With the exception of a few late buses, Superintendent Dr. James Price said day one of Vicksburg Warren School District’s first intercession week went smoothly and he’s happy with the results.

“Everything went well,” said Price. “Usually we have a whole bunch of problems when we try something new like this and I thought today was great. We taught kids and we’re expecting good things.”

Monday marked the first day of the intercession week, part of a new schedule implemented for the 2008-09 school year. Under the new schedule, the week immediately following each 9-week period is reserved for remediation.

‘With the students going in to learn directly after the nine-week period instead of having to wait for summer, they have a much higher chance of catching up with their classmates.’

James Price

VWSD superintendent

The idea behind the intercession week schedule is to help students who fall behind during that nine-week period catch up throughout the year, rather than having to wait for summer school.

“Statistically it’s something like only 1 out of 100 kids will be able to catch up after failing a nine-week period if time is not spent building the skills they need to continue on in that class,” said Price. “It is like building blocks. You can’t move on to the next level unless you have a base down. With the students going in to learn directly after the nine-week period instead of having to wait for summer, they have a much higher chance of catching up with their classmates.”

About 86 teachers and assistants are working with 653 3rd- through 6th-graders this week at the two major elementary schools creating a 7.5 to 1 student to teacher ratio. Students who live in the North Zone are attending Sherman Avenue Elementary for the week and those who live in the South Zone are at Dana Road Elementary, with the exception of a few who requested otherwise.

Volunteers and principals from each school will also be on hand throughout the week to assist students in getting to their classrooms and in getting on the right bus home. About one half of the students at each of the schools had never stepped foot in the building before Monday.

“Today we just wanted to get everybody where they were supposed to be,” said Price. “We had Central Office staff and assistants. We probably had an extra 40 people come today just to make sure we got them in quickly.”

First-grade teacher at Sherman Avenue, Margie Heltzel, is assisting in 5th grade for the week and said she is happy to be helping out.

“I am excited to be a part of the first intercession week,” said Heltzel. “I can’t wait to see the great things it’ll do for the students in Warren County.”

Among those selected to teach during the week are Vicksburg Intermediate principal Sharon Williams and Bowmar’principal Tammy Burris.

“The point of the week is to get the best teachers in that particular subject to teach these kids,” said Price. “Those who move up to administration are always among the best teachers; and it’s great to have them up top, sharing ideas, but it is hard when they no longer have the face-to-face time with the students.”

“I wanted do this because I am just passionate about it; I don’t want the kids to get behind,” said Burris.

Burris, who is teaching fourth grade math, opened by telling her class they were going to have fun this week.

“It went awesome today,” Burris said. “They really paid attention.”

Of the students attending the intercession week, around 256 are there for math, 285 are there for reading and 102 have been classified as non-readers.

“Reading and math are the main subjects in elementary school excluding history, and we are assuming that those with a problem in history are simply having a problem with reading,” said Price. “Both students who were failing or simply behind the rest of their class were invited to attend the week. If students were having a problem in both areas, math and reading, we let their teacher pick which the child should attend.”

For now the district is concentrating on 3rd-6th graders during the intercession week. As time goes on, more grades will be added into the program, as well as enrichment programs and such opportunities as the chance to take classes during the week and graduate early.

In addition to the elementary students, about 100 students are at each junior high and high school working on test-taking skills, specifically targeting the subject-area tests.

“This is an opportunity for these students,” said Price. “This isn’t an ‘if you go, you pass’ deal like summer school was. You have to master the work and we expect that. Last year almost 700 students districtwide failed and a large percentage of those were in the elementary school; only 55 of those elementary students attended summer school. Already, by having over 600 students come to intercession week, we can see this is a huge improvement.”

Price believes the large attendance is because the district offered transportation and the week of class is free; two things not true of summer school.

Intercession week will continue through Friday.

Other intercession weeks during this school year will be Jan. 5-8, March 16-20 and June 2-5.