On March 29, 2023, Ruby Drive Elementary School in Placentia hosted educational leaders from throughout California for an AVID Showcase on campus. AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, is a national non-profit organization devoted to closing the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society. The organization also trains 70,000 educators annually to help schools shift to a more equitable, student-centered approach.
After being named an AVID Showcase School in June 2018, Ruby Drive assumed the important responsibility of providing opportunities for educators to witness their program implementation, learn about their best practices, and study their strategies hands-on. Only a handful of schools in southern California represent this identical level of achievement within the AVID organization.
That day, Ruby Drive’s Showcase experience allowed attendees to observe AVID classrooms and teachers in action across all grade levels—transitional kindergarten through sixth grade. Visiting district administrators and teachers witnessed Ruby Drive’s vertical and horizontal articulation of AVID strategies to support student success. The program’s proven learning support structure WICOR—which stands for Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading—was also on display throughout classroom instruction and practices.
The event culminated with a panel discussion featuring a teacher, student, parent, and alumna of the program. Teacher Inga Eppink engaged the panelists with thoughtful questions about the program’s approach, student support structures, communication, teacher development, and student success to end the day.
The Showcase could not have been made possible without the support of Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD) leaders as well as Ruby Drive Principal Lisa Carmona, Interim Principal Sofia Vander Kooy-Hervey, and AVID Program Specialist Paul La Porte. In addition, all of Ruby Drive’s faculty and staff members contributed largely to the success of the visit.
Since 2015, Ruby Drive has dedicated its efforts towards the application of AVID campus-wide. The school is one of 20 in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District to implement AVID.
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