Setting time to work on assignments can be tedious, but West Ottawa offers students time to work after school on Mondays and Wednesdays through WO access. Unfortunately, many students do not know about or utilize this opportunity.
Students must sign in through a survey to stay after school and participate in WO access. The need for the survey arose when WO access became an official after-school tutoring program. The Michigan government sets aside money for schools with tutoring programs but the amount of money a school gets depends on how many students attend. This applies to food and transportation too, but those are different grants.
Decorating every table is a laminated label, there are six different labels in total. The labels separate students based on what they are doing or need help with. The labels cover math, social studies, science, and English; the fifth one is for students who just need space to work. The sixth one is for people who need to take tests. The front of the Library is used for test taking and often doesn’t have a label. Labeling tables also helps tutors and volunteer teachers identify who needs help with subjects they are qualified to teach.
“I look forward to getting down here and helping students,” Abigail Averill said, She is a math teacher who inherited WO access after another teacher could no longer run the program.
WO access changed during COVID in 2021 after Averill noticed that online students were falling behind and needed in-person help. Originally this opportunity was only for online students but Averill and Jake Manning, the former assistant principal, decided WO access could be a useful tool for every student.
“It’s a good place to work and a great place to get help,” Stella Foster said. Currently WO access helps students who come in and ask for help when needed. Every Monday and Wednesday when WO access is hosted, Sasha Engelsman, a science teacher and the EL specialist, comes to help kids with their work. “Not everyone takes advantage of WO access but there are a lot of variables in play,” Engelsman said.
In the middle of the session, people are pulled out of their work to receive a snack. Although the check-in survey did ask if students wanted a snack, everyone was asked if they wanted one when the cart came around. On Wednesday, September 25, the snacks were a variety of muffins–banana, blueberry, and chocolate; there also were apple slices and boxed apple juice. When there are extras, students have the choice if they want more.
These options can change as seen on Monday, September 30 when students received bagels with the option of cream cheese.
Student behavior changes throughout the session, in the beginning when people are signing in and getting settled, the library can be loud, not overwhelmingly so, but louder than many would think for a library. Near the end of the session, the teachers hand out a paper slip with all of the Bus times and drop-off locations, typically all stops are elementary schools but there are exceptions.
WO access is a great way to do school work and get help. With its calm atmosphere and available tutors getting help has never been easier. If a student needs help or wants a quiet place to work, WO access is hosted on Mondays and Wednesdays in the North Library.
