Mentoring

What is Mentoring?:

Check & Connect (C&C) is a nationally recognized, evidence-based mentoring program designed to promote student engagement, reduce dropout rates, and support school completion. It pairs students at risk for disengagement with a trained mentor who provides long-term, consistent support through monitoring, relationship-building, and problem-solving. At PaTTAN, we recognize the power of relationships in transforming student outcomes. Check & Connect helps schools strengthen their Tier II supports by addressing the root causes of disengagement and fostering lasting connections between students and school.

Why is it important?

Addresses Early Warning Signs: Targets students showing signs of academic or behavioral disengagement—such as chronic absenteeism, low grades, or behavior incidents—before they escalate.
Builds Protective Relationships: Connects students with a trusted adult who serves as an advocate and mentor over time.
Improves Outcomes: Proven to increase attendance, decrease behavior referrals, and improve graduation rates.
Supports Equity: Provides individualized support that accounts for each student’s unique context, experiences, and needs.
Strengthens Schoolwide Systems: Complements existing MTSS or PBIS frameworks by enhancing Tier II supports.

Critical Features:

Mentor Assignment: Each student is paired with a dedicated mentor who stays with them over an extended period (often 2+ years).
Systematic Monitoring: Mentors regularly monitor data on student performance, attendance, behavior, and engagement.
Check Component: Ongoing data collection helps identify patterns and triggers for disengagement.
Connect Component: Mentors build trusting relationships and intervene with personalized support, motivation, and skill-building.
Family Engagement: Mentors also work to build partnerships with families to support students’ school success.
Problem-Solving Model: Focuses on skill-building, goal-setting, and navigating school challenges, rather than punishment.

Implementation Tips:

Start Small, Scale Smart: Begin with a pilot group of high-need students to build fidelity before expanding.
Select the Right Mentors: Choose staff or community members who can commit long-term and build strong student relationships.
Use Data to Identify Students: Look for attendance issues, academic struggles, and behavior trends to identify candidates for C&C.
Ensure Training & Support: Invest in official Check & Connect training for mentors and leadership teams.
Align with Tier II/III Systems: Coordinate with your MTSS or PBIS teams to ensure integration with other supports.
Prioritize Consistency: Ensure mentors have protected time for regular student check-ins and data review.
Track and Reflect: Use progress monitoring tools to review outcomes and adjust supports as needed.

Citations:

Helpful Links:

Professional development and conference presentations on evidence-based practices in learning environment and engagement.

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PaTTAN resources for implementing evidence-based practices in learning enviornment and engagement.

Tools to support implementation of evidence-based practices in learning enviornment and engagement.

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Videos, podcasts, and recorded sessions that bring key learning enviornment and engagement topics to life.

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