The AVID Elective Class

The most direct application of AVID, we currently have one 6th, one 7th & one 8th grade section.  Ms. April Alcorn teaches all sections daily, helping students acquire the skills they need to be successful.  For one period a day, AVID students learn organizational and study skills, work on critical thinking and asking probing questions, get academic help from peers and college tutors, and participate in enrichment and motivational activities that make college seem attainable. Their self‐images improve, and they become academically successful leaders and role models for other students. 

AVID targets students in the academic middle—B, C, and even D students—who have the desire to go to college and the willingness to work hard. These are students who are capable of completing rigorous curriculum but are falling short of their potential. Often, they will be the first in their families to attend college, and many are from low‐income or minority families. AVID pulls these students out of their unchallenging courses and puts them on the college track: acceleration instead of remediation.

AVID Schoolwide

We don't believe that the AVID skill-set should only be limited to the small group of students who are able to take the class each year.  Thus, we are working as a whole staff to push AVID skills out to every student.  Our AVID Site Team (see below) delivers professional development to the entire staff, so that all students can grow and become empowered, effective learners. 

Focused note-taking empowers students to take charge of their learning. Taking notes is a life skill students must acquire to succeed in college and the world of work. Throughout their academic careers, students obtain information from a variety of sources, and they gather, process, wrestle with, think about, and ultimately solve problems and produce new knowledge using that information through the active process of focused note-taking.

Focused notes can take many forms: Cornell Notes, Two or Three Column Notes, Graphic Organizers, Sketchnotes, and many more.  The importance lies not so much in how notes are taken, but what is done with them afterwards.  Focused notes need to be processed (revised, evaluated, classified), connected to thinking (identify gaps, connect to prior knowledge), summarized & reflected upon, and applied to some task.  The more students interact with their notes, the better they remember the information.

Disorganization is frustrating, especially in school.  Lost assignments can cause heartache and send a student's grade tumbling.  It is no less frustrating for teachers to watch students fumble through a messy stack of papers in hopes of finding the required materials.  Thus, the CHMS AVID Site Team chose to make organization--one of the core principles of AVID--a school-wide focus.  As students develop better processes, procedures, & tools, they will in turn become more efficient & effective learners.  

Our initial concentration is on binders & planners.  All 7th & 8th grade students are expected to have a single binder for all subjects, marked out with tabbed dividers.  6th grade students are expected to have no more than 2 binders, also with tabs.  They should also have a self-contained materials pouch for pens, pencils, and the like.  Planners, which are provided by the school, are expected to be secured in student binders.  They should be used for recording homework and important dates like field trips, tests, and library book due dates.  Planners are also used as student hall passes.  

Throughout the year, teachers and administrators will be randomly checking students for effective use of both organizational tools.  Students who can demonstrate success will receive special cougar cash rewards!

• Mrs. Megan Buranen, Site Coordinator

• Ms. April Alcorn, AVID Elective Teacher

• AVID-Trained Teachers:

  • Ms. Rachel Butera

  • Mr. Tyler Carver

  • Ms. Sarah Charlton

  • Ms. Megan Buranen

  • Mrs. Ann Gawel

  • Mrs. Bridget Hayman

  • Mrs. Dianne Pantalone

  • Mrs. Brooke Wentz

• AVID-Trained Administrators & Counselors

  • Mrs. Kim Sands

  • Mr. Matthew Wharton

  • Ms. Joanne Carradin 

Applications for the 2025-2026 school year are now open!  Click here to learn more.

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