Tommy is an eighth grader at Menta. When Tommy entered Menta he had missed more than 100 days at his previous school. Several plans were put in place to support his school anxiety, but none seemed to be successful. The summer prior to his eighth grade year, the principal invited Tommy to tour the school with his mother and meet his new teacher. Through student mapping, the teacher learned a lot about Tommy’s motivators and what she could do to decrease his level of anxiety in the classroom. They also created a “secret signal” that he could use when he was feeling uncomfortable or anxious in the classroom. There were several summer visits to help Tommy prepare for his first day of eighth grade. When Tommy came in on the first day of school he sat in the back of the class. He wanted to see if his teacher would respond to the signal they developed, and she did just as she had promised. Throughout the course of the year, Tommy worked with the clinical staff to identify his needs and develop appropriate coping strategies. Tommy’s attendance rate quickly skyrocketed to 89%. It was 25% the previous year. He still has some rough days especially when his teacher is absent, but he uses his coping skills to discuss his feelings and concerns. We are proud of his success!
Ralph
Ralph is a second grader that has had a significant history of significant physical aggression.
Ralph’s mother reported that while at his previous school, he was rarely in the classroom with his peers due to these behaviors. Even with this intensive support, interactions with Ralph were primarily to control his behaviors. His mother reported that she feared he hadn’t acquired many skills in his short academic career.
Since starting at Menta, Ralph has made significant progress academically and behaviorally. He has been able to participate in the classroom with his peers approximately 93% of the time. He completes assignments and can appropriately utilize coping skills when he becomes frustrated. He no longer displays physical aggression. Ralph has built an excellent rapport with all the staff at Menta. He and his mother are proud of all that he has accomplished in a short amount of time. We are excited to see the continued progress Ralph will make as he starts 3rd grade!
Marsha
At her previous placement, Marsha struggled with behavioral issues, attendance, and lack of completion of credits. Marsha entered Menta with less than 7 credits. She was a single mother who was trying to establish support for herself and her child. Her goal was to graduate and find employment. Our team suggested enrolling in our credit recovery program. Enrolling in this program helped Marsha excel. The program assisted her with both life skills development and also soft skills for employment.
Over the course of a year and a half, she completed the remaining credits required for graduation and her attendance rate was ninety percent. Marsha recently graduated and gainfully employed.