AVID Portfolio
Murchison Middle School
2015-2016
Here at Murchison Middle School, we are AVID! Take a look through our year in AVID and Schoolwide as we showcase what we've been learning.
- Essential descriptions come directly from http://www.avid.org/essentials-and-quality-assurance.ashx
- AVID logo used with permission from http://www.avid.org/
Essential 1
Student Selection
AVID student selection must focus on students in the middle, with academic potential, who would benefit from AVID support to improve their academic record and begin college preparation.
Interview Response Forms for 2015-2016
Click on the tab labeled 2015-2016 for current year AVID Students.
Essential 2
Voluntary Participation
AVID program participants, both students and staff, must choose to participate in the AVID program.
Teacher Response Form for AVID Elective Position
These results are from teachers who applied for the AVID Elective positions available.
Weekly AVID Curriculum Planning Meetings
AVID teachers meet every week after school to talk curriculum and AVID strategies.
AVID SI & Site Team Signing
We invited all of our teachers to attend SI and strategically selected those who would most impact our campus with their training.
AVID Family Nights
Families experienced student-led Philosophical Chairs, C-Notes, Socratic Seminar, 4 Corners, Kahoots, Binder/Agenda Checks, Goal-Setting, College explorations and more! The pizza was funded by our AVID chocolate sales!
Access for All
The Site Team met with AVID students who HAD and had NOT selected Algebra to investigate the deterrents to ensure that our solutions would address them. We invited the entire campus and especially the math teachers to help problem-solve. We've also recruited additional math teachers to teach the AVID elective.
Parent Resources
Parents have access to resources through the AVID website to help build the home-school connection.
Essential 3
AVID Elective
The school must be committed to full implementation of AVID, with students enrolled in the AVID year-long Elective class(es) available within the regular academic school day.
Master Schedule Pg 1
AVID scheduled during 7th period
Strategicaly scheduled so that two AVID classes occur during the same period and all on the same days (B days).
Master Schedule Pg 2
AVID scheduled periods 7 & 8
Master Schedule Pg 3
AVID scheduled periods 5 & 6
(*Not shown Wilson's AVID class period 5)
We went from 5 AVID Elective classes to 7 this year.
Research in the AVID Elective
AVID students share products from research and use of technology in AVID as well as core content classes
AVID PR
AVID events and opportunities are announced during advisory, tweeted out, included in our school newspaper and posted on our school website.
Library Resources
Dedicated page on the Matador Library website to facilitate college and career research. These links are used with AVID as well as school wide in other electives and classes who study college and career choices.
Essential 4
Rigorous Curriculum
AVID students must be enrolled in a rigorous course of study that will enable them to meet requirements for university enrollment.
91.6% of AVID students are in Honors classes.
C-Notes 2015-16
Agenda 2015-16
80% Passing Rate for 5th Grading Period
132/166 Passed every class!
Essential 5
Organizational Skills
Instructional strategies are taught in the AVID Elective class to develop students’ organizational skills that promote academic self-management.
Grade Goal-Setting
Reflecting on our progress and how to progress.
GPA
AVIDWeekly
Organizing our thoughts by using PB PIE!
Essential 6
Writing and Reading
A strong, relevant writing and reading curriculum provides a basis for instruction in the AVID Elective class.
AVID Book Club
Etiquette and Espionage
The Compound
Steelheart
The Game Changers
The Haunting of Sunshine Girl
The Road to Paris
I Am Malala
C-Note Refining
Writing to Learn & Play
Reading in Book Club & Backward Mapping
Students selected books based on their interests. All 3 grade levels are excitedly reading from 6 options; 40 Book Challenge Style (no strings attached...just read).
Backward Mapping
During AVID Book Club, a student tagged pages to know when their reading due dates were.
I AM Poems
We follow the Weeks At a Glance to determine our 6-weeks units of focus.
Writing in the Margins
Socratic Observation
C-Notes: Writing to Learn
Had to use visualization and higher level questions.
Essential 7
Inquiry and Collaboration
Inquiry and collaboration are used as a basis for instruction in the AVID Elective class and to promote critical thinking.
Students Leading Small Group Discussion
Philosophical Chairs
AVID problem solving
Socratic Seminar in Social Studies
Creating Class Culture in Science
Four Corners in Math
AVID Marble Bandana (b)
Essential 8
Tutors
A sufficient number of tutors must be available in the AVID Elective class(es) to facilitate student access to rigorous curriculum. Tutors should be students enrolled in colleges and universities, who can mentor students and facilitate tutorials, and they must be trained to implement the methodologies used in AVID.
Student Initiated Algebra CSG
AVID students felt they needed additional support for Algebra, so they created an after-school Algebra collaborative study group that is open to all Algebra students.
Essential 9
Staff-Wide PD on Campus Weaknesses
In small groups, we analyzed our data and determined our campus focus for the year. Math was among the top areas of need.
Staff-Wide PD on Campus Strengths
In small groups, we analyzed our data to determine what is working well on our campus. AVID was named repeatedly among teachers. We improved in Reading (our focus from last year!)
Data Collection and Analysis
AVID program implementation and student progress must be monitored through the AVID Center Data System, and results must be analyzed to ensure success.
Essential 10
Resources Committed
The school or district has identified resources for program costs, has agreed to implement all AVID Essentials and to participate in AVID Certification. It has committed to ongoing participation in AVID professional learning.
29 AVID SI Trained Staff
Admin trained: 3 (Principal and 2 AP's)
Counselors trained: 1
Librarian trained: 1
ELA: 6 MATH: 3 HISTORY: 4 SCIENCE: 3
LOTE: 3 ESL: 1 ELECTIVES: 4
AVID Chocolate Sales
Fall and Spring sales by AVID students raises money for t-shirts, college trips, and classroom books for novel studies.
Murchison's BTO
Each AVID teacher is allotted an extra $100 for classroom supplies and collaborative study group materials.
Essential 11
Site Team
An active, interdisciplinary AVID site team collaborates on issues of student access to and success in rigorous college preparatory courses.
Monthly AVID Site Team Meetings
We scheduled our ST meetings intentionally after every faculty meeting and prior to CAC meetings for consistency.
Math Focus (Access to Algebra)
We hosted a school-wide meeting, inviting teachers and AVID students to discuss the path to Algebra and barriers to student success.
Site Team Support
Our Site Team actively responds to discussions from each of our meetings. Ex: Mine was moved from pre-ap to accelerated math; Ms. Ramke allowed students to take C-Notes in math; Ms. Walker requested to teach an algebra focused AVID class and signed up for SI.
Meet our Site Team
Our Site Team consists of teachers across all grade levels, academic areas, and electives, as well as administration, librarian, and counselors. Students, tutors, and parents are encouraged to be active members.
AVID Site Team signing day
Digging deep into the AVID Essentials
Assessing CSS
AVID Online Resources
Using bookmarkee.com, we've compiled a list of websites and online resources that support the following areas:
- WICOR
- College & Career
- Field Trips
- Minute to Win It Videos
AVID Field Trips
AVID Strategies Front and Center at Campus Professional Development
Instruction for staff on using PB PIE (Critical Reading)
Sticky notes during staff PD showing ideal class culture
Using name tents during staff PD
AVID Guest Speakers
Steve Sletten
Steve is a senior systems engineer with TripWire who talked with our AVID students about hacking and cyber security, as well as online safety.
Alicia Andrew
Alicia is the owner of Game World Camps. She talked with AVID students about the programs they offer and how important it is for kids to get involved in coding.
Linzy Beltran
Lindzy works with C3 Productions which creates, markets, and presents events such as Austin City Limits and Lollapolooza. She shared her path through college to her current position and the ins and outs of working events.
Additional Guest Speakers include: Anderson High School AVID Teacher Jarell Routt and Assistant Principal Megan Tesano, motivational speaker Sugar Ray Destin, and University of Texas Paleontologist J. Chris Sagebeil.
AVID Family Night
Family Nights - August, November & March
Philosophical Chairs with Parents
Parents on College Visits
College Culture at Murchison
AVID Community Service Day
AVID Outreach
AVID?
Want to learn more about the AVID program at Murchison Middon School? Click on the button above and you will be directed to our MMS AVID site.
Murchison Middle School AVID
Website: murchisonmatadors.org/AVID
Location: 3700 North Hills Drive, Austin, TX, United States