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Talent Middle reports WEB mentoring, counseling and targeted supports to boost belonging and attendance
Summary
Talent Middle School leaders described a new WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) mentoring program, Wayfinder SEL lessons, small-group mental-health interventions and attendance incentives they say are improving student belonging and attendance.
Talent Middle School officials presented detailed updates on student supports, attendance strategies and social–emotional programming at the Phoenix-Talent School District board meeting.
The principal described WEB (Where Everybody Belongs), a student-led orientation and transition program that trains eighth-grade mentors to guide sixth-graders. The program pairs eighth-grade "web leaders" with sixth-graders for check-ins and small-group support; presenters gave examples of measurable impact: one sixth-grader increased attendance from 46% in November to 83% in December and to 95% by January after sustained mentoring.
School leaders reported monthly SEL instruction using Wayfinder, small-group interventions for tier 2/3 SEL needs and school-based mental-health services through La Clinica. They said behavior specialists and mental-health staff are heavily utilized; staff reported high clinic use at Phoenix (nurses) and a substantial portion of students receiving SEL Tier 2/3 supports.
Administrators outlined attendance interventions and incentives: daily front-office check-ins, individual attendance trackers for students with incremental goals and tiered incentives (from small rewards to larger celebrations). They said daily trackers and personal interactions at arrival (positive check-ins) were producing gains for targeted students.
The principal discussed behavior and referrals, noting most students have no referrals and a smaller cohort accounts for multiple incidents. Leaders said tiered behavior supports and MTSS/SST processes are being strengthened to identify needs and escalate supports as required.
Ending: The school asked for volunteers for the Bulldog Bucks store and for board members to continue attending events and supporting school partnerships. Board members praised staff and offered to help with community connections.
