AVID

Principal's Message

Welcome to AVID at HB Rhame Elementary!

Dear HB Rhame Families and Visitors,

It is with great pride and excitement that I welcome you to AVID Elementary at HB Rhame Elementary School. As principal, my team and I are committed to fostering a learning environment where every child is equipped with the tools, habits, and confidence to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a system driver which propels actions towards our school goals. It is a mindset that encourages students to take ownership of their learning and dream boldly about their future. At the elementary level, AVID provides our scholars with essential skills such as organization, collaboration, critical thinking, and goal-setting. These are not just school skills; they are foundational life skills that will allow them to SOAR for a lifetime.

Through engaging WICOR strategies—Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading—our students build the foundation for academic success in middle school, high school, and beyond. Whether they are using interactive notebooks, participating in collaborative group work, or reflecting on their academic progress, our young learners are growing into confident, capable leaders.

At HB Rhame Elementary, we believe that college and career readiness begins now. AVID empowers every student to envision a future filled with opportunity and to take intentional steps toward it—one goal, one strategy, and one success at a time.

Thank you for supporting our AVID scholars. Together, we are building the habits of mind and heart that will guide our students toward a bright and promising future.

Warm regards,
Dr. OC
Principal, HB Rhame Elementary School

What is AVID Elementary?

AVID Elementary is a system driver for continuous school improvement. In the elementary school years, teachers create an environment that supports the idea that anyone can be college-bound. Here at HB Rhame we invite students to begin thinking about their future college and career path in an age-appropriate way. The goal is to create a ripple effect that takes students into their secondary years with an open, ambitious mindset. Our team of educators encourage students to dream big and help them start developing essential foundational study habits and organizational skills.

AVID Elementary @ HB Rhame

•Align the Work to help students master grade level academic standards

•Increase Student Engagement through the implementation of WICOR across content areas.

•Insist on Rigor to support learning for ALL students.

•Create a positive school culture and learning environment to maximize student achievement and teacher impact.

H.B. Rhame AVID Elementary focuses on 3rd-5th  grade students  and is designed to be embedded into the daily instruction of all elementary classrooms across entire grade levels to maintain school-wide structures. AVID Elementary takes a systemic approach through the use of WICOR (writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading) and an explicit focus on high expectations, rigor, and developing a college readiness culture.

 

A Day in the AVID Classroom: 

•   Students use agenda/planner throughout the day
•   Organization tools are expected to be used throughout the day
•   Note-taking strategies are used by all students 
•   Lessons with an emphasis on WICOR are represented in a variety of subjects. 

Why is it important?

By teaching and reinforcing academic behaviors and higher-level thinking at a young age, AVID Elementary teachers create a ripple effect in later grades. Elementary students develop the academic habits they will need to be successful in middle school, high school, and college, in an age-appropriate and challenging way. Children learn about organization, study skills, communication, and self-advocacy. AVID Elementary students take structured notes and answer and ask high-level questions that go beyond routine answers.

Checks/Progress Monitoring

AVID Elementary helps our team create a system of collaboration amongst horizontal teams and feeder schools. This system helps to monitor teacher impact and student growth. At the onset of the school all scholars create goals focused on academic and personal growth. Goals are recorded and tracked using a variety of monthly and quarterly data points. In addition to STAR Reading and iREADY Math scores, students take AE assessments three times a year to monitor growth in organizational skills (agenda/planners, binders, and 2 & 3 column notes). The team uses this data to monitor readiness to expand academic preparedness. 

AVID AT HOME

Ways to help your student at home:

•  Showing Interest in His/Her Progress.

•  Talk to your student about school.

•  Be aware of your student's classes and his/her performance in each. Praise your student's strengths, and help him/her find ways to improve in areas of weakness.
•  Ask to look at your student's binder.
•  Review your student's tutorial request forms to see what kinds of questions he/she is asking in class.
•  Find out who your student's friends are.
•  Be enthusiastic and supportive. Your student's participation in AVID will keep him/her motivated and excited at out reaching the goal of attending a four-year college or university.

Encouraging Good Study Habits:

•  Provide a quiet place free of noise and distractions where your student can study and do his/her homework.
•  Show that you care by asking your student what topic(s) he/she is studying in a particular class.
•  Be positive and give praise when your student takes notes.
•  Be an audience for your student-listen as he/she recites or shares what he/she is reading.
•  Ask questions to help your student clarify or think more deeply about what he/she is reading.
•  Volunteer to help your student prepare for tests by asking the questions he/she has written from lecture or textbook notes.