FREE HOUR GIVES KIDS SAFETY NET.Byline: Sue Doyle Doyle , Sir Arthur Conan 1859-1930. British writer known chiefly for a series of stories featuring the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes, including The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902). Staff Writer ACTON Acton, town (1990 pop. 17,872), Middlesex co., E Mass., NW of Boston; settled c.1680, inc. 1735. Among its manufactures are electrical machinery, chemicals, prefabricated houses, and precision equipment. - When 15-year-old Tony Hernandez comes home from school each day, he works on his grandfather's farm feeding chickens and tending to other animals. By the time dinner is on the kitchen table, the freshman has little energy left to study for exams, read books or do other homework. But Tony and other Vasquez Vázquez (or Vásquez, Vásques) is a Galician-Spanish surname.
"I'm tired after school," the freshman said as he memorized vocabulary words for a spelling test A spelling test is an assessment of a person's (usually a student's) ability to spell words correctly. Spelling tests are usually given in school during language arts class, to see how well each student has learned the most recent spelling lesson. last week during a support period. "This gives me a chance to complete my homework." Support period was designed to give students on this campus in semirural sem·i·ru·ral adj. Having both rural and urban characteristics: a semirural town; a semirural environment; a semirural way of life. Acton more time to work individually with teachers. It serves as a safety net for those who could fall behind with studies. It's also extra time for clubs and study groups to meet, and to work on schools activities, from yearbook to the student newspaper. The school formed the morning block of time by shaving off five minutes from classes, which are each now 50 minutes long. Although most schools traditionally consider after-school hours as a time when students can meet with teachers for extra assistance, Principal Martin Young said people's busy lives these days don't always make that possible. Teachers aren't always available, and students are typically busy with athletics athletics or track and field also track-and-field games Variety of sport competitions held on a running track and on the adjacent field. It is the oldest form of organized sports, having been a part of the ancient Olympic Games from c. , part-time jobs or other obligations. Young said that Vasquez circumvents that problem by making support hour in the morning and by making it a mandatory part of the day. "A lot of kids would never have the chance to meet with teachers after school," Young said. "We wanted to make a time for teachers to be there so students would have the chance to ask questions." Young got the idea for support hour when he was up late one night watching another school district's board meeting on cable TV. That district was trying out support hour as an optional period for students. The idea stuck with Young, who started support hour this year. At Vasquez, it starts with classical music playing softly over the intercom system after morning announcements. Then students get to work. Designing pages for the yearbook, Christine Roca, 15, said she uses the period to work on extra school activities. The sophomore's schedule is usually jampacked after school with activities - swim practice, cross-country track, cheerleading The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. and her duties as sophomore class president. "I have sports after school, so I come in here and get extra time to work on the yearbook, because I don't have time after school," she said. In the classroom next door, Jazmin Escobedo scrolled scroll n. 1. a. A roll, as of parchment or papyrus, used especially for writing a document. b. An ancient book or volume written on such a roll. 2. A list or schedule of names. 3. through news stories on the Internet Internet Publicly accessible computer network connecting many smaller networks from around the world. It grew out of a U.S. Defense Department program called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), established in 1969 with connections between computers at the , looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. an interesting current event to write about for history class. The 15-year-old, who works part-time at night at a restaurant, said she uses support hour to finish homework and get ahead with assignments. "I think it's helping me get caught up with my work," she said. Teacher Diana Baker said because support hour takes place every day, there's less chance for students to fall behind. She's seen an improvement with her special education classes, in which some students tend not to do their homework. "As long as you expect them to work, they will," Baker said. sue.doyle(at)dailynews.com (661) 257-5254 CAPTION(S): 4 photos Photo: (1 -- ran in AV edition only) Vasquez High Principal Martin Young talks about the program he started that shaved shave v. shaved, shaved or shav·en , shav·ing, shaves v.tr. 1. a. To remove the beard or other body hair from, with a razor or shaver: five minutes from each class period to create a ``support hour'' for kids to work with teachers on homework before the start of school each day. (2 -- ran in AV edition only) Vasquez High students head to school. The Acton high school began a program for kids to work with teachers on homework before the start of school each day. (3 -- ran in AV edition only) Vasquez High students caught up with their homework relax during the school's ``support hour'' before classes begin. (4 -- ran in AV edition only) Vasquez High teacher Diana Baker talks with students about their work during the free period before the start of classes. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
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