F~I~R~E
Foothill Intervention, Reinforcement and Enrichment Program
Established 2005

FIRE is a 30-minute, mid-day advisory period scheduled weekly Tuesday through Friday. All 9th grade students new to Foothill’s campus are enrolled in the FIRE advisory period during their first semester on campus. New 10th, 11th and 12th grade students may "opt in" as well during their first semester on campus as they adjust to their new surroundings.

FIRE provides a structured environment in which new FTHS students can connect with teachers and experienced student “mentors”; learn about FTHS’ programs, procedures and traditions; and receive academic and social support as they transition into the rigorously academic high school environment provided at Foothill Technology High School.

FIRE promotes a safe-school environment and an atmosphere of peer support as we recruit junior and senior students to participate as “student mentors” during the FIRE advisory period. These “FIRE Crew” leaders are given special training in AVID strategies, leadership skills and peer interaction. “FIRE Crew” participates in other unique opportunities as they volunteer their time in helping to create a more inclusive campus environment. FIRE Crew leaders also run the "New Student Orientation" in the week before school begins; a combination of large group assembly, small group bonding activities and a school tour (based on the Link Crew model from the Boomerang Project).

To provide these support opportunities to 100% of Foothill students during the academic year, the FIRE advisory period has been embedded in our school schedule during a 30-minute time slot immediately preceding lunch.

Upperclassmen who are not required to take a period 7 class and athletes who are dismissed to the athletics period at their neighborhood school sites (Ventura or Buena High Schools) before 7th period can take advantage of the FIRE advisory, meet with teachers for office hours, use the computers labs or be assigned to FIRE on an “as needed” basis. In addition, any other student on a “shortened” day schedule has the opportunity to attend the FIRE advisory period as deemed appropriate. Our National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation and AVID tutors also benefit from this schedule adjustment as they can participate as peer tutors during the mid-day FIRE period rather than waiting past their regularly scheduled dismissal time in order to tutor students.

Students not required to participate in a FIRE advisory benefit from having an extended lunch period most Tuesdays through Fridays. This allows students with off-campus lunch privileges to more slowly, thus more safely, get to and from their lunch destinations. However, students required to be enrolled in or choosing to participate in the FIRE advisory program will continue to have our traditional 30-minute lunch period following dismissal from the FIRE period. This split in lunch dismissal times benefits all students, as it helps to relieve the overcrowding in the cafeteria proper and in lunch payment lines. Intramural sports, fundraising, special events or announcements and club meetings may also be scheduled during this time on an as-needed basis to avoid interrupting instructional minutes.

Freshmen and other new FTHS students who maintain or reach a 3.0 grade point average during their first semester on campus may “opt out” of the FIRE advisory period during the following semester. Parents may request that their student remain or be assigned a FIRE class at any time in the school year.

Freshmen, new FTHS students and 10th, 11th or 12th grade students whose grades drop below a 2.0 (1.99 or lower) during any semester or quarter reporting period will remain in or be required to enroll in the FIRE advisory period. This required enrollment gives these struggling students the opportunity to participate in intervention programs and support activities until their grades recover at the next grade-reporting period. Many of our core academic instructors work together to provide planned, structured intervention in the various courses on a regular basis - calling in groups of students on specific days to reteach specific concepts and processes (e.g., biology intervention, algebra 1 intervention, etc.).

Students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade may request to drop FIRE at the quarter or semester grading period if they have shown an increase in academic performance; have attended FIRE regularly; and have 1) brought their GPA back to a 2.0 or higher; and 2) show a minimum of a .5 increase (as required to qualify for FTHS’ Renaissance Program); and 3) do not have D/Fs in core academic classes.

At any time, any student may participate in the FIRE period on an “as needed” basis. Teachers may also require any student to attend one or more FIRE periods by issuing an immediate “Academic Enrichment Appointment Pass” that indicates where, who, when and why information to the student.

We believe the advisory period allows us to provide personalized student support, more effective intervention and increased monitoring of student academic performance. We believe the modified block schedule is more inclusive and that the administrative changes in the advisory period will allow us to be more pro-active and effective in our efforts to educate our student population.