The Right Track – Highlighting the essentials

“I wish students just…,” or “that would be great if they just knew how to…” Sound familiar? At Whitehall High School (WHS), staff has taken matters into their own hands and has made a point to specifically target that all too familiar staff “wish list.”

How it works: WHS staff contributes wish list items using a Google form. Items contributed consist of essential skills associated with successful students, such as composing a professional email, time management, organizing your drive, dealing with stress, self-advocacy, increasing participation in a virtual setting, etc. These essential skills and suggested staff strategies are compiled and then shared out with students through email and social media as weekly editions of The Right Track. Teachers have also been encouraged to pause their daily instruction and focus on the weekly skill when they feel students could use a targeted refresher.

Recognizing that sometimes advice is best received when it comes from peers, The Right Track also highlights successful students and asks them to share their secrets to success. These student tips for success are then shared out to students and staff through email and social media as “Featured Zephyrs.”