There are three components of the STArtSmart program: an after-school study hall, individualized advising, and in-class instruction on organizational skills.
The after-school study hall is run from 3:30 to 5:15, Monday through Thursday in the Parrott Library for Forms I and II and in TL-306 for Forms C, B, and A. Boys from all forms are welcome. When boys come to STArtSmart, they are expected to sign in, take out their assignment book for inspection, and begin doing their work quietly. Mr. Houston or other teachers will inspect their assignment books and talk with them about their upcoming work. Other teachers are also on hand to answer any homework questions. STArtSmart is designed to be a quiet, structured environment so that boys can get a good amount of their homework done before they head home.
If a boy needs individualized advising in any particular academic subject or area of study skills, the boy’s homeroom teacher/advisor or his parents can arrange for the boy to meet with Mr. Houston during STArtSmart’s after-school hours for help. Boys are also encouraged to be proactive and seek help on their own. The program supports students with their study skills, and also offers one-on-one planning for short and long-term assignments, test preparation, and studying for midterms and finals.
STArtSmart’s in-class component involves working with individual classes or advisory groups, at the request of the homeroom teachers/advisors, on different organization issues: note-taking, how to study for a particular test, critical reading, time-management (including use of an assignment book), goal-setting, organizing locker space, etc.