Only two weeks to go before school’s out for summer! Our kids have taken giant steps forward this school year and we couldn’t be more proud. However, they’re not the only ones who have learned a thing or two along the way.
Throughout the year, each of our kids is paired with a BFF Coach to help facilitate their educational success. Coaches provide students with one-on-one sessions filled with advising, planning, motivation and support. We take great pride in tailoring these sessions to the individual student, and meeting at school each week forms the very basis of this program. We have a special opportunity to develop a trusting relationship with our students, and their academic performance, positive attitudes, and willingness to learn are proof of our program’s efficacy.
Before the school year comes to a close, students across Florida take the FSA: Florida Standards Assessments (formerly FCAT). During this year’s statewide testing period, Coaches had limited access to their assigned schools; so of course, we turned the downtime into a learning opportunity of our own!
Our Coaches spent time shadowing each other, attending sessions together to meet different students and visit different schools. Every student has a unique set of needs and our BFF Coaches must continue to learn and train in order to provide the best support possible.
By coming together during this time and discussing their individual experiences, our Coaches were able to gain a better understanding of how school procedures vary, and share the tools and resources they have developed and acquired along the way. Our Coaches brainstormed together to discover new teaching tools and techniques.
“One thing I noticed about my students is that they were very proud of themselves” said high school Coach Karen Spagnardi. “This gave them a chance to kind of brag about everything that they have accomplished!”
High school Coach Amy Wilkinson shared a revelation about fellow elementary school Coach Melanie Covington, “What I thought was humorous was Melanie saying that these high school kids were too big for her and she wanted to stick with the little ones!”
When our BFF Coaches join forces, there’s nothing we can’t do. The school year may not be over yet, but we just know our Coaches will be hard at work until the final bell rings!