Washington Middle School Counseling

Unbelievably, another school year is completed. We had a smooth promotion ceremony last night for some very excited new 9th graders. Yearbook signings and goodbyes (some teary) were the order of the day today. We wish all students and their families and safe, healthy, and enjoyable 2 months. And of course, we look forward to our returning students, and our new arrivals in September.

Washington Middle School’s Tutoring Program is only a few years old, but it has become one of the most visible and sought-after academic student intervention programs in the school. The program as a whole has been quite successful, thanks to the efforts of the Tutor Coordinator, Susan Huntley. Her report for this school year follows.

The in-school tutoring program is wrapping up another successful year at Washington Middle School.  Over the course of the year, we saw 85 volunteers working with our students individually and in classrooms.  Of these, 23 were parents and grandparents of students.  We had a a total of 25 undergraduate tutors from Seattle University’s Children’s Literacy Project, and two SU staff members participated as well, thanks to a new program to encourage community volunteerism.  In addition, we had 8 students from University of Washington’s Pipeline Project, and 8 from Seattle Central Community College; for the first time, we had two participants from Bellevue College as well.  Four of our college-age tutors were former Washington Middle School students!  Of all the people who tutored in 2009-10, 16 were volunteering for at least their second year.

Around 70 Washington students received one on one tutoring for at least part of the school year.  These students are referred by their grade level counselors, who may be asked by parents, teachers or the students themselves for more academic support.  Once a week, tutors meet them in the library during their elective (non-core) class time.  They may work on missing homework or classwork assignments, binder organization, research projects, or reading practice.  Tutors are encouraged to stay in touch with the student’s teachers and to keep up with the student’s current grades on Source from the Tutor Coordinator’s office.