AAUA Presentation - The Morfosis Model of ACS Athens

Thirty-Eighth National Assembly of the American Association of University Administrators

Preparing High School Students for a meaningful & Satisfying college life The Morfosis Model of ACS Athens Stefanos Gialamas, Ph.D President, ACS Athens Peggy Pelonis, LMFT, Ed.D (C) Director of Student Affairs Arlington, Virginia - November 5-7, 2009

Retention Our preliminary findings indicate that retention is a bi-product of successful high school student preparation for a meaningful and satisfying college life

Change in education Challenging to prepare students for at least four different careers Opportunity for collaboration between secondary and higher education institutions

Educators should be asking: How and what will we teach students in preparation for a rapidly changing society?

How will they learn to make decisions about situations unknown and unpredictable?

What skills will be necessary for young people to be successful in their careers and in their life?

Research on Resiliency “ An environment which offers social support such as feelings of belonging and connectedness, impacts achievement significantly�.

Nicoll (2009)

Support and opportunities “ providing protective environmental factors” (support and opportunities) predicts positive outcomes in 50-80% of at-risk youth populations” (Werner & Smith, 2001).

Transcending Boundaries Moreover, “the positive impacts of a protective environment transcend ethnic, gender, cultural, social class, and geographical boundaries�

Eccels & Gootman, 2002; Werner & Smith, 1992

Schools are required to assume leadership: In creating a culture of continuous critical and innovative thinking In understanding that opportunities for learning come from many sources: multiple perspectives, personal experiences, social, cultural experiences, community service In providing opportunities for individual learning and life-long growth In having a vision so strong that meaningful change can be embraced

Morfosis: Holistic, Meaningful and Harmonious Education Holistic: Combines all aspects of learning Meaningful: Learning is connected to what is important and relevant in students’ lives, and is based on strong principles and values Harmonious: All dimensions of teaching and learning cohere: mission, beliefs, principles, values and practices.

ACS Athens Mission ACS Athens is a student-centered international school, embracing American educational philosophy, principles and values. Through excellence in teaching and diverse educational experiences, ACS Athens challenges all students to realize their unique potential: academically, intellectually, socially and ethically -- to thrive as responsible global citizens.

ACS Athens Aims: 100% of ACS Athens students have a successful and meaningful college experience 100% of ACS Athens students are positive, contributing members of the community

Understanding the educational spectrum Secondary Educational environment – Teachers must understand the corresponding college freshman curriculum – Determine skills students need to develop and eventually transfer to college – Leaders must provide opportunity for teachers to understand the higher education curriculum and culture

Understanding the educational spectrum Higher education faculty must understand: – – –

the tail end of the secondary curriculum The idiosyncrasies of the new learner How teaching and learning occurs at the secondary level.

Secondary and Higher education leaders Must understand: – The strengths and weaknesses of the corresponding environments – The academic demands – Individual student needs – Faculty-student interactions – The systems and procedures of the corresponding environments – The type of support necessary

Develop Reciprocal Relationships Partnerships (i.e. joint programs) Collaborations (utilization of resources) Exploring College Life programs College Student Teaching programs Counseling internship programs Sabbaticals (both ways)

Bridging must take place at all levels:

Elementary Middle High School Beyond‌..

A K-12 Process Elementary- Foundations Technology in JK and K (i.e.

Smartboards) Wellness Center -Coping skills via role playing, problem solving Owl system- buddies to help newcomers acclimate Activities for team building and cooperation

Middle School Strong curriculum Enhancing sense of security and of belonging at a time of personal change Considering physical, intellectual & emotional well being Building skills necessary to succeed in 9 th & 10th grade. i.e. Tech- Virtual Science Fair

Academy 9th – cultivate and enhance sense of belonging 10th – design best program per student 11th – Meet conditions for college via SAT prep, Portfolios (PAAM) etc.

12th – Prepare for Optimal Match Courses on Blackboard so Tech is naturally integrated.

Institute of Critical and Creative Thinking Established in 2006 Committed to innovation and creativity by expanding learning opportunities for ACS Athens students, staff and community Partnerships with universities University level courses for students and teachers Arts programs IB Diploma/College Prep Academy On line and hybrid courses.

Adult education programs

Beyond Placement‌ Follow up to see university success Successful students reinforce the Optimal Match approach Each time cycle is completed process is enhanced Action research with ACS Athens 2006 graduates who will be graduating from USA universities in June 2010 ď ś Most successful college student is the one who is happy with the areas of their studies and with the institution

ACS Athens college success action research Students who participated in any ‘bridging’ program addressed the following – How well they performed in courses related to the relevant program – How well students performed overall academically.

– How many students proceeded to graduate school?  Their subjective evaluation of the ‘bridging’ experience  How well did students adapt to their new environment emotionally  To what degree to they find the college experience satisfactory

Thirty-Eighth National Assembly of the American Association of University Administrators

Stefanos Gialamas, Ph.D President, ACS Athens Peggy Pelonis, LMFT, Ed.D (C) Director of Student Affairs Arlington, Virginia - November 5-7, 2009