AVID Program

Advancement Via
Individual Determination
[L. avidus]: eager for knowledge
“We help our students find their voices
by believing in them, helping them
become academically competent, by
encouraging them, and by treating
them not as members of a group, but
as individuals with unique skills,
talents, and passions. Once our
students find their voices, there’s
nothing they can’t achieve.”

Mary Catherine Swanson

The Mission of AVID

AVID’s mission is to close the

achievement gap by
preparing all students for college
readiness and
success in a global society.
AVID Closes the Achievement
Gap for ALL students
AVID Program Essentials

1. AVID offered in 6th grade

2. Rigorous course and study

3. Writing and Reading Curriculum

4. Inquiry to promote critical reading

5. Collaboration

6. Data Collection and Analysis

7. District and School Commitment

8. Active and Interdisciplinary Site Team

Why should they start thinking about
college NOW? It’s only 6th-grade!

Students will learn good habits:

•how to study,
•how to read well,
•how to write clearly, and
•how to problem solve with others
These skills will help students become
independent learners in high school and
beyond.
What does AVID look like at LPA?

• Students will maintain organization

with the use of a binder and student
planner.
• Students will use the STAR note-
taking strategy.
• Students will develop executive
functioning skills.
• Students will be exposed to to a
variety of college/career
opportunities.
What strategies will my child use in AVID?
Note Taking System
The STAR System

Set up your paper

Take the notes
Apply your thinking to
the notes
Reflect and Revise
your notes
An example of how notes are set up…

Topic Heading

Questions Class Notes

Subtitles • Use Bullets
Headings Use Abbreviations (w/ @ etc.)
Collaboration

Students ask, explore and

answer questions
Students are listeners, thinkers,
speakers, and writers
Students discover ideas and remember
because they are actively involved
Teacher becomes a coach, guiding
students in their learning
What is academic rigor?

Rigor is the goal of helping students

develop the capacity to understand
content that is complex, ambiguous,
provocative, and personally or emotionally
challenging.

Taking rigorous courses opens doors !

Source: Teaching What Matters Most; Standards and Strategies for Raising Student
Achievement by Strong, Silver and Perini, ASCD, 2001.
Meeting the Challenge

To help all students do rigorous work and meet

or exceed high standards in each content area
we must help students:

Develop as readers and writers.

Develop deep content knowledge.
Know content specific strategies for
reading, writing, thinking and talking.
Develop habits, skills, and behaviors to
use knowledge and skills.
What can parents do to help their child
be successful at LPA?
1) Make sure your child comes to school on the first day
with all school supplies on the 6th grade school supply
list. We will be organizing their materials in homeroom
and during class.

2) Parents should check child’s planner and Edmodo daily

to keep up to date with assignments, upcoming tests, etc.

3) Sign in to Home Access (HAC) and monitor

your child’s academic performance in class

*Teachers will monitor binders and facilitate binder clean-

out
Meeting the Challenge (Continued)