Our program empowers local high school graduates and other community members to serve in a BPE Teaching Academy for a year, playing a key role in the school community.

Dudley Promise Corps, an AmeriCorps program, provides students with the extra academic and social emotional support needed to ensure they are on track for college and career success, while simultaneously developing corps members as engaged civic leaders committed to social justice.

DPC members share responsibilities in five focus areas, both individually and as a team:

 

  1. Academic Support

DPC corps members accelerate the academic growth and achievement of the students we serve.  At Dudley Street School, corps members support the goal of 3rd grade reading proficiency for all students—a key milestone for success in school and beyond. Through a unique partnership with Reading Partners, corps members use an evidence based curriculum to provide one on one literacy support to five to ten target students on a regular basis.

At Dearborn STEM Academy, corps members use supplementary curricula to provide one on one tutoring and small group academic support in math and/or literacy to up to ten students in grades 6-12 who are performing below grade level.  Students served by corps members receive a minimum of two hours per week of extra support focused on specific learning gaps.

  1. Relationships

To promote student engagement and provide effective academic support, corps members build authentic relationships with students and serve in an informal mentoring capacity. Since they are embedded in the school, corps members are able to spend non-academic time each day getting to know students in a range of settings and ensuring that each student is known and appreciated.

3. School Culture

Corps members collaborate with school staff to build whole-school community and a culture that promotes high levels of student engagement and investment.

  • Expanded Learning Time: At both Teaching Academies, corps members lead or support opportunities to expand learning through age appropriate enrichment programming one afternoon per week as part of the school day. At Dearborn, corps members also stay after school three days per week to provide homework support and/or to offer additional enrichment programming.
  • School Operations: Members share in the responsibility of supporting non-academic duties essential in building school culture — breakfast, lunch, recess, and dismissal.
  • School Events: Members support and organize regular school-based events, including student assemblies, family nights, student-led events, etc.

  1. Community Engagement

As a neighborhood based corps, DPC members learn about the Dudley community history, assets, and aspirations, and engage with community partners through multi-faceted experiences outside of schools. DPC believes that this connection facilitates an understanding that allows members to better serve students.

5. Corps Member Development

DPC members engage in regular professional development opportunities. In addition to receiving the training and support necessary to perform their responsibilities in schools, DPC members gain knowledge, skills, and experiences that empower them to continue working towards social justice and equity, and remain civically engaged leaders in their communities long after their service year.  Many DPC members apply for and enroll in BTR the following year; some become BPS paraprofessionals.