Students struggling with mathematics at Warsaw Community High School can get additional help after school Tuesdays.
Tuesday was the first day for the Catch-Up Café, headed up by assistant principals Steve Ferber and Amanda Scroggs.
The Café will be from 3 to 4 p.m. every Tuesday in Room G152, the Senior Success Center.
Scroggs said students can come in after school and get help on their algebra, geometry or other math skills from teachers, staff or students. Warsaw Community Schools math coach Lorinda Kline also will be in attendance when possible.
Food and drinks will be available for students to purchase during the hour.
Kline said, “I like that it’s after school and one-on-one or one-on-two and the atmosphere. There’s food and low stress and getting help for the week. It’s a chance to get human help. There’s lots of help on the Internet, but it’s just nice to have another person to talk to one-on-one.”
“The Café is a place where students who have been absent or fallen behind can come and feel supported,” said Scroggs.
Students’ peers will be the primary help, but teachers and counselors also will sit beside students and ask how they can help. Scroggs said sometimes students just need encouragement.
The concept is that the Café is another resource done differently where students can feel comfortable.
“Mr. Ferber did an informal thing last year as the sophomore principal. He realized the students were challenged by the math courses. Now that I’m the sophomore principal, I want to pick it up and take it to the next level,” Scroggs said.
Student tutors were suggested to help by the National Honor Society sponsors, and math teachers also recommended students for the Café tutors.
“It’s very much a collaborative school effort,” Scroggs indicated.
There will be three to five tutors each week, she said.
“The parents have been so grateful,” Scroggs said. “They hear about this and they are so appreciative.”
The school PTO gave some money to buy a roll-out coffee bar, coffee and other supplies. The Café is a cash café so students can buy snacks or bring their own. The snacks will provide students with the energy they need after school.
As for transportation, Scroggs said, “We’re really hoping to get a late bus. We are working with the transportation department to see if it’s possible. It’s on our wish list.”
Until then, students will have to provide their own rides home or get rides from other students or parents. Scroggs said they will have to wait and see how many students take advantage of the Café, but they don’t want transportation to be a barrier to students to get the extra help in math they may need.
“If anyone in the community wants to support this, we welcome them to contact us about volunteering or make donations to sponsor some students who don’t even have a few dollars to eat on,” Scroggs said.
Hopefully, she said, the Café will have its own fund set up. The idea is for it to be self-sustaining.
Tuesday, there were about six students getting help.
Adriana Gomez, sophomore, was at the Café because she’s “failing” geometry, even though she’s a “pretty good” student.
“I didn’t really get the first lesson we did and I’m seeing it combines up with the other lessons,” Gomez said.
Her goal is to get a “B” in geometry so she won’t have to take the course again, but said an “A” would be nice.
Sophomore Cameron Green was seeking help with geometry. He said he’s struggling in the class and he needs to understand it better. A “pretty good” student, he said he plans to make use of the Café every week.
Sophomore Grant Carlson was one of the student tutors there.
“I feel like everyone deserves to do well in school and it looks good on a college application to help others,” Carlson said.
Carlson is “decent” in math, he said, taking calculus in 10th grade. He’s also on the Academic Superbowl Team for math.
