Tutorial & Advisement

Tutorial: Time for Support, Choice, and Connection

Tutorials are one of the most valuable ways Thurston supports students during the school day. It is a flexible, 35-minute period intentionally built into our master schedule so students have regular access to academic assistance, enrichment opportunities, and meaningful connections with staff—without needing to arrive early or remain after school.

A tutorial is much more than a traditional study hall. It is a responsive time that allows us to meet students where they are. Depending on their needs, students may work with a teacher individually or in a small group, receive additional instruction or reteaching, complete an assessment, strengthen their organization and executive-functioning skills, or get help before a small challenge becomes a larger one.

Teachers may request students when they recognize that additional support would be beneficial. Students also develop greater ownership of their learning by identifying where they need help and selecting appropriate Tutorial opportunities through Flex. This combination of teacher guidance and student choice allows Tutorial to remain structured, purposeful, and responsive.

During the tutorial, students may:

• Receive targeted intervention, reteaching, or additional academic support
• Meet with a teacher individually or in a smaller instructional group
• Ask questions or receive feedback on an assignment or project
• Complete a missed test, quiz, or classroom activity
• Work on organization, time management, planning, or other executive-functioning skills
• Participate in counseling, wellness, leadership, or school-connectedness activities
• Explore clubs and enrichment opportunities, including activities such as Book Club
• Attend Career Talks, special presentations, or experiences offered by staff and community partners
• Engage in collaboration, reflection, goal setting, and Learner Profile activities
• Pursue an area of interest when additional academic assistance is not needed
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• At its best, Tutorial helps students feel supported without feeling singled out. A student who is confused can receive help while the learning is still fresh. A student who needs a quiet place to organize can reset and make a plan. A student who is caught up academically can explore an interest, join a club, connect with others, or try something new.
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• The tutorial is designed to help students feel:
• Supported, because help is readily available during the school day
• Known, because teachers can work with them in smaller and more personalized settings
• Empowered, because they increasingly learn to identify and advocate for what they need
• Relieved, because they have dedicated time to ask questions, catch up, and make a plan
• Connected, because Tutorial also creates access to clubs, counselors, trusted adults, and peers
• Engaged, because enrichment opportunities allow them to explore interests beyond their regular classes
• Successful, because they have the time and support to take the next meaningful step in their learning
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• Tutorial reflects our belief that student support should be proactive, flexible, and accessible. It gives teachers additional opportunities to respond to student learning, while helping students build the independence, confidence, and self-advocacy skills they will need in high school and beyond.

Where Tutorial Lives in Our Master Schedule

Tutorial is embedded directly into Thurston’s 2026–2027 master schedule:

• Tuesdays and Thursdays: 2:30–3:05 p.m.
• Wednesdays: 12:52–1:27 p.m., except for the first Wednesday of each month, when this time is used for Advisement
• Selected final-exam days: 10:43–11:15 a.m., providing students with additional support between exams

Because Tutorial is part of the regular school day, all students can access these opportunities without transportation or after-school scheduling becoming a barrier.

Families may view Thurston’s complete schedule on our Bell Schedules webpage.
 

Advisement: Building Our Thurston Community

While Tutorial focuses primarily on student support, intervention, and enrichment, Advisement focuses on connection, belonging, and school community.

Advisement takes place once each month, during the Tutorial period on the first Wednesday of the month. Students meet in grade-level groups with an Advisement teacher and participate in activities designed to strengthen relationships, encourage teamwork, and build school spirit.

This monthly format allows Advisement to serve as a special opportunity for students to step outside their typical academic routines and engage with one another in a different way. Through team-building activities and schoolwide challenges, students practice communication, cooperation, problem-solving, positive competition, and good sportsmanship.

Advisement activities may include:

• Advisement Cup competitions
• Tug-of-war challenges
• Kickball tournaments
• Team relays and field-day activities
• “Minute to Win It” competitions
• Collaborative problem-solving challenges
• Campus scavenger hunts
• Trivia and school-spirit competitions
• Grade-level challenges
• Community-building games
• Student leadership activities led by ASB
• Schoolwide celebrations and recognition
• Restorative circles and relationship-building conversations
• Student surveys, reflections, and opportunities to share feedback

Over the course of the year, Advisement groups can earn points through participation, teamwork, sportsmanship, and schoolwide challenges. Although the activities are meant to be fun—and occasionally very competitive—the larger purpose is to help students strengthen relationships, connect with a trusted adult, and feel that they are an important part of the Thurston community.

Together, Tutorial and Advisement create a thoughtful balance within our master schedule: Tutorial gives students time to get what they need, while Advisement gives them time to strengthen where they belong.