How to Design an Advisory System for a Secondary School

Book excerpt: When Mark Goldberg first visited a school with an advisory system, he was impressed by the way such a system personalizes school for secondary students, provides a shared professional experience for the adults in a school, and improves home-school relations. He decided that if given the opportunity, he would bring an advisory program to a secondary school. Later, when he became founding administrator of a high school, he started an advisory system. This book is based on his experiences. Goldberg explains why an advisory system is important, what it requires, and how to tailor the concept to a particular school to provide an enriched experience for students, staff, and parents. An advisory system stresses the advisor-advisee relationship and ensures that every student is known well by at least one adult in a school. That adult--a teacher, administrator, librarian, or other staff member--becomes the student's advocate and the first person the student seeks out to discuss school problems with or to get advice about where to turn for assistance with more serious issues. Such a relationship enhances the student's school life, from course selection to decisions about the future. This practical book provides a comprehensive look at a unique system for personalizing secondary school so students get the most out of their years in school and are better prepared for life after graduation.