If a student finds themselves struggling in a course, there are several proactive steps they can take to improve academically:
- Review and Practice: Regular review of class material and consistent practice can reinforce learning. Students can create a study schedule, use additional study materials, and attempt practice problems or quizzes to strengthen their understanding.
- Collaborate with Peers: Studying with classmates can be beneficial. Explaining concepts to others can solidify understanding, and peers might offer insights or explanations that resonate better than those from the teacher.
- Seek Extra Help in the ARC: Students are encouraged to use the Academic Resource Center (ARC), where they can receive individualized or small-group tutoring in a particular subject area. Our dedicated ARC tutors can offer personalized guidance and strategies to improve academic performance.
- Talk to the Teacher: Communicate with the teacher in person or via email to set up a time to further discuss academic progress. The teacher can offer guidance, clarify concepts, and provide extra help or resources.
- Talk to the School Counselor: School counselors can offer guidance on adjusting study habits, exploring different learning strategies, and supporting overall wellbeing.
If a student continues to struggle academically despite taking these proactive steps, it is imperative that the student meet with their teacher again to establish a time-bound academic intervention plan. The plan will identify the areas in which the student is working to improve, detailed interventions in the classroom, and additional support outside the classroom. If eligible, the student may also be invited to participate in an academic intervention class with a dedicated subject-area intervention teacher (referred to as an MTSS Tier 2 interventionist). Students are required to take advantage of this level of support as a part of their intervention plan.
Throughout this intervention plan, regular communication between the student, teacher, and any additional support personnel (i.e., case manager, MTSS Tier 2 interventionist) is vital to monitor progress, reassess strategies, and make necessary adjustments to ensure the student's improvement in the subject. A typical intervention plan will last 6-8 weeks before more intense interventions are established or a course level change is considered.
After schedules are finalized, a course level change request will only be considered after a student has engaged in the established intervention plan. Please be aware that even after engaging in an intervention plan there is no guarantee that a schedule change is possible based on class sizes and the overall class schedule. Extenuating circumstances (such as impact of student progress due to hospitalization) will be considered on a case-by-case scenario. Guidance pertaining to course withdrawals can be found in the course withdrawal section.
