AVID
College-Readiness Program Launches in Nine Plano
Schools
September 1, 2006
“Life
is like a puzzle,” said Shepton High School Ninth Grade Student
Ashley Garner, as she and her classmates pieced together a puzzle representing
their academic high school careers. Their teacher Kristin Anderson explained
that, once they define the pieces of their academic puzzle, set goals and meet
them, their “picture” - one of a college-ready student - will come
clearly into focus.
Encouraging
students to work cooperatively in peer tutoring groups, Bowman
Middle School AVID Instructor Michael Abney assures them that,
"Research proves hands down you'll learn more from each other
than from your teacher."
Ashley
and 420 of her peers in nine Plano schools, are participating in
AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), a research-based
in-school
academic
support program that prepares students for college and success.
 “AVID targets students in the ‘academic middle,’” explained
Mark Allen, Plano ISD director of student services and district AVID director. “The
program is designed to increase students’ depth of learning and expand
cognitive ability, with a focus on college readiness.”
Teacher
Kristin Anderson and AVID Student Ashley Garner share a laugh.
“High expectations and support” are among the program’s strengths,
said Shepton AVID Coordinator Kristin Anderson, who is one of 75 PISD teachers
and administrators who serve on AVID site teams, comprising principals, counselors
and core subject-area teachers.
“We’re
a family,” Bowman Middle School Teacher Michael Abney
told his AVID students. “This class is all about you succeeding
in every other class.
 We
will celebrate our successes and help each other through the challenges.” Bowman
Student Julissa Rivera summed up AVID as a program that “helps
students get organized. AVID gives us a push.”
Julissa
Rivera, Bowman Middle School, summed up AVID as a program that “helps
students get organized. AVID gives us a push.”
AVID
has been implemented in these Plano schools this year: Armstrong,
Bowman, Haggard, Frankford,
Renner and Wilson
middle schools and Shepton, Vines and Williams high schools. Plans
are to expand AVID to the district’s senior high schools within two
years.
Related
Link
|
