Morris Ed., Frelinghuysen Continue Tutor Program

The Morris Educational Foundation—which raises funds for programs and services in the Morris School District—will continue its community volunteer program at for the 2012-13 school year.

"After launching a successful pilot program last year, leadership at both the middle school and the foundation are excited about increasing the impact of the program targeted to sixth-through-eighth-grade students," according to a press release. "The Morris Educational Foundation is pleased to invite members of our community who are interested in tutoring to participate."

Eighteen community tutors and 30 students attended a recent celebration of the 12-week pilot program, where Frelinghuysen principal Mark Manning praised the 25 community volunteers from the Morris School District who he said
recognized that "a community concern deserves a community solution," referring to the aim of the program to raise the test scores of targeted Frelinghuysen students on the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge test (NJ ASK) that all middle school children take.

The community tutoring project began in 2011 when the "Visionary Planning Board of Frelinghuysen Middle School" discussed ways to raise the NJ ASK test results for middle school students who fell just below the passing grade of 200 or just above it.

Debbie Sontupe, chair of the Morris Educational Foundation, called the Morris School District community special, noting "a sense of partnership and commitment. It's another point of pride that so many adults are giving back. The tutors got as much out of it as they gave."

The Morris Educational Foundation is now enrolling additional tutors in preparation for fall training sessions and is accepting applications. Those interested in applying to tutor language arts and/or math should email the foundation at morrisedfoundation@gmail.com.