Freshman Seminar "My Future. My Way." ITP – Ongoing ITP
Invitation To ParticipateTM
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Project Overview
The Alignment Nashville Pathways to Postsecondary Education Committee is supporting the Metro Nashville Public School district’s efforts to create a comprehensive college- and career-preparatory experience for all ninth-grade students through the Freshman Seminar course. Community organizations are invited to participate in this effort by providing developmentally appropriate services for students such as (but not limited to):
• Leadership development
• Mentorship
• Social skill building/behavioral norms in high school
• Time management
• Financial literacy
• College financial aid information
• Career/personality assessments
• Problem-solving skills
• Making good choices/decision-making skills
• Interview skills/resumes and cover letters/job readiness skills
• Other services related to preparation for college and career
Committee Members
Michelle Wilcox, Chair – Metro Nashville Public Schools
Neely Williams, Vice-Chair – IMF/Peniel Initiative
Ann Cumbie, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Kelly Henderson, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Melissa Jaggers, Alignment Nashville
Anthony Johnson, Alignment Nashville
Lilly Massa-McKinley, Vanderbilt University Office of Active Citizenship & Service
Meghan Oliver, Nashville State Community College
Amelia Post, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition
Laura Potter, Nashville State Community College
Jason Seay, Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation
Ruth Woodall, Tennessee Scholars
Goal Selected
Create a culture of college-going students in Nashville.
Strategy Selected
Provide high-quality college and career preparation activities and experiences to all freshmen students
Tactic Designed by Committee
Provide coordinated support for students and teachers in Freshman Seminar courses
“My Future. My Way” Project Description
Since 2006, Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), with the support of the Nashville community, has been redesigning its 12 comprehensive public high schools into “smaller learning communities” known as the Academies of Nashville. The goal of this redesign initiative is to provide rigor, relevance, relationships and readiness for all students.
All first-time ninth grade students are part of a Freshman Academy (FA), which is designed to increase promotion rates of ninth-grade students by creating a welcoming environment that eases the transition from middle to high school. In the Freshman Academy, all students are enrolled in a year-long course called Freshman Seminar, which focuses on successful transitions to high school, as well as preparation for college and career.
There are many community resources that support college and career preparation; the purpose of this ITP is to identify and provide information about these resources to Freshman Seminar teachers to make it easier for them to access resources to support their students. Examples of needed resources include, but are not limited to:
• Leadership development
• Mentorship
• Social skill building/behavioral norms in high school
• Time management
• Financial literacy
• College financial aid information
• Career/personality assessments
• Problem-solving skills
• Making good choices/decision-making skills
• Interview skills/resumes and cover letters/job readiness skills
• Other services related to preparation for college and career
Target Population
Students and teachers in Freshman Seminar courses in the district’s 12 “zoned” high schools:
Antioch – Cane Ridge – Glencliff – Hillsboro – Hillwood – Hunters Lane
McGavock – Maplewood – Overton – Pearl-Cohn – Stratford – Whites Creek
Expected Dates of Implementation
Community resources will be used on an as-needed basis throughout the 2011-2012 school year.
Expected Outcomes
Participating organizations will be part of an effort that is expected to:
- Increase the average grade earned/pass rate for Freshman Seminar course across the district
- Increase the number of volunteer hours contributed by the community in the high schools
(as registered through schoolvolunteers.org)
- Increase the graduation rate (long-term outcomes)
Upon completion of the 2011-2012 school year, participating organizations that provide services and/or other resources will receive a final report, detailing progress toward these expected outcomes, which can be used for that organization’s reporting and future funding requests. Organizations must document their time spent in Freshman Seminar courses via schoolvolunteers.org to receive this final report.
Assessment Strategies
The committee will use data provided by MNPS regarding average grades earned and pass/fail rate for the Freshman Seminar course to measure progress toward goals. In addition, data from schoolvolunteers.org will be used to document the number of hours provided by organizations.
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For more information about this Invitation To ParticipateTM, click here to e-Mail:
Melissa Jaggers, Associate Executive Director
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