FMP History

The Normal West Freshmen Mentoring Program was modeled after a program at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, IL.  In January of 2006, Tom Eder, then principal of Normal West, sent a team of teachers to Stevenson to observe their program.  This team of teachers then formed a committee to discuss how a similar program could be utilized at Normal West.  In the fall of 2006 the program was piloted in 8 advisories with 20 freshmen and 4-5 FMP mentors in each advisory.  Berny Chiaro was the program coordinator from 2006-2014.  It is because of Tom and Berny's vision as well as Berny's leadership and passion that an idea from 2006 has blossomed into the core program it is here at Normal West. Today at Normal West all freshmen are in an advisory and there are approximately 85 FMP mentors. Roughly 1/3 of our student body is involved in the FMP program.  FMP is more than just a program at Normal West, it is a part of our culture in which relationships are the backbone.