K-12 Architecture Kit: Connecting the Dots

Elijah's Story

Elijah is a great kid. He's attended Valley Elementary since kindergarten and is now in the second grade. While he's never been at the top of his class, Elijah has always turned in his homework on time, has passed most of the tests he's taken, and has been an engaged student with a ready smile.

Over the past couple of months, however, second grade teacher, Mrs. Flores, has noticed some disturbing changes. Elijah has shown up late or missed school several times. He's uncharacteristically quiet in class. He often "forgets" to turn in his homework, and Mrs. Flores sees that he is tired and distracted much of the day. His grades are suffering, as are his personal relationships with other students.

At home after a long day of teaching, Mrs. Flores can't stop thinking about Elijah. Are these issues a first-time occurrence, or part of a trend that started in previous grades? Who are the important people in his life, and have his relationships with them changed in any way? And is there anyone on staff with the expertise to help him and his family?

Knowing the answers to these kinds of questions is key to identifying the issues that need to be addressed and rallying the right kind of support. Fortunately for Mrs. Flores and Elijah, Valley Elementary manages their data in K-12 Architecture Kit, which helps them:

• Monitor changes in students' performance and attendance.

• Track students' relationships with family and school staff and their participation in classes and other activities.

• Track other important student information, including food allergies, free or reduced lunch status, foster family status, or homelessness.

• Log faculty's credentials and special certifications.

The data helps give staff a complete, 360-degree view of Elijah's interests, needs, and progress, and connect him and his family with the support they need.

Support for a Brighter Future

At Mrs. Flores' suggestion, Mr. Marcos, the school counselor, pulls up Elijah's record. He sees that his performance, attendance, and behavior have been consistent until about three months ago. Since then, he's failed tests, he's frequently tardy or absent, and he's been to the school nurse with head and stomach aches several times. Mr. Marcos sees that Elijah lives with his mother, and also notes that Spanish is the primary language spoken at home.

With some gentle prompting, Mr. Marcos learns that Elijah's mother left unexpectedly a few months ago, and Elijah has been living with his grandmother. She's struggling to provide for him. She can't provide consistent transportation, and because Spanish is also her primary language, communication is a barrier to her reaching out for help.

With this information, Mr. Marcos arranges a meeting with Elijah's grandmother and requests that Mrs. Flores, who speaks Spanish, sit in on the meeting. Together, they find LOTS of ways to help Elijah. First, they sign him up for busing to ensure that he makes it to school. Then, they sign him up for school-provided meals; his grandmother assumed he was getting them. They also sign him up for the after-school program so he has time with his peers at the end of the school day and can spend valuable time with a tutor who helps him with homework.

The administrators and staff at Valley Elementary have worked hard to create a system that captures student information in one place, so it's easier to piece together Elijah's story, to see what's getting in the way of his well-being, and to provide support for a brighter future. How might it look if you created solutions like this at your own school?

Let's take a closer look at what goes into modeling student and school information with K-12 Architecture Kit in Develop Your Own Approach to Modeling Your School, so you can prepare for your own implementation.