Math A-Team Action Report 2022-2023

Hotline worked with MNPS, local universities, other nonprofits, and organizations as part of Alignment Nashville's Math A-Team. Led by facilitator Nathan Shulman, Alignment mobilized strategic partners to address systemic barriers to math that impact Metro Nashville Public Schools students.

The Math A-team, which launched in 2020, worked "to make math more accessible by shifting mindsets about what it means to be good in math and ensuring families have tools and resources to support their students in developing math confidence and understanding." Read the team’s full report here.

Read the full report here.

Homework Hotline: Closing out 2020

With this week of thanks upon us, it is a pleasure to reflect on all the good of this year. Homework Hotline is host to an incredible team of individuals who have gone above and beyond to ensure all Tennessee students receive the help they need and has a strong base of supporters, users, and promoters.

When Hotline is open, we receive calls and online chats from students who need help understanding the assignments their teachers gave them; who missed days of school due to illness, technical issues, or other equally important reasons; who have parents/guardians who work essential jobs and are not home to oversee schoolwork; or who need assistance in a language other than English. At the end of every one of these sessions, our teachers are more than likely to hear a version of "thank you" from these individuals. These two, very simple words have a profound impact on the person they are directed towards. 

Following their already full day working with students, Hotline's teachers log in from home or  Hotline's office (following safety guidelines) to assist even more K-12 Tennessee students and their families asking for help. I am personally grateful for our teachers' dedication, patience, energy, and passion for teaching, since Hotline wouldn't exist without them. 

During the first quarter of the 2020-21 school year, some of Hotline's accomplishments include: 

  • Serving over 1,500 Tennessee students (with almost 500 parents/guardians)

  • Completing 4,100 free tutoring sessions

  • Assisting students from 70 Tennessee school districts

  • Providing 1,873 hours of free tutoring

With that, here are a few updates through the end of the school year.

1.) Our schedule:

Hotline will reopen for the spring semester on January 5, 2021. Hotline will remain open until mid-June, with the exact date TBD. Please keep an eye on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and our website for any changes, and any specific closures throughout the spring. 

2.) Have you filled out our mid-year survey?

This user survey helps us evaluate how Hotline is doing and provides vital data necessary for grants and partnerships. It is two pages long and should only take 5-10 minutes.

Our goal is to receive at least 100 valid responses from current Hotline users, and YOU can help us get there!

Hear how Hotline impacts real Tennessee families...

"We signed up my daughter for Homework Hotline just over two weeks ago, and it has already been a godsend for my daughter... She is visibly relieved after each session at how much better she understands the material, but my favorite is when she reports on days following how much easier new information is because she got the basics straightened out. Thank you, Homework Hotline. Parents aren't always the best tutors, and I'm so grateful for your help." - Parent of an 8th grade student

Entering the second half of the 2020-21 school year during Hotline's 30th year of service, we are energized by the support Hotline has already received. Every "thank you," every like and share on social media, and every phone call or email is gratefully acknowledged and truly appreciated.

In return: thank YOU.

Homework Hotline's Response to COVID-19

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Hotline staff hopes you and your loved ones are doing well and staying safe! 

As all TN school districts are closed and students are working from home, here is how Hotline has responded to the “new normal.” We wanted to ensure that we can continue to assist students and their guardians in the coming weeks and interject some normalcy and academic support during this stressful time.

To that end:

1) We have worked closely with ENA, our phone provider, to make our phone lines mobile. ENA has provided us with free access to their SmartVoice Go app that is allowing our teachers to log into Hotline phones from the safety of their homes. Many have expressed how thankful they are to still be working with our students while maintaining their supplemental income.

2) We have contacted all of our partner districts to let them know that we will remain open and that, from their students' perspective, everything will remain the same (phone numbers, access to technology features during sessions, etc.). We have also requested that they provide us with the resources they will be providing their students and families as they are moving to distance learning. You can check out the current district resources here.

3) In communication with school districts, primarily Shelby County Schools and Metro Nashville Public Schools where our teachers work, we determined that until schools resume their regular hours, Hotline is adjusting its hours to be 2pm–6pm CST. We want to make sure students are able to access our teachers at the time that is most convenient for them.*

4) We have been cultivating a general resource page that provides students and families with a variety of FREE, easily accessible, educational resources. You can check it out here. If you have other websites that you know of that you feel we should add, please let us know. If you know of families who might need these, please share them!

 
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Multiple school districts, teachers, and parents have already thanked us for being here for their TN students during this challenging time. SCS has already made Hotline one of the programs mentioned in their latest updates section. One parent sent us an email saying, "thank you so so much. a lot is going on and kids have a hard time when many things change really fast. Thanks so much for keeping your phone lines open." After reviewing our resource page, a teacher sent, "Oh, this is super. Excellent. Thanks so much. I just love it." 

We feel blessed to be able to stay in relatively normal operation during this time of uncertainty and changes.

To join our mailing list, please click here.

Hotline cannot exist without you, our supporters. To support Hotline, please click here.

*As of August 2020, new Hotline hours are 3pm-8pm CT

Re-Launched in Shelby County!

Homework Hotline has reopened our Shelby County Schools office! We are excited to return to SCS with our 901-416-1234 phone number. Hotline is increasing the number of teachers working each night, ensuring our availability to help you complete your homework, study for that test, write that essay, or work with a teacher.

Thank you, Shelby County Schools, for the opportunity and support. We look forward to continuing to grow our partnership as the years move on. It’s as easy as 1-2-3…. FOR homework help!

And, thank you, WMC Channel 5, for the mention!

https://www.wmcactionnews5.com/2019/09/26/scs-homework-hotline-returns/