Taming Transitions
Mar. 2010
How Plano Independent School District Makes Things Easy for Students
The Plano (Texas) Independent School District knows that grade-to-grade and school-to-school transitions can be difficult for students. These transitions are a fundamental part of the student experience, one that the district’s counseling and guidance department insists should be handled with care and respect. In an afternoon session at Southwestern Regional Forum 2010, leading members of the Plano team gathered to explain the district’s transition processes and share best practices for keeping students confident and motivated throughout their journey
The first transition for Plano students is when they enter sixth grade, going from elementary to middle school. The middle school transition is a delicate one, and many resources are made available to help students adjust, including school tours, camps and orientation, as well as an electives showcase and a presentation specifically addressing cliques and bullying. Specific counselors are assigned to each new class and stay with them through all three middle school years, until the next transition from eighth to ninth grade. At this point, each student creates a four-year plan that will serve as an academic blueprint for high school. Individual counselor visits and classroom presentations also introduce the concept of college readiness to the new high schoolers.
The conversation becomes even more serious in the transition from 10th to 11th grade. The students’ four-year plans are revisited and adjusted, and individual academic conferences are set up for each student. A PSAT/NMSQT® Information Night and parent meetings support classroom presentations on the ingredients for academic success. Scores from the PSAT/NMSQT help inform the final precollege transition, from junior to senior year. In addition to signing up for My College QuickStart™, Plano students are encouraged to attend College Night, request individual counselor meetings and confirm graduation credits.
College planning represents the final stage of student transition. It is at this point where responsibility shifts more heavily to the individual students as they take control of applications, letters of recommendation, transcripts and their general academic success. Throughout the entire process, Plano counselors support and inform parents (through a College Ready website and Twitter feed) to keep them involved. It is these connections — between students, teachers, parents and counselors — as well as the connections fostered between counselors of different grade levels that make Plano a model of transition success to other districts throughout the region.
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