WELCOME TO THE FALL SEMESTER OF 2023-2024! WE ARE SO EXCITED TO EMBARK ON ANOTHER GREAT YEAR OF ESTABLISHING NEW RELATIONSHIPS AND PROGRAMS AS WELL AS STRENGTHENING EXISTING ONES WITH THE NAPS COMMUNITY!
2023-2024 Programs that we will continue to develop and expand this academic year:
- Science Fellows teaching young students science and the love for learning.
- Classroom Support/Helpers – College students assisting in teaching small groups in ELA/math/social studies.
- Fun Fridays at Brayton Elementary School/Wild Card Wednesdays and Thrilling Thursdays at Greylock Elementary School – Different activities/clinics that college students run at Brayton Elementary for the 5th/6th grades on Friday afternoons and/or Greylock Elementary School with 6th grade on Wednesday or Thursday mornings. Volunteer program working with athletic teams, dance organizations, students who have interesting and fun hobbies who want to teach and share with older elementary school students.
- Brayton and Greylock Elementary School Buddies to 4th-6th grades – Volunteer mentor program during lunch and recess; college students are paired with the same elementary student(s) once a week and develop a special mentor/mentee bond that can continue over the course of the year and beyond.
- Brayton Briefs – After school program on Wednesdays for 6th graders to work on journaling skills with college students and Mrs. Ropelewski, 5th/6th grade ELA teacher.
- Partnering with other campus student organizations, such as Lehman Community Council, and the JRC to bring fun programs and activities to the elementary schools.
Contact Amy Sosne, North Adams coordinator for Williams Elementary Outreach
Please click on the “collaborations” link below to learn more about these programs.
History of the North Adams (Brayton and Greylock Elementary Schools)/Williams College Partnership
In partnership with the North Adams Public Schools (NAPS), Williams Elementary Outreach supports collaborations between Williams College students, staff, faculty, and NAPS students and teachers that enrich the lives and learning of all who participate.
Williams students engage in a diverse range of programs at Brayton and Greylock Schools (K-6) through paid positions, volunteer opportunities, and projects related to academic coursework. Many students have participated through the years in Williams-run Center for Learning in Action (CLiA) programs in the North Adams School District, such as the Science Fellows program (probably our most robust and longest-standing program) and other programs that have piloted or evolved depending on the needs and interests of the schools and college students.
The NAPS student leaders are constantly working on creating and funding new programs as well as applying for grant funding to work on projects dedicated to increasing awareness of unconscious bias, diversity, equity, and inclusion within the community and educational institutions. These students built an evolving TIDE grant website that provides multiple resources related to these issues and topics for students of all ages as well as teachers and families. Through speakers, curated booklists, and continued work at local elementary and high schools, the NAPS students continue to prioritize the awareness of DEI-related issues.
The books club began in 2021-2022 with grant funding. Student leaders worked together with high school students from Mount Greylock Regional High School to develop a sustainable joint book club between the college and the high school with the goal of reading, discussing, and bringing awareness to issues about diversity, equity, and inclusion. The goal of this book club was to create a foundational manual for how to develop high school book clubs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion across multiple school districts, including North Adams, and across multiple grade levels, including upper elementary grades. Through all of our programs, the NAPS leaders, fellows, volunteers, and advisors are dedicated to promoting awareness and discussion on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The book club has now been successful for two straight years.
Megamenu Social