By Jean McDermott

I.J. Holton Intermediate School principal

STEAM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics — is in full swing this December at I.J. Holton Intermediate School as students complete their first engineering unit, polish up their musical selections for band, orchestra, choir, and general music concerts, and ponder the design process in their Project Lead the Way classes. A new layer has been added to the STEAM instruction of Holton fifth- and sixth-grade students this year as students and teachers are introduced to a variety of Advancement Via Individual Determination, AVID, Elementary strategies.

In 1980, Mary Catherine Swanson created the AVID Elective at Clairemont High School in San Diego, California. The success of her classroom spread throughout her site and attracted nationwide attention and recognition. From its beginnings, serving 32 students in one high school, AVID has grown remarkably to now include not only AVID Elective for secondary students, but AVID Elementary for K-6 students. As of the beginning of 2013, AVID impacts over 700,000 students across more than 4,800 schools in 45 states and 17 countries.

AVID has proven that students, when presented with a system of rigorous curriculum and strategic support, can rise to the occasion and be successful. AVID is a methodology that promotes best practices for teaching to develop consistency in thinking and embraces the delivery of information by both students and teachers. This consistency is accomplished through the implementation of the AVID Elementary lesson framework of WICOR (Writing to learn, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, Reading to Learn) while cultivating students’ self-motivation and helping all students expand their personal visions of academic success and achievement.

Implementing a STEAM curriculum, I.J. Holton School is providing a rigorous curriculum to all of our students. AVID Elementary is now adding a strategic support component that will assist in closing the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society. This school year, staff and students are focusing on the O — Organization — of the WICOR framework. Organization is a fundamental key to success in school. AVID Elementary focuses not only on organizing the students’ materials, but also on cultivating organized thinking and learning for both teachers and students. Therefore, organization is the “core” of WICOR for AVID Elementary classrooms. When students have their papers, class notes, supplies and assignments ready, they are set up for successful learning.

I.J. Holton students have learned and are using a structured organizational process using their laptop briefcase and school supplies. Student agenda books are formatted and used to review learning from each class period and record daily assignments. During second semester students will be introduced to the STAR notetaking method. STAR: Set up notes, Take notes, Add to notes, Review notes. Once students are independent with their ability to set up notes and take notes, the STAR strategy expectation is that students will improve their study skills through interacting with their notes. The A and R of STAR (Add to notes; Review notes) are required as steps within the note-taking process. Simply taking notes is not enough. Students must interact with their notes on a regular basis to improve study skills and prepare for the rigors of middle school, high school and college.

We have already seen great progress for students with the implementation of the organizational strategies of AVID Elementary. We will continue to learn and integrate the other WICOR strategies with students over the course of the next few school years. For more information, visit avid.org.

One additional note — Since March 2013, a committee of Austin Public School district parents, staff, and students have examined and researched balanced calendars and later start times. If you would like more information, please visit the Calendar Working Group’s webpage: www.apscalendarwork.weebly.com.