North Mason focuses on freshman success

If freshmen start the school year with good grades and regular attendance, success will follow, North Mason High School Assistant Principal Steve Hackett said at the Sept. 23 monthly board meeting.

“We all know the data for freshmen. It’s the biggest year. If that year can be successful, the rest of their high school — everything is set up really well,” Hackett said.

North Mason wants to “get kids on the right track early,” he said.

Last September, 24% of freshmen were failing one class. By June, the number dropped to 14%, according to Hackett.

“We want to start with that number much lower,” he said.

One way is a new Freshman Success program so teachers keep track of at-risk students.

Step one is to contact families.

“Anyone who teaches a freshman who is failing or at risk of failing calls the student’s home,” Hackett said.

Then the list goes to Hackett and North Mason Principal Chad Collins, who individually meet with the students.

“We say, ‘hey what’s going on?’” Hackett said.

The administrators discuss possible obstacles and what can be done to improve the student’s grades.

“Hopefully the students see this is a full circle. Everyone is teaming together on this. Hopefully the phone call to mom or dad kind of lit the fire and we got the thing fixed. But if not, now one of your principals is sitting down with you also. They are on the same page as mom and dad are and the teacher is and we’re all just trying to push you across this line,” he said.

Officials also track every student they meet with, record the class they were failing and by what percentage.

“We do these forms every single month,” according to Hackett.

Collins said over the summer NMHS installed signs in the common area about the district’s pillars – kind, respectful, responsible and safe.

Students should know what the pillars are and what they mean, Collins told the board.

On the first day of school, staff started educating students about the pillars, he said.

“We will continue that throughout the year. On what it looks like to be respectful in the commons, in the hallway, throughout our school …we’ll be working on that,” Collins said.

This year, NMHS also wanted to increase the number of students who are recognized and decided to center recognition around the pillar concepts, he said.

Staff will receive three pillar postcards at each monthly meeting. During the month, staff pick three students of their choice to receive a handwritten note commending the student’s behavior.

“I saw you being kind in the hallway,” for example, he said.

Collins said the goal is for every student to get at least one pillar card throughout the year.

Every staff member will also have 50 dog tags to hand out when they see a student supporting the pillars.

“We have great kids. Really polite, respectful. We want to publicly honor them,” he said.