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Mountain View Los Altos High School District

High School District
AVID STUDENTS WORKING IN CLASS
 
The AVID curriculum is carefully scaffolded to help AVID students reach their goals.  The core values of the AVID program include building classroom community, fostering academic excellence and leadership that catalyzes change in society.  AVID also has a robust student mentor program that allows upper grade students to be tutors in AVID classes several days a week.  Not only does this provide significant opportunity for AVID students to refine and clarify their skills in their classes, it also provides an important and critical opportunity for students to develop personal and lasting relationships with diverse groups of students.  The AVID programs in our two schools have repeatedly received accolades as model programs in the state.
 
Skill Development:  You will practice study skills such as note-taking, organization, time management, and test-taking.  You will also improve academic skills including critical reading, analytical writing, and public speaking.  You will develop technology skills through AVID activities requiring word processing, PowerPoint, and Internet research.
College/Career Counseling:  You will be introduced to a variety of colleges and universities through speakers, field trips, and independent research.  You will also learn about different college requirements and get help preparing for college entrance tests, such as the PSAT, SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, and ACT.  You will get support in filling out your college and financial aid/scholarship applications.
 
Personal Mentoring:  Your AVID teacher will help you monitor your current progress and set future goals in individual conferences during the year.  Your AVID teacher will work with your counselor in helping you decide your high school schedule and keeping you informed of options such as summer school and honors/AP courses.  
 
Tutoring:  Twice weekly, you will work in tutorial groups with college/peer tutors to go over difficult material and study for tests.  During tutorial, you will focus primarily on either your math/science classes, honors/AP courses, or reading/writing skills, depending on your academic needs.
 
Project-Based Learning:  You will design individual and collaborative projects based on your personal interests, focused on topics such as cultural awareness and service learning.
 
Leadership Development:  You will develop your leadership skills through workshop training during class.  You will also design and complete individual and collaborative leadership projects.  You will also get involved in school-wide sports, clubs, service, and/or co-curricular activities such as yearbook, newspaper, and student government.