By Cindy Murphy – WZTV

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) has announced their intention to accelerate students learning and close learning gaps in reading and math by partnering with working with PENCIL, Vanderbilt’s Tutor Nashville, and other organizations across the community to expand the district’s successful high-impact tutoring program this fall.

MNPS believes that a few hours each week could make a lifetime of difference in the lives of Nashville’s students.

The Accelerating Scholars program is actively recruiting community volunteers to tutor more than 7,000 MNPS students who need a little extra help and personalized support, especially in elementary reading or middle school and high school math.

Dr. Adrienne Battle, MNPS Director of Schools commented, “The goal of our Every Student Known initiative is to meet the needs of each individual student, and volunteer tutors through our Accelerating Scholars program are making a huge difference for students who need a little extra time and attention, especially in reading and math. We hope volunteers all across the community will answer the call and help us accelerate learning for Nashville’s next generation of students this fall.”

MNPS says that volunteer tutors will be matched with students, based on the volunteer’s availability, to provide support in three, 30-minute long virtual or in-person tutoring sessions every week during the fall semester beginning September 19. Session times will take place during the regular school day or during structured before or after-school programming.

Tutors will receive training and support on all tutoring session plans and materials and how to structure a virtual learning session on the platform.

Potential tutors can sign up here.

By Kelly Broderick – NewsChannel 5

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Nashville Public Schools is looking for more volunteer tutors to support students this year!

The district is working with PENCIL, Vanderbilt’s Tutor Nashville in addition to other organizations around the community to expand the tutoring program.

The tutors will be matched with students and will provide support in three 30-minute long virtual or in-person sessions every week during the semester starting on September 19.

Session times will take place during the regular school day or during structured before or after-school programming.

Those interested in volunteering can sign up on the Accelerating Scholars Program website.

By Meghan Mangrum – The Tennessean

Third-grader Romelo Bonds leaned over his laptop and began reading a passage of text circled in red on his computer screen.

As Bonds read quietly, the three students sitting around him — gathered together in the cafeteria of Jones Paideia Elementary Magnet School in Nashville for their almost-daily tutoring session — began mouthing the words as well.

Third-grader Romelo Bonds leaned over his laptop and began reading a passage of text circled in red on his computer screen.

As Bonds read quietly, the three students sitting around him — gathered together in the cafeteria of Jones Paideia Elementary Magnet School in Nashville for their almost-daily tutoring session — began mouthing the words as well.

More than a hundred miles away in rural Rhea County — but just on the other side of Bonds’ computer screen — retired teacher Charlene Schwenk, 67, animatedly praised the students. 

She asked them questions and began the next paragraph before asking another one of the foursome to pick up where Bonds left off.

Schwenk is one of hundreds of tutors, including volunteers and district staff, working one-on-one or with small groups of students across 80 Nashville schools this spring, hoping to help students recover academically after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted nearly two years of learning.

Metro Nashville Public Schools’ tutoring program, Accelerating Scholars, is just one of dozens launched across Tennessee this school year, part of unprecedented tutoring efforts nationwide fueled mostly by federal relief dollars.

READ MORE IN THE TENNESSEAN

Vanderbilt community members looking for a way to share the gift of learning with children in Metro Nashville Public Schools are invited to join the more than 150 Vanderbilt students, faculty and staff who are already part of the “Accelerating Scholars” online tutoring program. Sign-ups to volunteer are open now through Jan. 17.

Volunteers are needed to help tutor up to 7,000 MNPS students with extra one-on-one help in elementary reading or middle school and high school math.

Mentors will be matched with students, based on the volunteer’s availability, to provide support in three, 30-minute-long virtual tutoring sessions each week for 10 weeks during the spring semester. Session times will take place during the regular school day or during structured before- or after-school programming.

“My favorite part of tutoring MNPS students has been realizing I could have such a large impact relative to the amount of time spent with my student,” said Luke Cobrin, a cognitive studies major from Jacksonville, Florida. “After meeting for just under two hours a week, I felt immediately motivated by getting to know my student, confronting challenges, and working toward achievable goals over the course of the semester.”

APPLY HERE TO BE AN ACCELERATING SCHOLARS TUTOR. Please include your Vanderbilt affiliation in the application.

READ MORE AT MYVU NEWS

The pandemic impacted students and their ability to learn in numerous ways.

Metro Schools is offering help to combat that, but they need help. School officials are looking for volunteer tutors for up to 7,000 kids.

The program launched this fall with about 1,000 students.