Farb Middle Retains AVID Demonstration Site Status

Farb Middle School has been validated for the second time as a National Demonstration Site for Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), a fourth grade through high school system that has turned thousands of underperforming students into confident, college-going scholars. Farb received high honors from the reviewers who revalidated the school for an additional 3 years.

The school, which is part of approximately 120 other AVID National Demonstration Sites, was revalidated through an application process, screening and review that included a site visit. AVID is implemented in more than 4,900 schools in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and 16 countries/territories and impacts more than 700,000 students in grades K-12 and in 28 postsecondary institutions.

"It is a tremendous honor to be selected as a demonstration site and to be revalidated for another 3 years," said Principal Susan Levy. "Our students and staff have implemented AVID with fidelity. We are proud of our AVID program, our AVID Coordinator, our teachers and our school as a whole."

AVID Executive Director Jim Nelson notes the significance of attaining demonstration site status.

"Schools chosen as demonstration sites have proven their ability to successfully implement the AVID academic elective course and take the strategies schoolwide to affect all students," says Nelson. “Farb Middle School” was selected as a National Demonstration Site because it has implemented the AVID system throughout the school and can serve as a model for new AVID sites."

AVID National Demonstration Sites were initiated in 1993 with a $250,000 award from the Charles A. Dana Foundation of New York. As part of the AVID National Demonstration Sites Network, sites are expected to develop a model program with schoolwide participation. With AVID’s proven methodologies used throughout subject area classes, performance levels improve for all students, but especially for those students who are the least likely to attend four-year colleges. Schools from around the world that are preparing to implement the AVID system will visit National Demonstration Sites, such as this one, to observe a highly evolved AVID system.

Levy is pleased that the school was revalidated as an AVID National Demonstration Site, noting the impact of the program on staff and students.

"It is a tremendous honor to be selected as a demonstration site and to be revalidated for another 3 years. Our students and staff have implemented AVID with fidelity. We are proud of our AVID program, our AVID Coordinator, our teachers and our school as a whole," Levy said. "AVID has helped the entire school improve student achievement, raise test scores, narrow the achievement gap, and maintain a college focus. Farb was able to attain an API score of 803 this year. AVID affects not only AVID elective students, but all students. We use AVID strategies and methodologies in all classrooms so that every one of our students benefits from a culture of high expectations and a college going culture."

For more information, please visit www.avid.org.

Jones Elementary Fifth-Graders Spend Day at USD

All fifth grade students at Jones Elementary School recently participated in the school’s first I’m Going to College Day, with an all-day visit to the University of San Diego (USD) campus. The visit provided the students with an up close and personal view of a real college campus.
 

As an AVID school, college readiness is one of the foundational components at Jones Elementary. To be successful in a global society, AVID’s mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college and career readiness.

The day's activities included a tour of the USD campus by college freshmen and attending a standard- based English and math class taught by two different USD professors. Students participated by explaining their thinking in the math class, and after learning about “free verse” poetry, students wrote and shared their individual poems.

At the end of the day, a mock graduation was held for the fifth-graders. The students received a certificate of completion and a commemorative hand shake by the Assistant Dean of Students, their teacher and the principal. It was inspirational to see the Jones students glow with a sense of pride and purpose as they succeeded in their first college campus experience.    

Jones principal Rita Powell and fifth-grade teachers would like to thank USD Assistant Dean Pauline Berryman Powell from the College of Arts and Sciences, Vice President of Public Affairs Pamela Gray Payton, and Admissions Counselor Lisa Saldias for transforming the vision of post-secondary education into a reality and inspiring the students to think beyond high school.

For additional information contact Rita Powell at rpowell@sandi.net or 858-496-8140.