The list below offers examples of the types of changes Stanford’s Challenge Success schools have implemented as part of our program. These are not intended to be prescriptive. We encourage each school to examine its unique needs and circumstances and then create a site-specific plan for change.   In many cases, reinventing suggested policy and program elements are not necessary which is why I post Challenge Success’ recommendations.  My added thoughts are in italics and blue.

Parent | Faculty | Student Education

• Develop parent education programs and host student assemblies to highlight the latest research on student well-being and address the pressures students face.
• Host “dialogue nights” in which students share their day-to-day demands with parents and/or faculty.
• Sponsor professional development workshops for faculty on student stress and coping strategies.  Help faculty develop curriculum infusion ideas for their curriculum that address alcohol and other drug use. 
• Hold education nights for parents of students in Advanced Placement and Honors courses to share information about the expectations and homework load.
• Create planning tools for students as they determine their academic and extracurricular schedule for the coming year. Focus on the amount of out-of-school time each class and activity will take, and be sure to make time for adequate sleep.
• Create Honor Codes, “Declaration of Integrity,” and revised cheating policies. Consider student-led judicial councils to handle academic integrity infractions.
• Educate students on finding the right “fit” college or post-secondary path. De-bunk the myth that there is only one path to success.

Establishing a Climate of Care

• Implement an advisory system to focus on social and emotional learning and to help students find faculty advocates.  Consider advisory’s with varied grade levels as opposed to single grades whereas younger students can benefit from older student’s insights and mentoring. 
• Support a broader definition of success by revising award assemblies, valedictorian choices, and by not publishing college acceptance lists.
• Encourage more positive student/faculty relationships so faculty members are more approachable and accessible.
• Develop time management, stress reduction, and relaxation techniques.
• Conduct exit surveys with graduates to glean information about aspects of school that worked well and ways to improve.

Examine Students’ Use of time

• Revise school schedules (including late start days, modified block, full block, or trimester schedules).
• Revise homework policies to ensure purpose and volume of homework is appropriate.
• Schedule quarterly “no homework” nights.
• Create test and project calendars to reduce overlapping major assignments.
• Move finals and/or cumulative projects to before winter break.
• Provide tutorials or free periods to give students more time to interact with faculty and more time for academic support.
• Create guidelines for extracurricular activities, including a cap of 15 hours per week for sports.
• Modify final exam schedule to create longer breaks between exams and earlier dismissal after exams.
• Schedule “dead week” each quarter where no testing is allowed.
• Eliminate summer and vacation assignments.

Project-Based Learning and Use of Alternative Assessments

• Incorporate project-based learning into daily instruction.
• Modify curriculum and school assignments to make them more relevant to students’ lives.
• Use alternative assessments, and consider eliminating mid-terms and/or final exams.
• Revise late work and “zero” policies.
• Develop “plagiarism-proof” assignments that allow for more student choice and personalization.
• Modify the grading system, such as using narrative assessments, creating unweighted GPA’s, or eliminating student rankings.

Student-Based Wellness Initiatives 

Specific Recommendations Around Drug Education Programs