Supporting the Freshman Transition: West High’s Link Crew Program

High school can be scary and overwhelming for incoming ninth graders as they transition from middle school to high school. From entering a new building to facing increased academic pressure and various social adjustments, statistics show that this transition is often accompanied by a decline in grades and student engagement. 

It’s no secret that ninth graders struggle the most out of the high school grades. In the Waterloo Schools specifically, 20-30% of ninth-graders are second-year freshmen, and 58% are chronically absent, or miss more than 18 school days a year (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier).

But West High is already ahead of the game in uniquely supporting incoming freshmen through their Link Crew program! Link Crew is a program designed to provide support for incoming freshmen through an orientation day, ongoing support throughout the year, and mentoring by junior and senior leaders.

This past school year, with the help of WSF grant funding, two West High staff members who will be taking over this program attended Link Crew Coordinator training through a nationally recognized transition program organization, the bloomerang project. West High has been transitioning freshmen with the program for the past 10 years! Each year, Link Cew impacts approximately 150 juniors and seniors and 500 incoming freshmen.

After their training, the West High staff (coordinators) bring information back and recruit juniors and seniors to serve as Link Crew Leaders and Ambassadors. These students undergo leadership training throughout the spring and gear up to step into their roles right away on the first day of school at freshman orientation!

Throughout the year, support for freshmen is built on 4 components: 

Orientation

At the beginning of the year, leaders and ninth graders start building their relationships. Through freshman orientation, ninth graders receive information about how to be successful in high school, specifically tailored to West High and the ins and outs of their new building. 

Academic & social follow-ups

During the school year, there are structured and less structured follow-ups. In structured academic follow-ups, leaders support academic success and character development in various ways that the ninth grader needs. Social follow-ups are where leaders and ninth graders connect outside the classroom through social events to increase student engagement and promote a positive school climate.

Leader-initiated contacts

Leaders connect with their ninth grade mentees on an individual basis throughout the year. Through one-on-one mentor/mentee relationships, ninth grade students are encouraged to discuss these tough high school changes with leaders who have experienced them as well.

From establishing a support system on the first day to creating a mentoring structure, the Link Crew program is helping increase graduation rates, decrease behavioral issues, and create positive connections to make ninth graders more successful. Opportunities and proven systems like the Link Crew program at West High are a perfect example of our value longevity - opportunities that will have lasting impacts on students, staff, and the Waterloo community.