Helping Students: ACE Is the Place
Abington High’s After School Program Offers Student Support
Abington English teacher, department head, and advisor of ACE Dr. Elizabeth Gonsalves at her desk on May 1, assisting students in ACE.
May 7, 2019
The Academic Center for Enrichment, also known as the ACE program, is an after school activity for when students want to do homework, work on projects, work with a tutor, and much more. Students can also do the activities they love to do, such as participate in their club meeting, and take the free bus afterwards. There are many people that use ACE for extra help.
Students can go to room 2202 every Monday and Wednesday. People usually sign in at 2:00 and return to Room 2202 at 3:20 to check out. Dr. Gonsalves (Dr. G.) and the tutors are the people that make it all happen. Dr. G. is the advisor of the ACE program. She makes sure students sign in and out, even if they’re doing a quick drop in. If their teacher isn’t available, Dr. G. will try her best to help.
Recently I asked Dr. G. some questions that students may be wondering:
Q: Why did you volunteer to be the ACE advisor?
A: “I volunteered because I saw a slide on the monitor that ACE would be cancelled and I know that the late bus was important to people.”
Q: Why is ACE in room 2202 and not the library?
A: “People were coming to the library to just hang out on comfy chairs and play violent video games. The bus is for people that come for academics, sports, and tutoring. Also, clubs like language buddies. It [the library] is also a very big room for one person to supervise.”
Q: Do you think students use ACE efficiently? Why?
A: “The students that are using it now do. They use ACE to meet teachers for tutoring, to make up tests/quizzes, to go to clubs, to use the gym, or use the TV studio.”
It’s a free bus and welcome to anybody.
— Dr. G.
Q: How do students use the late bus?
A: “Students have to sign in by 2:15, say where they are going or what they’re doing, stay in 2202 or go to their meeting and come back at 3:20. It’s a free bus and welcome to anybody.”
The different uses of ACE are unlimited. I use ACE every Monday and Wednesday to read, write, and stay after for extra work. When it was in the library, people would go and not do work in order to get a bus because they didn’t want to walk. But the students that DO use ACE now use it more efficiently. Coming to ACE helps a student learn more and get help from other students, not just the teachers. Also, students attending ACE ask more questions because they are in an environment where they can feel safe and do their work without feeling pressured. If you would benefit from a little extra help with a teacher or need tutoring, feel free to stop by.
Elizabeth Gonsalves • May 7, 2019 at 9:00 PM
Anna, I am glad you wrote about the ACE program! You use it well & wisely yourself, and this article might be just the encouragement students need to take advantage of opportunities after school, including the bus. Thank you for the publicity!
Dr.G.