Volunteers aim to reduce dropout rate in Lynn schools

LYNN – Students are now three full weeks into the school year but for a group of AmeriCorp volunteers, Wednesday was their first day.”We have one volunteer and she just started today,” said Classical High School Principal Gene Constantino. “It’s going to be very helpful.”Funded through the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, volunteers will work at Breed and Marshall middle schools as well as the city’s three public high schools, Classical, English and the Vocation Technical Institute. It is only part of nearly $1 million being sunk into the school system from various agencies, all aimed at reducing the dropout rate among immigrant students.School Committee member Maria Carrasco praised the program.”We all know the dropout rate is higher with minorities,” she said. “Minorities are the majority in the schools but minorities are not the majority graduating, and they are not the majority going to college.”Among those who do go to college, many drop out their freshman year, Carrasco said, because they are not prepared.The volunteers work to remove the barriers that hamper immigrant-student success by providing tutoring and academic support to English language learners (ELL). They also mentor ELL students and provide services to families and older youth.”We definitely need the help, we’ve been asking for the help,” said Classical’s acting ELL Department Head Josh Mower.MCAS retest and preparation are two areas that Classical’s volunteer will be focusing on, Mower said. She will also work with the ELL students who speak next to no English and tackle ELL math and biology classes.”It’s a full schedule,” Constantino said. “And they help out with tutoring. They will stay after school to help students if need be. It’s a very helpful program.”Constantino said he had an AmeriCorp volunteer for part of the year last year and he proved so dedicated and committed, Constantino offered him a permanent job at the end of the year.”He works for us now,” he said.Carrasco is excited that the volunteers will be in the middle schools as well as the high schools.According to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the overall dropout rate for immigrant students is 4.6 percent, compared to the statewide average of 2.7 percent. Typical of the Commonwealth’s Gateway Cities, Lynn has a large immigrant population, with 27 percent either naturalized U.S. citizens or non-U.S. citizens and more than 47 languages spoken by students in Lynn Public Schools.The district’s dropout rates overall have improved from 10 years ago, they are up slightly from last year. Fecteau-Leary Jr. Sr. High School has seen the biggest drop in its rate, falling from 29 students in 2011-2012 to 21.2 students for the 2012-2013 school year, according to DOE statistics. The rate for last year has not yet been posted.Carrasco believes that if you start working with all at-risk students in middle school, not just the ELL students, they will be better prepared and ready for college by the time their junior and senior years roll around. Students need direction and skills that they can’t always get at home due to language and cultural barriers,” she added.”People know middle school is key. It’s the place to address many issues and I’m glad they are doing that,” Carrasco said. “I always say prevention is best.”