excellence for every student. Achieving equity requires strategic decision-making to remedy opportunity gaps and create a barrier-free learning environment. District leaders will reflect this commitment in policy and governance. As a district, we believe educational equity focuses on: Inclusion: All learners are welcomed, accepted, and protected against harassment or discrimination in our schools as we celebrate the diversity of our students, staff, families, and community and teach our students to understand and effectively engage with people of different backgrounds. Access: All learners shall have an equal opportunity to actively engage in all academic and extracurricular opportunities. Process: All learners shall receive fair and just but not identical treatment and supports, including high-quality coursework that reflects the diversity of our students, and highly qualified teachers who are prepared and supported to meet student needs. Outcome: All learners shall have educational experiences that ensure achievement of high academic and social expectations. To ensure that all students demonstrate growth and achievement, we must take timely, deliberate, and unified action to eliminate exclusionary practices and address historical and social barriers that prevent our students from reaching their highest potential.

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

The Office of Equity, School Support, and Community Engagement support the implementation of proven concepts through mentoring, fostering cultural awareness via male engagement strategies. Opportunities Data suggest students are more likely to succeed when schools address social-emotional learning (SEL) integrated with-in educational supports. In response, Educating Boys of Color Support developed Group Mentoring Guides that improve underperforming student outcomes in pursuit of educational excellence. The specific approach empowers and inspires students to develop leadership skills through civic engagement, educational activities, and character development. What is Group Mentoring?

A strategy for connecting small groups of adult male mentors with a larger group of male mentees for fostering empowerment through positive self-image, academic achievement, and civic engagement.

Group mentoring is a method for providing guidance and support to disenfranchised, and underperforming students in need.

Group mentoring operates on the school campus, meeting in various campus locations, and the program makes use of school facilities.

Mentoring relationships meet for the duration of the school year.

Group mentoring programs use school staff to nominate participants.

Strategies for providing group mentoring come from evidence-based practices (e.g., Alpha League, Gurian Institute, and Coalition of Schools Educating Males (COSEBOC), Campaign for Black Male Achievement (CMBA).

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

Benefits of this Model

Shorter and less intensive time commitment; however, unlimited volunteers who have unlimited amounts of time

Connects to historically underserved and marginalized youth

Due to the use of school facilities and identified school resources, group mentoring operates at a lower cost

Objectified outcomes identified within EBOC Standards and Promising Practices:

Mentor Groups are powerful means that connect

community partners with schools; it provides

purposeful mentoring that is effective in removing

barriers and providing opportunities.

• Mentors are role models, advocates, and advisors.

• Mentees increase attendance, positive behavior,

and academic achievements.

• Mentees are less likely to be involved in at-risk

behavior.

• Mentees have an increased likelihood of going to

college or focused on a career path.

• Mentees increased social and emotional

development and improved self-esteem.

Group Mentoring Curriculum affords:

• Leadership Development Trainings

• In-and-out of school positive contacts

• Facilitate mediations and insightful

discussions

• Impart positive behavior interventions

• Organize college and career field trips

• Civic engagement projects

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

PARENT/FAMILY/COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

Community Engagement

Extended learning from schools to home

Shared decision-making opportunities in collaboration with schools

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

Student-Centered

Culturally-Relevant

Multicultural

Gender-Relevant

Character Building SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE

Student Leadership and Student Voice

Inclusive Student Voice Policies and Practices

School-Led Culture Activities/Events SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

Community Service-Based Leadership

Leadership Development

Expected Outcomes

Mentoring USA research indicates mentoring helps young people succeed by establishing supportive and beneficial relationships between youth and caring adults. Mentoring programs promote positive individual development, improve self-esteem, develop better social skills, improve the quality of class work, increase academic outcomes, increase homework and in-class assignment completions, reduce chronic school infractions, such as disciplinary referrals, fighting, and suspensions, increase students’ perceptions of scholastic competence, reduce loss of instruction due to skipping classes, and increase student’s persistence to graduation and knowledge of career opportunities.

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

Youth involved in mentoring programs are also less likely to drop out of school or use unhealthy substances that result in unhealthy lifestyles and are more likely to pursue higher education and/or set career goals. Although community mentoring programs have served as interventions to mitigate at-risk behaviors such as school dropout, youth violence, adolescent pregnancy, and drug and alcohol use, mentoring programs can be implemented in schools and classrooms to provide students with yet another layer of academic, social and emotional support and guidance. Additionally, this research has found youth who participate in mentoring programs experience a multitude of positive benefits, and those educational experiences outside of school will compliment school initiatives. Group mentoring is an opportunity to create a collaborative bridge that connects and establishes ongoing relationships across the 24-hour continuum of the seven hours students spend in school and the seventeen hours they spend in the community. When we invest in educative experiences outside of the school, it gives students a sense of power to learn in school. Measurements of Success

Qualitative and Quantitative

Increased Student Attendance – time in class and days in school

Increased Positive Behavior Decrease Negative Behavior (SAFE and In/Out of School Suspension Hours which result in lost core instructional time)

Increased Core Curriculum – increase formative and summative outcomes and growth

Positive Attitude, Countenance, and Disposition

Leadership Actions

Persistence to Graduation

Increased Work Ethic and Effort

Higher Self-Esteem

Self-Consciousness and Self-Awareness

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

Career and/or College-Readiness

Portfolio of Community Service

Reference-based Testimonials from Family, Peers, Administration, and Staff

Summit

The Summit is a platform to celebrate mentees’ and mentors’ success and allows for healthy engagement in competitive challenges between mentor groups that foster academic success, character-building traits, and the social and emotional well-being from a community of practice comprised of middle school students district-wide.

Categories: 1. Group Average End-of-School-Year GPA 2. Group Average MAP Score Gains 3. Group Average Attendance Percentage Gains 4. Number of Positive Behavior Referrals and/or Negative Referral

Reductions 5. Display of Photos and/or Videos of Community Service Projects 6. Collaboration Presentation (e.g., skits, plays, creative performances

in arts, literary art, technological design/display, and stepping) 7. Oratorical Presentation (spoken word, etc.)

Responsibilities of School Staff

Principal designates an identified liaison to work with group mentor(s).

Principal shares program concept with SBDM council for approval.

Liaison clarifies mentoring goals/objectives with the principal in alignment with school policy and procedures.

Liaison distributes and collects students’ application information.

Liaison provides applications and a list of potential interviewees and final selection by group mentors.

Nomination Process

Student nominations provided by teachers, school administrators, guardians, or community leaders based on observed potential and character.

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

Tasks that are to be completed by the nominee before acceptance into the program.

Step 1. The nomination form must be signed by the principal/assistant principal, nominator, guardian, and student.

Step 2. The student must secure 100 initials on the Signature Form before being interviewed.

Step 3. The student is interviewed by the mentor group/panel of adults.

Step 4. Upon acceptance, the guardian completes and signs additional forms and permission slips.

Responsibilities of Mentor Group

State law requires a background check every four years for all adult volunteers in public schools. The FCPS Human Resources Department manages a list of approved volunteers. For questions, (859) 381-4345.

Complete Volunteers Application* and interest/availability survey.

Sign the volunteer participation and confidentiality agreement form in the Volunteer Handbook.

Designate group advisor to work with school liaison.

Interview nominated mentees.

Provide mentees with acceptance/rejection letters after the interview.

Provide meeting and field trip schedules to school liaisons, guardians, and mentees.

Prepare mentees for Educating Males Convening.

Emphasize character development, civic engagements, and ABCs:

Attendance: time in class, bring excuse notes from home, and increase days attending school

Behavior: increase positive behavior referrals; decrease negative behavior referrals; decrease SAFE and suspension hours

Content: increase grade point average and MAP scores SBDM Council Adoption Plan

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

KRS 160.345(2)(i)(8): Provides that the school council shall adopt a policy to be implemented by the principal in the following additional areas:

(8) Selection of extracurricular programs and determination of policies relating to student participation based on academic qualifications and attendance requirements, program evaluation, and supervision;

Check your school’s SBDM Committee Policy to determine if there is an Ad-Hoc Instructional Materials/Textbook Committee listed in your committee policy to be formed or reconvened.

If so, convene the appropriate committee to review the School-Level Mentoring program. The committee would is charged with determining whether the program aligns with the goals and objectives of the school’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP): come to a consensus, and make a recommendation to the SBDM Council.

If there is no SBDM Committee Policy, check your by-laws to determine the appropriate course of action for adopting new curriculum and programs in your school.

If there is no committee mentioned in the bylaws, nor is there a committee policy, then the SBDM Council is tasked with reviewing the School-Level Mentoring program: determine whether the program aligns with the CSIP; come to a consensus and make a recommendation to take action/make a decision.

The SBDM Council agenda should list the School-Level Mentoring Program as an action/decision item. The SBDM Council should discuss and take action on the School-Level Mentoring program through consensus/vote.

A copy of the School-Level Mentoring Program should be part of the SBDM handout to council members and attached as part of the minutes.

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

Participating SBDM Council should meet via regular or special called meeting before launching the program.

Project Based Experiences

Educational Exposures and Activities – field trips, career days, summer camps, etc.

R.E.A.L. (Read, Excel, Achieve, Lead) Students Read – read culturally relevant character books with elementary students to increase reading and literacy through the audience of influence.

Conversation with Your Future – Invite guests to pass-down wisdom to mentees in conversations about real-world personal experiences, achievements, and failures so that students can learn from the first-person experience.

College Visits – Shadow, a college student for a full 10-hour day to gain insight into an authentic college experience and inspire college aspirations.

Community Service – God’s Pantry mentees collect, organize, and distribute food to the community and assist other organizations with projects to learn how serving others helps the community and to learn humility.

Visit Elementary Schools – Share middle school life experiences, relay expectations from teachers, and help 5th grade prepare for middle school to increase our students’ ability to speak in public and learn how to lead by helping others.

Fly Tie – Mentees learn how to tie a necktie and teach their peers how to do it as a way of developing leadership, teaching, and communication skills.

Data

Compile mentees’ data before and after mentoring.

Compare mentees’ data to students of the same demographics without mentoring.

Compare group quantitative data compared to general student norms.

Resources

COSEBOC’s Standards and Promising Practices of Schools

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

KEA Standards-Aligned Curriculum FCPS Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) www.mentoring.org

Mentors need to know about school culture, policies, and procedures. Develop a mentoring schedule that fits into the school-day structure. Moreover, obtain feedback from all school stakeholders, (teachers, students, parents, community partners, etc.) and early and often so you can make necessary adjustments.

Mentors should be aware of, and sensitive to, the school culture. Mentors should understand the procedures for using school property, honor the dress code, and understand whether, when, and how to access teachers. They should also know if there are any “unwritten rules” governing the space where they are meeting with the student. If, for example, they are meeting in an empty classroom, what are the teacher’s “rules” about using any equipment or materials in the room?

Understand that school staff and administrators may have had negative experiences with previous outside programs. At times, well-meaning groups and individuals approach schools intending to work with them, and then fail to follow through with, or fall short of, their original commitment. That, in turn, is likely to influence a school’s attitude toward your mentoring program, and you may meet with resistance from some staff and administrators until your program has proven its reliability and value.

Be aware of the existence of other outside programs in the school. Be sure your mentoring program complements rather than duplicates existing programming.

Look for possible collaborations with existing group programs which make it easier to integrate your program into the school and can enhance your value.

Provide a staff presence from your program at the school as often as your resources allow. Program Administrator, Coordinator,

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

Supervisor, or Case Manager have suggested titles for the person responsible for the day-to-day operation of the program.

Remember that the program requires three-way communication among your organization, the school, and the mentor. Be sure there is ongoing communication between your organization and the school. Also, have a clear system in place for notifying the mentor if the mentee is not in school on a scheduled meeting date, for notifying the mentee if the mentor has to miss a meeting, and for keeping the mentor informed about anything taking place at the school that she or he should know. Be sure to provide the mentor with a school calendar.

Mitigate, address, and resolve problems as soon as they arise. As you work together to resolve problems, recognize and respect the validity of the school’s experiences and points of view.

Remember that partnerships between organizations often depend on particular individuals within each organization. Particularly true with schools, where a change in principals might require rebuilding the partnership. If the principal leaves, it is essential for you and the school liaison to meet with the new principal and talk about what the mentoring program has accomplished and what benefits the school has derived from it.

Alpha League utilizes best practices through the lens of African-American philosophies in problem-solving, positive discipline, self-awareness, and community consciousness models matching the level of instruction with students’ needs and the use of community service projects, educational activities, and character development.

The Gurian Institute model provides researched based single-gender classroom teaching, and learning strategies through problems of practices predicated on skills development related to self-awareness.

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

Policies

Code of Conduct 09.42 KRS 160.290 KRS 161.180: Parent and student understand that the program requires the highest standards of behavior. The student agrees to conduct himself in a manner that will contribute to a sense of community among all students and program staff and foster an atmosphere of mutual respect... Anti-Bullying & Harassment Statement 09.422 1KRS 158.150 2KRS 158.148 KRS 158.156 KRS 160.290; KRS 525.080: Program must promote mutual respect, tolerance, and acceptance. We are committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment in which all members are treated with respect. The program does not condone behavior that infringes on the safety of any member through bullying, harassment, violence or threats of violence based on real or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability… Transportation 09.36 AP.1 KRS 156.153 KRS 161.185 KRS 160.340. I, parent/legal guardian, at this moment, grant permission to Fayette County Public Schools and Mentor Group to transport my student to the activities listed on the field trip schedule. Field Trip 09.221 1KRS 161.180 KRS 161.185; KRS 17.545. I, at this moment, grant permission for my student to participate. I understand that adequate and appropriate supervision is provided. I recognize, however, that unanticipated situations and problems can arise on any trip, school-sponsored or otherwise, which situations or problems are not reasonably within the control of the supervising teacher(s) or staff. Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) 08.2323 KRS 156.675; KRS 365.732; KRS 365.734 outlines the provisions and expectations of that use by students, teachers, and parents when using school technologies or personally-owned devices on district property…. As the guardian of the above mentee/student, I understand and agree to the Acceptable Use Policy as stated and referenced in board policy 08.2323 and accompanying procedures (available at www.fcps.net).

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

Example Signature Form

Name of the Nominee_________________________________________ To qualify for an interview, the mentee must acquire 100 initials from 100 different people and explain the details of the mission related to the group mentoring program to your new supporters.

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Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

Example Nomination Form

WE NOMINATE _____________________________________________ join the leadership development and mentoring group. As a mentee, I accept the challenge to improve leadership qualities, to promote excellence, and engage in civic community service projects. The nominee accepts the charge to join a mentor group and is expected to learn, practice, and implement general qualities and characteristics of a leader. Although a nominee is accepted into the program, he can be removed for not adhering to directives or the mission of the program. The mentee can also withdraw his participation at any time without explanation. Mentee’s Signature__________________________________________ Guardian’s Signature ________________________________________ Nominator’s Signature _______________________________________ Administrator’s Signature_____________________________________

To sign up put in your browser: https://forms.gle/gxbnJmoM8r38Rcss8

School Name Grade

Mentee Address

Lexington KY ZIP

Mentee Email Cell

Guardian Name

Guardian Email Cell

Health Insurance Information

Policyholder’s Name Policy # Group #

Insurance Company

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

Notes:

Mentor’s Name_________________________________ Mentor’s Cell Number _________________________________ Program Name_________________________________ Liaison’s Name_________________________________ Liaison’s Cell Number_________________________________ Date of Implementation_________________________________ Date of SBDM Approval _____________________________ Date of Volunteer Approval _________________________________ District Contact Christian Adair, christian.adair@fayette.kyschools.us

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide

Tips on Male Engagement

1. Have the student describe his day from start to finish - learn about real experiences; then, you can ask real questions. 2. Do not dumb it down. 3. Teach by example, model, and movement. 4. If the bum is numb, the brain is the same. 5. Have authentic writing opportunities; drawing, before writing, helps focus on the subject. 6. Provide reading materials based on interest - how to, fictional, funny, gross, sports, military. 7. Allow themes of protection and provision 8. Support and encourage curiosity. 9. Teach by walking around; engaging the space of students lowers negative behavior. 10. Use project-based learning. 11. After distress, allow the student to speak and explain. 12. Ask what he thinks, not how he feels; walk beside him when in conversation to allow him to express and time to find his words. 13. Boys need personal relationships and reasons to show up. 14. Create a “crew” with a cause. 15. Affirm talents and provide an opportunity to lead. 16. Boys think school is boring, it does not matter, and schools don’t care. 17. Survival, Novelty, and Relevance jump-start the brain and inspire engagement. 18. The audience of influence (read to the older boy, read to the younger boy); girls make the boys “cool-pose.” 19. Boys are wired to move; stand to answer, hand fidgets, brain breaks, 15 sec. intermissions, raise foot rather than hand. 20. It is ok to try over and over; it’s ok to fail. Failing is necessary for inventing. 21. Provide positive opportunities for taking risks. 22. Allow boys to solve problems between each other; do not intervene all the time. 23. Testosterone increases with stress; e.g., impulsive, disorganized, poor judgment, more aggressive. 24. Boys mask emotion to survive; when boys are emotional, expect a physical outburst. 25. Discipline with movement; e.g., walking to water or breathing calmly brings down energy and lowers stress level

Fayette County Public Schools Group Mentoring Guide