The National School and Community Corps (NSCC), EW's first program and the basis for virtually everything else we do, enriches the school environment and extends the school day, week and year. By supporting teachers and students in and out of the classroom, the NSCC enhances school climate, permitting teachers to be more effective.
AmeriCorps members and staff provide a broad range of academic and personal development programs, clubs, and youth leadership opportunities to:
• ensure students come to school more frequently, ready to learn and experience more success;
• support the personal and social growth of students, including their civic education; and
• promote increased involvement of families, community members, and local organizations in the development of children and youth.
Each team is assigned to a single school for a school year. Common programs across school teams are breakfast programs, in-class assistance and tutoring with an emphasis on literacy development, accommodation rooms, socialized recess and safe corridors, and afterschool programs.
Now in its 13 year of operation, the NSCC has served more than 175,000 students and adults.
How It Works
School districts and charter schools contract with EW for NSCC teams placed in their schools. An agreement is developed between the school and EW on the programs and services for the school based on the specific unmet needs identified by the school. The number of team members is typically dependent on the programs and services to be delivered with consideration of the size of the student body.
Corpsmembers each serve 40 hours a week, though members within a team may have different schedules depending on the times activities and programs are offered.
A team leader is assigned to each team to provide day-to-day oversight and serve as the liaison to the principal. EW staff supervise and support team leaders and members, helping with team building, corpsmember development and problem solving, and assist in developing high quality, high impact programs.
EW Program Support Specialists provide support to teams in planning and integrating programs within schools, identifying materials and resources, and coaching members as they implement programs.
The EW Training Department assures members are prepared to work in schools with students and adults. Members begin with a comprehensive training in working in schools, with students, and program content. Additional trainings are scheduled throughout the year, usually when schools are closed. Schools frequently include corpsmembers in training and professional development activities for their own faculty to emphasize continuity of instruction with the school's curriculum and procedures.
Programs developed by corpsmembers reflect the needs of students and take care not to duplicate what is already available to them in the school or in the neighborhood. All programs are implemented with an emphasis on supporting their academic development and to provide exposure to opportunities and activities otherwise unavailable to the students.
Before School Programs
Members implement programs promoting children's safe arrival to school and preparation for the school day. They establish safe corridor programs for students walking to school, conduct organized recreation on the playground, encourage students to attend the school's free breakfast program combined with learning activities and games, and assist students with completing their homework.
In School Programs
In school programs help teachers supplement their lessons and motivate students to do even more. NSCC members provide classroom support by working with students on subject material where the students may need additional help and practice. Members also help with demonstrations in science, arts activities, career days, field trips and special events.
Members also concentrate on improving the school climate and student behavior. They conduct workshops in conflict resolution. They organize and run accommodation rooms for students who become disruptive in class and help them focus on their behavior, learn ways to manage their anger and frustration, mentor them, and help them transition back into classrooms ready to learn. And through socialized recess programs promoting peaceful playgrounds with organized activities, fights and injuries are reduced and students return to class prepared for their afternoon instruction.
After School Programs
Every NSCC team offers after school programs in the school and occasionally in neighborhood facilities. Programs are adapted to the school schedule and resources, and address the academic support, recreational and personal/social development needs. Academic-based programs frequently are tied to the students' class work done during the day.
Parents and Adults
In addition to working with students, the NSCC involves parents and other adults in programs and activities along with students, making them partners in their children's learning. Together, they participate in Back to School Nights, Family and Movie Nights, Violence Reduction Events, holiday and multicultural celebrations, and National Days of Service.
Highlights
More than 6,450 students served during the academic year
755 students attended summer camps
More than 1,500 students participated in service learning volunteer activities
Almost 500 adults volunteered in NSCC programs and special events
100 Book Challenge: The 100 Book Challenge was created by Jane Hileman, a professor in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania . It has been widely adopted in schools in Philadelphia and many other school districts.
Initially, students are assessed with a basic reading inventory to determine their independent reading level. Students use books which have been color coded by reading level. Students are able to select books of interest them from a set of color coded books, and once they have finished the book, they meet with a corpsmember to demonstrate comprehension and newly acquired vocabulary.
Crafty Readers: Activities for this 8 week program are from the Story Stretchers Books by Shirley Raines. They expose students to quality children's literature and new art materials and techniques.
Members select theme-based stories that are of interest to students and help them learn about specific topics such as animals, diversity, or emotions. Each session begins with a student discussion about the theme, helping students to connect the story to their own life experiences or feelings. The member then reads the story to students, stopping at key points to briefly discuss the students'[ reactions to what is happening and to make predictions about what will happen next. After the story is finished, students are provided time to reflect and discuss the story and then move to a story related art activity.
In-Class Assistance: Members are assigned to classrooms to assist teachers with students who need attention during the school day. This may consist of tutoring (either one-on-one or small group) in reading, math, or other subjects. Most often assistance takes place in the classroom working with individual students at their desks or in small groups at the back of the classroom. It may also take place outside of the classroom based on the needs of teacher and student. Most frequently members work with students who may have been absent for several days and need to learn new material, students who may be falling behind in their work and need extra explanation or review, or those students for whom English is not their first language.
Accommodation Rooms: Student support rooms are established for disruptive students to begin to focus on their behavior, learn new ways to manage anger, and to continue their classroom work until they are ready to return to the classroom.
Home work Help: Home work Help programs provide students with a quiet, well-lighted place to work on their homework with assistance. Students arrive after school and snacks are provided as students settle in. As students complete their work, the NSCC member may engage students in additional reading activities or educational games such as brain teasers, crossword puzzles or subject bingo. Frequently, students attend Home work Help prior to attending other after school programs.
Socialized Recess: NSCC members engage students in organized play during lunch recess. Structured activities are planned both for outdoor recess and indoor recess when there is inclement or cold weather. Outdoors, the school yard is mapped for activities appropriate to the size of the yard, number and ages of students, and number of members and other school staff available to supervise. Typically, students will participate in different activity stations such as sports, board games, playground games (hopscotch, four-square, etc.), and quiet areas. Indoors, students are engaged in 3 or 4 activities such as table games including puzzles, brainteasers, bingo, arts and crafts, reading activities and storytelling.
Often members work with other school staff (non-teaching assistants/noontime aides, and other school aides) during socialized recess. Where possible, older students may assume leadership roles by working with and mentoring younger students through structured play.
