Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007
Having upperclassmen mentors and helping parents learn how to check their child’s homework are part of Eleanor Roosevelt High School’s newest effort to make sure all freshmen have substantial academic support.
‘‘Partners in Education,” an after-school program that targets freshmen at risk of repeating their ninth-grade year, launched Nov. 8 when parents and students were informed of steps the school is taking to enhance academic experiences at Roosevelt.
Principal Reginald McNeil said if all children are not doing well academically, the school is not doing the best it can for its students.
Staff administrators identified freshmen for the program who had at least two or more failing grades in the first quarter marking period, Assistant Principal Avery Taylor said.
Parent liaison Russ Taylor said the school identified more than 75 students to attend the Nov. 8 meeting, held at Springhill Lake Elementary School in Greenbelt, but only 15 parents attended and signed up for the program. Roosevelt has an estimated 750 freshmen this year. He said the program was created in part to address dropouts at the school. The current dropout rate at Roosevelt is 2.3 percent for all students, according to information from the Maryland State Department of Education. The state satisfactory mark is 3 percent or less.
Russ Taylor said the program would provide mentoring to freshmen from upperclassmen and community leaders, as well as provide parents with workshops teaching them how to check their child’s homework effectively.
‘‘The objective of the program is to help these particular students pass ninth-grade, because in the first quarter they failed,” Russ Taylor said. ‘‘Also, we are trying to build self-esteem. We have noticed that self-esteem is an issue in some of the students — if not low, misguided. We want to improve their study habits and eventually have them become role models for future students.”
The after-school program will run through the school year, offering field trips and out of school activities for the students as well. Community leaders are also expected to become involved, providing financial support and adult mentors.
‘‘I think it’s a marvelous idea. It will be very helpful for the students. I hope my son will benefit tremendously from it,” parent Victor Onireti said.
However, Sharon Mason said she questioned Roosevelt’s sincerity with the program, since the school has already labeled the kids in the program as expected not to graduate.
But Russ Taylor said the students have been labeled as at-risk of not passing ninth-grade, and the school is trying to help them.
‘‘We wanted to create something that was more than just tutoring because these children have been identified as not doing their homework and not paying attention in class. That’s why we’re having events and mentoringship with positive role models working with them, trying to help the kids decide they’re going to become a better student,” Russ Taylor said. ‘‘We are welcoming more ideas from parents. This is just our attempt in helping and having a plan for the students.”
McNeil said that he wants parents to communicate with the staff and let them know when they are dissatisfied with the school’s operations.
‘‘We are trying some changes and we are ready,” McNeil said. ‘‘We want to be there for you and be evaluated by the community we serve.”
Diana Miles whose son, Finis Miles, was targeted for the program said his transition to high school been a challenge but as a mother, she constantly emphasizes the importance of education to him.
‘‘I thought my freshman year was going to be easy. The hardest part about being a freshman has been getting around the school and having a lot more homework than I did in middle school,” Finis Miles, 14, said. ‘‘For incoming freshman I would say do all your work, get to class on time and don’t play that much.”
E-mail Marcus Ngbea at mngbea@gazette.net.
