New Classes Will Prepare Students For College

PRESCOTT - The Prescott School District is planning to offer two class- es at the middle and high school levels to help prepare students for college.

Principal Jodi Thew said 12 Prescott School District staff members just trav- eled to Sacramento, Calif., for AVID training in early July. AVID, which stands for Advancement Via In- dividual Determination, is research-based teaching that encourages sixth through twelfth graders to not think about whether to seek higher education, but to think about what school they want to attend for higher education, Thew said.

AVID training for the Prescott staff members and the part-time teaching position are funded by Prescott School District's Washing- ton State University GEAR UP grant that helps fund programs that prepare kids for college, Superintendent Dr. Bill Jordan said.

The Touchet and Dayton school districts are also sending teachers to AVID training in the coming weeks and will use AVID strategies in their classrooms. Howev- er, they will not have AVID elective classes.

The district has already taken applications and teacher recommendations from students interested in taking an AVID class in the coming school year. Thew said she and the school's counselor are going through the applications now and will announce who the selected students are on Aug. 21.

"We're still trying to find the right kids," she said.

The selected students will take an AVID class five days a week. There will be two classes, one for students in middle grades, and one for students in high school grades. The classes are elec- tive credits and are optional.

The students will focus on critical reading and writing, inquiry, problem solv- ing, organization, college plans and even building resumes.

"It's kind of an elite class," Thew said.

At the Prescott School Board meeting July 31, it will be recommended that the board hire local substitute teacher Stacy Just to join the district part-time to teach these elective classes.

Thew said AVID is not meant for students at the top of their class, but is for those middle-of-the road students who may need some extra help getting on to into higher education.

And because 12 staff members attended the training, AVID strategies will not only be used in the special elective classes, but in most classes at the school, Thew said.

"All students will benefit and (be taught) AVID strate- gies," Thew said.

Jordan said students will know from one classroom to the next what the academic standards are because the training has put Prescott teachers on the same page.

"It was an exciting oppor- tunity for all of us to learn the same material," he said.

In Prescott, Thew said she is hoping to keep the AVID classes at about 15 students each, though the class sizes could go up if more students are interested.

Parents of students do have to agree to allow their child in these classes, Thew said.

"It's a rigorous course - it's pushing the kids to make them ready for college aca- demically," she said.

Jordan said he's excited at the idea of hiring Just to teach AVID strategies.

"AVID is a school-wide commitment," he said. "Bringing (Just) on board is going to have an impact."

To learn more about the new classes in Prescott, call the school at 509-849-2215.