Reimagining MTSS: Interventions That Honor All Students by Phenomenal Teaching with PEBC

Kids helping other kids get unstuck! After recognizing that the “old ways” weren’t working for kids or teachers, the leadership team at Cherokee Trail High School embarked on developing an MTSS structure that was more about meeting the needs of kids and less about being convenient for adults.  When asked, students reported that they wanted a place to go where they could get help from other students, and so the Cougar Resource Center was born. The Cougar Resource Center is a student-led tutoring center that supports all students, including those who are identified as in need of Tier 2 academic support. Students crafted the mission, “Create a sense of belonging where students feel comfortable asking for and receiving support,” provide tutoring for students who drop in during their off blocks, recruit new tutors, and strive to make CTHS a better place.  The CRC is wildly popular with students (with 3000 visits last semester) and has made a significant impact on student academic performance, culture, and community at CTHS.

Listen in as the Director of the CRC, Molly Robbins, shares the story of how one large high school developed an MTSS structure that is making a big difference.  Molly shares the philosophy and the day to day details that make the CRC such a success. This episode connects to the ways in which the PEBC Teaching Framework highlights the importance of creating schools and systems that value community and the use of data to foster student agency, equity and understanding.Click here to learn more about the PEBC Teaching Framework.