As part of the district-wide school day redesign, Memorial Junior High began incorporating a daily intervention/enrichment period for all 7th and 8th grade students at the start of the 2014-2015 school year. The thirty-five minute period features a student-centered approach to learning, and has received an overwhelmingly positive response from students.
Preparing and helping students develop skills necessary for success in college is the primary focus during the first quarter of the school year. Using a curriculum created by faculty members, students learn, discuss, and apply important skills such as organization, career exploration, goal setting, time management and note taking. During an intervention/enrichment class on Tuesday, September 9th, students in Mrs. Angela Auletta’s class looked at positive, real-life examples of goal setting, such as Olympic Gold Medalist Carl Lewis, while also sharing examples of personal goals they had set for themselves. Student feedback is also encouraged, as class meetings are held every Friday, during which students communicate their learning needs to teachers. Staff members from the Guidance Office work in conjunction with teachers to ensure that each student’s learning needs are met.
At the onset of the second quarter, the emphasis of the class will switch from college readiness to content area intervention and enrichment. Students are placed in a specific classroom based on their STARS Benchmark Assessment scores. Those students, who score below the designated benchmark scores, will receive intervention in English/Language Arts and Math, to ensure that they are provided the necessary resources and support to help them achieve at grade level. Students who perform at or above grade level will receive enrichment learning opportunities in the content areas of science, social studies, as well as ENCORE electives. The enrichment opportunities will feature an emphasis on writing skills designed to meet the requirements of the new PARCC assessments, which require students to explain their answers in a clear, logical manner.
The district would like to thank Principal Kathybel Ortiz, Mrs. Deb Cegelka, Miss Alison Nagle, Mrs. Paula Morgan, Mrs. Supriya Culliton, Mrs. Sue Cicero, Mrs. Angela Auletta, and the rest of the teachers and staff at Memorial Junior High for their hard work and dedication on behalf of our students.