Responding to the growing need for academic and social-emotional assistance among high school students

Starting in the 2023-2024 school year, every class of students at New Trier will have a team of administrators, adviser chairs, and student services liaisons following their individual progress, providing support when needed, and communicating with families and teachers to help all students reach their goals. 

The Graduating Class Teams are a new support structure New Trier implemented in response to the growing need for academic and social-emotional assistance among high school students. 

Currently, students stay together in Adviser Rooms all four years, and Advisers move with them at the Winnetka Campus. However, other roles such as Adviser Chairs and student services liaisons have typically changed each year as students moved from freshmen to seniors. 

The Graduating Class Teams will follow students all four years of high school, strengthening the most important idea behind New Trier’s Adviser Program - the Adviser at the center of the school/family/student connection. With the change, not only will the Adviser understand a student’s needs as they move through high school, but that student and their family will have several other staff members following their experience and offering consistent support.

In addition to the Advisers and two Adviser Chairs, each team has a new position overseeing its work - an Assistant Principal specific to the graduating class - as well as liaisons from Social Work, School Psychologists, Post-High School Counseling, Special Education, and multi-tiered supports. 

Much like with the current Adviser system, the Northfield Campus will have a slightly different structure, with the two Northfield Adviser Chairs remaining at that campus each year, while the Assistant Principal and most liaisons will move with the graduating class all four years. 

A primary goal of the new teams will be to identify students early who may need additional support and, when necessary, begin interventions. The teams also will seek strong partnerships with families in establishing expectations for student attendance and providing support for regular attendance.