How Middle School Students Can 'Stay On Track' Monday, November 09, 2009 By Pauline Santos [ArticleImageHyperLink] Advertising Even at a middle school age, students can be pretty busy with sports, clubs and other extra-curricular activities. With all the chaos which comes with being a teen or preteen, many will probably admit that homework is the last thing on their minds and it can be pretty easy to fall behind in school work. So what can Cameron Middle School (CMS) students do to stay on top? That is exactly what the Stay On Track Club is for. "The main purpose is for students to stay after school to get help on their homework. Maybe parents might be working and they have no one to get help from at home,"  said CMS Principal Jay Albright. "...It's a good chance for them to stay after school and get the teachers' help." The Stay On Track Club, which was started last year, is open to all middle school students and allows the kids to stay after school in the library and get help on their homework. Two or 3 teachers stay in the room to supervise and answer questions the students may have. The kids are welcome to stay Monday through Thursday from 3-4pm, giving them the chance to get some work done before going home. "There are a lot of students, especially these days, who have single-parent homes and their parents are working a lot," Mr. Albright said. "We've got a lot of great kids and a lot of great parents, but as busy as parents are, a lot of times they don't have the time to really sit down with their child and go through their homework. We've got a lot of students that just need that extra help more individually and in a smaller group like the Stay On Track Club. It's really beneficial to them." The club definitely helps students in more ways than just getting their homework done. "Last year and this year, there were a few students that this made a huge difference in. Some of them were failing in some of their classes before we started it," Mr. Albright said. "A lot of them come every day. It definitely helps and brings their grades back up to a passing grade." Sixth Grade Student Machelle Carman can attest to that. "...Even if I don't understand something in class and I don't have a lot of time to ask questions, when I come here after school I can ask about it because a lot of the time our teachers are here," she said. "It really helps me keep my homework on track and it has really helped me with my grades." With homework out of the way, the kids have more free time for other activities or to just spend at home. "...This year we've got a lot of homework on Fridays," said Machelle, "so it's harder to do things on the weekends." She went on to explain how she has less work to do at home now and doesn't have to spend most of her time on math. Mrs. Laure Tunks loves the idea. "The kids have time to get their homework done as to where some of them would not be able to at home," she explained. "It is a quiet, learning time for students to do their work." Parents should definitely consider taking advantage of this opportunity by having their kids spend a little extra time after school to get help on homework, especially if they are unable to get help at home. Even with the class time they get, they do not always have time to ask their teachers questions. The Stay On Track Club allows them to ask any unanswered questions and gives them a little one-on-one time with the teachers. It also gives them a better understanding of what they are learning, which in some cases can mean the difference between passing or failing. Snacks and drinks are provided for the kids and no sign-up is required.

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