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Welcome to GE Program Coordinator's Site

GE and Southside have had a strong partnership of long standing. Initially GE's African American Forum started volunteering as tutors and mentors working with Southside students after school. Several years ago, they wanted to expand the support they offered, and they nominated Southside for eligibility to apply for GE's College Bound Grant. Southside faculty members and GE volunteers collaborated to write the first grant, Freshman Success, and several subsequent grants. GE College Bound grants totalling $1,000,000.00 have been awarded to Southside High School from Jan. 1, 2003 through June 30, 2008.

Timeline for GE College Bound Grants:
Freshman Success Grant covered Jan. - Dec. '02. ($100,000.00)
Closing the Gap Grant covered July, '02 - June, '06. ($400,000.00)
First Closing the Gap Administrative Grant covered Jan, '04 - June, '05. ($100,000.00)
Second Closing the Gap Administrative Grant covered July, '05 - June, '06. ($100,000.00)
Closing the Gap Sustainability Grant will cover July, '06 - June, '08. ($300,000.00)



Program Snapshot: Southside High College Bound Program

Site: Greenville Year Entered CB: 2003 GE Champion: Mark Reilly
CB Coordinator: Debbie Tate High School(s): Southside
High School Principal: Paulette Payne Total High School Population: 954
Middle School: Hughes Academy Elementary Schools: Grove, Blythe Academy, Greenview
(Greenview has combined with Bakers Chapel and is now Thomas E. Kerns)

The College Bound strategy at Southside is to meet the needs of all students, whether they’re performing at the top, middle, or bottom. In order to achieve this goal, Southside offers a comprehensive range of AP and IB courses as well as programs to raise the academic abilities of those students who are below grade level. Collecting student data in-house to track academic performance is a key part of this approach. Local GE involvement is strong: employees provide tutoring assistance, lead monthly presentations for students, and volunteer in other ways.

Key Program Characteristics:

o Summer Programs. SHS offers a three-week “transition class” for incoming freshmen and targets students who are performing below grade level. A 4-day camp late in the summer targets all freshmen to help them transition to high school (to reduce the freshmen failure rate). A 3-day seminar for 10th-12th graders focuses on college awareness/prep.

o After-school Tutoring. GE volunteers and others tutor students twice weekly. Some parents, coaches, and teachers require athletes and students to participate. Electronic sign-in tracks participants. GE tutors help students with academic skills/standards, homework, resumes, and college or scholarship applications.

o Vertical Teaming. Vertical teaming has been an important part of the Greenville CB grant. They’re working with the HOPE Foundation to have a leadership academy for teachers from Southside’s major feeder middle and elementary schools that focuses on how to attain a high-achieving culture, curriculum, and instructional leadership. The GE Coordinator and aide work closely with the middle school for early identification of at-risk students so the schools can work together to help each student be successful in high school.

o Technology for Individualized Instruction. The initial CB grant was used to upgrade computer equipment (“mini-labs”) and buy graphing calculators to help students prepare for state exams. Read180 and various math software programs are now used in classes and the labs to provide individualized instruction to improve students’ literacy and math skills. Southside is pursuing a school-wide technology plan in conjunction with the district.

o Career Awareness. A few years ago, Southside created the PAWS program for career awareness. Students involved in PAWS maintain a career folder. They can take various career aptitude tests, practice job searching, and learn about budgeting. PAWS meets once a month for 20-30 minutes between 2nd and 3rd periods: they meet with their homeroom advisor as underclassmen and then as a group in the auditorium during the senior year. PAWS is run by a committee of teachers.