Cape junior-high teachers to start advisory period

Teachers at Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School will implement a 25-minute advisory period this year to give students more individualized attention.

During a school board work session last week, principal Carla Fee said teachers have been working on the idea throughout the year.

"We knew so many of our kids needed additional help and needed some additional connections, as far as relationships," she said. "It's pretty exciting for me to say my staff is totally on board. It was their suggestion we take a couple minutes off each class. We're starting five minutes early, we're ending four minutes late, so we were able to carve out a 25-minute time for advisory."

Every certified teacher will have an advisory period, and between 12 to 14 students are scheduled to be with a certain teacher, depending on what the student needs the most help with, Fee said.

"Our students who are low in reading have been intentionally placed with an ELA (English language arts) teacher," she said. "Our kids who are low in math have been placed with a math teacher. We put some time into placing those students."

On Mondays, students will meet with advisers to go over a checklist and ensure their binders are organized and papers are in the correct folders.

Students also will look at their grades. If they have a C or below in a class, they will write down why -- whether it's because of a low test score, missing assignments or a need to study more.

Tuesdays and Thursdays will be devoted to reteaching.

"If a student needs to go to a math teacher, for example, for additional help, and they're not already placed in a math class, we're going to use a shared spreadsheet and a ticket system so that teachers know where students need to be," Fee said. "We'll also use that for enrichment for our kids who do not need the reteaching. We have some resources available through our devices we'll be able to utilize, or music people will be able to use that time if students need extra practice time."

On Wednesdays, students and advisers will work on character lessons for topics such as bullying prevention and how to use electronics safely.

Friday will be a buildingwide reading day, Fee said, adding faculty members will spend the time reading, as well.

Teachers will have the same students for two years, enabling them to build relationships with the student and their family, Fee said.

"And they'll be another safe person in that building that student will turn to if they need help," she said.

The program will be evaluated quarterly, with teachers and students providing feedback.

Kyle McDonald, president of the school board, praised the new advisory period, saying some students are embarrassed to ask for help, even if they need it.

"The students will get help without needing to ask for it," he said. "They can work on their own comfort levels."

Board member Tony Smee also said the advisory period will benefit students, especially days spent reteaching.

"The object isn't the letter grade. The object is these kids learn what we're here to teach them," he said. "The more tools we have to do that, and the more emphasis we place on the individual students to get them in that direction, is just going to do wonderful for students who may not have the same advantages some do. I think it will serve them well as they move into high school."

klamb@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address:

205 Caruthers Ave., Cape Girardeau, Mo.