Oxford Elementary tutors students for free

OXFORD HILLS —  Because the Department of Education has rated Oxford Elementary as a Continuous Improvement Priority School, the Oxford Hills School District is offering free tutoring at Oxford Elementary School for students who are eligible.

Services are being provided to students grades K-6, according to a recent release from Kathy Elkins, SAD 17's curriculum director. 

"It's not specific to any grade," said Denise Inman, assistant principal at Oxford Elementary, who also oversees the tutorial services. 

According to Elkins, for the third year, the Department of Education has rated Oxford Elementary as a Continuous Improvement Priority School.  Consequently, the school is required to offer tutoring to students who are struggling in math and literacy.

The designation is based on statewide test results, according to reports.

 "Literacy is our biggest focus," Elkins stated, "but students are struggling with math, also, so we are offering both." 

Since Oxford Elementary is a Title I school, Elkins noted the tutorial services will be paid for out of Title I funds. 

"There are numerous for-profit organizations that will be offering services, and it is difficult for us to compete with them," Elkins wrote in an e-mail. 

District teachers, who make up the Oxford Hills Tutors, will extend daily classroom instruction in math, reading or writing.

"Our premise is to take the curriculum they work with daily, and add another tier of intervention beyond the school day," explained Inman.

Tutoring is offered either before or after school, said Inman, depending on the teacher's and parent's schedules, as well as the student's needs. 

Creativity, flexibility

"Some tutors last year were very creative," said Inman. For some teachers, tutoring took place in the morning and she is expecting this year to be even more flexible. 

"They are really offering the flexibility to parents this year," said Inman. "We are trying to gear it toward the needs of the kids, and the availability of parents picking them up and dropping off." 

According to Elkins, "instruction is tailored to individual needs." She said during their instruction, teachers will use strategies and methods from the SAD 17 curriculum.

“This additional, cohesive intervention maximizes student achievement and eliminates confusion for struggling students,” Elkins said. 

She said it's the second year Oxford Hills Tutors will be working with student's beyond regular school hours. 

Sessions are offered throughout the year, as well as during the summer. Inman said the summer option was requested by the parents.

"I think that's a legitimate concern for our struggling students," she said, "so that they at have at least a piece of the summer, so they don't just drop it [what they learned] completely." 

Parents have until September 20 to choose their child's services. 

Tutoring is scheduled to start as soon as September 24, said Inman.