Stand By Me
Greenwich High School
10 Hillside Road
Greenwich, CT 06830
(203) 625-8007

There were approximately 75 matches for the 2006-2007 school year and there are 80 matches so far for the 2007-2008 school year.     

Description:  Stand By Me (SBM) is a program designed to give ninth grade students who have had a history of underachieving a chance to have a senior .....stand by them!  This is the second year of the school-wide program. SBM offers ninth grade students nominated by teachers, counselors or parents the following services:

1. Scheduled Tutorials: A Peer Tutor is assigned to the SBM student three blocks per cycle during the school day. The tutorials are a part of the official schedule of both the SBM student and the SBM peer tutor. The learning center aide monitors all tutorials, takes attendance and helps to supervise and assist each pair.

2. The Peer tutor is also nominated by the faculty and most tutors are seniors. The peer tutor helps the SBM student with organization, note taking, homework and test and quiz preparation. When necessary or helpful, peer tutors meet with their student's teachers for suggestions and details about the curriculum. Peer tutors form wonderful and supportive bonds with the younger SBM student and also serve as positive role models and mentors.

3. Goal Setting Session: These occur at the beginning of each quarter. Each SBM student, peer tutor and the house coordinator meet together to help SBM students set academic and personal goals for the quarter. These goals are sent home to all families of SBM students and peer tutors and a copy is placed in the SBM student's folder that is kept in the learning center where tutorials occur.

4. Bi-Weekly Progress Reports:  These are sent to all teachers of SBM students and ask for current grade and work due or overdue.  These reports are available to all SBM students and their peer tutors and are used to structure the tutorials.  SBM house coordinators review these reports and meet with those SBM students who may be in academic difficulty.  At this meeting, which always includes the SBM peer tutors, plans are made to help the SBM student improve his/her grades.

5. Quarter Awards Luncheons:  These are held at the end of each quarter and all SBM students, peer tutors, learning center aides and house coordinators are invited to attend.  Awards are given for improvement, academic achievement, and goal accomplishments. Photographs of the award recipients and their tutors are taken and then displayed in the front lobby of each house.

6. Field Trips:  SBM students and peer tutors are invited to two field trips. The trips are free to all students and help SBM students and their peer tutors strengthen their relationships because the trips are to activity sites where they can have some fun time together

7. College/Career Trip:  This trip is open to all SBM students and usually occurs during late April.  The goal of this trip is to encourage SBM students to think about their future and also to let each student know that the school believes they are capable of attending college or career training programs.  We have visited local colleges such as Fairfield University, Manhattanville College, Sacred Heart University, Norwalk Community College, UConn at Stamford, Berkeley College and Pace University. 

8. End-of-Year- Evening and Celebration:  This event occurs in June and all parents of SBM students and peer tutors are invited.  SBM teachers are also invited.  Each SBM student speaks about his/her work and relationship with his/her peer tutor. The peer tutors also speak about their SBM student.  Often the descriptions of each other and their friendship and bond are so sincere and touching that many audience members are tearful!  Year-end awards are given for improvement and academic achievement.

Participant Groups:

SBM students:  Underclass students who have difficulty with academics or feel distant from the school environment.  All are nominated by a faculty member and many are nominated from the sending middle school. 

SBM Peer Tutors:  Juniors are nominated at the end of their junior year to tutor during their senior year.  Nominees are selected for their academic performance and most importantly for their ability to engage an underclass student and offer personal support. 

SBM House Coordinators: Each house has one house coordinator who monitors the SBM students within the house.

Expected Outcomes:  We have two goals for the program:

• 1. Personal: We want our SBM students to feel that they are important! We want them to feel that the school really cares about them and their future.
• 2. Academic: Improved grades, class attendance, class participation are critical to the program. .

Indicators of Success:

• 1. Improved Grades
• 2. Improved self image
• 3. Interest and desire to do better work and set higher personal and academic expectations.
• 4. Improved connection to school via a closer and supportive relationship with an upper-class student and faculty advisor.