Caney Valley Announces New Program
Caney Valley High School is proud to announce a new program available for students entering the 10th grade this year. AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) is a program dedicated to helping students achieve their goals of going to college. Your child may be eligible for this program. Students considered for AVID are bright students who might be under-achieving, underserved in the college system, or first generation college students. The AVID class, held within the regular school day, provides support, academic monitoring, and tutoring. The writing process, Socratic questioning, collaborative learning, and reading are the core strategies of the program.
What is Required of an AVID Student?
Each AVID student carries a binder in which he or she is required to keep materials from all academic classes. Students keep track of assignments on assignment sheets and are required to take DAILY notes in all academic classes. The notebooks are graded weekly for content and organization. Led by tutors, students participate in tutorial groups in the AVID classroom. In addition, students are taught study skills, test preparation, time management, and the writing process. Teachers fill out periodic progress reports, in addition to routine school ones, for monitoring by the AVID teacher/coordinator, Shayne Cramer.
Who are AVID Tutors, and What Do They Do?
AVID tutors are college students who receive training in methodologies used in AVID: writing process, Socratic questioning, collaborative learning, and reading. They are in the classroom weekly to serve as models and to help students achieve success in rigorous classes. They are trained not to give students answers but rather to guide them toward answers. They may even ask permission to “shadow” students in their classes to help them learn how to take notes more effectively.
What Can Parents do to Support AVID Students?
Communication between the AVID teacher, Coach Cramer, and the parent(s) is essential. Coach Cramer will contact you to share your student’s progress, and appreciates any information you share with him. At home, parents can see to it that students are doing their homework in a quiet place with few interruptions. By asking your students about his/her day, and inquiring about homework and the events of school, you will bridge what could be a great gap between his/her school life and home life. When the two are connected, successes increase. Additionally, stressing your belief that your student can succeed in high school and attend college will also motivate him/her to work harder and achieve more. Throughout the year, several Parent/Family Workshops will be offered to address topics of concern relating to student success in high school and college applications and admission.
If you and your child are interested in the AVID program, a parent/student meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 13, at 6:00 P.M. in the high school cafeteria. This meeting will provide an overview of the AVID program, outline its benefits, summarize the program expectations, and provide you with the opportunity to ask any questions you may have. The process involved in securing your child a spot in the AVID program will also be explained.
We are very excited about the implementation of the AVID program at Caney Valley High School and look forward to working with you and your child this year.
For more information, please contact:
Kelli Longan (AVID Counselor), klongan@cvalley.k12.ok.us
Shayne Cramer (AVID Elective Teacher), scramer@cvalley.k12.ok.us
Debra Keil (HS Principal), dkeil@cvalley.k12.ok.us
