BARR - 9th Grade Program
San Jacinto High School is excited to provide the Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) Program for our Freshmen students. The BARR model was created in order to promote an environment of healthy behavior choices and academic success. This model recognizes that each student enters secondary school with unique strengths, challenges and histories. To help teachers learn about each student, the model utilizes proactive strategies rather than waiting for something to go wrong. Specific components are designed to meet individual student needs, offering extra support to struggling students while providing ample opportunities for all students to develop the skills needed to be successful.
Read a March 31, 2018 story by National Public Radio about how BARR continues to provide results! The model employs a comprehensive set of interlocking strategies including:
- regular teacher meetings based on a shared group of students
- weekly student-focused lessons based on social and emotional health
- ongoing professional development for teachers
- program-specific support staff who are able to intervene when students need additional support
- a parent advisory council to maintain open communication between parents and school staff
BARR provides schools with a comprehensive, intentional approach to meeting students' academic, social, and emotional needs. At the core of the BARR program are eight interconnected research-based strategies that provide a wide-ranging structure and support system. In the BARR model, teachers are placed in teams. Each team consists of three core-subject teachers (math, science and English). BARR helps educators build safe, strong, trusting relationships with their students and paves the way for every student to engage in learning.
Ninth grade is a crucial year for all students and San Jacinto High School strongly believes this extra layer of support for our ninth-grade students will assist with ensuring they achieve academic and social success throughout their Freshman year.
How will BARR impact my work as a teacher?BARR helps to build a network of support for teachers and support staff too! By meeting together regularly, we are able to work together to streamline our work with students resulting in a more efficient intervention model. A recent survey of BARR teachers across the country shows that BARR increases teacher job satisfaction. Through working on a team of teachers who share the same students, teachers are able to learn from each other and model best practices in real time.
How does BARR benefit my student?
BARR educators focus on your child as more than just a learner – but work to understand them as a whole child. They are trained to use strength-based techniques to build positive relationships and support each student toward success in the classroom and beyond. BARR staff are also provided with ongong professional development on the BARR model and on topics that are relevant to our students including interdisciplinary planning and teaching, equity, substance use, and mental health awareness. The model has a 20-year track record of student success and has been proven to drive significant improvements in school climate measures, course credits earned, grade point averages and standardized test scores; narrowed opportunity gaps; and decreases in failure rates, suspensions and absenteeism.
BARR educators focus on your child as more than just a learner – but work to understand them as a whole child. They are trained to use strength-based techniques to build positive relationships and support each student toward success in the classroom and beyond. BARR staff are also provided with ongong professional development on the BARR model and on topics that are relevant to our students including interdisciplinary planning and teaching, equity, substance use, and mental health awareness. The model has a 20-year track record of student success and has been proven to drive significant improvements in school climate measures, course credits earned, grade point averages and standardized test scores; narrowed opportunity gaps; and decreases in failure rates, suspensions and absenteeism.
How will I-Time lessons work with my curriculum?
Your block team of teachers will rotate the responsibility of facilitating I-Time lessons each week. The time a teacher spends on this social-emotional learning curriculum once a month will allow the teacher to build stronger relationships with their students and help students to connect with one another. Many students report feeling seen by their teachers in new way as the whole student approach helps staff to identify student strengths and interests at a deeper level.
If you are interested in learning more about the Building Assets, Reducing Risks model at our school or the Parent Advisory council, please contact:
BARR Coordinator
951-654-7374 ext. 2937
