Current Projects

LEARNING LAB

LEARNING LABS program is a beyond-the-school-day, focused, proven, data-based, academic support program for middle school students. The program is no-cost to the student and facilitated at school with a Director and tutor/mentor volunteers. Students will be prepared for the rigors of high school, understanding the relationships among hard work, choice and academic success.

LEARNING LABS guarantees academic success when four essential program elements are implemented:

strong parenting program with parents as a critical part of the academic team
weekly monitoring of grades with focused feedback and support
weekly congratulation awards to students meeting established expectations
a positive, academic environment where students complete, redo, or makeup classroom assignments; available every school day until 6pm.

In addition, study skills, including organizational and test-taking skills and strategies, are taught. Common Core skills and strategies are provided at the public library on weekends, January through June, in preparation for the annual state assessment. The goal is for ALL students to meet or exceed grade level standard (A/B/C grades and pass the annual state assessment).

Did you know?

children are in school only about 10% of their lives between Kindergarten and age 18.
current high school students must pass 24 out 24 class credits and the annual state assessment in ELA and math to graduate high school.
740,000 jobs are available in Washington within the next 5 years. (Washington Roundtable)
research indicates students excel when additional academic support is provided, and they understand the relationship among hard work, their choices and academic success.

LEARNING LABS Program Implementation

Academic Link Outreach is implementing LEARNING LABS in middle schools beginning September 2018. Currently LEARNING LABS is providing academic support to 6th grade students at Olympic View Middle School, in the Mukilteo School District. LEARNING LABS academic support program begins with the incoming middle school class.

LEARNING LABS is a beyond-the-school-day academic support program and not considered for basic education funding. Currently Districts cannot allocate resources for the program. ALO is actively seeking partnerships from county, city, community businesses and service organizations to fund LEARNING LABS programs.

A comprehensive LEARNING LABS manual will be used as a guide for planning, organization, implementation and evaluation of the program. The “how to” manual, if followed, will guarantee student academic success!

Today

ALO found students in a much different place academically, socially, and emotionally following COVID than prior to COVID…and adults. We are working through that and seeing progress. The plan implements and evaluate the Academic Success using the LEARNING LAB manual at Olympic View Middle School during the 2024/2025 school year.

The manual includes planning/organization, implementation, and evaluation of the program. The “How To” manual, if followed, guarantees greater student academic success. It contains camera-ready policies, forms, Step-by-Step How To, congratulations certificates, ten parent meeting agendas and materials, data collection and usage, and a comprehensive study-skills section. It is all inclusive.

ALO will continue to be a voice for equity and closing the educational gap for BIPOC and other pejorative children in need. We know our work needs to be intentional. The new normal clearly articulates existing injustices that exist for BIPOC and the educational gap it has caused. We address gender, classism, and systemic racism barriers. ALO is in a strategic position to open the doors to opportunity for struggling children and to help fight for inclusion. We are in a good position to proactively recognize and address racial biases and practices which lead to injustice among children. Our goal is to build the best, sustainable low-cost beyond-the-school-day opportunity for children who struggle academically. The time for change is now!

Olympic View’s Academic Success LEARNING LAB Program

LEARNING LAB Overview

Olympic View Middle School is partnering with Academic Link Outreach, a Mukilteo non-profit to provide LEARNING LAB an academic program designed to hold students accountable and responsible for their learning. Students and parents work as a team for academic success. Jan Link, a retired elementary and high school principal, will be working with the program. The program is built on the premise that all children can learn and be academically successful in school, but not in the same way or in the same amount of time. It prepares middle schoolers for the rigors of high school. LEARNING LAB is an investment in a child’s future.

Four critical elements of LEARNING LAB are parental involvement, continual monitoring of classroom achievement, rewarding positive academic behavior, and providing outside-the-school-day support.

All decisions are based on classroom achievement data taken every two weeks, starting October 1, 2024. The program rewards students who meet their teachers’ expectations by earning A/B/C grades and provides academic support for those earning D/N grades.

LEARNING LAB is conducted and evaluated by a LEARNING LAB Coordinator. The Coordinator works directly with students and parents in several ways.

Achievement data is continuously collected, monitored, evaluated, and shared with students and parents.
Daily lunchtime meetings are held with small groups of students discussing grades and missing assignments. No classroom instruction is missed. Parent/student hour-long conferences are held with students who are not showing improvement.
An academic support study table is facilitated at the school, four days a week from 2:45 to 4:00. Students may take the activity bus home. There is no cost to students and parents. The Coordinator and volunteer tutors lead the program. The goal for LEARNING LAB is to be an integral part of the school's “student success” program.
Additional instruction and practice are provided for the state SBA assessment beginning in January, 2025 or practice can take place during afterschool 6^th grade LEARNING LAB
Monthly evening sessions are offered to parents and students covering topics to support achieving academic success in the classroom.

Program Vision, Mission, and Goals

Vision: All students will enter ninth-grade high school ready – academically, socially, and emotionally.

Mission: Students and parents will adopt a team approach to develop academic competence and confidence in every student.

Goals:

Know and understand grade level expectations and reinforce students’ understanding of classroom expectations.
Help students understand how to improve academically to achieve school success, with sensitivity and patience.
Help students be responsible and accountable to their teachers by attending class, completing and turning in assignments, and studying for tests.
Share and practice subject-specific study skills.
Provide academic failure prevention until the student is self-sufficient and independent.

Benefits of LEARNING LAB

Students:

Learn in an environment with clear expectations.
Receive academic support during lunch and after school five days a week.
Develop necessary study skills to succeed academically in school.
Establish crucial life skills of hope, resiliency, and self-advocacy.
Earn recognition and rewards for meeting their teachers’ A/B/C grade expectations.
Become motivated by receiving continual monitoring and mentoring with feedback.
Develop a strong work ethic through responsibility and accountability.

Parents:

Establish clear and consistent goals with their child with structure, behavioral expectations, and direction.
Become more involved in their child’s academic achievements.
Develop a positive, productive team relationship with their child and his/her teachers.
Are empowered to advocate for their child’s education.
Receive help modeling the importance of learning, by understanding how to navigate the educational system.

Schools:

Receive data analysis to use in making all academic decisions.
Maintain an academic culture where the vision is ‘academic failure is not an option.’
Appreciate students who are responsible and accountable for their part in academic success.
Obtain assistance in motivating students to excel and be accountable for learning.

Communities:

Gain students who are better prepared to enter the workforce.
Gain stronger citizens prepared to become more involved in their community.

For Higher Academic Achievement,

It Is Not Just What You EXPECT That Is Important, But Also What You INSPECT!

Academic data collection and monitoring are the heartbeat of the LEARNING LAB program. Data indicates which students are not meeting classroom expectations or need additional instruction and practice. The goal is for students to meet their teachers’ expectations by earning A/B/C with no D/F grades. This proactive program focuses on these students. This is academic equity!

On the 1^st and 15th of each month, student grades are analyzed. Lists are made of students to focus on for the next two weeks. Lists include students earning A/B/C grades, students with one D or F, and students earning more than one D or F. As students become responsible and accountable to classroom expectations, they move to the A/B/C List and are rewarded.

Lunch “Plan of Action” Sessions

Students who earn one F or more than one D/F are expected to participate in a lunchtime planning and discussion session to determine why they are not meeting classroom expectations and how to improve their achievement. Groups of 6-8 students, organized by class subject, discuss common problems and solutions. Students are continually monitored until their grades improve.

Student/Parent One-On-One Academic Conferences

Parents become LEARNING LAB clients when the student does not make the academic changes needed. When students continue to earn D/F grades, the parents, with their student, are requested to attend a one-hour conference after school or in the evening. The current situation is discussed and problem-solving is designed to reach positive outcomes.

Afterschool LEARNING LAB

Parents are encouraged to send their students after school for additional academic instruction and practice. This is held for 1-2 hours and is staffed by volunteers (eighth grade, high school students, adults, and senior citizens) who assist students, working one-on-one or in small groups. The focus is on homework, previous unfinished work, studying for tests, and additional academic practice. Students can practice Common Core school skills to better prepare for the Smarter Balance Assessment in the spring. Students are encouraged to attend until they are free of D/F grades. This encourages responsibility, accountability, and an excellent work ethic.

Annual State Assessment Support Program

A LEARNING LAB goal is that all students unless there is a documented learning disability, will perform at grade level standard. This includes passing the annual state test (SBA) by earning a Level 3 (at grade level) or a Level 4 (exceeds grade level). Skills assessed are based on the Common Core curriculum taught throughout the year. The SBA is not a timed test, so students have ample time to demonstrate their understanding and ability to use the tested skills. LEARNING LAB offers instruction and practice sessions to students who have not passed the state test.