AJ Hess’ Post

Fear. It’s often the Number 1 reason families don’t make the change from public schools they know aren’t serving their kids well. ✅ What if my child is “messed up”? ✅ Will they get into college? ✅ Will they receive a high school diploma? What if they don’t? ✅ Is alternative ed “real” school? Most of these fears are misplaced. Most of these fears stem from a familiarity with public school, and a comfort with the status quo. After all, most adults went to public school. So we continue to send our children and teens to public schools we know make them miserable and bored, where their autonomy is nil and the curriculum full of busywork they’ll never remember as soon as the test is over. It just makes we adults more comfortable. Listen to how Diego Gunter, current 10th grader at TSE, left behind his fear of the unknown and embraced a more purposeful life at TSE.

Welcome to October! Last week we held our annual 12th Grade Parent Meeting at Ridgewood High School. Our school counselors put in the work and preparation to create and deliver a presentation that was helpful to our community. Some highlights from the presentation: 1. Senior Year Mindset - Control what you can control. Enjoy the moment. 2. RHS Guidance Department Updates over the past 24 months to help our students (and parents) in the college admissions process. 3. A specific look at Yale & Michigan admission trends over the past few decades. 4. An update on national trends in college admissions from our counselors who attended the NACAC Conference in Baltimore last month. 5. Senior FOCUS recap. 6. Key Components of the College Application & Timeline. 7. A personal perspective from a counselor who just went through the process as a parent for her two children over the past two years. 8. Perspective: 4 out of 5 RHS students are accepted to one of their top 3 schools. 93% attend a 4 year college. It is our job to find each student their best fit school. See the full presentation here:

Sent a little encouragement to all our educator friends this morning! Thought I would share... 260,000 minutes. Those are the minutes on average we have with our staff and students each school year. With May here, most teams have around 35,000 minutes left. You are almost there. Today we want to send some encouragement that TINY MOMENTS matter. The hope filled words you speak to the struggling student. The support you offer the first year teacher. The patience you show to the overwhelmed parent. The moments you show up at the performance, talent show, or graduation ceremony. When all the homework is done. When all the grading is submitted. When all the doors are locked and graduations are complete, what will be left are the tiny moments. The way they were treated, the words that were spoken, and the belief you had in them (both your staff and students) will be the thing they remember. Cheering you on as you embrace all the tiny moments at the end of the year!

Our Alumni Spotlight this week is on Rebecka (Stricker) Garrett, congratulations Rebecka and thank you for teaching! Graduation or year you completed licensure: 2018 Licensure area: Early Childhood (PK-Grade 5) Where you teach and what grades or subjects: 2nd Grade at Piqua City Schools What advice would you give to future teachers: It is okay to feel like you have no idea what you are doing your first year or two. It’s not okay to not ask for help. Ask your mentors, grade level team, and administrators what resources are available to you. Do those extra trainings that are available, use behavior and/or academic coaches if you have them. Also, find a teacher friend (or multiple) in your building that is in a similar boat you are: whether it be age, life experiences, grade level, etc. It helps you not feel alone and burnt out—plus you look forward to catching up with them at the end of the day. What are you most proud of in your teaching career: What I am most proud of is the impact I know I’ve made on the students I’ve taught. On the last day of school, a student that really challenged me this year crawled under my desk and cried because he didn’t want to go home for summer break. He told me that he would miss me too much and he wouldn’t get to see me anymore. Despite all of the challenges that student faced this year (and I faced as a result), I made such a deep impact on him that he didn’t want to be away from me. Nothing makes my day a little brighter than having a student I had last year stop me in the hallway for a hug or to tell me a life update. As someone once told me: “They may not look back and remember what you taught them, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” This is the impact my teachers left on me and what I hope to leave on my students.

Order now and start next school year off right by building strong school-family partnerships. This concise guide explains the importance of a child's overall development in relation to the learning process, the important relationship between home and school, and how this relationship leads to a successful school experience. https://buff.ly/2MJeOFM

Have you been struggling on ways to help your teen with their studies? Give our article, “5 Sneaky Ways To Push Your Teenager Academically Without Being A Nag,” by our founder, Chris Leuzinger, a read!

I am looking forward to my own "full circle moments" with former students and colleagues after reading this article. And to hearing yours! https://lnkd.in/eyf-N6Ji Desmond (Dez) Bacon - reminds me of our conversation yesterday on education policy!

More than ever! We have always known that our Advocate Mentors play a critical role in their mentees’ success. They help their students with homework, coach them in essential life skills, and open their minds to new experiences and opportunities. Teachers play a similar role in students’ lives, but with teacher turnover rates (WSJ “Why Teachers Are Still Leaving the Profession,” Mar. 4, 2024) still too high post-pandemic, the consistent presence of our Advocate Mentors is now more important than ever. Inconsistent teacher presence contributes to lower student test scores, research shows, so consistent presence means better grades! We see this kind of impact every year in our students’ success rates—our Advocate Mentors make a difference! To sponsor a child or an Advocate Mentor, click here: https://loom.ly/6VgRTNs

"Ah, the start of a new school year! A time of promise. Also, of peril. Many parents expect big things, but are anxious about their child’s knowledge and study habits." Read about why you shouldn't fight over homework this year on our blog: https://bit.ly/3rlAGeo