2011 Fall - GEAR UP Matters WY Newsletter

8/3/2019 2011 Fall - GEAR UP Matters WY Newsletter

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Wyoming Department of EducationCindy Hill, Superintendent of Public Instruction

Hathaway Building, 2nd

Floor, 2300 Capitol Avenue

Cheyenne WY 82002-0050

Phone: 307-777-7673 Fax: 307-777-6234 Website: edu.wyoming.gov

MEMORANDUM NO. 2011-138

TO: School District SuperintendentsSchool Principals

Curriculum CoordinatorsCounselors

FROM: Bob Bryant, WDE GEAR UP CoordinatorStandards, Assessment and Learning Team Division

DATE: November 7, 2011

SUBJECT: GEAR UP Wyoming Newsletter Fall 2011 Edition______________________________________________________________________________

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

GEAR UP Wyoming has published the Fall 2011 edition of its state-widenewsletter, GEAR UP Wyoming Matters(an electronic version is attached to this

memo). The newsletter is published three times per year with a focus on theGEAR UP Wyoming program at the University of Wyoming and Wyomingsseven community colleges.

GEAR UP, which stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness forUndergraduate Programs, is funded by a federal grant with matching state

funds. The Wyoming program, called GEAR UP Wyoming (GUWY) is aneducational partnership including the University of Wyoming, the sevencommunity colleges, the Governors office, the Wyoming Department ofEducation and the Wyoming Community College Commission.

This issue features articles on a variety of GEAR UP Wyoming programsincluding:

An announcement that GEAR UP is celebrating the award of a newseven-year (2011-2018) grant by the U.S. Department of Education,

a report on the first time offered GEAR UP summer program,Camp GEAR UP 2011: Experience the Possibilities,


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School District SuperintendentsSchool PrincipalsCurriculum CoordinatorsCounselorsMemo No. 2011-138

November 7, 2011

Page 2

some highlights on GEAR UP state partner, the Wyoming Department ofEducation,

an update on GEAR UP Wyoming sponsored professional developmentopportunities including: the Aha!Process and Framework for

Understanding Poverty workshops, Ignition, Quantum Learning and ACT,PLAN and EXPLORE Data Interpretive Workshops, and

an interview with a former GEAR UP Wyoming student and Team Leaderat 2011 Camp GEAR UP.

Please take some time to review this GEAR UP Wyoming Mattersnewsletter. You

are encouraged to share it with school district staff, parents and communitymembers.

Please contact Bob Bryant with questions at (307)777-6840 [email protected].

RB/js

Attachment
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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GEAR UP Wyoming Awarded New Gran!

GEARUPWyomingispleasedtoannouncethatithasreceiveda

newseven-yeargrantfromtheUnitedStatesDepartmentofEducation. Underthenewgrant,atleast2,0007th-12thgradeincome-eligible

studentswillbeservedbyGEARUPWyomingeachyear.Througha

partnershipwithWyomingssevencommunitycolleges,studentswill

receiveacademicguidanceandsupporttopreparethemforhighschool

graduationandcollegesuccess.

Inadditiontostudentsupport,GEARUPWyomingwilloffer

professionaldevelopmentopportunitiesfor7th-12thgradeschool

personnelinapartnershipwiththeWyomingDepartmentofEducation.

Theseprogramswillbeaimedatincreasingstudentacademic performance

andsupportingacollege-goingculture.

ThegrantwillallowGEARUPWyomingtocontinuetobuildupon

itsaccomplishments.Only14%oflow-incomeWyomingstudentsenrolled

incollegeduring2008;however,64%ofGEARUPstudentsenrolledin

collegethesemesterafter

theygraduatedfromhigh

school,and80%of

GEARUPstudents

enrolledincollege

withinthreeyears.

GEARUPWyoming

islookingforwardtoa

successfulsevenyearsof

providingeligible

studentsandparents

withacademicsupportand

collegepreparation,aswell

asprovidingeducators

withthenecessarytraining

topreparethesestudents

forcollege.

gaining Early aWarEnEssand rEadinEssfor UndErgradUatE ProgramsMatter

s

FALL 2011

WYOMING

UniversityofWyomingwww.uwyo.edu/gearup

WyomingDepartmentofEducation

www.k12.wy.us

CasperCollegewww.caspercollege.edu/gearup

CentralWyomingCollegewww.cwc.edu/what/Gearup

EasternWyomingCollegewww.ewc.wy.edu/future/gearup

LaramieCountyCommunityCollegelccc.wy.edu/highschool/collegeprep/gearup

NorthernWyomingCommunityCollegeDistrictwww.sheridan.edu/site/sc/admissions/gear-up-wyoming

NorthwestCollegewww.northwestcollege.edu/gearup

WesternWyomingCommunityCollegewww.wwcc.wy.edu/gearup

1000E.UniversityAve.

Laramie,WY82071

(307)766-1121,(800)DIAL-WYO

www.uwyo.edu

2011 GEAR UP Award Letter


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2 FALL 2011

Personsseekingadmission,employment,oraccesstoprogramsoftheUniversityofWyomingshallbeconsideredwithoutregardtorace,color,religion,sex,nationalorigin,disability,age,veteranstatus,sexualorientation,orpoliticalbelief.

GEARUPWyomingisadministeredbytheofceofStudentEducationalOpportunity(SEO)intheDivisionofStudentAffairsattheUniversityofWyoming.

GEARUPWyomingSEO,UniversityofWyomingDept.38081000E.UniversityAve.Laramie,WY82071

(307)766-6189

email:[email protected]/gearup/

Wyoming Deparmen

of Educaion Spoligh

ThisissuesfeaturedGEARUPWyoming

partneristheWyoming

DepartmentofEducation

(WDE).TheWDE

employsaGEARUPCoordinatortoserveasaliaisonto

coordinatepartnershipactivitiesbetweentheWDEand

GEARUPWyoming.

ThepartnershipbetweentheWDEandGEARUP

WyominghasbeeneffectiveinservingtheneedsofGEAR

UPWyomingandGEARUPstudentsthroughoutthestate.TheWDEhasmadeacommitmenttoprovidea

majority(67%+)ofthematchrequiredbytheGEARUP

grant.Thismatchcommitmenthasprovidedovertwo

milliondollarseachyeartoGEARUPWyoming.Itis

madepossiblethroughstatewideeducationalinitiatives

implementedbytheWDE.

TheWDEoverseestwomajorWyominglegislatively

fundedinitiativesthatservetoimprovestudentacademic

performancewithafocusonat-riskstudents.The

WyomingBridgesSummerSchoolProgramtargetsacademicallyat-riskstudentsbyofferingsupplemental

educationalprogramsduringthesummer.GEARUP

Wyominghasprovidedprofessionaldevelopmentto

secondarysummerschoolteachersincludingQuantum

LearningforTeachers,dropoutpreventionworkshops,

andotheropportunitiestoenhancetheskillsofteachers

toimprovestudentperformanceandcollegereadiness.

AsecondmajorWyominginitiativeistheInstructional

FacilitatorsprogramthatprovidessuccessfulmasterteachersascoachestoclassroomteachersinallWyoming

schools.Thesecoachesworkwithclassroomteachersto

improveinstructionthatwillleadtoimprovedstudent

performance.GEARUPWyomingcollaborateswith

theWDEtoprovideprofessionaldevelopmentfor

InstructionalFacilitatorswhocoach7th-12thgrade

teachers.Professionaldevelopmentactivitieshave

includedthepopularQuantumLearningforTeachers

andDianeSweeneysCoachingforStudentSuccess.

GEARUPWyoming

isworkingwiththeWDEtoimplementtheWDEs3+8Readinginitiativeinschools

aroundthestate(seepage3fordetails).Thegoalofthe

3+8ReadinginitiativeistoimproveWyomingstudents

readingprociencyasmeasuredonthe2012Prociency

AssessmentforWyomingStudents(PAWS).GEARUP

personnelwillbeworkingwithGEARUPstudentsstate-

widetohelpreachthisgoal.

BobBryant,theWyomingDepartmentofEducationliaison

withGEARUPWyoming,atCurtGowdyStatePark

forCampGEARUP.


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GEAR UP WYOMING MAttERS 3

workswithadministrativeteamswithinaschooltobuilda

programthattsaschoolsuniqueneeds.Upperclassmen

andadvisorsreceivethetrainingandcurriculumneededto

developasustainableprogramthathasapositiveimpacton

theentireschool.FallisagoodtimetoplanforimplementinganIgnitionprogramwithtrainingbeginninginthespring.

(Page7listsGEARUPschoolsimplementingIgnition.)

Quantum Learning for Teachers (QLT) Levels 1-5

(Each level is a one-day, 6 hour workshop)

Thisprofessionaldevelopmentprogramforeducators

providesprovenstrategiesthatmotivatestudentsandboost

achievement.UndertheGEARUPWyomingsitelicense,

QLTcanbeofferedatanyWyomingschoolordistrictwher

atleast50%ofthestaffattendingaresecondaryeducators.Theworkshopsaredeliveredbyoneofthefullycertied

WyomingQuantumLearningFacilitatorsataratethatisfar

lessthanthetypicalQuantumLearningNetworkcharge.

GEARUPWyomingdoesnotsponsorthisworkshopbut

insteadcoordinatesthebookingwithaWyomingfacilitator

sothatschoolsanddistrictscanreceivethegreatlyreduced

sitelicenserates.

Formoreinformationaboutworkshopssponsoredby

GEARUPWyomingortheQuantumLearningforTeachers

workshops,contactLoriKimbroughat(307)[email protected]

requiredformostworkshops.

GEAR UP Wyoming

Professional Developmen

Thefollowingprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities

areavailableatnocosttoschoolswithGEARUPStudents.

aha!Process Workshops

aha!ProcessistheorganizationfoundedbyDr.RubyPayne

whoiswellknownforherworkregardingeducatingstudents

fromlow-incomebackgrounds.Thereareseveralworkshops

offeredbyaha!ProcessthattwellwiththeGEARUP

Wyomingmissionofhelpingstudentsgraduatefromhigh

schoolandsucceedincollege.Mostoftheworkshopsaresix

hoursinlength,presentedinoneday. Somespecicexamplesofaha!Processworkshops

include:SchoolImprovement:RaisingAchievementwith

9SystemicProcesses,EngageandGraduateYourSecondary

Students:PreventingDropouts,TheRRulesFacilitator

TrainingandUnderResourcedLearners.Formoredetailed

informationabouttheseworkshopsandothersvisit

http://www.ahaprocess.com/.

A Framework for Understanding Poverty

Thisworkshopprovidesanin-depthstudyofinformation

andissuesthatwillincreasetheparticipantsknowledgeandunderstandingofthepovertyculture.LoriKimbrough,the

GEARUPWyomingProfessionalDevelopmentCoordinator,

isnowaFrameworkCertiedTrainerandcanprovidethe

sixhour,onedayworkshoptoGEARUPschoolstaff.

ACT, PLAN and EXPLORE

Data Interpretative Workshops

InanACT,PLANorEXPLOREworkshop,staffwill

learnhowtointerpretstudentandschoolACTreportsto

improvestudentachievement.Workshopsaretypicallythreehoursandincludetrainingwithyourownstudentdata.The

workshopcanbecustomizedtomeetthespecictraining

needsofyourstaff.OctoberisidealforschedulinganACT

interpretativeworkshop;FebruaryandMarcharegoodfor

reviewingEXPLOREandPLANdata.

Ignition

Ignition,developedbyFOCUSTraining,isacompre-

hensive,research-basedtransitiontohighschoolandpeer

mentorprogramforfreshmanstudents.FOCUSTraining

Wyoming Department of Education

3+8 Reading Success Institutes

InAugusttheWyomingDepartmentofEducation

(WDE)implementedthe3+8ReadingSuccessInsti-

tutes.The3+8teacher-to-teachertrainingaimedat

improvingreadingachievementonallassessmentswillcontinueintothefall.GEARUPWyomingsupports

theWDEinthisstatewideinitiativeandencourages

secondaryteacherstoattendthetraining.

October November

7-8 Gillette 4-5 Douglas

14-15 Cheyenne 11-12 Wheatland

21-22 Buffalo

28-29 Laramie


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4 FALL 2011

Over170studentsExperiencedthePossiblilities

atCampGEARUPthissummer.FromJuly25-July

29,studentsin9ththrough12thgradesstayedinthe

dormitoriesattheUniversityofWyomingandparticipated

inacademicactivitiesatthreelocations:theUniversityof

Wyoming,CurtGowdyStatePark,andtheSnowyRange

Mountains.

Activitiesincludedmicrobiologylabs,canoeing

experiences,team-buildingropescourses,andcollege

informationpresentations.

GEAR UP

CAMP

Experience the Possibilities

2011

Students learned about college

curriculum through a microbiologylab and planetarium visit.

Students learned

teamwork througha canoeing experience

at Curt GowdyState Park.


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GEAR UPs Got Talent On the nalnight of Camp GEAR UP, students and

team leaders took the stage for an eveningof entertainment.

Groups of students

worked together tobuild the highest

spaghetti andmarshmallow tower

during a nightly team

challenge activity.

Students learned

teamwork andleadership skills

on the ropes coursein the Snowy Range

Mountains.

Students attended acollege fair featuring

the University

of Wyomingand Wyomings

community colleges.


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6 FALL 2011

Inerview

HilaryAnneHughesservedasateamleaderatCamp

GEARUPthissummer.GEAR UP Matters

interviewedheraboutherexperiencesasaformerGEARUPstudent

andasaCampGEARUPteamleader.

GUWY:HowdidyoulearnabouttheGEARUPprogram?

Hilary:Ilearnedaboutitneartheendofmysenioryear

inhighschool.Ibelievetheprogramwasstillnewatthat

point.Oneofmyteachers,Mr.Heltzel,knewthatIhad

themakingsforcollege,buthealsoknewthepathahead

ofmewasrocky.HeconnectedmewiththeGEARUP

coordinator,andIwasin.Lookingbackmakesmewantto

sendMr.Heltzelathankyoucard,becausewithouthimImightnothavemadeitthisfar.

GUWY:WhendidyoubecomeinvolvedinGEARUP

andwhatwasitlike?

Hilary:Ididntbecomeinvolveduntilthelastfewmonths

ofmysenioryearatEvanstonHighSchool.Itwashelpful

becauseitpaidformyACTfeeandmycollegeapplication

fees.Ihadalotofthesupport.IrememberIusedtheGEAR

UPcoordinatorscomputertollouttheapplications.That

wasespeciallyhelpfulbecauseIdidnthaveacomputerat

home,andshewassittingrightnexttomeincaseIhadany

questionsabouthowtollouttheformscorrectly.

GUWY:DidyourexperiencesinGEARUPplayapartin

yourdecisiontobecomeaCampGEARUPteamleader?

Hilary:OvertheyearsthatIhavebeeninvolvedintheGEARUPprogram,Ihaveseensomewonderfulthings.

Iseetheopportunitiesitcreates.IfIweretosimplify

thecircumstancesinmylifedrastically,Iwouldsaythat

GEARUPisthereasonIcametocollege.Knowing

thisabsolutelyplayedapartinmydecisiontobecomea

CampGEARUPteamleader.Inmyheart,IknowIam

calledtohelppeople.ThatishowIneedtospendmylife.

BecomingateamleaderforCampGEARUPwasaway

formetopayitforwardandtoliveoutthiscalltohelp

thestudentsthatcametoLaramie.

GUWY:WhatwasCampGEARUPlikeforyouasa

teamleader?

Hilary:Therewerethirtyothercounselorsandstafffor

anyofustoleanon,whichmadethecampahugesuccess.

TheteamworkIwasabletowitnesswasincredible.Plus,

onthelastdaywhenmystudentsweregettingreadyto

gohome,theymadeitclearthattheirexperienceswith

CampGEARUPhadbeenpositive,andtheyhadbeeninspiredandmotivated.Igottoknoweachmemberof

myteamverywell,andIknowthateachofthemhas

immeasurablepotential.Beingabletoparticipateinthis

campasateamleaderwasaprivilege.Thisexperienceis

somethingIwilltreasurefortherestofmylife.

GUWY:Whatdoyouthinkthestudentslearnedby

attending?

Hilary:IfIhadtoguess,Iwouldsaythestudentslearned

howdeeplytrueitisthatGEARUPcanbeusedas

anetworkofsupport.Ihopetheywereinstilledwithmotivationandhopeforthefuture.Attheveryleast,

theydenitelylearnedhowawesomeLaramieandthe

surroundingareasare,givenallthefunactivitieswedid

whiletheywerehere.

GUWY:Werethereanyspecialmomentsthatwere

memorableforyouorthestudentsattending?

Hilary:Atcamp,cheap,24-karatplasticgoldmedals

weregivenawayasprizesforwinningthenightlycom-

petitions.TherstcompetitionwasNamethatMovie

Inmyheart,IknowIamcalledtohelppeople.Thatis

howIneedtospendmylife.

HilaryAnneHughes,aformerGEARUP

studentandCampGEARUPteamleader.

Pho

toco

urtesyof

HIl

ary

Hugh

es


9/10


Tune.Atunewouldplay,andtheteamhadtoguess

whichmovieitwasfromandwriteitdown.Duringthe

competition,myteamwasactuallygettingexcited.They

wereworkingtogetherandtakingeachothersinputin

ordertowin.Itwasincredibletoseetheirexcitement.

Itwasevenmoreincrediblewhenwewerethelastteam

standing.Wegotupinfrontoftheentirecamp,andwe

werepresentedwiththeplasticmedalsasthoughwewere

Olympicwinners.Thebestpartofthatwasbeingableto

observetheprocessofmyteambecomingacohesiveunit.

GUWY:Isthereanythingelseyoudliketodiscuss?

Hilary:Thecoordinators,ChrisandKathy,pickedonly

thebestpeopleforthisjob.Iamveryluckytohavehad

thisexperience,andImappreciativeoftheopportunityto

workwithandgettoknowalloftheteamleadersandstaffthatwereinvolved.CampGEARUPwasanastounding

success,andifanyofthesepieceshadbeenmissing,it

wouldhavebeenimpossible.

Hilaryandherteam

receivinga24karat

plasticmedalat

CampGEARUP.

Suden Services

GEAR UP Wyoming Scholarships

QuestionsconcerningscholarshipsforGEARUP

studentsservedundertheAugust2005throughAugust

2011GEARUPWyominggrantcycleshouldbedirected

toBarbaraMarinoinStudentFinancialAidatthe

UniversityofWyoming.

BarbaraMarino

FinancialAidSpecialist

KnightHall174

UniversityofWyoming

Dept.3335,1000E.UniversityAvenue

Laramie,WY82071(307)7663393

[email protected]

Hours:MondaythruFriday8AM12PM

Igniion training

GEARUPWyomingsponsoredIgnitiontraining

thissummerforthefollowingschoolswhichhaveeach

implementedthepeermentorprogramthisfall:

DouglasHighSchool

HorizonAlternativeSchool KayceeHighSchool

PowellHighSchool

RivertonHighSchool

WheatlandMiddleSchool

WheatlandHighSchool

Bes Wishes!

TheGEARUPWyomingstaffextendsitsbest

wishestoMandySimpsonandChrisHarnden,both

ofwhomhaveacceptednewpositionsandareno

longerwithGEARUP.

IgnitionfreshmanorientationdayatRivertonHighSchool

(RHS).IgnitiontrainingatRHSwassponsoredbyGEARUP

Wyoming.

P h o

t o c o u r t e

s y o f

C W

C G U


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GEARUPWyomingisfunded50%throughagrantfromtheU.S.DeptofEducationtotaling$3.5millionannuallywithanadditional$3.5millionprovidedbyin-kindandscholarshipcontributionsfromWyomingscommunitycolleges,theUniversityofWyoming,andtheWyomingDepartmentofEducation.

GEARUPWyomingSEO,UniversityofWyomingDept.38081000E.UniversityAve.Laramie,WY82071

In his Issue

GEARUPWyomingAwardedNewGrant!. . . . . . . . . .

WyomingDepartmentofEducationSpotlight . . . . . . . . .

GEARUPWyomingProfessionalDevelopment. . . . . . . .

CampGEARUP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CampGEARUP:

AnInterviewwithHilaryHughes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

StudentServices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Non-ProtOrg

U.S.POSTAGE

PAIDLARAMIE,WY

PERMIT#75

GEARUPWyoming

staffatCampGEARU

P.

2011 Fall - GEAR UP Matters WY Newsletter

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