Vermont Department of Education
Vermont Consortium for Successful High School Completion
Project Profile: Quantum Leap, Bennington College
Vermont Project Profile in Truancy and Dropout Prevention
Project Name: Quantum Leap
Contact Person: Susan Sgorbatti, Daniel Michaelson
Mailing Address: Bennington College, Bennington, Vermont, 05201
E-mail: sgorbatti@bennington.edu, dmichael@bennington.edu
Phone: (802) 440-4471 or (802) 440-4473
Mt. Anthony UHS Quantum Leap: (802) 447-7511 ext. 227
Project Objective
Re-engage truant students in school; reduce dropouts
Age/Grade/Characteristics of Students Served
K-12 students who are truant, dropped out of school or have behavior problems.
School District/Schools Involved
Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union, including Mount Anthony Union High School, the
middle school and the feeder elementary schools.
Funding Sources and Sustainability Plan
• Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union
• Best Institute Vermont Department of Education
• Vermont Agency of Human Services
• Henderson Foundation
• The Permanent Fund, The Vermont Community Foundation
• Bennington College
• Vellmans Foundation
Our sustainability plan is focused on systems change where the school implements the Quantum Leap approach with existing personnel.
We are in that transition at Mount Anthony Union High
School. We are hoping to eventually get local community support to sponsor our mentors, and
offset administrative costs with consulting and training.
What services are provided to students? Families? Others?
• The Plan process (individualized educational plan), conflict resolution, mentoring,
student intervention and support, tutoring, community task force development,
integration into the K-12 school system, national and international cultural exchanges,
building foundations of peace, learning expeditions (field trips), training workshops.
• Functions/activities are integrated with the Quantum Leap process/approach (i.e.,
building from student strengths and interests, mediation as a non-judgmental approach,
integration with Bennington College coursework and students, active learning).
What are the results to date?
Twenty-three out of 25 second year students referred to Quantum Leap are in an accredited
educational program. Twenty-three out of 25 second year students had an attendance of more
than 20 percent. Compared to students being out of school. 25 out of 25 second year students
have articulated their career goals. Students have a decrease in violent or self-destructive
behavior. This is indicated by a conversation with the Dean of Students and interviews with the
students that 24 out of 25 students have gotten into fewer physical fights. Three of our students
two of whom had previously dropped out) have completed high school. Two more are
graduating this June. The rest are still in school.
What challenges is the program facing?
Quantum Leap has gone from a volunteer pilot program to a funded program of Southwest
Vermont Supervisory Union to having a classroom at Mount Anthony Union High School to full
scale systems change next year. We continue to face the challenge of funding for our mentoring
outreach program, where our staff goes to student’s homes and mediates between families,
students and schools. We also face the challenge of funding our program administration. We are
beginning to focus more substantially on the middle school and the elementary schools in
Bennington County.
What partnerships has the project developed?
We have many partnerships in Bennington and elsewhere. We are in partnership with the
following schools and organizations:
• Mount Anthony Union High School
• Mount Anthony Union Middle School
• Catamount Elementary School
• Pownal Elementary School
• Bennington Elementary School
• Family Court and Bennington Social and Rehabilitative Services
• Sunrise Family Services and United Counseling Service;
• Catamount Regional Partnership and Southwest Vermont Health Care;
• Center for Restorative Justice
• Bennington College
• Southwest Supervisory Union
• Bushwick High School in Brooklyn, New York
• High Schools in Karachi, Pakistan and Lagos, Nigeria
What can you offer to other communities and schools that are interested in truancy and
dropout prevention and intervention?
Quantum Leap is very interested in sharing its approach with other schools and communities. We
offer training and consultation. We have offered a training for mediators and educators in
Brattleboro, Vermont, and consulted with the Whitingham School.
Our approach is based on three concepts:
• The Personal Learning Plan (inspired by John Dewey and the Bennington College Plan
Process)
• Conflict Resolution Skills (Mediation and Negotiation)
• Systems Change (the ability of schools and communities to meet the needs of At-Risk
students).
Please briefly share a “case example” that would illustrate how your project addresses
truancy and dropout issues.
Susan and Danny arrived at the trailer in Pownal, Vermont. There was hardly any plumbing; the
windows were cracked, and there was trash everywhere. There was a sofa sitting outside along
with a table. The three boys came outside to be interviewed by Susan and Danny. The middle
boy hid under the table, and would only talk from under the table. The younger boy just stood
and hung out. The older one was the only one really speaking.
After several meetings, the younger boy was still not able to speak very much, and seemed very depressed.
He was in fifth grade and hadn’t been in school for a year and a half. Finally, Susan and Danny asked the older
brother if there was any subject that the younger brother was excited about, and after reflecting, the boy
said yes, “cheese.” “Cheese?” asked Danny and Susan somewhat incredulously. “Yes”,said the boy.
So they immediately called on the younger brother and asked if it was true that he
liked cheese. A big smile crossed his face for the first time. “All kinds of cheese?” asked Susan,
“like Swiss, Rocquefort, and Camembert?” Yes, he replied, seeming very knowledgeable about
exotic cheeses. The next week, Danny contacted The Grafton Cheese Factory, and Susan, Danny
and this young boy went on an amazing tour to see how cheese was made. This was the
beginning of the transformation of this young man. He is back in school, very successful, and
wanting to own his own cheese factory some day
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