Linkage Coordinator Component
OVERVIEW
CTAG's mission is to offer social, emotional and academic interventions that will help targeted 9th grade students earn enough credits to be promoted to the 10th grade. This will give them the chance to aim for graduation and beyond.
THE LINKAGE COORDINATOR
The original component of the CTAG initiative strategy was the Linkage Coordinator. A Linkage Coordinator is a mentor, motivator and life coach placed in targeted schools to address and monitor the academic, social and emotional needs of select 9th grade students. These individuals are required to orchestrate the collaboration of parents, teachers, administrators and community partners in an effort to successfully assist their student cohorts in closing the achievement gap.
The ability to build a common connection with students is the Linkage Coordinator’s first priority and most valuable asset. The establishment of mutual trust and rapport is what strengthens the mentoring bond and influence that these individuals utilize to promote positive decision making, the importance of academics and high school graduation.
School Based Interventions Include:
- Quarterly tracking of student academic and social progress
- Parental contact via phone calls and/or home visits
- Establishment of academic, attendance, and behavioral goals
- Access to tutorial supportive services
- Advocacy for alternative disciplinary actions
- Family/student social service referrals
- Exposure experiences
- Community service
The CTAG program is in a number of CMSD schools, but Nathan Hale is the first K-8 school to work collaboratively with CTAG and Tri-C's Youth Technology Academy (YTA) program. YTA instructors meet with about 10 students two days a week, during their lunchtime, to learn the basics of coding a robot. This pilot robotics program at Nathan Hale, a STEM school, is thanks to the District’s Closing the Achievement Gap program, which is designed to help at-risk students thrive academically.
Almira and Wade Park
“Closing the Achievement Gap” Grades 6 – 8 Males
The CTAG Summer Learning Experience (SLE) offers a four-week series of workshops outlining social emotional expectations for our targeted student population. The purpose is to begin to prepare students for a smooth transition, both academically and socially into high school. SLE programming promotes the development of self-awareness, behavior modification and navigation through the school environment and life in general. Additional programming will include recreational activities and a weekly exposure trip.