Building for Middle Level Success: Advisory and Advocacy Programs How do we ensure that every student has an adult advocate who understands and guides his/her academic and social development? In this session, we will answer that question by examining how we build strong advisory and advocacy programs in our middle schools. Presenter: Dru Tomlin - AMLE - Westerville, OH

1. Webb Bridge Middle School’s Student-Mentoring Program:
P.A.T.H.W.A.Y.
Partners and Teachers/Staff
Helping, Working, & Acting yearlong
 The overall mission of the P.A.T.H.W.A.Y program:
To provide additional support to students with disciplinary issues through genuine partnerships between parents,
business partners, and teachers/staff
 The goals of the program:
1. Students will be identified primarily through their disciplinary history as those needing the support of the
program.
2. Teachers and staff members will volunteer to provide one layer of that support for each student.
3. Parents will be asked to allow their children to participate in the P.A.T.H.W.A.Y program and receive
information about the program and how they will provide another layer of support.
4. Business partners will provide incentives and rewards for students in the program.
 Student component –students in the program must:
1. Limit the number of times that they are referred to the office for disciplinary events during each semester to
three times.
2. Maintain passing grades in all of their classes. If this is not done, students must attend help sessions each
week and sign up for the peer-tutoring program.
3. Volunteer for at least two service-oriented projects each semester –either through Junior Beta or through an
initiative created by the P.A.T.H.W.A.Y program (school beautification, etc.)
4. Meet with their mentors at least once a week to discuss discipline, academics, social issues, etc.
5. Attend any appointments set by their mentors and be prepared to share during those discussions.
6. Reflect and act on the monthly theme and/or objective and discuss it with their mentors.
6. First fill out an interest survey at initial informational meeting, so their mentors will have that pertinent
information.
 Teacher/Staff Component –teachers in the program must:
1. Keep up with their students’ grades and disciplinary occurrences. If severe drops in academic and/or
disciplinary performance occur, the teacher must meet with his/her student and contact the parent.
2. Communicate with their students’ teachers on a regular basis.
3. Be a part of at least one of the service-oriented projects each semester.
4. Meet with their students at least once a week to discuss discipline, academics, social issues, etc.
5. Set regular appointments with their students and be prepared to share and inquire during those discussions.
Teachers should also be prepared to “pop in” on students to “keep them on their toes”!
6. Ask their students to reflect and act on the monthly theme and/or objective and ask their students about it
during their chats.
7. Teachers may, with parent permission, organize events out of school to further bond with their students.
However, parents should accompany the teacher and the student on any such event.
8. Review their students’ interest surveys and use the information to bond with their students.
 Parent Component –parents in the program must:
1. Either attend an informational meeting about the program or schedule an individual conference about the
program led by Mr. Tomlin.
2. Keep up with their child’s grades and disciplinary occurrences. If severe drops in academic and/or
disciplinary performance occur, the parent should request a meeting with his/her child’s teachers. The student’s
mentor may also be a part of these meetings when possible.

2. 3. Help their children volunteer for at least two service-oriented projects each semester initiated by the school.
4. Reinforce the monthly theme and/or objective at home by discussing it with their children.
5. Provide for or arrange for transportation should any P.A.T.H.W.A.Y program occur before or after school or
on the weekend.
6. Accompany the teacher mentor and his/her child on any events out of school organized by the teacher mentor.
 Program Introduction Meetings
1. During the week of September 11th
-15th
, students in the program will attend grade level-specific meetings in
the cafeteria, so they can be introduced to the program, their roles in it, and to fill out their interest survey. This
meeting should take no longer than 15 minutes.
2. This meeting should be the only whole-group meeting that takes place during the year. However, whole-group
meetings may be necessary.
 Monthly Themes/Actions
Month Theme/Action
September What does “responsibility” mean and how do you show it everyday?
October What does “decorum” mean and how do you show it everyday?
November What does “gratitude” mean, and how do you show it everyday?
December What does “respect” mean, and how do you show it everyday?
January What does “renewal” mean, and how do you show it everyday?
February What does “compassion” mean, and how do you show it everyday?
March What does “citizen” mean, and how do you show your citizenship everyday?
April What does “preparation” mean, and how do you get prepared everyday?
May What does “integrity” mean, and how do you show it everyday?
 Semester Service Projects
The members of the P.A.T.H.W.A.Yprogram will sign up for and participate in service-oriented projects in the
community. We will work primarily with the Junior Beta program, its coordinators (Julie Swartz and Kristen
Phillips), and their projects. If other opportunities become available, we will allow students to sign up for those,
too.
 Student membership in the P.A.T.H.W.A.Yprogram
Although this program is meant to meet the needs of students who have been identified as having specific
discipline issues, any student who might benefit from the program can be a member. The following students have
already been identified: