Freshmen combine English and Math to help improve SOL test scores

by Taylor Cerone and Jadasia Ferrell

Selected freshmen are working on math and English in a combo class.

You Are Only Freshmen Once, known to students as YOFO, is taught during the same period by math teacher Shelley Olsen and English teacher Jill Nogueras.

Freshman were selected for the class based on their eighth grade SOL scores. Mrs. Olsen said she wishes more freshmen had a chance to participate since the class meets every day.

“Freshmen need to have math and English every day. It would be a high benefit to their high school career,” Mrs. Olsen said.

Mrs. Nogueras said the combo class has allowed her to have flexibility with lesson plans.

“You have the ability to move students around when needed. If I teach a lesson, and I can tell it’s not going well, I have the option to fix it at home that night and come back to the concept next day,” Mrs. Nogueras said.

Freshman Austin Patrick likes the smaller class size.

“I get more help than I did in a class of 30 in a class of roughly 12,” Austin said.

Freshman Destiny Johnson said the combo class helps her learn.

“I like that it’s something different, and it’s better review for the subjects,” Destiny said.

Mrs. Nogueras said she and Mrs. Olsen taught similar classes in Massachusetts. She said it allows teachers from different subjects to communicate about their students.

“It’s easier for us to talk about how kids are interacting and how the group is working as opposed to me having to call five different math teachers to find all the people who teach my students,” Mrs. Nogueras said.

On Mondays, both of the classes meet for Monday Success Seminar where they talk about how to be successful in high school.

“The class is two-fold with students having content every day and a support system,” Mrs. Olsen said.

Freshman Yamon Burroughs said the class helps him learn “just a little bit more” in English.

During class, students use “Empower 3000,” which is a software program for English.

With this software, students work on reading comprehension skills by reading short passages and answering questions that go along with them.

Although the class is in its early stages, students and teachers are seeing positive results.

“I think that we’ve definitely had a lot of the successes that we’re looking for,” Mrs. Olsen said.