Sunday, February 18, 2001
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Sunday, February 18, 2001 |
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Extended Year Program giving extra help to students
Students are now getting extra help in math and reading through an extra hour of instruction some days in Fayette County public schools. The Extended Year Program gives students an extra hour of instruction after school, with the first 30 minutes devoted to teaching and the remainder spent doing homework or other reinforcement instruction. Teachers throughout the school system are working extra hours to facilitate the program. Each session is limited to seven or 10 students per teacher. Currently, more than 1,000 students are enrolled in the extended year program. At the elementary level, reading and math sessions are being conducted on alternate days so students needing help in both disciplines can attend. Three days are reserved for reading and two days for math. In the middle schools, sessions are being held concurrently four days a week, so a student must chose whether to attend the math or reading component. At the high school level, only math is being offered two days a week. "This program is being very well-received by our students and parents," said Cheryl Hilderbrand, coordinator of reading. "In fact, we have a waiting list at all school levels for students who are eligible to participate." According to state regulations, the Extended Year Program can be implemented on Saturdays or before or after school. Fayette administrators say they chose to have the program take place after school because it is the most beneficial for students as well as practical for parents. "We were excited that we had the opportunity to determine what would be best for our students. We felt the after school concept would fit easier into parents' schedules and that students could receive help with their homework from that day, enabling them to learn better," said Kay Seabolt, coordinator of mathematics. Due to the popularity of the program, attendance of students is being closely monitored to make sure that participants are regularly taking advantage of the program. Any child who does not have regular attendance will be removed from the program so that other students on the waiting list can have an opportunity to participate. In addition to the after school sessions, a day camp summer program is also being planned. Students currently participating in the Extended Year Program this academic year will have the first opportunity to sign up for the summer session. Additional participants will be identified by teachers and given the choice to attend. The program is slated to last for four weeks, Monday-Thursday, with two hours a day devoted to each discipline. The summer program will be housed at two sites: one in Fayetteville and the other in Peachtree City. "This is a real privilege for our students. Statistics show that 25 percent of a school's population will need some type of intervention in reading. This program allows students to get help from teachers after school and free of charge," Hilderbrand said. The Extended Year Program is just one intervention program in use by the school system. Other programs include tutoring, Remedial Education Program and Early Intervention Program.
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