Morning of extra help boosts grades at JBMS

James Buchanan Middle School’s Academic Assistance Opportunity program gives students an opportunity for extra academic help before the school day starts. On Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. interested students can gather in the library before homeroom period with two or three teachers who are there to assist students with classwork, studying and research in any subject.

The benefits of this extra 20 minutes of help are clear. Students who come on a regular basis have seen a 5% to 10% improvement in their grades, according to Tammy Lee, the school’s counselor and founder of the program. Lee began the program out of concern for students who struggled with classwork during the first marking period. The extra help gives these students an opportunity to get a better understanding of what they are learning before moving on to new material. Some students attend regularly, while others come as needed.

The school hopes to eventually expand the program to other days and to after school.