For some kids, a new school year means frustrations with
learning and a struggle to succeed. This year, an AmeriCorps program will
partner with Windham Primary School to lend these students a hand.
Ethan
Schechter, director of the AIMS HIGH AmeriCorps Program at LearningWorks in
Portland said they recently secured a
grant to place teams of dedicated AmeriCorps members in elementary schools
throughout Southern Maine with the goal of increasing student academic achievement and social and emotional
learning through tutoring, mentoring and extended learning interventions, both
in and outside of the classroom.
This new grant will fund the program
in five elementary schools, including Windham Primary School. Though the
LearningWorks AIMS HIGH program is in its fourth year, it is new to Windham. The
grant will allow for the partnership with Windham Primary School to continue
for the next three years.
There are many different AmeriCorps
programs that focus on specific goals. The goal of the AIMS HIGH program is to
support academic achievement at local elementary schools. Many of these schools
were identified as needing support for specific students, and often they have
their own school improvement plans that specify interventions and programming
to support student success, Schechter said. “We come in as a separate
initiative with our own team of people to support the schools’ own plans,” he
added.
AmeriCorps members will receive training from LearningWorks,
as well as support from the schools. They will often work under the direction
of a classroom teacher, math or literacy coach. Members are placed with
students, one on one or in small groups, to work primarily on math and literacy
supports.
Up
to 17 AmeriCorps members will be placed at Windham Primary School this year,
and recruitment is ongoing. “We recruit people from the communities that we
serve in, and that is really one of the greatest strengths of our programs,”
Schechter said. The service positions are mostly part time for the year of
service, with commitments ranging from just five hours per week to 20 hours per
week. That allows for recruitment of community members who may be balancing
service with other responsibilities, such as family, work or school, Schechter
said.
The
program often works with college students who are studying education. Schechter
said they have been talking with St. Joseph’s College in Standish in hopes of
having several education students serve in Windham this year.
Serving
as an AmeriCorps member has many benefits including developing leadership
abilities, and learning essential professional skills. Schechter said
the AIMS HIGH program in particular can be a great way for someone interested
in education to try it out, find out what working in a school is like and build
relationships. “Even if they’re not interested in education as a career, just
as professional experience it can be very valuable,” he said.
Another
more tangible benefit of serving as an AmeriCorps member is that upon
completion of their service, members receive an education award, which can be
used to pay college tuition or federal student loans. Members who are 55 years
of age or older when they begin their service can transfer that education award
to their children or grandchildren.
The program is
accepting applications now (available online at www.learningworks.me), and will
continue on a rolling basis until positions are filled. Members will be placed in
classrooms and begin working with students in October. Anyone 17 years or older
with a high school diploma or equivalent is eligible to apply. High school
seniors who are on track to graduate can also apply. Schechter said, “We look
for individuals who are passionate about education and students and are looking
for personal growth opportunities. Most importantly while serving as an
AmeriCorps members they develop meaningful relationships with students to
support those students’ success in school and beyond.”
Dr. Kyle Rhoads, principal at
Windham Primary School said, “We strive to best use the resources
of our community to provide a high quality education for students. The
partnership with AmeriCorps provides another excellent opportunity to do so!”
No comments:
Post a Comment