ESE Students Make a Special New Friend with the 'Top of the Middle' Program and Center Academy Prep!

On my last visit to Center Academy Prep, I had the privilege of bringing together some of my favorite people in the world when I brought my son, Austin, to meet my awesome ESE students for the first time!

For those of you who don't know, I actually created the Top of the Middle Program for my son, who's now 21 years old and attending college, when he was in 5th-grade at Coconut Creek Elementary. At the time, I created it to help my son improve his grades, social interaction, self-esteem and confidence, set and achieve goals, make the best decisions regarding his most vital pre-teen/teen issues, and take control of his life and future. Approximately three-thousand students and a decade later, I found myself seated with my son and some of the best students I've ever taught in my life! Seeing them together filled me with an immense sense of pride, and it was a truly seminal moment in my life and program.

My son's arrival was met with great anticipation and a warm welcome by my students, which really got this presentation off to a great start. After introducing my son to the class, I asked each of my students to ask him a question about a topic or issue they themselves were currently experiencing. The majority of questions involved topics such as bullying, making friends, adjusting to a new school, getting in shape, depression, anxiety, relationships with family members, managing their feelings, time management, goal-setting, etc. My son welcomed each question, and the students seemed relieved to find that he actually experienced, and resolved, many of their own issues first-hand! I believe they were just as relieved to find that they were not alone in the issues they face, and that most kids, including my son, face similar issues at one time or another while they're growing up!

Although I wished we could've stayed all day long, our time together rapidly came to a close before we knew it. While I'm thankful for every opportunity to work with these wonderful kids, it was especially gratifying to see my son and students interact so well. The highlight of our visit actually came when my son and I were walking out to my car, and he said to me, "Wow, Dad, now I know why you love coming to this place so much!" Well, I guess the secret's out! lol

Once again, my heartfelt appreciation goes out to Center Academy Prep Principal/Director Barbara Cooper, teachers Naila Syed and Gayle Schreiber, and, of course, their AWESOME students for graciously welcoming my son and me to their school...and a memory we'll never forget!

God bless you all, and thanks again!

Warmest regards,

Gregg Havass

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The Top of the Middle Program is an in-school social, emotional and academic program that I originally created for my son, and currently conduct on behalf of at-risk, under-performing, mainstreamed ESE, and general education students. Since its inception in 2011, the program has successfully combined goal-setting, mentoring, motivation, instruction, personal, social and emotional development, and studying and time management skills to help empower students with the ability to:

Improve their grades.

• Improve their in-class behavior and participation.
• Improve their relationships with friends, family and teachers.
• Enhance their self-respect and respect for others.
• Express gratitude for the people and things they cherish most. 
• Set and achieve goals. 
• Establish positive role models.
• Become independent, critical thinkers.
• Make sound decisions regarding their most vital pre-teen and teen issues.
• Become more self-aware and accountable for their actions.
• Take control of their lives and future.
• Identify, accept, best-manage and/or overcome the effects of adversity.
• Demonstrate greater empathy and compassion toward others.
• Realize their true potential in terms of their talent, education and future.

As a 16-year BCPS volunteer, and in each of the seven previous years of conducting the Top of the Middle Program, I've found that helping to address, manage and/or resolve the social, emotional, and pre-teen/teen-related issues affecting most at-risk, under-performing, and ESE students enhances their social/emotional development and grades in the process!

As a result, the need to successfully address the social and emotional issues experienced by all students (ESE, at-risk, under-performing and general education) cannot be overstated, and is essential towards improving their grades, behavior, self-esteem, social interaction, and outlook for the future.

If you are a superintendent, school board member, administrator, principal, AP, department chair, guidance counselor, and/or teacher, please feel free to contact me at 954-675-3967, or drop me a line at [email protected] to make arrangements to offer the Top of the Middle Program at your school during the 2019-20 school year. In the interim, I'd be happy to e-mail you the prospectus, which includes an explanation of my program, results over the past seven years, and testimonials from principals, teachers, teaching assistants, and guidance counselors alike.

If you are a concerned parent with a child, or children, you feel aren't performing at their academic, social and/or emotional best, private instruction can also be arranged via Skype or in-person, provided you live within a reasonable distance from Coconut Creek, FL.