Guidance
Assistance Core Team (ACT)
Information for Students and Parents
What is ACT?
The heart of the ACT team is a group of school personnel who are professionally trained to work with students experiencing behavioral and/or academic difficulties. ACT provides the process for identification of high risk students and intervention on their behalf. The team helps students connect to school, church and/or community services.
Process
- Referral
- Team planning
- Intervention and recommendations
- Support and follow up
When should someone be referred?
- Withdrawing from family, friends and/or school
- Changing friends, no longer spending time with old friends
- Unexplained physical injuries
- Talking about suicide
- Depressed
- Defying authority, both at home and at school
- Acting aggressively
- Lying
- Needing money without explanation
- Sudden drop in grades
- Experimenting with drugs or alcohol
Events that could prompt referrals
- Recent death of a loved one
- Divorce of parents
- Family relocation
- A relationship problem
- Any traumatic event
How is someone referred?
Anyone can make a referral, including parents, school personnel, friends or the student him/herself. Referral forms and the ACT Drop Box are in the main office. You may also go directly to a team member or any teacher for help.
Participation is voluntary
ACT partners with parents in the process. Written parental consent is required for a student to participate in ACT. Both parents and student must consent for the ACT team to become involved.
What happens after permission is given?
- ACT will gather information about the student's performance in school from all school staff who have contact with the student. An ACT member will meet with the student, and also talk with the parent(s) about their observations, the student’s strengths, and their concerns.
- Together, we will develop a plan of action to help the student achieve success in school. The plan might include services outside of school such as a church or a community agency.
- ACT will continue to work with you and offer support. Continued parental and student involvement is important.
Who is the Assitance Core Team?
For 2007-2008, team members are:
- Miles Yoder, Principal
- Steve Geyer, Assistant Principal
- Elizabeth Valdez, ACT Assessor
- Brenda Bare, Director of Curriculum and Instruction and Teacher
- Curtis Edwards, LMS Systems Admissions
- Lynn Longenecker, Technology Integration Coordinator
- Stacy Shenk, Counselor
- Cedric Steiner, Teacher
- Lois Whitcraft, Counselor
If you have questions, please contact a member of the team, or any teacher, administrator or guidance counselor.
