System of Supports
Systems of Support: Overview
Evanston Township High School’s System of Supports (SOS) was created to allow every student to meet high expectations, with the goal of increasing academic performance for all ETHS students through personalized help from faculty, staff and parents. SOS provides a structure to assist all students in improving academically and becoming responsible, self-directed learners. This support is intended to be personal, responsive to the individual student’s specific needs, timely, and tenacious. The System of Supports model presents tiered supports to address both academic and behavioral needs.
Academic Supports
Tier 1: Classroom-Based or Universal Supports
Tier 1 is the foundation of good teaching for all students at ETHS, aimed at achieving both equity and excellence for all students. That foundation of good teaching is based on the belief that that every student can succeed academically, given the right amount of time and support.
Tier 2: Targeted, Programmatic, or Small-Group Academic Interventions
If Tier 1 supports are not sufficient to serve the needs of a student, then a Tier 2 intervention is considered. Targeted interventions in Tier 2 often – though not always – occur in small group settings that offer support which supplements support already provided to all ETHS students. Counselors are responsible for facilitating discussions and Tier 1 documentation is required for consideration. Parents, teachers or other interested adults may direct questions about Tier 2 to the student’s counselor or social worker.
Tier 3: Intensive Individual Academic Interventions
If Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions and supports do not sufficiently further academic success, individual plans may be created that are particular to the individual student’s needs. Students identified as requiring Tier 3 interventions are referred to the Director of Special Education or the Assistant Superintendent/Principal by the Pupil Personnel Services Team, Student Services Team, Intervention Advisory Team, or Associate Principal for Educational Services.
Behaviorial Supports
Tier 1: Classroom and School Environment Interventions
Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is the Tier 1 behavior intervention for all students at ETHS. It is supported by every adult in the ETHS learning community and provides a decision-making framework that guides selection, integration, and implementation of the best evidence-based academic and behavioral practices for improving important academic and behavior outcomes for all students.
To support PBS, ETHS has established the Three 3R's:
1) Respect for Self
2) Respect for Others
3) Respect for Community
The 3R's present clear behavioral expectations via series of signage that has been rolled out in classrooms, bathrooms, lunchrooms and common spaces. Students who demonstrate one or three of the 3R's will be given "Kit Cash" from teachers and staff. Students can choose to apply their Kit Cash points toward ETHS gear in the WildKit Store or the weekly Kit Raffle.
Tiers 2 and 3: Behavioral Interventions
For nearly 90 percent of ETHS students PBS, parent, teacher and dean interventions are enough to adequately support positive behaviors. In the event a student is involved in serious or repeated behaviors, at the discretion of the dean or Pupil Personnel Services Team, students may be recommended for select Tier 2 interventions. If Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions and supports do not sufficiently increase positive student behaviors, individual plans may be created that are particular to the individual student’s needs.
The long-term goal of SOS is to promote a school culture that empowers students and teachers to find new ways to collaborate in the learning process. Representatives of the whole ETHS community have been active in the creation of SOS and will continue to be involved in evaluating and refining it. The intent of establishing school-wide collaboration is to shape how work is done and to create a new way of thinking about school as a learning community.
Academic Support Department
* denotes department administrator