AVID Update

Mrs. Dunham, Principal of the Jr.-Sr. High School recently attended an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) Parent Night presentation for the parents of Woodbury students participating in the program. It was held last Thursday evening – January 25. The following is her account of the program and her reaction to the students who were involved in the presentation:


Even though the meeting was only one hour long – it was the most powerful sixty minutes I have ever experienced! AVID students from the ninth and tenth grade classes shared AVID learning techniques that help them perform their best in every class they take. Students shared simple, but effective techniques:

• personal flashcards for the visual and literal learner,
• Cornell notes – a note taking tool; one student showed examples of its use in science and literacy classes, and
• the AVID binder – a binder that organizes their work in every class and that every student present (there were 20 students there) claimed was the most significant benefit to being in the program.

As a final presentation, seven students presented a phenomenal sampling of the Socratic Seminar – an activity in listening and sharing. The discussion topic, “How AVID Has Made A Difference In My Life,” served to prove the power of support and encouragement in a student’s school experience. Out of mouths of young teenagers – we heard students claim a sense of “security”, a conviction that they would not and could not fail, the realization that they could be the kind of student they always desired to be: one making good grades. Students acknowledged pride in their work and their work ethic. More importantly – every student in attendance professed a desire --even eagerness -- for the college experience!

I left the meeting inspired and encouraged -- knowing that the AVID program is one of the most powerful instructional programs to come along in education. In a perfect world, every student would be AVIDIZED! It would be the best support we could provide to our students.

Many thanks to the Woodbury Board of Education for supporting the program and providing our students with an school experience that is positive, meaningful and life changing.


(For more information on AVID, see the posting in this blog dated 9/25/06)