This is one of a collection of stories about nonprofits in Snohomish County.
MUKILTEO — It’s a bit past 3 o’clock on a sunny autumn afternoon. School’s out for the day for the middle schoolers. The sounds of freedom echo from the sidewalk and fields.
In this classroom in the back of the school are the sounds of learning.
The rustle of notebooks. Pencil on paper. The clack of keyboards.
Laughter. Questions. Answers.
At times, a little too much enthusiasm and the polite reminder, “Library voices, please. Library voices, thank you.”
It is the scene of Learning Labs at Olympic View Middle School, a free after-school program for sixth graders to get an academic boost. Volunteer tutors range from high school students to retirees.
“Our job is to get rid of Ds and Fs,” said Jan Link, a retired educator who started the nonprofit pilot program.
Link, indefatigable at 77, has decades of experience in the classroom and knows what makes students tick.
Middle school is a crucial path to success. It can be a bridge or a barrier.
“If we can get the kids right then, they’re very pliable,” Link said. “They really want to do well. A lot are so far behind. Our whole vision is that when kids go into high school they will be high-school ready. That means they will have passed the state test and that they’ll get As, Bs and Cs.”
After retiring Link chose to keep on teaching. She opened a tutoring center in Kirkland that her daughter now runs. “People pay to get help. We do really well because it’s a wealthy district and they want their kids to do really well,” Link said. “My belief is that all kids should have that and they should have it at their home school and should not be failing.”
Learning Labs started in one school this school year. The goal is to spread statewide.
For now, financial backing doesn’t come from the state. Rather, the program will rely on funding and in-kind contributions from local government, businesses, service organizations and donors. The list for the Mukilteo middle school includes McClain Insurance, the South Everett/Mukilteo Rotary, Charles Schwab, Tulalip Charitable Trust, Electroimpact Inc., Costco, Papa Murphy’s, Jersey Mike’s, Office Depot, Samantha Shelton of Windermere, Laura Kohut Hoopis, Kiwanis of Mukilteo and Fred Meyer.
Olympic View Principal Devin McLane was quick to endorse the idea behind the after-school lab when he was approached about it nearly a year ago.
Link’s proposal went something like this: She would provide the money and find volunteers for a program that would be free to all sixth-graders needing help.
“How can I say no to that?” McLane said.
The principal is liking what he’s seeing, a combination of time and tenacity that offers a chance to reteach, practice and refine classroom skills and concepts.
And the snacks help too.
For sixth-grade students, the program helps with the transition from a single teacher in elementary school to six teachers in middle school. Organization and follow-through are not necessarily innate traits at that age.
“A lot of these kids just need that extra attention from an adult or that older kid,” said McLane, who is in his eighth year as principal at Olympic View.
Turnout has been encouraging.
“Right now we have about 100 kids who have signed up,” Link said.
The lab meets in what is the health room during the day.
“I got a 14 out of 14,” said student Omar Mbowe. “This helps me with my language arts. I have been getting good grades. And I have been doing all my homework.”
Holding students accountable to turn in assignments is one aspect.
“I have a test on Friday and am studying so I don’t get bad grades,” said Zach Altmyer. “People can help me there and don’t have to wait until someone else can come and help.”
Jordan Isaacson said he used to rely on his mom for help.
Joseph Fillippov (left) gets help with understanding synonyms from Kamiak High sophomore Connie Chen at the Learning Labs at Olympic View Middle School, a free after-school program for sixth-graders to get an academic boost. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
“But my mom doesn’t know anything about calculus, prime numbers and fractions,” Jordan said. “She used to know a bunch about that, but once you grow older you don’t remember. Like I used to know a bunch of songs in fifth grade, but over the summer I’ve forgotten almost every single one.”
He has seen his grade improve in math.
Link began teaching in 1963 and went on to become an elementary and high school principal. She has a deep-seated belief: Anyone can make it, given the right help after the school day ends.
This is not new ground for her.
She tried something similar beginning eight years ago when she took a group of 50 sixth graders in the Edmonds School District and gave them close attention through middle and high school. Of those 50, two students moved and another died. The remaining kids — 22 boys and 25 girls — graduated and nearly all enrolled in college. Some parents doubt their children would have made it to commencement without the extra attention.
The goal is the same with learning labs: to connect students, parents and the teachers, Link said.
Like the previous program, data on how students are doing in their classrooms is reviewed weekly and students receive rewards.
Link hopes to see good work habits instilled before high school, particularly since new state graduation requirements up the ante to 24 credits.
The setting is conducive to studying.
“I can finish all my homework,” Sean Stoeser said. “I don’t have any other distractions. At my house I have things that distract me. I had Ds and Cs. Now they are Bs and some As.”
Mentoring students at the next table was Chuck Farr, a volunteer through the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.
“We’re working on math,” he said. “I am good enough for what they are doing.”
Farr, a Californian who retired from the garment business, recently moved to Edmonds to be closer to family after a few years of teaching in the Peace Corps.
Thien Nguyen, 14, is a student at Mariner High School.
“I wanted to help kids who are struggling with their classes,” Thien said.
He assisted Jack Mahon with math. “I’m multiplying decimals,” Jack said.
Jack said he not only gets his homework done, “We get food and get to hang out with cool people.”
At the next table, Johny Nunez did assignments on a laptop.
“I’m getting my grades up,” said Johny, who wants to be a comedian when he grows up.
He got some smiles from tutor Elizabeth Crocco, 16, a Kamiak High School student.
“I went to middle school here and wanted to give back,” Elizabeth said.
Arcelious Bailey said his grades are now spread out rather than concentrated at the low end.
“I have a D, a C, an F and a B and an A,” Arcelious said.
He was eager to share what he was learning: “Fun fact: Mount Kilimanjaro is three volcanoes on top of each other.”
Teresa Dowling is the director of Learning Labs.
“I’m emailing parents all the time and I’m talking to teachers, and they love it,” Dowling said.
For students, it stresses accountability, she said. “If you say you’re turning it in tomorrow, then show me you turned it in.”
“Good job,” she tells Rosie Chhann, after the student tells her she is up to date with her lessons.
“I have As, Bs and Cs,” Rosie said. “For math I had an F and it went up to an A.”
On this day she was reading about earthquakes, volcanoes and islands.
“My group is doing Hawaii. I want to go there. I want to go to the beach there,” Rosie said.
Daydreaming is allowed.
How to help
Learning Labs is a nonprofit looking for volunteers and financial help.
To learn more, go to www.academiclinkoutreach.org.
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