Coeur d’Alene Reservation, ID

Many American students are unprepared to succeed in high school when leave middle school. As high school students, they are not able to “catch up” and complete college-preparatory curriculum. Lakeside Middle School is working to prepare our kids for both high school and post-secondary education. Plummer-Worley School District has recently started a new program for 7-12 grade students as part of GEAR UP Idaho. The program is designed to increase the number of our students graduating from high school and attending postsecondary programs. The goal of GEAR UP Idaho is to provide a comprehensive early intervention program for middle school students, high school students, and their parents. This program will not only inform them of postsecondary opportunities but will also prepare students to succeed in secondary school and in postsecondary programs. We will be beginning with our current 7th and 8th grade students and this program will follow them through to graduation in 2012. We expect the components of this program to be incorporated into our regular district curriculum by that time. Our program plan will include the following activities:

• All 7th and 8th grade students will draft a career plan using the web-based electronic Idaho Career Information System (CIS). This plan will be based on career awareness, exploration, assessment and planning activities.
• All 8th grade students will complete the internet version of Dependable Strengths Articulation Process which identifies each student’s strengths, builds self-esteem and serves as a crosswalk to occupations in the eCIS system.
• All 7th and 8th grade students will begin their portfolios including all of their best works and achievements, which will be used in their Senior Projects when they graduate from high school.
• Many of our GEAR UP activities will be integrated into the students’ regular class work and graded as part of their core classes.
• Our after school tutoring program will be expanded to include two more afternoons of tutoring plus a day of computer lab tutoring.
• We will make sure that all students have assistance in completing the essay for the Computers4Kids Scholarship Program.
• All 7th and 8th grade students will be able to attend field trips in our community to tour local businesses and expose students to different career options.
• 8th grade students will be offered the opportunity to participate in a job shadowing with a local business professional.
• 8th grade students will be offered the opportunity to spend a day shadowing a college student.
• All 7th and 8th grade students will be offered the opportunity to attend field trips to local colleges and universities.
• The students of Lakeside Middle School will be publishing a magazine showcasing all they have learned through the GEAR UP program. This will be published the last month of school and will be made available for viewing by all parents and community members.
• We are initializing an extra-curricular club for those students who have a desire to do more in preparation for postsecondary education. This organization will be responsible for raising funds to help fund our family fun nights and prizes for all GEAR UP students.
• All 7th and 8th grade students will attend regular workshop sessions once a week. These classes will involve activities to teach good study habits, time management, test taking skills and other college preparatory lessons. They will explore careers and requirements, post secondary schools, financial aid options and much more.
• Our school district will begin utilizing the ACT EXPLORE and PLAN tests to assist us in readying our students for spring ISATs, as well as keeping them on track for ACT college entrance exams. The EXPLORE test will be given to 8th grade students in January. The PLAN test will be given to these same students when they are in 10th grade.
• The GEAR UP program will host a career fair in the spring.
• The GEAR UP program will include a high school transition component for 8th graders and their parents.
• All 8th grade students will be completing a Parent Approved Student Learning Plan which includes course requirements for post secondary admission and may include remediation plans to establish an appropriate path to graduation.
• GEAR UP will host at least two Parent Outreach Nights to keep the parents of our GEAR UP students up to date on what their kids are learning and provide information.
• GEAR UP will host a spring Community Fun Night where we will invite all of the community to come see what our GEAR UP students have learned during the year. Please plan to join us.

This is a very short description of what the GEAR UP program will include, if you would like more information, the Project Plan will be available at the District Office soon. You are also to contact me or visit me anytime. I would like to ask that anyone who may be interested to be on our GEAR UP committee to contact me. The committee will meet monthly throughout the year and input from parents is very important to me. We will also be requesting volunteers at different times throughout the year for field trips and other activities. We will send regular newsletters home to you and we also plan to get a page going on the District website to keep the community informed of our happenings. I am very excited about this program and what it can offer for our students. Thank you for giving me the opportunity.
Your new GEAR UP Site Coordinator,

Stefani Hoffman
hoffman.stefani@lakesidesch.org