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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 12, 2018)
8A | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 | SIUSLAW NEWS AVID from page 1A organizing and collaboration. It’s meant to help students who have been doing “just enough” to get by. “Speaking as someone who was at that level, sometimes it’s just apathy,” Perry said about the types of stu- dents AVID aims to help. “Ideally, we’re talking about 2.0s and above, with average to higher test scores on their eighth-grade assessments.” It’s not that the students lack the ability to earn higher grades; they often just don’t have the motivation, confidence or knowledge to suc- ceed. “They don’t have the mindset,” Moser said. “A freshman may not have the mindset that they can take an honors level class. It’s just the confidence to actually push them- selves. Those who are in the honors classes are students who have that motivation.” And many times, that motivation is provided by parents who have al- ready been through the higher edu- cation system. “Most of our kids who do real- ly well have college-educated par- ents,” Tatum said. “Many of those kids are going to go to college no matter what. They’re going to go, they’re going to apply, and we have the classes to support them. They’re going to do it in spite of us. AVID is really for the next level of kids. The ones that don’t have the support at home, or that intrinsic motivation. It’s focusing on those first-genera- tion, college going kids. It’s someone whose parents never had to fill out a FASA, or a scholarship application. They’ve never filled out a college ap- plication.” In terms of graduation, Siuslaw High School has been improving graduation and completion rates over the years. As for four-year graduates, the school had dipped to a rate of 59.7 percent in 2011 but grew to 85.4 percent in 2017. The statewide four-year graduation rate for 2017 was 76.7 percent. Five-year completion rates for the school rose to 93 percent for 2017, compared to 83.2 percent statewide. “This is not just about graduation, but what’s going to happen after graduation,” Tatum said. “And that’s a conversation that needs to start happening early.” To begin to look past graduation, students need to look at the studying strategies they’re currently deploy- ing in high school, and the types of had to have recommendations from are coming, begging me, ‘I need never had anybody show up who lot of students have ‘black hole back- courses they sign up for. their teachers. We’re trying to find more students, and I don’t want to was in an AVID class who was like, pack syndrome,’ where everything “The point of AVID is for kids to kids who aren’t afraid of the work. get it dropped,’” he said. “This year, ‘Finally, I’m done with it.’ We actual- goes in there and you never see it take rigorous aca- ly had two of them again. We have a giant three-inch demic classes,” Per- come to a board binder that is separated for each of ry said. “The kids “We’re in the halls ... having good conversations with the students. Telling meeting with us their classes with planners and all that we’ve targeted the kids ‘Hi’ and asking what they did this weekend. It’s making the con- and helped us ad- the materials they need.” for the program are vocate to get the To fill those binders, the educators scious effort to do it, and doing it every day, every period and getting to AVID program, are teaching students note-taking kids who want to know people. … I don’t want to say we’re going to ‘turn it around,’ because I because they felt skills, what to write down in class, take those courses, but maybe they get so strongly about how to organize them and what to feel our culture is great. But we’re bumping it up a notch.” into the sophomore — Kerri Tatum, it. That’s when it follow when they’re studying. year and they’re sit- clicked for me, that Next, the students are working Siuslaw High School Principal this must be a pro- on creating a network of peer-to- ting in that honors class and they real- gram worth having peer help for their academic classes, ize they don’t have and that works.” focusing on finding study partners all the study strategies they need. Well, maybe they’re a little bit afraid it’s ‘Let me know if there’s someone Siuslaw began sending teachers within their class. They don’t have the academic back- of the work, but they’re willing to be else taking this, because I’m run- for official training in AVID, with “We talked about what goes into ground they need to be successful.” pushed towards it. They’re going to ning out of desks.’ It’s such a positive the official first class beginning this being a good study partner,” Perry While Siuslaw has a bevy of ad- start pulling their own weight. The shift.” school year in both the high and said. “Being reliable, being motivat- vanced courses in its roster that grades are a factor, but there has to At the same time, transfer stu- middle schools. ed, being a good listener and having could count toward a four-year be a willingness to learn. That’s the dents who were apart of AVID in At the high school, the first proj- some sort of chemistry. So, we had university — a student can gradu- most important thing to me.” other school districts were request- ect that the class worked on was or- them go out and find classmates that ate with up to 90 credits towards a While the official AVID program ing the program. ganizing school materials. exemplify that. So now, if they miss four-year bachelor’s degree if they is only now being introduced in the “When they figured out that we “Organization is one of the big- class or have a problem, they have a take the right courses — AVID is not high school, many of the core prin- didn’t have AVID at school, they gest barriers to high school success,” resource to draw from.” solely focused on a four-year degree. ciples have been introduced into the were devastated,” Moser said. “I’ve Perry, who teaches the class, said. “A See AVID page 10A “A lot of kids might not want to school through the Future Success do that,” Perry said. “Maybe there’s program, began by Perry after re- a trade or vocation that they want viewing some of the AVID tenants to go in to. Giving them the oppor- in other schools. tunity to keep all those doors open “We taught our students a bunch is really important. Your freshman of note-taking strategies and so- year, you can shut a lot of doors if cial-emotional strategies,” he said. you’re not careful. The whole point “So, every kid is getting those strat- for AVID is to keep all those doors egies. I’m seeing it now with my open and make sure you have the junior English students who were skills you need if you choose to keep in Future Success. They have built those skills moving forward.” more skills which we’re trying to To get into the program, students see.” have to apply and go through an in- For Moser, he has already seen terview process. improvements in student skills and “The biggest thing I looked for a rise in honor class placement since High School Bowling Team when we did the interviews was mo- the Future Success program was ini- Signup at Holiday Bowl tivation,” Perry said. “How motivat- tiated. ed are you to improve? The students “Typically, the honors teachers Kid’s Leagues Forming Now! 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