Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
QUESTIONS FOR ROY Note: The answers provided in this questionnaire are confidential and should not be shared with anyone outside of Prof. Mignon’s Survey Research class at UMass Lowell. 1. Would you prefer that the surveys be anonymous or confidential? Confidential. 2. Who is going to administer the surveys to the ADP? ADP staff or UTEC AmeriCorps members. 3. What incentives do you think encourage students to attend the program? For most students, the primary incentive is their desire to earn their high school diploma. However, some of our students also need to be enrolled in school to receive public assistance or satisfy requirements of probation. 4. What type of survey should be conducted? Would you prefer mostly closed-ended questions, open-ended questions, or both? Probably a combination of both types of questions. 5. How can we help the ADP staff to better understand the impact of ADP on students who participate? Not sure what you mean. 6. What differences are present in the climate at ADP compared to that of the students’ previous high schools? ADP is very intentional about relationship and community building. I would like to collect data that could compare our students levels of participation in ADP activities such as UTEC Youth Voice (our student-run newspaper), Community Council (our form of self-government), Talking Circles, SLAM! (our debate team), with their levels of participation in similar types of activities at Lowell High School. I suspect our students did not participate in those types of activities at LHS, so it would be great to be able to document that. 7. Are there community partners that fund and/or assist the ADP, such as social services or other organizations? Our main institutional partners are currently: AmeriCorps (ADP has two f/t AmeriCorps members) Appalachian Mountain Club / Youth Opportunities Program (hiking/camping) Mill City Grows (community gardening/food justice issues) Middlesex Community College (Dual Enrollment Program) uAspire (college and financial aid advising) Lowell Community Health Center (sexual health class) New England Quilt Museum (art class) However, we are also exploring creating or deepening partnerships with UMass Lowell Graduation School of Education Merrimack Repertory Theatre Lowell Industrial History Center (Boot Mill /Canal tours) Lowell National Historic Park 8. Are there a few common problems among students you are already aware of that we should focus on in our survey? The most common problem for students is attendance. Our students face many obstacles to pursuing their education stemming from living in poverty, substance abuse, mental health issues, unstable housing, and family pressures such as child care and the need to support their family or themselves financially. 9. Is there an SEL program at work or in the works at UTEC? If not, how are SE issues being handled currently and is there a plan to expand on that? ADP is deeply committed to development of students’ social emotional literacy. We do this through the following activities: Fresh Inspirations: a daily Circle that features team/relationship building activities as well as students and staff reflecting on a Question of the Day, such as “Describe an obstacle you have overcame and how.” Talking Circles: a weekly Circle that helps students share their stories and check in with each other and themselves; the process is rooted in Native American practices and principles of Restorative/Transformative Justice. Community Council: Weekly meeting co-facilitated by students that gives students an opportunity to debate issues and take action to improve our school community. UTEC Youth Voice: Bi-weekly, student run newspaper. 10. What resources are available for students in the ADP program to confront these issues that are keeping them from attending? What additional outreach tools (staff on hand, etc.) are available? Each student is assigned a Transitional Coach (TC) that helps students develop their life skills and address issues they are facing. We also provide free counseling services and substance abuse counseling on site. We also conduct home visits when students do not show up at school. 11. How does UTEC or the ADP address gang issues that may arise? UTEC has a Street Worker Program that does gang intervention. If necessary, ADP can work with the Street Workers to handle situations, although this is not often needed. 12. Have there been speakers who motivate students? Speak to them about where they may have come from? Showing students a hopeful future? Yes, we do have guest speakers and we also bring students to events, such as Wes Moore’s talk last night at the Lowell Auditorium. 13. Are there counseling services available? Yes, UTEC has a counselor on staff to whom we can refer students as well as a partner that provide substance abuse counseling 14. Are there any programs provided by UTEC that are geared towards educating parents on the importance of being more involved in their children’s’ lives? If not, is there any effort towards informing parents of the resources that are available around them that focus on communication with their children? No, we do not currently offer any formal programs for parents, although we are in communication with some of our students parents. Many of our students are 18 years old or older, and some do not have good relationships with their parents, so our interactive with parents is one that must be handled with sensitivity and on a case by case basis. 15. How many students have graduated from the ADP program? Two students graduated last spring; two more completed the program over the summer; and several more should finish up this fall. Prior to that, I would have to do some additional research as the program has existed for 4 years. 16. Is there an alumni network set up for after graduation? No. We do not have that many graduates, at least not yet. Also, the program only recently moved to UTEC. For its first several years, ADP was physically housed at Lowell High School, so we don’t have deep institutional memory at the moment. (For example, I joined ADP seven months ago and its long time coordinator is no longer at UTEC.) 17. How many students are accepted into the ADP program compared to students who graduate? ADP currently has 32 students enrolled, which is our maximum capacity based on UTEC’s contractual agreement with the Lowell Public Schools. 18. Is there any help for alumni, regarding job search and/or continued education after graduation? We currently partner with uAspire (formerly College Access), a Boston-based nonprofit which is providing 1:1 college and financial aid counseling. 19. What percentage of alumni goes on to continue their education? We have not formally been collecting this information, but we would like to.