By Kristine Thomas 
There is a sweeping sense of urgency amongst Silverton High School students.
They can no longer procrastinate, forget or blame their dog for missing school assignments.
If their classwork is not finished, students know they will be sent to RIE, a debut program standing for Remediation, Intervention and Extension.
Every Thursday, 72 minutes at the end of the day is set aside for students to receive additional help in a class, complete missing assignments or work on other projects.
If a student missed a science lab or a test due to extracurricular activities or illness, he can make up the work during RIE. If a teacher notices a student doesn’t understand a math concept or failed a history exam, the teacher can request to meet with the student to review the material.
In a letter to parents, Silverton High School Principal Mark Hannan wrote the “purpose of RIE is to give all levels of students more specific time for instruction with a teacher.”
Silver Falls School District Curriculum Director Linda Myers said RIE is a cost-effective way to add learning opportunities for students without “spending a dime.”
Students who have a 3.0 grade point average or higher, no missing assignments, on track for graduation including passing OAKS scores in appropriate areas such as reading, writing and math can leave school unless they are asked to stay for an extension project.
Band and choir students can use the time for practice.
Students in Leadership, FBLA, FFA or Link Crew can use the time to work on projects. Students can stay after-school to meet with their counselor to discuss college plans or to do homework.
The extension piece of the schedule provides learning experiences for students in upper level classes as well.
For example, students in AP Calculus or AP US History can meet with their teacher to receive additional help for the AP exam.
Every Monday, teachers submit a list of students who they want to meet with on Thursday. Students are notified what teachers they are required to see on Wednesday.
On the first day of RIE, Feb. 17, Assistant Principal Dandy Parsons said at least 700 out of 1,100 students were asked to meet with one of their teachers and 315 students were asked to meet with two of their teachers.
As she visited classrooms, she found sophomores in English teacher Nancy Miller’s class working on the state writing assessment; students meeting with teacher Kirsten Barnes to study economics and students studying in the library.
Instead of students falling behind in their work, students are now required to get it done, she said.
“What we know about teens is they need a tangible reward to be motivated to do something,” Parsons said.
“We wish students would do things for the intrinsic value but their brains aren’t developed that way until later in life. By telling them you get your work done, you will be rewarded we are giving them a tangible reason to do so.”
Junior Lane Martin had to stay for RIE because he missed a marine biology lab when he was missed school due to being ill.
“I like this because I didn’t have to come in before or after school to make up this lab,” Martin said.
“I think RIE is pretty cool because it rewards students for doing their work.”
Math teacher Todd Brown said there wasn’t room in the schedule second semester for a lab for the AP Calculus.
He likes having RIE because now he can meet with his AP Calculus students and help them prepare for the exam.
“I think this is going to be beneficial to students to receive the additional help they need in a class,” Brown said.
Junior Heather Prince along with a dozen other students met with her pre-calculus teacher to go over problems missed on a test.
“I think RIE is a pretty good idea,” Prince said. “If you get your work done and keep your grades up, you get to enjoy an early release. I think RIE is a good way for kids who didn’t finish their work to get it done.”
When people question whether students will be losing class time for RIE, Parsons said each class period was shorten by six minutes and advisory group eliminated for Thursday.
Believing RIE is a proactive way to encourage students to get their work done, Parsons sees it as a way to expand students’ learning.
“If every student came to class with his work done, I think the teacher would be able to cover more material and students will understand what is being taught,” she said.
“I think RIE raises the bar of what is expected from students and helps teachers.”
At first, sophomore Riley Johnston was annoyed by the concept of RIE. Then she talked about it with her speech teacher Matt Ogle.
“He explained that students can get more one-on-one time with a teacher such as preparing for the state writing assessment,” Johnston said.
“I think RIE will motivate students to get their work done and reward them for that.”
