Gonzales Junior High

The Jr. High campus is located in the Gonzales ISD, is a Title I campus and serves students in grades 6-8. Students at this center do not have the necessary resources to be successful in their education. The parents at home often times do not always know how to help their children. In some instances, the parents do not possess a good education themselves and do not encourage their children to do well in school. Thus, students at this center are in need of extra time to complete their homework assignments and additional help in order to be successful in the classroom. The student LEP population includes students with needs in both Bilingual and ESL instruction. The district has a focus on math and reading and at the center an emphasis in being placed on helping the students with their reading and math skills. Special education students are also in need of peer and small group help. In determining the inclusion of ACE participants, Tier 2 and Tier 3 students are looked at first for participation. Other considerations for inclusion in the ACE program include low academic grades, low test scores or not passing the subject area six-week assessments. Students who are experiencing difficulty in completing their homework are also prime candidates. The student teacher ratio is much smaller afterschool during ACE than it is during the regular school day, which will give the students more focused instruction and re- teach opportunities from their teachers. There has been a surplus of teachers willing to work in the ACE program. Certified teachers are giving lessons in small groups, helping students with their homework, writing lessons plans and holding class with the various clubs offered in ACE. The ACE program focuses on Tier 2 and Tier 3 students in the beginning of the school year to fill as many spots that are needed. Once these students are given the opportunity to enroll, if there are other spots available, then teacher recommendations are taken for students with low grades and low-test scores. If students have not been successful on their six-week bench mark testing, then paperwork is then sent home for the parents to fill out and the students will be enrolled by the ACE coordinator prior to their first day of ACE.

In addition to providing ACE academic activities that are supportive of what students are learning during the school day, the site coordinator also schedules ACE program activities based on results from student and parent surveys. The academic/tutorials offered help students with their homework and help to reteach and reinforce the school day curriculum. In providing the instructional offerings in ACE, the district and campus instructional coaches use the data from the benchmark tests that are given to all students. These tests include the BOY, MOY, and Lions testing. The students also take tests at the end of the grading periods to monitor their progress. The information is shared with the ACE site coordinator to determine the student need. The teachers provide lesson plans that follow the Year at a Glance (YAG). The teachers look at the data from the assessments of the students to determine their area of need. The enrichment activities employ needed academic skills as well. The cooking club incorporates skills found in math and science. The arts and crafts also support student learning in their core subject areas, helping with artists like Fria Kahlo and Diego Rodriguez. The ACE program uses the cafeteria daily but has access to the entire campus if or as needed. The facilities commonly used include the classrooms, the library, the cafeteria, and the gym. Outside resources available to ACE include the public library, Norma's house, Local businesses, Thrive Heathplex, and Victoria College. All of these outside resources have participated in the growth and success of the ACE program at this site. The local businesses have played a major role in helping ACE via donations for the events that are planned for parent engagement and community involvement nights