We are seeking energetic, committed, and dependable adults, and college and high school students to lead and coordinate the development of the program.
by Terri Rogers
Students at Loveland Elementary, Primary and Intermediate Schools are receiving extra help with homework from the Cool School Program… but it does more than that. It provides attention to those students who need that extra caring and supportive touch. It’s all part of the efforts of Loveland Initiative and the partnership with Loveland City School District. With support from Principals Kevin Fancher, Jennifer Forren, Garth Carlier and staff secretaries, students are provided a safe learning environment, storage to keep materials, filing, distributing and scanning of applications, bus transportation to take students home, use of computer room and information from teachers regarding student progress.
Cool School Enrichment Program is an after school support program designed for students lacking instruction in their home environment. Many of the students attending Cool School have Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s), which describe any learning disabilities and suggest alternative approaches to instruction. Students receive individual or group homework assistance two days a week. Each student gets a day of direct instruction in the academic area of greatest need. The focus is on helping them learn, complete their homework, and build life skills that include helping others and being respectful of their friends, parents and teachers.
The Loveland Initiative runs two programs, grades 1 through 4 at Loveland Elementary and Primary, and grades 5 through 6 at the Loveland Intermediate school. Our routine always begins with a lunch or snack. Two out of four weeks a month, a bagged lunch is provided for each student by the Miami Trails Neighborhood Network Community Club, Tigers in Service/Rachel Bierkan/Loveland High School, Cincinnati Well Done/Annette Friesner, and the Walmart Foundation. McDonald’s in Loveland provides an end of year incentive. Other individual snacks and materials are purchase from the Cool School Fund. After lunch or snacks, students complete homework with the help of a volunteer. If students do not have homework, they review classwork graded by their teachers for a better understanding of how the work is done. Also, students participate in unstructured activities.
Subjects vary widely:
Students at Loveland Elementary and Primary benefit from extra help with reading, writing, vocabulary, fluency, math, and much more. They meet over an hour every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. Their project leader is Hope Spaeth, a Middle Childhood Education student at UC Blue Ash College who is from Mason Ohio. Other volunteers from the Association for Student Educators (ASE) at UC Blue Ash and Loveland High School also help on a regular basis.
Students at Loveland Intermediate School benefit from extra help with writing (Word Wisely), reading [pull_quote_left]The rewards of being that person are the smiles on student’s faces and their body language that tells you that they are proud of what they have done.[/pull_quote_left](Scholastic News), math worksheets, adding and subtracting, fractions, and mixed numbers with like and unlike denominators. With the use of the computer room, students use Digits, a program that provides personalized coursework, study plans, and homework for students. They meet over an hour every Tuesday afternoon. Their Project Leader is Lauren Ellis, a Social Work student at Wright State University who is from Dayton Ohio. Other volunteers from Wright State University and Loveland High School also help on a regular basis.
As we move forward into the 2016-2017 school year, we are looking for volunteers. We are seeking energetic, committed, and dependable adults, and college and high school students to lead and coordinate the development of the program as well as other volunteers that can help with program support. Perhaps you know of a retired teacher or parent who would love to take this job on. The rewards of being that person are the smiles on student’s faces and their body language that tells you that they are proud of what they have done.
Please visit the Loveland School District Home page at lovelandschools.org for a volunteer application located under the flyer tab. For more information on the Cool School Program, please contact me at 513.739.2354 or by email at [email protected].
