Program Staffing

Maintaining family contact requires a liaison. Maureen Vielandi calls parents, develops flyers and notices to be sent home, and orders dinner for family meetings. With her persistent communication, 85 percent of the parents usually attend the monthly family meetings. Vielandi knows when and where to contact parents because she knows their daily schedules. Being available to parents builds trust and encourages their participation.

Counselors are another critical feature of the program. College Now has a ratio of 100-150 students per guidance counselor, while the ratio for the rest of the school is approximately 300 to one. A CN counselor reports: "When you have 300 students, you are bogged down in paperwork and really only use your counseling skills to deal with student crises. With 100 students, 90 percent of my time can be spent on student contact. I know these students; they pop in on me for a chat all the time."

This special attention means kids don't get away with much, says one 10th-grader: "In CN, the teachers want you to succeed. If you are slacking off, they take notice and call you at home. There is no way you can slip by."