Transcript Exploring Opportunities for First Generation and ESOL Students

Exploring Opportunities for First
Generation and ESOL Students
Plano East Senior High School
Counselors
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Strategies that work for firstgeneration and low-income students
are likely to be successful for the
general population as well.
However, the reverse is not true.
-Thayer, 2000
ur.pisd.edu
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Designed and maintained by the
Plano Independent School District
Developed to deliver pertinent
information to parents and students
Elements of the
University Ready Website
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Career Readiness
Academic Readiness
Personal Readiness
Financial Readiness
Admissions Readiness
“College readiness is a result
of thoughtful and conscious
preparations, not chance or
privilege”
-University Ready Website
Panther
University Ready
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Underserved students have less
access to the Internet, an important
tool for exploring college
opportunities.
-A Shared Agenda, 2004
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Counselors available in the library
during all lunch periods one day
each week
Hands on assistance provided with
on-line applications, FAFSA, test
registration and more!
Students provided with access to
printed and on-line materials
“I needed help with the
application form on-line. It was
great to sit with a counselor
and get help.”
-Andrew
Junior Academic
Conferences
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Low-income, minority, and firstgeneration students are especially
likely to lack specific types of
“college knowledge”.
-Vargas, 2004
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Parents and junior students invited
to meet with their counselor for one
hour during spring semester
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Senior year schedule and timeline
College planning
Discuss college and career goals
 Review PSAT and plan for SAT/ACT
 Review college admissions requirements
and selection process
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Scholarship Assistance
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“The biggest challenge that these kids
have to face is, how do they balance what
they see as their responsibility to help out
at home now that they are young adults
and, at the same time, follow their dream
of going to college?”
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Quote from the President of California State
University at Bakersfield
-Schmidt, 2003
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Focus on Plano area scholarship
Nominations submitted by counselors and
teachers
Assistance provided with completion of
the application and telling their story
Assistance provided with preparation for
interview.
Stresses the “Oh yes you can!” mentality
“I’m really sure I want to go to
college. Getting help with a
scholarship will help me get
there”
-Roberto
Destination Graduation
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Effective programs affirm and help
students understand that academic
success is not attained through
individual achievement alone, but
through an axis of support.
-Gullatt and Jan, 2003
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Collaboration between Plano ISD
and Urban League
Goal is family involvement
Future plans include taking the
program to local recreation centers.
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Parent Academies
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Presentations in English and Spanish
targeting parents and students in
grades 9 – 12.
Information about high school and
college success, college admissions,
financial aid and more.
Information provided about citizenship
and voter registration processes.
Childcare and meal provided.
ESOL
Program
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It is absolutely the case that they
(Hispanic students) have parental
support, but they don’t have anybody in
the family who really knows the ropes”
says Thomas Arcineaga, president of
California State University.
Schmidt, 2003
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Classroom presentations providing
in- depth information about the
college admissions process and
financial aid.
Computer lab work sessions
Field Trips
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Community College
Four year University
“You are persuading us to go to
college and not just work”
Mayerling
“(The program) gave me more
information and it made me decide
that I’m going to Collin College. I
wasn’t sure before”
-Jordan
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A survey of college-bound students
reported that the Internet ranked
second only to guidance counselors
in their decisions about where to
apply to college”
-Vargas, 2004
Contact Information
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Thank you for coming!