Bringing a positive, encouraging environment to the Learning Center, Coach Joshua Templeton and Dean Nicholas Colangelo have organized the peer tutoring program following the changes to the peer counseling program.
The counselors decided at the end of last semester that the peer counseling program would split into peer ambassador and peer tutoring due to increased mental health needs, lack of clients, counselor work schedules, and a need for a stronger focus on individual programs.
Peer ambassadoring is the same as peer counseling without the counseling aspects, and tutoring has become its own program.
The tutoring program allows upperclassmen to spend time in the Learning Center to work with their assigned students, which was previously an outreach of the peer counseling program.
In the Learning Center, there are roughly 30 students per period, a few teachers, and a handful of tutors. Each tutor is paired up with one or two students, who they will work with throughout the year by going over missing assignments, helping with schoolwork, and providing academic support.
“A big piece of what the tutors do is help with that executive functioning skill,” Colangelo said. “They’re helping with support and modeling that behavior.”
Colangelo hopes that the program will grow, bringing more assistance into the Learning Center and providing more students with the help that they need.
With the addition of the tutors, Templeton has seen an increase in productivity in the Learning Center.
“A lot of the students have learned those life skills, that you got to work harder, you got to be ahead, you got to be organized,” Templeton said.
Tutors are available during all afternoon periods in the Learning Center, checking in with students to offer help and keep them on track, though Colangelo and Templeton plan to even out the number of tutors in each period.
“Avery’s always willing to stick around and help us figure things out. It’s very very sweet,” sophomore Emily Burnat said.
Junior Avery LeRoy is a junior who has been tutoring in the program since its beginning this semester, providing support and using the extra time.
“I really enjoy it so far, and I’m looking forward to getting to actually help people whenever they need it. Every interaction is a good one, and I think it’s a really nice environment,” LeRoy said.
LeRoy hopes that the Learning Center fosters an environment where students feel comfortable and want to ask questions.
“Role models are so important to me, and I think that it’s really important to have those people that inspire you, and I hope to be that person even if it’s just something small,” LeRoy said.
All 10 current tutors are previous peer counselors who decided to join the program and use their counseling skills to connect with other students.
“It’s enough to me to just get to know them and help make a difference,” LeRoy said.
Upcoming juniors and seniors will be able to apply as tutors and will go through an interview process with Templeton and Colangelo to see if they will be a good fit for the program. Afterward, tutors will occasionally meet during Lab A for training until they are in the tutoring class second semester.
Coaching at 3 private schools in Tennessee for 10 years, Templeton took up the opportunity to teach at Conifer in 2024.
“I love the culture that the school has, I love that when it comes to teachers, faculty, administration, the question that always gets answered first is always ‘What’s best for the student?’ and that’s a really refreshing place to be,” Templeton said.
Templeton has been working in the Learning Center to provide a supportive and comforting environment, even bringing his own collection of vinyl records for the atmosphere.
“It’s so quiet and peaceful, and I always get so much done here,” sophomore Casey Adams said.
Seeing this space as an opportunity for students to grow, Templeton plans to continue the peer tutoring program and grow space in the Learning Center where it takes place.
“For them [tutors] to be as accessible as they are to the students, it’s a huge advantage,” Templeton said. “High school is hard sometimes, it’s not easy, but life gets better. I would encourage students to keep working hard, keep your head up, and you’ll find people to connect with and that will help you get through the day.”
