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9 th Grade Academy

A Fairmont High School (NC) experience …. 9 th Grade Academy. We believe all students …. Can achieve a high school diploma and our belief starts before they walk into our doors. Our plan…. Bridging the Gap Summer Evaluation Transition Academy Freshmen Academy (HSTW model) ↓

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9 th Grade Academy

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  1. A Fairmont High School (NC) experience … 9th Grade Academy

  2. We believe all students … Can achieve a high school diploma and our belief starts before they walk into our doors

  3. Our plan… • Bridging the Gap • Summer Evaluation • Transition Academy • Freshmen Academy (HSTW model) ↓ 10th grade promotion

  4. Bridging the Gap… (* see handout) Connecting Middle School to High School • Middle school principal’s phone # • Exceptional Children’s department • E.C. department chair meets with middle school E.C. teachers • Identify • Correctly place (discuss individual cases) • Folders completed

  5. Bridging the Gap… • Core subject teachers interaction (meeting) • Explain hurdles for all subjects from both sides • Get teachers to identify glaring weaknesses • Create plan to benefit high school & middle school • (Ex: 7th – 8th grade E.O.G. = Reading Comp. → 9th grade E.O.C. = Grammar & Reading Comp. → 10thWriting Test )

  6. Bridging the Gap… • 8th Grade Assembly • Feeder schools are invited to the campus during school to see the operation and to receive information about the high school • 25 min sessions (4 total) • Intro to 9th grade Academy team + current 9th grader reflection + 12th grader reflection • Discipline issues + expectations • English + Math emphasis (activities) • CTE Information + World History/Earth Science emphasis

  7. Bridging the Gap… • “Future 4 Kids” – Course Planner • Program for students and parents to technically interact with the guidance department in registering classes for high school • Students along with their parents usually attend a session on middle school grounds in April/May to set up their registration • All students’ registration should be completed by the end of May (for evaluation by high school)

  8. Summer Evaluation… • June/July • Examine “End Of Grade” scores for rising 9th graders • Evaluate who passed 1st time prior to re-testing • Establish Honors & Non-Honors (creates class size for scheduling) • Identify at-risk students for Academy teachers • Participants: Principal, Guidance Department, Assistant Principal, and 9th Grade Academy Coordinator

  9. Tornado Transition Academy… (*see handout) • 3 day mini-school session for rising 9th graders to interact with the FHS staff and learn “what” the Tornado Academy is all about!!! • Day 1 – Teachers plan and prepare all activities for the rest of the week • Day 2-4 – Students participate in different sessions full of activities

  10. Tornado Transition Academy… • Types of Activities: • Leadership • Team-building • Subject-oriented • Introduction to school • Technology • Physical • Transportation provided • Lunch is available for free • Student incentives for attending • No CHARGE!!!

  11. Tornado Academy… (*see handouts) • Building Layout – Blueprint is necessary!!! • “School within a school” • Administration, support staff, and teachers should be clustered together in the school • Easier to monitor and participate in grade-level activities • Tornado Expectations • Exactly what “we expect” of these 9th graders from the minute they enter our halls • These expectations can be in addition to the high school handbook (more rules, more procedures, etc.)

  12. Tornado Academy … • Weekly Academy Team meetings • Common planning • Agenda • Academic Performance • Discipline Issues • Procedures • Absenteeism • Parental Contact • Professional Development • Specific strategies: Word Walls, Foldables, Gallery Walk • Self-reflection (Improvements in class management + strategies) • Achievement mindsets • Grading System – “Inc” or “Not Yet” • A.L.C. (Alternative Learning Center)

  13. Tornado Academy … • Lunch • All 9th graders as one group (most 9th graders are not prepared for a high school lunch room) • If at a large school, do the best you can in having the 9th graders together even though you might not be able to make it one group • If upperclassmen are assigned to the 9thGrade lunch, separate them in the lunch area • 9th Grade staff are required to eat in the lunch area to help monitor the students

  14. Tornado Academy… • 9th Grade Student Support Team • 9th Grade Counselor • Scheduling + credit check (extremely important) • Emotional/family issues • Conducts SSMT (Student Services Management Team) & 504 plan meetings • 9th Grade Social Worker • Absenteeism • Emotional/family issues (house visits)

  15. Tornado Academy… • 9th Grade Drop-out Prevention Coordinator • Actually works with 10th grade as well (target group) • Parental contact • Multiple activity & program planner (Anti-Bullying week, 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, etc.) • 9th Grade Parent Liaison • Parental contact • Parental involvement activities • Community relations

  16. Tornado Academy… • 9th grade Academy Coordinator • Conducts weekly meetings • Plans student success celebrations • Interacts with students • Assists Administration • Conducts & attends Professional Development workshops • Attends Central Office meetings

  17. Tornado Academy… • Tutoring • All teachers in the academy must be available for tutoring at least once a week • Schedule tutoring so subjects do not overlap with each other (try not to allow the student to have to make a choice) • Parental contact for targeted students • 1 – 1 ½ hours • Transportation is available

  18. Student Success Celebrations… • Academic success, limited tardies& absences

  19. Student Success Celebrations… • Top Tornadoes • Bi-weekly selection of students in the Academy for success in classroom or athletics • Chosen by the teachers at our weekly meetings • Display in the Academy showcases the chosen student

  20. Student Success Celebrations… • Academic success: Day trips, honor roll recognition, and student incentives

  21. Keep in mind… • Some states claim that 70 to 80 percent of 9th graders who fail will not graduate • Students who did not earn promotion to 10th grade have a 1 in 4 chance to earn a diploma within 8 years (Neild & Balfanz, 2006) • “On-track” students are 3.5 times more likely to graduate from high school in four years than students who are “off-track” (Allensworth & Easton, 2005)

  22. Remember… • GraduationDOES begin when middle school ends • Getting students to achieve academically from 9th grade to 10th grade and be promoted is essential in raising graduation rates • To achieve this academic success in 9thGrade, at-risk students must be identified • Our success with at-risk students comes through the methods presented today

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