Thom Stecher and Associates, Newman and Associates and the Masonic Youth Foundation feel confidently that their existing programming meets the essential components of Response to Intervention (RTI) in a clear and concise way. The former is an explanation of RTI and its general components. The latter is an overview of how the Masonic Model Student Assistance Program interfaces with these essential elements.
Response to Intervention (RTI) is a general education initiative which requires collaborative efforts from all district staff. In a quality educational environment, which focuses on the needs of the whole child, academic and behavioral needs are identified and monitored continuously. Student performance data is used to make instructional and intervention decisions. The process of identification and continuous monitoring are the foundation of a successful comprehensive system of early interventions. The success of all students is improved when instruction, behavioral goals and social emotional learning is frequently monitored.
Response to Intervention (RTI) provides high quality instruction and interventions matched to students' needs. RTI uses specific descriptive, observable performance data over time to make appropriate educational decisions for the whole child. Differentiated instructional strategies for all students provide all learners with research based, classroom education and interventions which continuously measure students' performance.
Response to Intervention (RTI) is a comprehensive program that is geared toward the success of an entire district, as well as, the individual.
The essential components of RTI are addressed in a 3 tiered system:
Tier 1: Universal Interventions are for the needs of the entire student body. They are preventive proactive strategies implemented in to the culture of the school community.
Tier 2: Targeted Group Interventions are for a small number of at-risk students. These interventions must have a rapid response with high efficiency and effectiveness.
Tier 3: Intensive Individual Interventions are for individual students whose behavioral concerns require high intensity assessment based interventions of a longer durations.
Outlined below are brief descriptions of the programming that Thom Stecher and Associates, Newman and Associates and the Masonic Youth Foundation find to be efficient and effective in meeting the needs of the RTI program.
Tier 1: Universal Interventions: All Students, All Settings, Preventive and Proactive.
NSI'S 3 Day: Whole Child, Social Emotional Learning Planning Model is a comprehensive prevention and intervention services program that addresses district wide policy, programs and curriculum. This model allows the district to accurately assess their current strengths and shortcomings so they may actively build a plan for future development. This model addresses the needs of the entire community creating the consistency needed for achievement, safety and success.
NSI's 4 Day: Building a Classroom Community Staff Development Program is a hands-on workshop that gives concrete examples to teachers and administrators on how to build, maintain and enjoy a healthy, productive community.
Based in Whole Child and Social, Emotional Learning philosophies, as well as, classroom management strategies, this course gives special consideration to Erikson's stages of group development by leading participants through activities that are proven effective in moving us from the polite to the spirit stage of learning. This workshop is filled with research and helpful hints on making our schools and classrooms consistently safe, purposeful and inclusive.
NSI's 4 Day: Teaching the Individual: Utilizing Differentiated Instruction and Multiple Intelligences to Engage an Entire Classroom is an interactive workshop that's focus providing strategies of identification and utilization to monopolize on the talents and learning styles of the individual student so they will perform to their highest level individual achievement.
Tier 2: Targeted group interventions: some students at risk, high efficiency, rapid response.
With the funding and support of The Masonic Children’s Foundation, The Masonic Model Student Assistance Program (MMSAP) was created. This research based program has proven to effectively address the needs of our at-risk youth. This well organized program, which can be immediately implemented, offers an early intervention, life skills model that is has rapid response, high efficiency, problem-solving components. The life skills intervention is based in social emotional learning philosophies focusing on asset building to promote personal success. This program structures individual student intervention modifications that may include, but are not limited to, intensive mentoring, support groups, and behavioral modifications. These initial modifications are classroom based to aid the individual and benefit the entire classroom community.
Tier 3: Intensive, Individual Interventions, assessment based, high intensity and longer duration.
MMSAP is structured to address the need of all at-risk students including the ones in greatest need. After being identified for initial classroom based modifications the student maybe identified as in need of a comprehensive individualized plan.
These multi disciplinary interventions plans are based in a thorough evaluation of academic, attendance, health and behavioral data. A specific plan is created to address each area of concern starting with the most severe. The plan focuses in asset building for the student through researched based intervention strategies. Teams are trained in how to utilize their resources to best fit the need of the individual by pulling on communal, parental and district wide assets.
Through the Masonic Model Student Assistance Program, offers a step by step guide on how to create, maintain and utilize a successful intervention program that addresses the 3 tiers of the RTI model. MMSAP interfaces with RTI in its core concepts and purpose. These programs address RTI’s criteria of:
The National Masonic Foundation for Children and local state-wide Masonic Foundations provide funding to make available The Masonic Model Student Assistance Program (MMSAP).training and whole child education, classroom community building and student assistance programs following the RTI model. For more information contact the National Masonic Foundation for Children at 1.800.35 Mason or Thom Stecher and Associates at 610.640.9983.
