WJCC Board Will Learn More About Dean Proposal Tonight

By Amber Lester Kennedy Tuesday, January 04, 2011

The Williamsburg-James City County School Board will learn more tonight about the proposed “deans” who, if approved, would replace an existing alternative education program.

In December, the administration introduced a proposal to close the Academy for Life and Learning, which currently has 46 seventh- and eighth-graders enrolled, and add “deans” to the three middle schools to serve as liaisons who will identify and guide struggling students.If approved, the plan could trim an estimated $270,000 from the budget and serve more than 40 students at each school.

The board has not approved the plan, but at a Dec. 7 meeting, the members asked Assistant Superintendent for Academic Services Dianna Lindsay to flesh out the job description for the deans. Tonight, she’ll present that job description, along with a model of an individualized learning plan, which deans will create to help the struggling students in their respective schools.

In Lindsay’s proposal, the dean job would now be identified as “student advancement coach.” By definition, the student advancement coach would be responsible for overall “student advancement, management, intervention and transition of learners in grades 6-8.” The coaches would also work closely with colleagues in the high schools, counselors, social workers, psychologists, faculty, parents and each school’s leadership team.

The coaches would be part of a process to personalize the middle schools by helping students assess their talents and goals, plan toward their purposes, collaborate on challenging tasks, maintain records and demonstrate their learning, according to the job description.

To do this, the coaches would be tasked to “create structures” that wouldn’t allow students to remain anonymous in middle school; establish schedules that will allow the coach to learn each student’s abilities and family situation; create Individualized Learning Plans that document students’ goals, strengths, weaknesses, interests and progress; provide opportunities for students to learn societal values; offer opportunities for involvement to parents, families and community members; ensure the physical and mental needs of students are addressed; and provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their talents and abilities.

The work of the coach will be guided by the research of the Educational Alliance at Brown University, which identifies six developmental needs. The students’ needs are: voice, belonging, choice, freedom, imagination and success.

The coaches would also take roles in mediation, investigating and providing follow-up for disputes, along with tracking cases and monitoring recommendations for student behavior issues related to transitions between grades. The job description also says the coaches will “coordinate student behavior and school discipline in a democratic school.”

To be considered for the coach positions, applicants would be required to possess a master’s degree in education, counseling, rehabilitation or a related field, and would preferably have experience in behavior management, special education, social work or transition counseling. The successful candidate would also have experience working in secondary schools, a social work background for an agency or school, experience with special needs learners and an administrative background.

Lindsay will also present a model of the form used to create Individualized Learning Plans. On the form, the coach will define the student’s skills in math and reading as “advanced, proficient, partially proficient and novice,” record test results and SOL results. The coach will also record the student’s academic, career and personal/social goals, the expectations of parents and his or her own recommendations for the student.

Lindsay’s presentation will be an information item during the meeting. At the same meeting, the board will choose its chair, vice chair and Parliamentarian for 2011. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the City Council chambers in the Stryker Building.