The Woodland Strong program was established to help students who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. It will ensure kids perform well in school and maintain good relationships with their friends.
Kurt Ogren, principal of Woodland Regional High School, reveals how the superintendents are expressing their concern for students who have been impacted by the pandemic.
“A lot of superintendents thought and felt [that] some students had academic gaps. It was legitimate. [The superintendents] were anxious,” said Ogren.
The program has two branches for two specific needs: one branch is for tutoring kids who need extra help and the other branch is dedicated to group activities. Both will ensure students maintain peak performance for learning in class and have strong social bonds.
Brandon Moore, Academic Success Coordinator, plans to help students keep up with their school work.
“The academic piece is more tailored towards completing homework, doing class work and covering any content,” said Moore. “In the end, we want the kids to feel more confident when studying outside of class.”
The tutoring program will occur every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:00pm. to 3:00pm. Students can request help in whatever subject they need. Whether it is geometry or science, students get to decide what kind of academic support they want.
On top of that, Felisha Allegrini, Group Activity Coordinator, talks about how kids have been socializing with each other and how field trips will benefit that aspect.
“A big part of Woodland is the connections [and] community pride, so this is just a format of getting students to be together,” said Allegrini. “I will be arranging field trips to and from the facility. We’ll have food and snacks.”
Field trips are being planned so students can not only visit various places, but also find unique interests such as yoga, hiking, and miniature golf. Kids will be encouraged to hangout with their friends and chaperones.
The Woodland Strong program is a relatively new plan that will start in late November of 2022.
“It’s a little bit of trial and error, but in my mind I would like it to keep going, make changes, and track data,” said Ogren.
The best part of the Woodland Strong program is that anyone is welcome to participate in extra education support and field trips.
The main priority is to help students get back on their feet and reach their full potential. Having a good relationship with your friends and a bit of courage to study, work, and reach out for academic support leads to a beneficial outcome.
