Day 17: Systems That Work #AprilBlogADay

Prompt: Systems: What is the best system your school has put into place and has stuck? 

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-->As much as I struggle with Advisory sometimes, I do believe the systems we have been working to establish have worked.  Our advisory model looks like this:

• As 9th graders come in they are grouped.  In year two of being open we moved to single-sex advisory.
• Their teacher moves with them from 9-12th grade.
• The teacher is the point person between home and school.
• At school we meet with our group every day for 40 minutes.  
• In my advisory, I have 11 junior girls.
• Monday: College business
• Tuesday-Thursday: Study Hall
• Friday: Circle Time

I have worked to create traditions- like holiday dinners and birthday cupcakes.  There are also challenging days like tomorrow when I have to facilitate a parent meeting.  Hard conversations with kids can be heart wrenching, especially after three years together.  There are also moments when a parent calls and needs support and I am glad I have built that relationship and can be that person for parents.  There are still parents I have never met.  There are parents who I have only spoke with on the phone, because raising children is complicated and living and raising a family in NYC can be an added layer of complicated.  I always call back as soon as I can.  I take texts and calls on the weekend and I am an advocate in the building.  That is my job.