Our Special Schools division continues leading the field in restorative practices and alternative education as leaders from Fortis Academy and Highpoint School recently attended national and local conferences to share best practices, research and practical strategies to educators who serve at-risk students.
Fortis Academy staff traveled to San Diego in early July to attend the Association of Recovery Schools Annual Conference and led a session focused on maintaining a positive school climate while fostering individual growth and responsibility.
More than 40 session attendees, which included Superintendent James Colbert Jr., Assistant Superintendent for Academic Support Services Jonathan Parker and Special Schools Senior Director Dr. Charles Ned, received an opportunity to participate in an interactive activity that presented various scenarios where attendees could implement new-found strategies.
“Our students have access to so many temptations through social media and technology, so we can’t do things the way we used to. We must be able to adapt our programs and practices,” Fortis Academy Principal Travita Godfrey said. “There are only 42 recovery schools across the nation, and it takes a mind shift across all programs to implement change and help these students reach their greatest potential.”
On July 11, Highpoint School leaders attended the Texas Association of Alternative Education Conference to connect with related-field professionals including counselors, probation officers and educators. Staff shared Harris County Department of Education’s mission to reframe Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEP) with more than 40 attendees.
Their presentation shed light on what Highpoint does differently to respond to student behavior. Staff shared how student-focused programs use reflective circles to engage on their level in a safe and relaxing environment. Attendees showed interest in the school’s efforts to engage students in community service projects, like volunteering at the Houston Food Bank to teach creativity and self-worth.
Highpoint administrators, joined by Dr. Ned, shared how they use incentives like Fun Friday, Honor Roll and Attendance Celebrations to motivate students to continue pursuing their goals and validate their accomplishments.
“By planting and celebrating small seeds of success, we can help build character and the pursuit of a greater purpose in our learners,” Highpoint assistant principal Troy Moore said. “Our educators understand that to reach our special student population it will take a variety of strategies and methods, and we are consistently eager to develop and discover those new strategies.”
Both conferences provided a space for engaging discussions about HCDE’s overall mission, innovative strategies for at-risk youth and opportunities to network and nurture healthy connections with various school districts and programs.
To learn more about HCDE Schools, visit hcde-texas.org/special-schools.