Andover High School
Link/Web Crew
Presentation
 Presented by:
 Mark Cross – Industrial Arts Teacher
www.usd385.org
Link Crew Objectives
 To empower juniors and seniors as role models for
freshmen. Middle school – 8th graders.
 To increase academic success through support of peers.
 To develop leadership skills in students on your campus.
Link Crew Objectives cont:
 To expose students to a variety of individuals at your
school in positive situations.
 To teach students that by working together they can be
successful and enjoy one another.
 To help create a supportive and positive atmosphere on
your campus.
How Link Crew Supports
Freshmen
 Link Teams
 All freshmen are divided into Link
“crews” of 8-10. Each Crew is
assigned 2 Link Leaders who will
serve them as a mentor and a
friend for the year.
How Link Crew Supports
Freshmen
 Link Phone Call
 Link leaders telephone each of their
freshmen to extend a personal invitation
a few days before Orientation.
How Link Crew Supports
Freshmen
 Link Orientation
 General Assembly
http://www.wcco.com/video/?id=19573@wcco.d
ayport.com
 Orientation for freshmen in separate classrooms
by the link leaders.
 Focus of activities : getting to know other
students.
 Learning strategies for being successful at the
school.
How Link Crew Supports
Freshmen
 Academic Follow Ups
 An academic follow up is a special lesson
taught in all freshmen English classes by
link leaders.
 Topics include, making good choices, using
resources on campus, dealing with peer
pressure.
How Link Crew Supports
Freshmen
 Social Follow Ups
 Link Crew sponsors social events on
campus to help freshmen and link
leaders stay connected. Examples are:
movie night, Cocoa & Cram night.
How Link Crew Teaches
Leadership
 Link Leader Training
 Link leaders attend an intensive 12-hour
training prior to Orientation.
How Link Crew Teaches
Leadership cont.
 Link Crew
 Each link leader is assigned a team of 810 freshmen to mentor through their
first year of high school.
How Link Crew Teaches
Leadership cont.
 Link Orientation
 Each link leader then gets to practice the
skills learned at Training by leading
his/her freshmen crew through two
activity sessions on Orientation day.
How Link Crew Teaches
Leadership cont.
 Academic Follow Ups
 Link leaders attend a two-hour training
that continues the link’s practice and
understanding of leadership and group
dynamics.
Statistics
 Number of schools trained: 816
 Number of educators trained:2,391
 Approximate number of students
affected in 2005-2006 school year:
950,000
Statistics
 David Douglass High School, Portland
Oregon:
 71% reduction in freshmen disciplinary
referrals.
 48% reduction in freshmen absences.
Statistics
 Boulder High School, Boulder, CO
 1997: 20 freshman hazings.
 1999: 0 freshman hazings.
Statistics
 Dodgeland High School, WI
 13% reduction in freshman failure.
Questions
www.boomerangproject.com
 Mark Cross – Crossm@usd385.org
Andover High School 316-733-1335
www.usd385.org