Focusing on two or more students in your alternative school setting, brainstorm people who are not typically at IEP or other school-based planning meetings who could be assets in supporting the strengths of these students. Questions that help identify such persons include: “Who do you feel connected with in your life or who recognizes your strengths?” or “what teacher or family member has listened to you or helped you before?”

Make a list these people and possible roles they could play on a team with the student(s). For example, a student’s uncle who he looks up to could play a positive support role for the youth and his mother at team meetings; or a former teacher from the high school could be a resource for the team in brainstorming strategies that tap into a student’s interest/strengths with a particular subject area.