AVID

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a proven college and career readiness platform designed to support and assist all students to succeed in a college and/or career preparatory path. Our goal is to provide all students with the essential resources needed to be successful in rigorous courses and to promote an awareness of the significance of higher education, as well as the limitless opportunities for our student’s futures. As an academic support elective, AVID seeks to prepare students for college eligibility and empowers them to strive for academic excellence.

In the AVID class, students are educated on the numerous skills required to achieve academic success. Students receive daily instruction in notetaking, time management, organization, reading, writing, and study skills, and receive additional support twice a week through collaborative tutorial groups with peers and AVID-trained tutors. Students also learn about colleges and universities (the application and financial aid processes) through college field trips and are encouraged to explore career opportunities through curriculum, research, and guest speakers. 

Sleepy Hollow Middle School is dedicated to preparing all students for college and career readiness. The purpose of the AVID elective class is to empower all students to maximize their individual potential, by teaching them various strategies to implement, to be successful in rigorous coursework and future endeavors. Our objective is to encourage all students to set goals and to be confident in their ability to achieve those ambitions and develop student agency. Students are taught academic vocabulary, using critical thinking skills, engaging in collaborative tutorials, attending college field trips, listening to guest speakers, taking Cornell notes, and implementing various WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading) strategies. 

The AVID Excel Elective focuses on six consistent learning strands—reading, writing, oral language, academic vocabulary, study skills, and self- determination and leadership, that help to accelerate language acquisition, increase overall achievement, and give students access to rigorous coursework. Students start AVID Excel the summer before they enter the 7th grade with a one-week Summer Bridge, which focuses on building a sense of family among the students and on helping them shape their academic personas and take control of their learning and language building. They then continue as a cohort with the AVID Excel Elective class, where they participate in intensive academic language building during the entire school year.