Interventions in the Secondary School
Interventions within the school day:
Mountain View Middle
Mountain View Middle School is on an 8-period block schedule with rotating A and B days. On “A” days,
students attend periods 1-4. On “B” days, they attend periods 5-8. Because each period is 90-minutes long,
every-other-day classes are a full year and every-day classes are a double block. Since they take language
arts and mathematics every day, all students have a double block of language arts and math. Under this
schedule, every student, in addition to double-blocks of language arts and math, has a full year of science,
social studies, and an elective. Only a small number of ELD students lose their elective.
Sample Schedule:
A Day
Period 1- Mathematics
Period 2- Language Arts
Period 3- Science
Period 4- Physical Education
B Day
Period 1- Mathematics
Period 2- Language Arts
Period 3- Social Studies
Period 4- Elective
Mountain View’s API has increased 80 points in the last 2 years.
Cleveland High School, Los Angeles:
Quotes from research study about Cleveland High School (found at
http://www.just4kids.org/en/files/Case_Study-California-Cleveland_High-2004-2005.pdf):
68% Low SES, 25% ELD, 56% Latino
“Monitoring student achievement and providing interventions as soon as students start falling behind
happens in all departments across the school.”
“Cleveland has integrated AVID into their curriculum and instruction. While AVID exists in the traditional
stand-alone classes, teachers discussed the importance of Cornell notes and other techniques being used
across campus as part of their strategy to improve student learning. AVID is about to be introduced school
wide, because, as school leaders explained, “all students can learn from it.” Some practices that generally
get labeled as interventions are considered best practices and good teaching at Cleveland. Data is a highly
valued tool for the whole school community.”
“The main focus at this school is on improving the quality of regular classroom instruction. However, the
teachers and administration at Cleveland are aware that many students arrive at school missing some skills
they need to succeed. They believe that not all such gaps can be addressed in the regular classroom, and by
intervening early they can help more students master these much-needed skills.”
“In one example of what it means to view the regular classroom as the first level of intervention for
struggling students, the math department regroups (shuffles classes based on mastery of the material) at fiveweek intervals in Algebra. Regrouping in Algebra prevents students from falling too far behind. The
department believes that if a student is behind at 5 weeks in a cumulative class like Algebra, then the student
will likely be even further behind at 10 weeks.”
“Cleveland is an example of creating strong professional learning communities which strengthen student
achievement as teachers collaborate around student assessments, achievement data, and rigorous curriculum.
The teachers and departments at Cleveland have pooled their talents and creativity in order to benefit student
learning.”
PowerPoint Temecula Valley High School:
PowerPoint to explain “pyramid of success” approach to intervention to students:
What is a pyramid of success?
PYRAMID OF SUCCESS
The Success Period
• What is it?
– An extended time for learning
• When is it?
– Two times a week for 45 minutes
– On your schedule, it will look like another class period
• A pyramid of success is the foundation to helping each
student achieve their goals
• In the first level, every student has access to everything
a teacher does to help students be successful from
modeling, practice, one-on-one help, notes, etc.
• Even with all that teachers do in the classroom
sometimes everyone just needs a little more processing
time or more time to investigate something they enjoy
which brings up to the second level.
Benefits to YOU
• Systematic response to those who need
additional support and for those who
would like enrichment.
• Gives you new ways to connect to school
–meet new people and staff
• Gives you more time
• Peers help peers – community service
credit
What can you do in the success
period?
• complete homework
• access to peer tutors or content area
specialists
• maintain all A’s and B’s and participate in
enrichment activities or run an
enrichment class with a teacher
For students who are not
monitoring themselves
• Content teacher issues a yellow card that
includes missing homework assignment,
test or quiz
• A runner will pick up the duplicate copy
from the teacher and deliver it to the cave
teacher
• The Cave teacher can monitor student and
encourage him/her to complete assigned
work
Why are we doing this
• Educational lottery
• If we, the staff of TVHS, truly believe that
all of you can learn and that we have high
expectations for each of you, then we
need to make a commitment to you to give
you the time to learn
• Your success is all of our responsibility.
What to do continued
• Students can participate in study groups,
and Socratic seminars
• Students can serve as peer tutors and
earn community service credit
• Make up tests/quizzes
Tutoring Room
• The content teacher issues a yellow card
and checks the appropriate box or boxes
• The teacher will indicate how long and
what kind of help the student needs
• The runner will pick up duplicate copy of
the yellow card and deliver it to the cave
What’s the pyramid look
like again?
• Level 1 should reach the vast majority of students and is
what all students should be already getting with their
classroom teacher
• Level 2 occurs in the success period where students
receive help from peers or direction from cave teacher
• Level 3 occurs when peer tutoring is not successful and
student receives additional support in tutoring room with
content area teachers or directed there by teacher
• Further levels under construction for students who need
more support
• Enrichment opportunities available for successful
students (no hw w/ enrichment classes)
Terminology you need to know for
the success period
• Cave:
– A cave is a group of 36 students from grades 9 – 12
in a room with a teacher you are assigned to for the
year.
• Den:
– A group of 15 caves, tutoring room(s) and support
personnel
– Students stay in their cave for all support
– Students who qualify can sign up for any enrichment
class in any den
– Study groups may be in the form on an enrichment
class or put together by the teacher of the class to
include students from several dens
The Schedule
Period 1
Period 2
Student Success
Break
Period 3
Period 4
Period 5
Lunch
Period 6
7:30-8:20
8:25-9:20
9:25-10:10
10:10-10:25
10:25-11:15
11:20-12:10
12:15-1:05
1:05-1:35
1:40-2:30
50 minutes
55 minutes
45 minutes
15 minutes
50 minutes
50 minutes
50 minutes
30 minutes
50 minutes
Yellow Den Example:
•
•
•
15 Caves
1 tutoring room
2 enrichment rooms Den Staffing
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
1 Admin
1 Counselor
1 Campus Sup.
5 Eng.
3 Math
3 Science
3 Soc. Sci.
1 VAPA
2 WL
1 CTE
2 SPED (RSP)
3 IAs
Information for you
• Piloting May 19 – May 28
• Meets on Tue and Th; attendance is taken
• You will get success period assignment next
week. This assignment is NOT for next year, just
for pilot
• Bring books to read, homework, find out from
teachers what you can make up, etc.
• Enrichment, study groups etc will not be in place
in this two week period
• Feedback appreciated. Write comments and
place in comment box in Activities Office.
Thank you to principal, Rani Goyal for the PowerPoint
Santiago High School, Corona-Norco:
“We are lucky that we are in a Block Schedule. We are awaiting results of an MOU vote on adding
intervention at the end of each block period 2 days a week. This way every teacher has the opportunity to
intervene during the school day to assist struggling students. Students who don't need the intervention
time will have some structured choices for enrichment or extended lunch time. We will incorporate
incentives like, tardy students can be held at the teacher's discretion during this intervention time to
discourage attendance issues. We hope it passes.”
? High School
First Lunch Students
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Lunch
Tutorial
Period 4
Period 5
Period 6
7:30-8:26
8:32-9:30
9:36-10:30
10:30-11:05
11:11-11:40
11:40-12:36
12:42-1:38
1:44-2:40
Second Lunch Students
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Period 4
Tutorial
Lunch
Period 5
Period 6
7:30-8:26
8:32-9:30
9:36-10:30
10:36-11:32
11:32-12:01
12:01-12:36
12:42-1:38
1:44-2:40
Notes:
1) Classes remain 56 minutes long.
2) Passing periods are cut from 8 minutes to 6 minutes.
3) School begins and ends at the same time.
4) This schedule adds 12 instruction minutes per day into the schedule.
5) Two days per week will be designated for silent reading or study.
6) Tutorials will be held in designated centers across campus two days per week.
7) On the late-start day each week, there will be no tutorial period.
8) First 6 weeks, everyone participates in tutorials. After 6 weeks, those students with a 2.5 GPA and no
failing grades may have an extended lunch. Freshmen must wait 12 weeks.
Traditional schedule with advisory/intervention period built in (Rancho Verde):
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Period 4: Advisory
Period 5
First Lunch
Period 6
Period 7
7:00 – 7:56
8:03 – 8:59
9:06 – 10:02
10:09 – 10:34
10:41 – 11:37
11:37 – 12:12
12:12 – 1:08
1:15 – 2:11
Block schedule with intervention period built in (Vista Murrieta):
Fifth period is a tutorial/advisory period that meets every day for 50 minutes.
Even period dayPeriod 2
7:30-9:10
Period 4
9:25-11:15
Lunch
11:20-11:50
Period 5
11:55-12:45
Period 6
12:50-2:30
Period 2
Period 4
Period 5
Lunch
Period 6
7:30-9:10
9:25-11:15
11:20-12:10
12:15-12:45
12:50-2:30
Odd period day1st Lunch
Period 1
7:30-9:10
Period 3
9:25-11:15
Lunch
11:20-11:50
Period 5
11:55-12:45
Period 7
12:50-2:30
2nd lunch
Period 1
Period 3
Period 5
Lunch
Period 7
7:30-9:10
9:25-11:15
11:20-12:10
12:15-12:45
12:50-2:30
Traditional schedule with 20-minute advisory period twice a week (Centennial)
Tuesday/Thursday Schedule
Period 1 7:40 - 8:34
Period 2 8:40 - 9:36
Period 3 9:42 - 10:36
Advisement A 10:42 - 11:02
Lunch A 11:02 - 11:37
Period 4A 10:42 - 11:37
Period 4B 11:43 - 12:38
Advisement B 11:43 - 12:03
Lunch B 12:03 - 12:38
Period 5 12:44 - 1:38
Period 6 1:44 - 2:38
3-day traditional/2-day block with intervention built in (Lakeside High School 2008-2009)
LHS has two block-scheduled days per week with nearly an hour of tutorial built into those days. There is
also an advisory period built in once a week for 25 minutes on Thursdays.
Schedules from “The Collaborative Administrator” book:
Intervention Period rotates daily example:
Monday
1 period
Intervention
2nd period
3rd period
4th period
5th period
6th period
st
Tuesday
1 period
2nd period
Intervention
3rd period
4th period
5th period
6th period
st
Wednesday
1st
2nd
3rd
Intervention
4th
5th
6th
Thursday
1
2nd
3rd
4th
Intervention
5th
6th
Wednesday
3rd
Intervention
4th
5th
6th
1st
2nd
Thursday
4th
Intervention
5th
6th
1st
2nd
3rd
st
Friday
st
1
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Intervention
6th
Intervention stays in place and classes rotate:
Monday
1 period
Intervention
2nd period
3rd period
4th period
5th period
6th period
st
Tuesday
2nd
Intervention
3rd
4th
5th
6th
1st
Friday
5th
Intervention
6th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
Either a 6th period intervention can be added on the 6th day, or 6th period can be reserved for non-core
classes (athletics, ASB, marching band, electives), common prep for core teachers, or the second half of
double-blocked classes.
Capistrano School District (from the allthingsplc.info website):
“Middle and high schools are finding great success with a lunch time “mandatorial” in which all students
begin the year with a very limited lunch period followed by a 30-35 minute mandatorial in which they
must report to a classroom where they can receive help with their work. After the initial monitoring period
(usually six weeks), students who are turning in their homework, dressing out for P.E., earning at least a
grade of “C” in all their classes, and who have no infraction of school rules, are released to enjoy a full
lunch period outdoors with their friends. This has proven to be a powerful motivator for these teenage
students!”
Whittier High School District (from the allthingsplc.info website):
“Exemplary modeling of the development of a healthy balance between district centralization and site
autonomy, the Superintendent put forth the expectation that all schools would develop schedules that: (1)
provided students with additional time and support, as needed; and, (2) provided teachers the requisite
time for collaboration. Each of our five comprehensive high schools has developed a tutorial system that
is based upon the mantra of “required, not invited;” however, each of the tutorials take on a different
structure based upon the particular needs of the school. At La Serna High School, for example, the tutorial
system is incorporated into lunch. Students who meet specified criteria regarding grades and other
measures are able to enjoy an extended lunch. Those students whose grades fall short are required to
spend a portion of that lunch in a study hall or in a subject-specific tutorial, depending upon each
student’s needs. A different structure is in place at Whittier High, where a 20 minute tutorial comes at the
conclusion of each class period (during a block schedule, with 100 minute periods). Each teacher
determines who will stay for the tutorial, based upon completion of work or demonstrated understanding
of the standards being taught. Those students who meet the established criteria are able to enjoy and
extended break or an extended lunch.”
Cheyenne Mountain Junior High School, Colorado:
Seven 44-minute periods facilitate double blocks without losing science, social studies, or electives. 8th
period is ACCESS period for intervention and structured activities every day.
ACCESS Period
“This period is offered at the end of the day for students to work on homework, reading silently, or
“ACCESS” teachers for help. In order for student to leave the classroom, they must have their planner
signed by the teacher they wish to visit PRIOR to ACCESS period. There will be many other activities
taking place during ACCESS that include 7th Grade Keyboarding, Sex Education for registered students,
and Accelerated Reader. In addition, various clubs will be meeting during this time. Although there will be
a few structured activities during this period, its intent is to be an academic study time or time to receive
extra help on course work from teachers.”
Adlai Stevenson High School:
Second day of the week is late start, collaboration day.
4b is first lunch, 5b is second lunch, and 6a is third lunch (they have over 4,000 students). 4a is first lunch
advisory, 5a is second lunch advisory, and 6b is third lunch advisory. Students who have good grades and
behavior get an extended lunch. Freshmen and those with low grades or behavior problems get tutoring
or other services during advisory. Each teacher teaches 6 out of the 8 periods, has one prep period, and
one period for lunch (total of 9 periods).
Centennial High School Biology tutoring (within school hours, but not exactly within the school
day):
CHS has a late-start day once a week. During this time when science teachers are collaborating, honors
and AP biology students tutor struggling biology students. One teacher oversees the process and this role
rotates each week. Hundreds of students show up for tutoring. Although technically not during the
school day, it is within the hours of 7:40 and 2:40. The process has become highly polished with students
filling out evaluations of how well the tutors did and tutors filling in reports of how the session went in
order to receive community service hours and sometimes extra credit. The tutoring sessions are
voluntary, but are well-attended. The fact that the sessions are in the morning during normally regular
school hours helps with the attendance. Because these are late start days and students aren’t required to
be there, they are not mandatory.
Interventions outside of the school day:
Great Oak High School Biology intervention:
GOHS spent a summer analyzing the essential standards in biology. They then wrote common
assessments over those essential standards and created three 2-hour after school interventions for each
with hands-on activities, presentations, and re-teaching in a different format. By attending the afterschool interventions for 3 days, students earn the right to retake the test and get the higher score. The
interventions are after school and voluntary, but the incentive of re-taking the test makes turnout high.
GOHS had 52% prof/adv and 14% BB/FBB on the biology CST in 2008. In 2005, it was 32% and 14%.
GOHS is planning on spreading this program to other academic areas and began interventions in
chemistry this year.
La Sierra High School Biology intervention:
LSHS visited Great Oak and liked their intervention program but couldn’t work out the after school
program. They chose to do their biology interventions on Saturdays. Instead of doing the interventions
after common formative assessments, they do them after the 6 week benchmark tests. Advanced students
help with the tutoring and instruction on the Saturdays and receive community service hours.
La Sierra is also voting on having a tutorial period connected to lunch similar to other schools in this
document.
The following year, La Sierra’s Biology teachers decided that the two to three days following each
benchmark test would be “intervention days.” Kids who were proficient on the benchmark test go
together to do extension activities (fun labs connected to the curriculum). Kids who were not proficient
go together to get alternative instruction in the essential standards. On the third day, they retake the
benchmark test.
Link to article written by Terri Wilhelm:
http://www.allthingsplc.info/pdf/articles/Structural_and_Cultural_Shifts_to_Change_the_Status_Quo.pdf