About Adam Abdulle Academy
Somali students fill the classrooms at Adam Abdulle Academy, a public charter school that opened its doors to grades K-5 in September 2005. The Academy strives to meet the distinct needs of the newly arrived student population, children who emigrated or whose parents emigrated from east Africa.
The school has recently partnered with AmeriCorps READS Initiative, a program of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), to create more opportunities for volunteer involvement and help meet students' literacy needs.
SMIF believes that vibrant communities build on the social and economic assets of their people and organizations. AmeriCorps READS Initiative Members Ruth Neil and Rachel Peterson began serving in January 2007.
Approximately 120 elementary students attend the school, in classrooms taught by teachers who are native English speakers. Students interact with Somali-speaking staff members throughout the day, however. There are Somali speakers in the classrooms to help teachers and interpret for students as needed. Students also have Somali and Arabic language instruction.
Most students arrive on buses and eat breakfast at school. In every classroom, the day begins with a morning meeting from 8:00 to 8:30, with time for introducing new lessons, singing, and show and tell type activities. Then each room has a different schedule of reading, math, physical education, recess, and lunch, with time for computers, Somali/Arabic, and science or social studies in the afternoons.
An hour to an hour and a half is devoted to reading group time in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade each day. One group of students reads the daily lesson with the teacher, while other students rotate to other activities. Students play educational games, read books, and complete worksheets related to the lesson during this time. As volunteers are available, they read books or do Read Naturally, a fluency curriculum, with students in the hallway.
Because students are primarily English language learners, there is a great need for volunteers to promote literacy. Recent efforts have brought in volunteers from Studio Academy, an arts-focused charter high school that shares a building with Adam Abdulle Academy, Rochester Community and Technical College students who need to meet volunteer service requirements, and community members.
Thirteen volunteers started helping at the school in February, and more helpers are needed to read with students and assist with classroom reading games and worksheets. Volunteers are asked to commit to helping once a week for a minimum of four weeks, depending on what fits their schedule. Specific volunteer opportunities are available on the United Way website.
