Monfredo: AVID - Helping Students to Succeed

Saturday, April 27, 2019

John Monfredo, GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER

PHOTO: John Monfredo

AVID … (advancement via individual determination)… keep those words in mind for this is a program in the Worcester Public Schools that has had a tremendous impact on so many students. I am emphasizing this program so that many parents who did not hear this presentation at the School Committee meeting could learn about its value to the children and perhaps check with their schools about enrolling their child in AVID.

As part of Superintendent Binienda’s Superintendent’s Report Sharon Leary, AVID curriculum liaison and Janet Mathieu, Community Resource, both AVID specialist, spoke about a program that perhaps many still may not be very familiar with even though it has been part of the district’s plan for many years. This program provides assistance to those students with great potential but who need extra assistance to close the achievement gap. Both educators did an outstanding job highlighting the strengths of the program and how the program continues to impact students. It’s a program that raises academic achievement for all while providing support to those most in need of additional help.

Basically AVID is a nation-wide non-profit program that provides professional learning for educators to improve college readiness for all students, especially those traditionally underrepresented in higher education. AVID's College Readiness System had its start at the secondary level, with the AVID Elective class and AVID School-wide and now continues to includes work in nine elementary schools. As stated, AVID's mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness through a rigorous and structured curriculum. AVID teaches the students strategies in writing, inquiry, literacy and has a framework of structures that will motivate, model, and assist those students in the middle who care to learn. It offers a support system for first-generation college students as well.

The program has a strong proponent in staff development for there is a great deal of professional learning that educators who are involved in the program learn in their staff development workshops. Teachers can take what they've learned at AVID training to any classroom to help all students to become more college and career ready. Their training gives teachers the tools to connect with and assist students succeed.

Let me give you a sampling of the program… on the secondary level, grades 7 through 12 … eleven schools are involved, the program prepares students for four-year college eligibility. These students are given assistance as they tackle the most rigorous classes that will guide them to a successful college career and beyond. Students are given academic instruction, college tutorial support, organizational skills and a focus on higher order thinking skills.

On the elementary level instruction takes a systemic approach starting in grade four. Instructional strategies include focused note taking, goal setting, binder organization, reading to learn/writing to learn, cooperative grouping, and higher order thinking and questioning skills. Needless to say that is a very comprehensive array of skills for the students to learn. This concept takes away at an early age the frustration that many students experience for in the program they are learning how to study and how to succeed.

Through some skillful teaching the students are involved in many of the core concepts involved in learning… READING … strategies in reading, use of graphic organizers, vocabulary building, and how to summarize…. ORGANIZATION … Binders and organizational tools are used … calendars and planners and the use of the Cornell Note-Taking System is another teaching tool for the students. Students are taught how to organize their notes. This method discourages the use of long sentences. It is about short notes that you write down in the right-hand column using recognizable abbreviations and symbols. It assists students on organizing their ideas in order to go back and review the material. Other strategies in the program involve teaching students WRITING SKILLS … evaluation, process writing, authentic writing and learning logs. Students are encouraged to work in COLLABORATION within their peers in editing as a group. Activities within the groups are ongoing and service learning projects are encouraged.

The program has continued to expand each year for AVID now impacts close to 3,900 students in the Worcester Public Schools and there are now twenty AVID schools in the district. One startling statistic shows that 95.5% of the students in AVID have gone on to college.

The impact of this program has been outstanding for one sees an increase in enrollment in advanced academic courses … AP and Honors increase the rigor of all courses. Teachers, through their training, are able to implement instructional best practices for all students in the school. Most importantly, AVID creates a culture of students wanting to go to college.

A strong component in the program is the AVID Tutor for the tutor guides the students by asking probing questions with the intent of developing and deepening the students’ understanding. AVID students are volunteers that come from many of the colleges in Worcester as well as having nine special intergeneration tutors. Currently, there are 192 trained tutors placed in 46 AVID elective classrooms.

Thanks to the generosity of the Hanover Insurance Group Foundation the Worcester Public Schools has a strong partnership to assist AVID. Resources for binders, senior scholarships, training for teachers, college fairs, training tutors are all possible due to the assistance from Hanover.

Another great feature of this program is the involvement of parents in the learning process. Parents are invited to participate in AVID family workshops where family members can learn ways to support their student’s academics. Parents are also encouraged to maintain regular contact with their teacher. Many of the parents that I spoke with love the program and the structure that the program has given to their child.

As for parents selecting AVID… Enrollment in the AVID class, grades 7 through 12 is through a selection process and there is a pathway to follow. The development of the skills is sequential starting in grades 7 and 9. The AVID class is not an elective class even though it is in the elective block. The entry points are grades 7, 9, and 10. Students in grades 8, 11 and 12 are not admitted to AVID unless they are already enrolled in another school.

AVID is a choice for students and their families. They must sign and commit to the requirements in the yearly contract. Students are required to be enrolled in a minimum of 2 honors level courses in middle school and 2 AP courses in high school.

In summary, if any parent wants to find out more about getting their child into the AVID program talk to a school guidance counselor at the school or call up the AVID office at 508 -799-3283

One more bit of information … Superintendent Binienda is one of ten superintendents across the nation to be selected by AVID to be part of a team that will strategize on how to best incorporate AVID strategies in districts and to address challenges in education. Now you know what AVID is all about and it’s great to have this program in the Worcester Public Schools.