Heelan offers Readak course

By Katie LeFebvre, Globe staff reporter
Posted December 19, 2002

Heelan High School recently offered a course to ensure their students achieve full academic potential. The Readak advanced learning skills course provided that opportunity.

"Occasionally, parents ask why a school would invite an organization such as Readak to offer its services," wrote Father Paul Deyo, principal at Heelan, in a letter to parents about the program. "While our teachers are certainly well qualified, few have specialized training in this area, and we don't have the intensive time available to teach such a course. Most students, regardless of their reading ability, can profit from more training in technical reading skills and study development."

Readak is a 12-hour course that teaches students advanced reading and learning skills. This includes study skills, learning how to read faster and improving reading comprehension.

"Readak is run and administrated by Readak educational services out of Boston, Mass.," said Valentine Hooser, instructor for Readak at Heelan. "What I do is come to the school and teach the course."

The program covers everything from time management to how to study for tests, how to take notes in class, alternative methods for remembering information and a wide range of skills.

"These are extremely valuable skills that have an immediate and positive impact in the classroom, in daily homework assignments and in preparation for standardized tests such as the ACT/SAT/PSAT," wrote Father Deyo in the letter.

"The program went great," Hooser said. "All the students made progress in different areas. The were really excited to learn new skills and new ways of being a student."

The sessions were held at Heelan High School and were available to Heelan students as well as the Catholic middle schools in the area. There were also a few students from surrounding areas. All together there were 25 students that participated in the course.

"The main goal of the course is to become a better student," Hooser said. "Most of the students said they were better students now as a result. They found it very useful learning about the different skills and actually applying them in their courses."