School on Wheels first met Marc-Daniel in 2009 when he was living in the Conway House family Shelter, located in Middleboro, Massachusetts.  He and his siblings received tutoring there until the family moved into permanent housing in Brockton.  School on Wheels continued to work with the family providing school supplies to Marc and his four siblings, as well as school advocacy, summer camp opportunities, and academic support.  Marc is currently part of our School on Wheels High School Plus Program.  He volunteers his time in our office stuffing backpacks for other students impacted by homelessness and he also serves as a tutor in our after-school program.  Below, Marc shares his thoughts about his college application experience.

Being a senior is just as stressful as making the transition to college. Part of what makes it so stressful is the college applications. Deadlines to meet, forms to mail, transcripts, recommendations from teachers, essays to write, all are being thrown at you at once. The tasks requiring the most assistance are the application fees which can be really difficult when you’re applying to many schools. Thanks to School on Wheels, I was able to get through my college applications in time.  SOWMA’s Student Advocate Emily Ring assisted me closely in the process, as well as the application payments. One of the schools she assisted me with, Curry College, sent me a letter of acceptance just two weeks after everything was submitted! I am very grateful for this organization and how they helped me. To this day I’m still unsure of how things could’ve turned out, had it not been for their support.

Thank You School on Wheels!

December 2011

We’ve been tutoring Nikea for two years.  Recently, on the night of an annual Thanksgiving dinner, Nikea showed me a current Social Studies project she created.  She wanted to do some additional research to make her project more complete.  She turned to me and said, “I’m just tired of living here. I’m tired of all the people around me and my stuff getting ruined.” I looked at her and said, “I know.” Then I quickly changed my response and said, “I don’t know Nikea, but I can listen.”  So, we discussed how we could add more detail and information to take her project to the next level.  The following week I purchased specific supplies she needed and we met for two hours.  We successfully completed her project.  Once finished, Nikea quietly said, “Wow, no one in school is going to have a project as nice as this.” One teacher observed and said, ”That’s one of the best projects I’ve ever seen.” The seventh grader’s face was beaming with pride as she told me about the compliments she received.

Two weeks later Nikea approached me during tutoring and told me she had another project due in December.  We spent time planning and brainstorming about what that project would look like and how she could meet her teacher’s expectations.   Currently, I’m assisting her with this project.  I purchased the necessary supplies and met with her for a few hours.  She simply can’t wait to turn it in to her teacher.  Recently, she gave me a timeline of how many projects she has to complete for the remainder of the school year.  Nikea is excited about school projects!  How amazing!

We are thrilled to provide the appropriate supplies and resources to the students we serve.  ALL children should have the opportunity to walk into school with a completed project, head held high, and eager to share.

Caroline Jones

Education Director

School on Wheels of Massachusetts

In tutoring Jacqui helped me with my homework and I think she is the best in the world. We worked on rounding numbers and reading. It was soooooooo fun.  She is the best.  We had lots of fun.  It wasn’t my regular tutoring night but I came because tutoring is a good place to get help for homework. I am really happy to be in tutoring.  You should join one day.  When I go to school I feel better because of tutoring.  It helps me a lot!

Nadra, Grade 5

October 4, 2011

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School on Wheels of MA has been tutoring Nadra for three years.  When we first began working with Nadra she often had difficulty focusing on the task at hand.  In the past year, the staff where she resides has noticed significant social, emotional and academic growth. The School on Wheels staff and her tutors have watched her develop a positive attitude toward learning, while gaining self-confidence.  Since the beginning of our tutoring program this school year Nadra meets with her tutor for one hour every Monday evening.  Although she is not scheduled for tutoring on Tuesday evenings, she comes to us and asks for additional help with her homework and other grade level skills she knows she needs assistance with.  She now demonstrates consistent work habits and takes great pride in her school work.  Keep working hard Nadra!

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Dear Dianne,

It has been a week at camp and I love it! I have two and a
half weeks left. Every Monday is cabin cookout. Every Wednesday is barbeque.
The only difference is for cabin cookout the counselors cook and for barbeque
the kitchen staff cooks. I love Saturdays because its lazy day and you go in
your PJ’s to breakfast. On Sunday, July 31^st, there was a concert.
The band was a Jewish rock band. I miss you and can’t wait to come back and
help.

Laura

Laura, a 12 year old
student, has been volunteering with School on Wheels MA for the past six
months. In order to complete the community service project required for her Bat
Mitzvah, Laura has assisted Dianne with stuffing backpacks, organizing school
supplies, as well hosting a lemonade stand and donating items to our
organization. After coming to School on Wheels throughout the school year, and
once or even twice a week during the summer, Laura ventured off to a summer
camp for three and a half weeks. While at camp, Laura wrote to Dianne about her
trip, and expressed how much she cannot wait to come back to School on Wheels of
MA!

Dear Cheryl and School on Wheels,

I would like to thank you and everyone for all that you do to help my son Darren. He has been through a struggle as you all know, and has come a long way since 8th grade. Darren works very hard to go to school and work every day. He will have to attend summer school to move on, but i am very proud of him. He has worked really hard in all his classes. He struggled in Chemistry.
Final grades are as follows:

English- 70
History- 78
Criminal Just. & Law- 95
Alga 2 & Trig H- 84
Chemistry- 60
P.E.-100
Intro to Art- 81
Art 2- 80

I would just like to thank this organization for all the support, help and financial aid you all have provided to us. We would not have been able to do all that we’ve done without you all. As a single parent it is hard to make ends meet. I know you all have helped in every way possible. SOW is very important!!! It really helps families in need. Steve Cerce has worked with Darren for many years and really has made a difference in Darren’s life. Thank you so much Steve for all your support and help. I want to keep Darren concentrated on his studies, even throughout the summer. He will continue to work hard for college. It is very important for him to succeed in life. I know he will do great. He is very excited about college and really wants to go. I really want to say thank you for everything, it means everything to us that you are involved in our lives. You make the difference. We feel like a part of a real family and feel special that you all care so much. I can’t wait until the day Darren graduates and hope you all will be there to celebrate my joy.

Thank you again,
Bonny Roper

Darren was one of the first students we worked with when we started the program at the Louison Center in Brockton in 2004. Darren was in the 6th grade and was failing half of his classes. His tutor Steve Cerce used to play chess with Darren at the end of the tutoring session to help build up his self-esteem and show him he was smart. Darren and Bonny moved 8 times between 6th and 8th grade. Bonny contacted us again when she moved into an apartment in Holbrook. When we reconnected with Darren and his mom we suggested Darren repeat 8th grade at his new school to set a strong foundation before going onto high school. They both agreed this was a good idea. Steve started working with Darren each week and Bonny set up regular school meetings to check in with his teachers and guidance counselor. I am happy to report that Darren made the honor roll in high school his freshman year and is planning on applying to the Bridgewater State University Scholar Program after his graduation in 2012.

-Cheryl Opper, Founder and Executive Director, School on Wheels of Massachusetts 

Dripping With Words

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Tutor/Bus Monitor

BLOG

Five years ago I took a reading course as a requirement to update my teaching certificate.  The first night of class my professor talked to us about the importance of exciting and engaging vocabulary instruction.  Next, she said something I will never forget:

“Our students should be dripping with words.”

Today I was the bus monitor for our after school tutoring program.  One of our students, a kindergartener, wanted to review his vocabulary words with me.  Some of the words were from his school work and the remainder were from a special group of words I gave him two weeks ago.  Today he wanted to add specific words to his ever-growing list: Superman, car wash, mixed, just to name a few.  Of course, I added a few words too. Approximately one hour into the bus ride another student initiated a dialogue with me for a few minutes.  Before I knew it, the young boy I had been working with quietly interrupted and said, “Miss Caroline, can we please get back to these words?” The five year old boy was engaged and excited about vocabulary instruction, regardless of being on a large yellow school bus!  Of course, in the back of my mind I was saying, “He should be dripping with words.”

The children we provide tutoring for experience homelessness.  They deserve robust, meaningful vocabulary instruction. If we can put them on a lifelong path of fascination with words the cycle of homelessness just may be broken. 

They should all be “dripping with words.”

Caroline Jones

Education Coordinator, School on Wheels of MA

 Jayden looked at me and said, “My favorite number is two because that is the number on my house.”  He said, “I am lucky because I live in a big house where every door has a number.” It is amazing how children see the positive amongst the storm.

I often tell our tutors we are honored guests in the “temporary homes” of our students. Jayden reminded me of that during his tutoring session.  After talking about his favorite number we read books and worked on letter recognition.

As I pulled into my garage after tutoring, I thought of Jayden as I looked up and saw the number on my house.  Just think about how many times you tell someone your address. For Jayden his address is room #2 in a shelter.  

When families move into shelter they not only lose their homes they lose their community. Families living in shelters cannot bring their pets with them. Pets have to be given away to a family member or friend. Most of their belongings are left behind in storage. Families moving into shelter can only take a small amount of items because of the crowded condition. Each family member is allowed to bring the equivalent of two extra-large trash bags.

One night when I was preparing to leave the Evelyn House in Stoughton a taxi pulled up in front of the shelter. A mother and her 2 children got out of the taxi. They were checking into the shelter for the first time. The driver popped the trunk and started to unload five clear plastic trash bags, filled with clothes, toys and food.  

That night driving home from the shelter I started to think, could I get all of my belongings into the trunk of a taxi and how could I live without my best dog Taz? Don’t forget to count your blessings next time someone asks what is your address?

Cheryl Opper, Founder and Executive Director

I started off tutoring one hour a week at the David Jon Louison Center. Though I had been there before, it had been during the day when most of the kids are at school. What a joy it was to walk into the shelter and see lots of little kids running around, with backpacks getting ready for tutoring. I was a little nervous going into my first tutoring session. I didn’t know what to expect but I just assumed that the kids would not want to sit for an hour and do homework. However, we started off just fine. My student is in high school and had some spelling words. I always loved English when I was her age so it was fun to go over different tenses of words and have her practice writing them out. It helped us establish a good rapport—starting off with a subject we both seemed to enjoy. Then we moved into math, which has never been a strong subject of mine. But I did the best I could given the material was not my forte. (I secretly don’t know how those kids can do trigonometry and I try so hard not to say, “Don’t worry. You will never need this in real life.”)

At the end of tutoring, I felt great about this mentorship. As I turned to the staff to say goodbye, I was asked to stay another hour and tutor a middle school student. This experience differed in that the workload was a different level but it was still just as much fun and enlightening about working with kids. I told the staff I didn’t mind staying two hours every week if they needed an extra pair of hands.

Next thing I knew, I was tutoring three hours a week at two different sites. It has been a pleasure getting to meet the site coordinators and work with an array of kids. I love the great relationships I am building with kids as well as knowing I am helping my community. I would encourage anyone with the time and desire to tutor for School on Wheels. Overall, I think I am getting more out of the experience of helping someone than my students are getting from our sessions!

Kate Rafey, Volunteer Tutor