AVID SYLLABUS 2008 - 2009
Scott Johnson Middle School
McKinney ISD
Course Description: AVID is an elective class
designed for students to accomplish the following:
· Succeed in rigorous curriculum
· Enter mainstream activities
· Increase enrollment in four-year colleges
· Become educated and responsible participants
and leaders in a democratic society
AVID Coordinator and Teacher:
Jenny Zornes
Room: C109
Phone: 469-742-4948
Conference Time: 8:36-9:24
E-mail: jzornes@mckinneyisd.net
AVID Stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination.
AVID Goals: The primary goal of the AVID program is to prepare students for admission and
completion of a four-year college or university. Other goals of AVID include promoting and
offering support in rigorous classes, school activities, leadership, and citizenship.
Student Goals and Requirements: All AVID students at Johnson Middle School must have a
strong desire to attend college after high school and are required to do the following:
- Maintain satisfactory citizenship, behavior, and attendance in all classes.
- Maintain the AVID Binder, student planner, take Cornell notes in all core classes,
and participate regularly in AVID tutorials
- Participate in AVID field trips and motivational activities
- Complete all homework assignments and turn in all work for all classes.
- Commit to at least one hour or more of studying or school work every night
- Maintain enrollment and passing grades in at least one Pre-AP class
- Strive to be a successful leader and a role model in the school.
- Take the PSAT or EXPLORE (8th graders)
At Scott Johnson Middle School we will focus on the following areas:
Writing: Cornell Note taking and reflective writing.
Inquiry: Critical thinking and problem solving, questioning techniques, and test taking skills.
Communication: Oral communication, computer skills, and making presentations.
Collaboration: Learning what it means to be a team player, working with a diverse group of
other students, and learning how to solve problems in a study group.
Organization: Maintaining an organized binder, using learning logs, planners.
Reading: Learning methods that will promote comprehension and retention of reading materials.
College/Careers: Learning how to set academic goals, prepare for college entrance, explore
career options, assess personal strengths, and the value of a college degree.
Basic AVID Class Procedures and Expectations:
Materials – One of the most important jobs of the AVID student is to keep his/her
binder organized and up-to date. ALL AVID students are responsible for carrying their
AVID binders to every class, every day. AVID students are required to take their binders
home each night to review what they did in school that day. It is STRONGLY
recommended that parents review their child’s binder weekly.
Attendance - It is essential that students are present in their classes to learn. If you
are going to be absent from school for any reason you should call Mrs. Zornes to let her
know. When students are absent from class for any reason they are responsible for
making up all missed work.
Tardies – ALL AVID students are expected to be on time to school and to all classes,
without exception.
Discipline – ALL AVID students are expected to exhibit role model behavior and follow
the student code of conduct of rules and regulations. If an AVID student is a discipline
problem (in AVID or any of his/her classes) the student will be placed on AVID
probation. In addition to any consequences from the Vice Principal’s office, the AVID
student will have appropriate additional consequences in the AVID classroom. Violations
(moral or academic) may result in the student being exited from AVID.
Classroom procedures – Most of the work in the AVID classroom is collaborative
(groups). ALL AVID students are expected to be focused on academics and work bell-tobell in the AVID class as well as all his/her classes.
Evaluation: AVID students will be evaluated on the following:
- Weekly or bi-weekly Binder reviews (including Cornell Notes and Learning logs from
other classes)
- Tutorials - questions, notes, summaries, and participation
- Teacher Reviews each progress report period
- Participation in Group work, presentations
- Quickwrites
- Writing and Reading Assignments
- Socratic Seminar/Philosophical Chairs
- Motivational Activities - paper work, attendance, behavior, learning logs
Resources: AVID General Curriculum (Middle Level)
The Secret of Success, Judith O’Toole and AVID students
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, Sean Covey
The 6 Most Important Decisions You’ll Ever Make, Sean Covey
Phantom of the Opera, Abridged, Gaston Leroux