High school mimics FMU
Brittany Parker
Issue date: 1/27/10 Section: Campus
In a first for Florence School District One, South Florence High School opened its Writing Center to students this month.
This addition comes after South Florence teachers visited FMU's campus Writing Center.
Teachers in the school's English department, who rotate tutoring shifts in the center, came together to develop the concept and put it into action.
"I believe we're one of only two high schools with Writing Centers," English teacher Jeannine Franco said. "They're predominantly on college campuses but not high school campuses."
Carol Hill, South Florence's Small Learning Communities Coordinator, said that the idea came from those teachers discussing student need for help in developing writing skills.
"Our students really need writing assistance across the curriculum, not just in English," Franco said. "This is what the Writing Center is all about."
Franco also said that she hopes to the new facility will aid students in taking the HSAP and SAT, as well as in preparing for college.
Franco and fellow English teacher Sherri Helton both said that the Writing Center could help students prepare for college.
"I think sometimes students don't realize that once they get to college they will have to write papers for different classes," said Helton.
"The Writing Center is a terrific idea and I hope the students take advantage of it," said English teacher Marilyn Chapman.
Twelve out of the school's 16 English teachers are helping to form the Writing Center to fulfill their Goal Based Evaluations requirements.
Helton said that every teacher in District 1 must complete one goal per year for a more continual assessment of teachers.
"We did this collectively to achieve one of our goals," Helton said.
South Florence's Media Center houses the new Writing Center, which is open every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for an hour after school ends. This resulted in the Media Center staying open an extra hour, a change that Hill said she has noticed students utilizing.
This addition comes after South Florence teachers visited FMU's campus Writing Center.
Teachers in the school's English department, who rotate tutoring shifts in the center, came together to develop the concept and put it into action.
"I believe we're one of only two high schools with Writing Centers," English teacher Jeannine Franco said. "They're predominantly on college campuses but not high school campuses."
Carol Hill, South Florence's Small Learning Communities Coordinator, said that the idea came from those teachers discussing student need for help in developing writing skills.
"Our students really need writing assistance across the curriculum, not just in English," Franco said. "This is what the Writing Center is all about."
Franco also said that she hopes to the new facility will aid students in taking the HSAP and SAT, as well as in preparing for college.
Franco and fellow English teacher Sherri Helton both said that the Writing Center could help students prepare for college.
"I think sometimes students don't realize that once they get to college they will have to write papers for different classes," said Helton.
"The Writing Center is a terrific idea and I hope the students take advantage of it," said English teacher Marilyn Chapman.
Twelve out of the school's 16 English teachers are helping to form the Writing Center to fulfill their Goal Based Evaluations requirements.
Helton said that every teacher in District 1 must complete one goal per year for a more continual assessment of teachers.
"We did this collectively to achieve one of our goals," Helton said.
South Florence's Media Center houses the new Writing Center, which is open every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for an hour after school ends. This resulted in the Media Center staying open an extra hour, a change that Hill said she has noticed students utilizing.
Be the first to comment on this story