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ONE SCHOOL LEADER IN OUR STATE IS HAVING GOOD RESULTS WHEN IT
COMES TO KEEPING KIDS IN SCHOOL AND AWAY FROM THE REALITIES OF
BECOMING HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS.
HEATHER BURGISS TAKES US TO EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND
INTRODUCES US TO STUDENTS WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF GIVING UP
ON SCHOOL, IF NOT FOR THE DETERMINED HELP OF THEIR SCHOOL
PRINCIPAL.
>> I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE GONE, SO I GOT IN TROUBLE.
I WASN'T KEEPING MY HEAD IN THE BOOKS.
I'M NOT GOING TO PASS, MAN.
THIS AIN'T -- THIS AIN'T ME.
I'LL BE ANOTHER DROPOUT.
>> FOR BYRON, HIGH SCHOOL HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE HE WANTED TO
BE.
HE SAYS WHEN HE WALKED THROUGH THE DOORS HIS 9th GRADE YEAR, HE
HAD AN OVERWHELMING FEELING HIS FAMILY'S HISTORY MIGHT REPEAT
ITSELF.
>> ON MY POP'S SIDE, LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, NOBODY
WALKED ACROSS THE STAGE.
MY POPS TOLD ME AND TOLD ME, MY BROTHER AND MY COUSINS, ALL OF
US, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, BREAK THE CURSE, YOU KNOW WHAT
I'M SAYING, BREAK THE FAMILY CURSE.
SEE YOURSELF GRADUATING AND STUFF, NOT DOING THE STUFF MY
PARENTS USED TO DO.
>> FOR MANY STUDENTS, GRADUATION CAN SEEM OUT OF REACH.
STATISTICS SHOW 7 IN 10 STUDENTS IN THE U.S. ACTUALLY FINISH HIGH
SCHOOL.
>> BECAUSE IT'S REALLY TOUGH AT SOME POINT.
YOU JUST GOT TO STICK TO IT.
IF YOU DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO IN THE CLASSROOM, THE MAJORITY OF
THE TEACHERS HERE WILL BEAR WITH YOU.
>> BYRON AND SHAQUAN USED TO FEEL SOME OF THOSE SAME
STRUGGLES, BUT PERSONAL CONNECTIONS MADE WITH THEIR
PRINCIPAL AND TEACHERS ARE MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THEIR
DESIRE TO STAY IN SCHOOL.
>> I DON'T AGREE WITH DROPPING OUT, SO IT'S NOT THE RIGHT THING
TO DO, AND IF YOU HAVE A PRINCIPAL LIKE MR. FINN, YOU
SHOULDN'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO MAKE SURE YOU GET OUT OF HERE.
>> IT'S TODD FINN'S FIRST YEAR AS PRINCIPAL AT NEW HANOVER HIGH
SCHOOL IN WILMINGTON.
THE SCHOOL POSTED AN OVER 26% DROPOUT RATE LAST YEAR.
FINN IS WORKING TO CHANGE THOSE ODDS.
>> IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO ARE KIDS DROPPING OUT BECAUSE OF WHO
BUYS THEIR LUNCH OR ARE THEY DROPPING OUT FOR OTHER REASONS?
WHAT I FOUND REALLY ARE THREE MAJOR FACTORS.
THE FIRST IS ACADEMIC FAILURE.
THE SECOND IS SOCIAL FAILURE.
THEN THE THIRD IS RETENTION.
WHEN KIDS FAIL ACADEMICALLY, THEY TEND TO LOSE THAT HOPE.
THEY'VE GOT TO MAYBE TAKE A CLASS OVER AGAIN.
180 DAYS CAN SEEM LIKE AN ETERNITY TO A 16-YEAR-OLD CHILD.
>> PRINCIPAL FINN IS COMING TO NEW HANOVER TAV A SUCCESSFUL RUN
AT WEST BLADEN COUNTY HIGH, WHERE AS PRINCIPAL HE WELCOMED
BACK DROPOUTS AND SAW GRADUATION RATES SOAR.
>> SO BY INVITING KIDS TO COME BACK, TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, SIT
DOWN AND TALK TO ME, TELL ME WHAT IT WAS IN THE FIRST PLACE
THAT MADE YOU AN UNSCHOOLED KID, AND I WAS SHOCKED WHEN THEY
WOULD COME IN, AND THEY WOULD COME IN TWO OR THREE AT A TIME
AND LET ME KNOW WHAT THEY'D BEEN THROUGH THROUGH THEIR EYES, HOW
THEY SAW IT.
>> THE PROGRAM WELCOMED BACK CLOSE TO 50 STUDENTS, BUT FINN
WANTED TO ALSO SEE TEST SCORES IMPROVE.
TO ACHIEVE ABOVE AND BEYOND EVERYONE AT THE SCHOOL HAD TO BE
ON BOARD WITH CREATING CHANGE.
>> WE HAD TO CHANGE WHAT WE'RE DOING TO GET ACROSS TO THEM.
BY BRINGING IN THE 40 OR 50 KIDS THAT DIDN'T WANT TO COME TO
SCHOOL, THE UNSCHOOLED KIDS, WE PUT EVERYONE ON NOTICE, ON THEIR
GAME, SAYING I EXPECT YOU TO MOVE THEM AS WELL.
WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE, IT WAS A MONUMENTAL GAIN.
THE KIDS ENDED UP SCORING 81% ON THEIR EOCs FOR THE YEAR WHERE IT
WAS 64 FOR THE YEAR BEFORE.
>> NOW THIS PRINCIPAL FINDS HIMSELF REACHING OUT TO NEW
HANOVER STUDENTS WHO MIGHT BE ON THE FENCE ON WHETHER TO STAY IN
SCHOOL.
>> TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE
SUCCESSFUL, IT DOES HIT HOME WITH ME.
I WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE ADVANCED PLACEMENT STUDENTS.
I DIDN'T REALLY HIT MY STRIDE UNTIL I FINALLY GOT TO COLLEGE,
WHICH WAS AFTER THE MILITARY.
MY YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I CAN REALLY IDENTIFY WITH WHAT A LOT
OF OUR KIDS GO THROUGH AS WELL.
>> IN HIGH SCHOOL AS AN 18-YEAR-OLD SENIOR IN
MASSACHUSETTS, TODD FINN FOUND HIMSELF LIVING ON HIS OWN AND
STRUGGLING TO STAY IN SCHOOL.
>> I DO FEEL AS THOUGH BY CONNECTING WITH THEM, TO LET
THEM KNOW, HEY, I'VE BEEN IN YOUR SHOES BEFORE, TOO, AND WE
CAN GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
I THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY BEEN A -- IT HAS BEEN A BIG
PASSION OF MINE, AND WHEN THE -- WHEN THE STUDENTS KNOW --
OBVIOUSLY, WHEN THEY KNOW YOU CARE, THEY TEND TO PRODUCE MORE
FOR YOU.
>> STUDENTS SAY KNOWING THEIR PRINCIPAL CARES AND WANTS TO
WORK WITH THEM MAKES A DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY.
>> WHEN I TALK TO MR. FINN, HE PULLED ME IN HIS OFFICE THAT DAY
WHEN I WAS WALKING IN THE HALLWAY, I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING
IN TROUBLE OR SOMETHING.
HE TOLD ME GOOD NEWS, HE'S GOING TO HELP ME OUT.
THAT POINT WHEN HE GAVE ME THAT HELP, IT ENCOURAGED ME,
ENCOURAGED ME TO DO BETTER, SO MAKE SURE I KEEP MY GRADES UP,
DO WHAT I HAVE TO DO, MAKE MYSELF BETTER SO I CAN GRADUATE.
>> I KIND OF FEEL LIKE I'M AT HOME WHEN I'M IN SCHOOL.
I'M STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE HERE.
I LIKE IT.
AS LONG AS I COME TO CLASS AND DO WHAT I GOT TO DO, IT'S GOING
TO PAY OFF IN THE LONG RUN, WHICH IT WILL, SO I JUST DO WHAT
I GOT TO DO EVERY DAY.
>> I BELIEVE I'M GONNA MAKE IT.
I'M GOING TO WALK ACROSS THAT STAGE.
I'M HOPING TO MAKE IT, GO TO COLLEGE, GET MY DEGREE.
GOING ACROSS THAT STAGE, MR. FINN REALLY IS WORKING WITH
ME, AND I APPRECIATE HIM FOR THAT.
I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THAT.
>> YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY IN YOUR CORNER TELLING
YOU THAT YOU CAN DO IT, YOU KNOW, DON'T GIVE UP.
HE COMES TO TALK TO ME EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE I'M ON TRACK.
HE'S GOING TO MAKE SURE I'M OUT OF HERE.
YEAH.
>> THIS SCHOOL YEAR PRINCIPAL FINN INSTITUTED A NO WRITE-UP
POLICY FOR DISCIPLINE ISSUES.
STUDENTS HAVE TO COME AND SPEAK TO HIM OR ANOTHER ADMINISTRATOR
ONE ON ONE AND COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS.
TO DATE SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS ARE DOWN 68%.