College-Prep Help for English Language Learners at OHS

Ossining High School has received a $15,000 grant from the Westchester Community Foundation for an Extended Day Academy for English Language Learners.  

The program will offer tutoring sessions and college preparedness workshops to about 50 high school students, with a goal of better preparing them for Regents Exams and acceptance  into college.

The Extended Day Academy is aimed at improving the success of high school students who do not speak English as their first language.  Currently, eight percent of the high school’s students are English Language Learners.  

Teachers and guidance counselors will identify students who would most benefit from the Academy’s services in their senior year. Those students will then work closely with the school’s bilingual counselors and certified teachers for about six hours each week.

“We have computer programs to prep English speaking students, but we haven’t had them in Spanish,” said bilingual counselor Madeline Cuddy, who will be one of the school counselors to work with students through the new program. “These programs will help get our ELL students prepared for taking the exams in addition to their regular classes.”

"We are so excited to receive this grant from the Westchester Community Foundation,” said Assistant Principal Lorraine Longing, who is in charge of the Guidance Department. “This program will help us to ensure that English Learners at the high school receive the support they need to earn a high school diploma.”

The Extended Day Academy also will offer ELL students and their parents workshops on the college application process as well as instruction in how to obtain financial aid for college.  Many English Language Learners are from low-income families and are the first generation to hope to attend college.

The Westchester Community Foundation is a not-for-profit community endowment for the benefit of Westchester County. Its mission is to develop and manage philanthropic resources, and to distribute them in a way that is responsive to donor interests and community needs. WCF is a division of the The New York Community Trust, one of the largest community foundations in the country with assets of approximately $1.8 billion.

"I am very grateful for the funds,” said Ossining Superintendent Ray Sanchez.  “This is a unique opportunity to continue to support our English Language Learners.  “These funds will help enhance the level of support we provide our students.  On behalf of the students we serve, we would like to express our thanks to the Westchester Community Foundation."