By Andrew Firestone

It takes a village to raise the next generation, or that is the old adage. Here in Somerville this adage is being put into practice, as Jennifer Capuano volunteer coordinator of the Somerville public schools can attest.

Currently in its formative stages, Somerville’s volunteer program arranges mentoring and tutoring for students both in and out of the classroom.

“What really excites me is the mentoring role that volunteers can play in students’ lives,” said Capuano, who manages the program by recruiting volunteers and placing them in the proper classroom or with the proper student. Volunteers do everything from student teach to one-on-one tutoring, and they work in every school in the city.

The impact these everyday citizens have is vital to the system, said principal Steve Tuccelli of the Winter Hill Community School. “They take up some of the slack. It’s great that they come in, it’s fantastic, but it would be great to have one in every classroom,” he said, adding that he uses about 10 in his school alone, which is largely made up of English immersion programs.

A key group that makes up the volunteers is the elderly, whom Tuccelli referred to as “Foster Grandparents.” “The Foster Grandparents that have worked in this building have been very talented, very endearing, very caring and are that extra person that help, but besides helping the kid to give them instruction, help button their coat, tie their shoe, or what have you,” he said.

Maureen Graziano is a retiree who assists in Anne Sutherland’s first grade class at the Healey School. “I was born and lived my whole life in Somerville,” said Graziano, “so I decided maybe I would be a little bit of help in the community.”

Graziano spends her time on Tuesdays working with students one-on-one or in small groups to support Ms. Sutherland’s teaching. “I go in. They hug me. They’re just sweet little kids. They’re very enthusiastic, very friendly, very curious, I think also, which is a good thing,” she said.

“I think it’s vital because I think these kids need extra attention that they are not able to get from the teacher, because she’s so busy doing things, and their parents are so busy, probably trying to make a living,” she said. Graziano reports she helps the young students in arithmetic as well as vocabulary and grammar.

Another kind of volunteer the public schools use is subject tutors, like Jason Sawyer, a software consultant with a young family, who helps out a sixth grader from Ellen Isbitz’s class named Miguel. Sawyer uses his experience to help Miguel before school on Mondays, and has continued this for almost two years.

“[Math] comes easily to some people and some people just don’t get it,” said Sawyer.  “I try to teach him lots of tricks that I’ve learned.” Working closely with Miguel, Sawyer has seen the student gain confidence, little by little, much like Sawyer’s own approach to teaching the subject.

“Math is a lot easier if you take things one step at a time. I try to walk him through that process one step at a time,” he said, adding that implementing common sense to problem solving is best done by building upon concrete results. “I think he’s getting it,” he said.

Ms. Isbitz said Sawyer has ‘made a huge difference…the student’s test results have proven the impact Jason has had. [The student] made significant progress and received student of the quarter based on his math improvement— due to his work with Jason.”

The results are part, but not the entire goal, said Graziano. Partly, the goal is to recapture some of the community spirit that feels lost in today’s hectic world.

“My mom didn’t work. She’d be able to help me with my homework, get involved in the school, and show a little interest. It’s just changed so much today that there just isn’t enough time or enough money for young people today to do what they need to do,” she said.

Recalling her own son’s upbringing, where the family dog would chase him to school, Graziano says she doesn’t get the same vibe from the children she works with today. “I don’t have that sense of community where you can go out and feel safe in your environment like you did years ago,” she said.

Sawyer said that his work with the school system has given him confidence in the Somerville public schools, so much so that he said he plans to send his seven-month-old son when he is old enough.

“As a community member you don’t tend to see the schools very often unless you have kids. I can say I’m really impressed by the quality of the teachers,” he said, praising Isbitz’s efforts in calling Miguel at home to check up on him. “The ones that work there are really dedicated to their craft and to working with the kids.”

While Somerville receives aid from student teaches from universities such as BU and Lesley, Capuano said she could always use more volunteers. “Why not aim high and say that we want a mentor for every student in the district, whether they are under performing or not?”

If you are interested in volunteering, contact Jennifer Capuano at jcapuano@k12.somerville.ma.us or visit http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/volunteer for more details.