Williamson County Williamson County Middle College High Middle College High

SchoolSchool

Franklin, TennesseeFranklin, Tennessee

Principal – Harold FordPrincipal – Harold Ford

A school of choice designed to meet the needs of bright underserved or underachieving students, grades 10-12.A school of choice designed to meet the needs of bright underserved or underachieving students, grades 10-12.

Admissions is by application and interview.Admissions is by application and interview.

About 70% of the students that apply are accepted. About 70% of the students that apply are accepted.

The following are characteristics of the students we have served over the years…The following are characteristics of the students we have served over the years…

62% of students did not attend Williamson 62% of students did not attend Williamson County Public Schools in grades K – 9County Public Schools in grades K – 9

58% of students live in “reconfigured” 58% of students live in “reconfigured” homeshomes

Average days missed before coming to Average days missed before coming to MCHS: 25MCHS: 25

58% of parents did not attend college58% of parents did not attend college

42% of student hold a job outside of 42% of student hold a job outside of schoolschool

55% of students are expected to pay all 55% of students are expected to pay all or part of their own living expensesor part of their own living expenses

94% of students have moved more than 94% of students have moved more than onceonce

53% of students have moved more than 53% of students have moved more than 4 times and 19% have moved more 4 times and 19% have moved more than 7 timesthan 7 times

97% of students have attended two or 97% of students have attended two or more high schoolsmore high schools

51% of students have attended four or 51% of students have attended four or more high schoolsmore high schools

The average GPA for incoming The average GPA for incoming students is between .5 and 4.2students is between .5 and 4.2

40% of incoming students are behind 40% of incoming students are behind in creditsin credits

Middle College SuccessesMiddle College Successes- Total graduates to date: 701 studentsTotal graduates to date: 701 students

- Attendance 90.6Attendance 90.6

- Graduation Rate 88.6Graduation Rate 88.6

- 95% of students said that if they hadn’t 95% of students said that if they hadn’t come to Middle College, they would have come to Middle College, they would have dropped out of high schooldropped out of high school

- 70% attend higher education70% attend higher education

- Focus GroupsFocus Groups

Middle College Successes Middle College Successes continued…continued…

Middle College Alumni have chosen the following colleges and Middle College Alumni have chosen the following colleges and universities…universities…

- Arizona State University- Arizona State University - Belmont University- Belmont University - Chattanooga State Technical Community College- Chattanooga State Technical Community College -Columbia State Community College-Columbia State Community College -Lipscomb University-Lipscomb University -Florida A & M University-Florida A & M University -Fisk University-Fisk University -High Point University-High Point University -Loyola University of New Orleans-Loyola University of New Orleans -Mankato State University-Mankato State University -Middle Tennessee State University-Middle Tennessee State University -Nashville State Technical Community College-Nashville State Technical Community College -Pellissippi State Technical Community College-Pellissippi State Technical Community College -Southern Illinois University-Southern Illinois University

-Tennessee State University-Tennessee State University -University of Tennessee-University of Tennessee -Southern Illinois University-Southern Illinois University -Volunteer State College-Volunteer State College -West Virginia University-West Virginia University -Xavier University-Xavier University -Warren Wilson College-Warren Wilson College -Evergreen College-Evergreen College -University of Tennessee Chattanooga-University of Tennessee Chattanooga -University of Tennessee Martin-University of Tennessee Martin -New York University-New York University -Sara Lawrence-Sara Lawrence -Savannah School of the Arts-Savannah School of the Arts -Flagler College-Flagler College -Aquinas College-Aquinas College -Full Sail University-Full Sail University -Nashville Auto Diesel College-Nashville Auto Diesel College -Nashville State Community College-Nashville State Community College

Now that you know the numbers, let’s Now that you know the numbers, let’s talk to the heartbeat of the school – talk to the heartbeat of the school – the students, faculty and teachers….the students, faculty and teachers….

Teachers: What do you do to Teachers: What do you do to make the MCHS graduation make the MCHS graduation

rate a success?rate a success?#1: PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS:#1: PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

Making personal connections with the students Making personal connections with the students is THE golden ticket to graduating students! is THE golden ticket to graduating students! Making students comfortable, listening to their Making students comfortable, listening to their needs, accepting their learning styles, needs, accepting their learning styles, garnering and maintaining mutual respect, garnering and maintaining mutual respect, and valuing their opinions/needs is how MCHS and valuing their opinions/needs is how MCHS teachers are breaking down barriers to teachers are breaking down barriers to education and opening doors to new education and opening doors to new opportunities.opportunities.

#2: FOLLOW THROUGH#2: FOLLOW THROUGHTeachers are constantly “checking-in” and Teachers are constantly “checking-in” and “checking-up” on students, both personally “checking-up” on students, both personally and academically. This communication and academically. This communication happens via text messages, phone happens via text messages, phone conversations, emails, contact with parents, conversations, emails, contact with parents, etc. Sometimes the call is to say “I missed etc. Sometimes the call is to say “I missed you today and hope you feel better” and you today and hope you feel better” and sometimes the call is to wake a student up sometimes the call is to wake a student up that was late the day before. This follow that was late the day before. This follow through helps to foster the personal through helps to foster the personal connection and makes the student feel that connection and makes the student feel that they are noticed.they are noticed.

#3: APPLICABLE LEARNING#3: APPLICABLE LEARNING

By making the learning applicable By making the learning applicable and incorporating current events, and incorporating current events, community service, global community service, global awareness, guest speakers personal awareness, guest speakers personal accounts of real-life situations, etc., accounts of real-life situations, etc., students are more connected and students are more connected and less likely to feel overwhelmed by less likely to feel overwhelmed by rote memorization and homework. rote memorization and homework. Engaging lessons, coupled with Engaging lessons, coupled with special relationships, make students special relationships, make students excited to come to school.excited to come to school.

#4: BELIEF#4: BELIEFBy having a genuine belief in a By having a genuine belief in a

student's potential, they know that student's potential, they know that when you say "you can do it" and they when you say "you can do it" and they truly start to believe “I can do it". truly start to believe “I can do it". Instilling self-esteem and confidence is Instilling self-esteem and confidence is the only way to have a student apply the only way to have a student apply themselves and work towards themselves and work towards graduating. Once again, this goes back graduating. Once again, this goes back to personal connection.to personal connection.

#5: Breaking down barriers#5: Breaking down barriersBreaking down obstacles to learning, is a Breaking down obstacles to learning, is a must at MCHS. Teachers have become must at MCHS. Teachers have become very keen to the needs of their students very keen to the needs of their students and “road blocks” to learning come in and “road blocks” to learning come in many forms. Here are some examples:many forms. Here are some examples:

- Letting a student with a sick father dismiss Letting a student with a sick father dismiss early to pick up his/her little sister.early to pick up his/her little sister.

- Making school work more manageable for Making school work more manageable for a student that has been sick.a student that has been sick.

- Giving a student lunch money that is Giving a student lunch money that is struggling financially.struggling financially.

- Bargaining time with a student that has to Bargaining time with a student that has to work to support their family. work to support their family.

Students: What is it about Students: What is it about MCHS that has helped you to MCHS that has helped you to

pursue graduation?pursue graduation?

“ “ Middle College treats me like an adult and Middle College treats me like an adult and truly cares about me.”truly cares about me.”

““They take time to get to know you as a They take time to get to know you as a person and what you need help with. They person and what you need help with. They don’t give up on you. They bend over don’t give up on you. They bend over backwards to help you. They all really care backwards to help you. They all really care about you, they’re not just teachers they about you, they’re not just teachers they really are friends.”really are friends.”

“ “ MCHS is the only school I have ever MCHS is the only school I have ever wanted to wake up and go to school!”wanted to wake up and go to school!”

““We don’t get judged at all. We are We don’t get judged at all. We are looked at as people and not just a looked at as people and not just a number in the crowd.”number in the crowd.”

““I feel like I am an adult. I feel loved I feel like I am an adult. I feel loved and important.”and important.”

“ “ Before people expected me to mess Before people expected me to mess up. Here, people believe in me to up. Here, people believe in me to succeed.”succeed.”

““MCHS helped me to meet new people. It MCHS helped me to meet new people. It helped me when I wanted to stop going helped me when I wanted to stop going to high school.”to high school.”

““It gives me a safe place to go and talk It gives me a safe place to go and talk about my feelings.”about my feelings.”

““MCHS is family, we all have our own MCHS is family, we all have our own styles and opinions but in the end, styles and opinions but in the end, we ALL love one another.”we ALL love one another.”

““This school is somewhere where I can This school is somewhere where I can be myself. I would say the teachers be myself. I would say the teachers have helped me more than anyone in have helped me more than anyone in my life. I focus here and I can put all my life. I focus here and I can put all of my focus into work instead of of my focus into work instead of trying to be one of the “cool kids”. trying to be one of the “cool kids”. Thanks Middle College.”Thanks Middle College.”

“ “ I have depression and anxiety and the I have depression and anxiety and the teachers understand if you need to do teachers understand if you need to do a presentation in private. They have a presentation in private. They have been really willing to help me help been really willing to help me help myself.”myself.”

““Coming here, I have found a better Coming here, I have found a better understanding of myself and now I understanding of myself and now I know what I’m doing with my life.”know what I’m doing with my life.”

““Middle College is my home away from Middle College is my home away from home.”home.”

““The relaxed atmosphere has brought The relaxed atmosphere has brought my grades from F’s to A’s because I my grades from F’s to A’s because I am way less stressed”am way less stressed”

““MCHS has saved my life both MCHS has saved my life both educationally and emotionally.”educationally and emotionally.”

““Middle College has saved my life.”Middle College has saved my life.”

Thank YouThank You

Questions?Questions?

Email contact: Email contact: Harold FordHarold Ford

haroldf@wcs.eduharoldf@wcs.edu