WSHS G.A.P.
(Guiding, Advising, Preparing)
“Helping students find focus.”

The purpose of the G.A.P. program is to give students the information they need to make career decisions, and to help students, parents, and teachers understand that the goal of schooling is not graduation but preparation for life.

The G.A.P. program will enable each student and his/her parents to participate in a career mentoring system that ensures the completion of an accelerated program of study with an in-depth academic or vocational-technical major.

The program must support students as they work to achieve high standards, help students choose and complete a focused program of study, and involve teams of teachers, parents, and students.

As a G.A.P. team leader, you will be meeting with students, at least once a week for the school year, for 20 minutes to discuss grade specific information and topics related specifically to career planning.

As a G.A.P. team leader, you will meet with students and parents to review each advisee’s 4-year plan, course recommendations from teachers, and obtain input from students and parents in course selection choices for the 2009-10 school year. You will also be responsible for completing appropriate registration materials for each advisee and inputting schedules into SIS.

Objectives:

• To get students to enroll in more challenging and academic core subjects while completing an academic, technical, or combination program in high school.
• To involve parents in assisting their children to set goals, and to plan for, and complete challenging programs of study that will prepare them to achieve their goals.
• To bring teachers, counselors, students, and parents together as advocates for enrolling students in higher level courses and assisting them in maintaining a focused high school career.
  To provide students with the opportunity to realize the reasons for hard work in high school as they prepare for further study and/or work.

Benefits:

1.    This program will create a sense of community within the school.
2.    All teachers will become familiar with the curriculum and graduation requirements.
3.    G.A.P. time will provide the opportunity to listen to and show empathy towards a variety of student concerns outside the classroom instructional time (where content and discipline issues are addressed).
4.    Teachers will have the opportunity to enroll students in more appropriate and higher level courses, rather than students generating the easiest class schedule possible.
5.    Teachers, students, and parents will be involved in the development and review of the 4-year plan, making it more meaningful to all involved.
6.    Students will realize the importance of developing a focus in high school to maximize their experience and time while at WSHS.
7.    Parents will have more involvement and responsibility for their child’s educational program.
8.    Parental involvement will naturally increase through the mandatory G.A.P. team meeting and their personal involvement with their child’s scheduling and Individual Career Plan.

Schedule for GAP Wednesdays

Blocks 1/5 – 8:15-9:40
Blocks 2/6 – 9:45-11:10 (no 10 minute break)
Lunch – 11:10-11:35 – GAP A (Freshmen & Sophomores)
Lunch – 11:35-12:00 – GAP B (Juniors/Seniors)
Blocks 3/7 – 12:05-1:30
Blocks 4/8 – 1:35-3:00

Reminders:

•    No tutoring or club meetings on GAP Wednesdays
•    Sack lunches

Teachers will be in the following rooms and/or places for their GAP meetings:

9th Teacher
Brower – 106
Iacovlev – library
Jackson – B104
Weatherford – B105
Wehmer – B101
Weinhaus – 107
Dame – 100

10th Teacher
Knapp – 105
Cochran – 117
McGarry – 114
Miller – 108
Pettit – 112
Sanders – 104
Spence – 102

11th Teacher
Waggoner – 101
Griffith – B102
Grogan – Com
Hummel – 110
Kuhlmeier – 103
Lee – 117
Mallow – 107
Steelman – 113
Yocum – 109

12th Teacher
Doss – 105
Doughty – 99
James – 115
Jones – 100
Perkins – Library
Rodgers – 104
Watson – 111