KHS News Details

KENNEBUNK, Maine — What began as a pandemic-inspired pivot has evolved into a cornerstone program at Kennebunk High School, where senior students serve as teacher assistants in classrooms throughout the building.

The program, managed through the National Honor Society (NHS), started during the 2021-2022 school year when traditional tutoring services were struggling to regain momentum after COVID-19 disruptions.

"We thought, okay, the tutoring isn't flying, but teachers could use some help," said KHS English teacher Beth Carlson, who is also an NHS advisor.

The program was initially focused on supporting larger classes and those requiring additional scaffolding. It has expanded each year. 
Currently, teacher assistants can be found in every freshman English class, where they've proven particularly valuable after the school eliminated its lowest-level English course in favor of full inclusion.

Senior TAs are selected through the NHS application process, which evaluates students based on four pillars: scholarship, character, service, and leadership. Candidates must maintain a weighted 93 average and complete at least half of their required 30 community service hours.

"It's competitive," Carlson said. "About 70 kids get nominated, maybe low 60s apply, and 35-40 get taken."

Before entering classrooms, teacher assistants receive training on confidentiality, learning disabilities, and effective communication strategies. They're encouraged to make personal connections with students, creating a supportive learning environment.

“Some of the best advice I've received is just to keep building personal connections with the students,” said KHS senior Nicole Axelsen, a current TA working with English teacher Margaux DePue. “Honestly, the best thing you can do for yourself and the students in your classroom is just maintain that connection. I love to tell students they can email me whenever they need to. They can come find me.

Axelsen, who is planning to major in secondary education, said the experience has been transformative for both herself and the students she works with.

"The highlights for me have definitely been watching students really grow into themselves, build their confidence as our year has gone on," Axelsen said. 

Although she initially planned to become a veterinarian when entering high school as a freshman, the TA program helped redirect her career aspirations toward secondary education.

Teachers have reported significant benefits from the program. 

"The feedback from the teachers is phenomenal," said Carlson. "They feel like the extra set of hands and eyes in the room has been great. Teachers have said that it's transformed, in some cases, the way that they actually function in the room."

The program has also inspired some participating seniors to consider education as a potential career path. One student is now planning to take education courses in college after their positive experience as a teaching assistant.

Beyond classroom support, the program helps develop valuable life skills. 

"It demonstrates on a resume that this person can have responsibility and can also convey information that they've gained to other people," Carlson said. "They've developed ways to interact, integrate, take charge, show leadership, and role model."

Looking ahead, Carlson hopes to expand opportunities for non-NHS students with specific skills, such as fluent Spanish speakers, to participate as teaching assistants. This year’s program included one English Language Learning (ELL) student, while the previous year included two.

"If you walk into a room with a TA in it, it is often more productive and more interesting," Carlson said, "because the student is not only going around and helping students be engaged, but also engaging them in other ways than the way the teacher would."

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