Mentor Program Finds Success with Toms River's At-Risk Students

Some students have trouble connecting with their school. When they aren't invested, they can lack the motivation to succeed. 

So Pat Thomas, assistant principal at High School East, spearheaded a program designed to help those students. The Student Advisory Committee created four years ago has helped children at his school improve and is growing, helping others throughout the district. 

"This program is all about saving kids," said Superintendent of Schools Frank Roselli during a presentation of the program to Board of Education members Tuesday night. 

The committee formed at High School East four years ago with about 20 students paired with a mentor teacher. Now, that number has grown to about 85 there, and as of two years ago all of Toms River's high schools and intermediate schools are participating.

"Simply put, it's for kids who feel disconnected and they need a connection," Roselli said. 

This program "gives them that connection," the superintendent said. 

Every teacher involved in the program who mentors an at-risk student does so on a volunteer basis. They might meet with a student while on hall duty to talk or organize an after school activity. 

At High School East alone, 65 teachers are involved in the program as mentors. 

"The teachers are putting so much into this," Thomas said. "It's a lot. It's demanding."

Students are identified for participation in the program by factors such as their grades, attendance rates, test scores and behavior, according to Thomas. 

"We try to address those needs," Thomas said. 

Children who have issues at home might come to school and act out, getting them into trouble. 

"What schools normally do to address these types of problems is to further negative reinforcement with school policies like in-school suspension and so forth," Thomas said. "Ultimately what it does is promote perpetual failure."

Students then begin to resent attending school, refusing to participate in extra-curricular clubs and activities. They lose a connection to the school, a place where formative years are spent.  

The program thus aims to use positive reinforcement to get students invested in their school. They become connected to a mentor who they want to impress and not let down, Thomas said. 

"Every student wants to do well but doesn't have the means," Thomas said. 

"Significant improvements" were identified in students in a two-year evaluation of the program at High School East, according to Thomas. 

Administrators found that, among students in the program, 71 percent improved their behavior, 47 percent got better grades, and 90 percent were able to find success in dealing with self-esteem issues, Thomas said. 

Attendance rates, however, saw no change. 

"That's more based on home variables, which is something we're going to work on," Thomas said. 

With more students in the program, administrators are looking into ways to expand it. They plan to look into funding grants and potentially continuing the program through the summer months. 

Assistant Superintendent of Schools James Hauenstein said that a parent recently told an administrator how the program has helped her daughter become a better student. Her child's mentor became her "angel."

"The teachers get the feeling they're making an impact," Hauenstein said.

"I give this guy so much credit for starting this thing," Roselli said of Thomas' effort.