Tutoring Support Programs

Student Tutorial Programs

Tutors are available in the ILC (7 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.) and ELC (7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.) to assist students on days when school is in session. Students can voluntarily work with a tutor to meet their academic goals. Freshman, sophomore and junior students earning unsatisfactory grades are required to attend Mandatory Targeted Tutoring in specific content areas in the learning centers until satisfactory progress occurs. All students who want to demonstrate mastery are strongly encouraged to work with learning center tutors for additional support in their classes.

Mandatory Targeted Tutoring

Mandatory Targeted Tutoring provides academic support to learn the necessary content or skills to meet learning targets.

Students must attend Mandatory Targeted Tutoring for at least two sessions per week or until they have mastered the learning target or demonstrated mastery through completion of the work. Students will attend a Mandatory Targeted Tutoring session by working with a teacher, an ILC or ELC tutor, or an assigned Guided Study tutor during lunch, an unscheduled or activity period, study hall and before or after school. Mandatory Targeted Tutoring works, but only if the student attends.

Students will exit the Mandatory Targeted Tutoring program once the classroom teacher has evidence that the student has mastered the learning target, or has achieved a grade of C- or above in a traditional graded class or an AG in an EBR class.

DOWNLOAD: Learning Center Daily Tutoring Schedule

9^th Hour

The 9^th Hour is the after-school program in which students are placed by their counselor or an academic director in order to regain eligibility for competitive activities when missing classwork is the issue. The program operates from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in the lower level of the West ILC (Room 1313). During 9^th Hour, students study and complete assignments.

Peer Tutoring

Students who need help in Communication Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and World Languages can turn to Peer Tutors, who typically are juniors and seniors in advanced or honors-level classes. Depending upon the students’ schedules, Peer Tutors are available in both centers from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit the Peer Tutors website for more information.

Assistance Courses & Support Programs

Stevenson High School provides a continuum of courses and support programs to ensure that all students have access to a rigorous course of study while supporting their individual needs to ensure success. None of the following courses meet the core course graduation requirements. The following describes this continuum:

Academic Literacy 1

The focus of this course provides instruction in the skills needed for success in high school and beyond. This course emphasizes fundamental literacy within all academic disciplines with a focus on those subjects and skills most appropriate to freshman year. Students will learn strategies to support reading, writing, and listening and speaking skills in science, English, social studies and mathematics. Depending on their benchmark and/or ongoing assessment results, this course may be required of some entering freshmen. This course counts for one elective Communication Arts credit, but is not an English graduation credit.

Academic Literacy 2

This course provides in-depth instruction in the skills needed for success in high school and beyond tailored to the curriculum and needs of sophomores and juniors. This course emphasizes fundamental literacy within a variety of academic disciplines. Students will learn strategies to support reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in science, English, social studies and mathematics. Depending on their  benchmark, past performance, and/or ongoing assessment results, this course may be required of some students. This course counts for one elective communication arts credit, but is not an English graduation credit.

Mentor Math

A student is placed into Mentor Math upon the recommendation of the content teacher when in- class instruction is not enough to support the student in either Algebra 1, Geometry or Algebra 2. The class is designed to offer intensive, small group math instruction with a mathematics teacher to reinforce current content and develop prerequisite skills. This course is pass/fail and counts for one elective mathematics credit per semester, but does not count toward the six mathematics credits needed for graduation. Students must enter the course by the nine-week mark to receive credit.

Guided Study Math

Guided Study Math is a non-credit bearing course that often takes the place of a traditional study hall. An incoming freshman student is placed into the one period of Guided Study Math based on feeder school or director recommendation, as determined by the freshman benchmark exam. Students can also be placed into Guided Study Math upon the recommendation of their content (Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2) teacher. The support is designed to offer small group math help with a mathematics trained support staff member. In Guided Study Math, mathematics skills and homework completion are the priorities; however, other academics also are addressed. Class size is small (with a maximum of 12 students per class) to ensure individualized, personal attention in a nurturing atmosphere.

Guided Study

Guided Study is a non-credit bearing course that often takes the place of a traditional study hall. Entrance into Guided Study is made by the sending feeder school or the student’s Student Support Team (SST). This support program focuses on the development of study and organizational skills, project and test preparation, and homework completion. Weekly course grade monitoring with the student develops executive functioning and self-advocacy skills. Class size is small (with a maximum of 12 students per class) to ensure individualized, personal attention in a nurturing atmosphere.

Mentor Skills

Mentor Skills is a one-period class that meets daily in which students earn one elective credit per semester. The purpose of Mentor Skills is to help students achieve academic and social-emotional independence through a supportive environment, focusing on the five Social-Emotional Learning competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. The Mentor Skills program also focuses on executive functioning and study skills. Students are identified for the Mentor Skills program by their Student Support Team (SST) based on entrance criteria.

More on the ILCs

The ILC and ELC provide an open environment, welcoming all students with any question or project. In order to accomplish academic assistance goals, a quiet working environment is maintained. 

The fundamental base of academic assistance is to foster student self-advocacy and a growth mindset. Students voluntarily come to the ILC or ELC to work with a staff member to ask questions about current assignments or learning targets. Students may visit either LC during a free period, study hall, lunch, or before or after school without a pass. During a study hall, a student must receive a pass to the ILC or ELC from a classroom teacher.

Part of Tier 1 academic assistance is through classroom teacher recommendation to Mandatory Targeted Tutoring. The Mandatory Targeted Tutoring program is designed to provide academic support to freshmen, sophomore and junior students receiving a grade of D, F, MG or FG for any grading period. While in this program, students work with ILC or ELC staff members to learn the specific content and skills they need to be successful in their classes. Students are required to attend Mandatory Targeted Tutoring sessions at least twice a week. Parents of students assigned to Mandatory Targeted Tutoring will receive additional information via email. Student attendance and work are recorded in the Mandatory Targeted Tutoring database.

The ILC and ELC currently sponsor Peer Tutors in Communication Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and World Languages, with plans to extend the program to include other subject areas. Peer Tutors are typically juniors and seniors, who volunteer in the ILCs during their free hour. They assist other students by sharing their knowledge of the core learning targets. The Peer Tutor Program is also an opportunity for students to demonstrate and practice leadership skills, while earning community service hours. Depending upon the students’ schedules, Peer Tutors are available in both centers from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Contact

Dr. Marla Susman Israel, Ed.D.
Director of Student Learning Programs
misrael@d125.org | 847-415-4506