The Freshman Academy

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Spaulding High School and Barre Technical Center
The Freshman Academy
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• SHS/BTC
• To develop consistency in curriculum, instruction
  and assessment for all 9th graders
• To increase attendance rate
• To decrease 9th grade retention rate
• To decrease amount of course failures
• To decrease amount of behavioral problems
• To increase the development of literacy across
  the curriculum
• To increase the development of critical thinking
  skills
• To increase the level of respect and civility of
  both teachers and students
• To identify and solve problems through
  professional learning teams approach
• To use data analysis to improve student
  performance
• To provide extra help, time and attention to
  struggling students before, during, and after
  school to help them meet standards and
  grade-level expectations

Freshman Academy Goals
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Discipline History- last 3 years
9th Graders

• 2003-04 33 of all incidents
• 2004-05 40 of all incidents
• 2005-06 34 of all incidents

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9th Grade Data

• 2003-04 188 courses failed
  
• 2003-04 67 students-433 days suspended
• 2004-05 147 courses failed
• 2004-05 72 students-361 days suspended
• 2005-06 172 courses failed
• 2005-06 84 students- 412 days suspended

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2006-2007 Quarter 1
Academics
49 below 1.667
91 Ds
83 Fs
174 courses DNF
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Grade 10 NSRE Three Year Averages

• Reading Comprehension- 46 of 10th graders did
  not meet the standard.
• Reading Analysis and Interpretation- 57 of all
  10th graders did not meet the standard.
• Writing Effectiveness- 50 of 10th graders did
  not meet the standard.

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Freshman Academy Annual Goals2007-2008

• Goal 1 85 of all freshman will be at or above
  the standard in comprehension of grade-level
  materials (VT Standard 1.3).
• Goal2 85 of all freshman will be at or above
  the standard in responding to text (VT Standard
  5.13).
• Goal3 85 of all freshman will be at or above
  the standard in persuasive writing (VT Standard
  1.11)

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2007-2008Freshman Academy
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Bridging Transition
7th-8th-9th Grade

• Attendance
• Academics
• Behavior
• Health
• Home Environment
• Athletics
• Interests Hobbies
• Other

Honest, Open, Communication
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Professional Collaboration

• Learning Teams approximately 60 students per
  team
• Math English Guidance Counselor Electives
• Science History Case Manager

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Habits of Success/Mind

• Persisting
• Listening with understanding and sympathy
• Thinking about your thinking (Metacognition)
• Questioning and problem posing
• Thinking and communicating with clarity and
  precision
• Creating, imagining, and innovating
• Taking responsible risks

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• Thinking interdependently
• Managing impulsivity
• Thinking flexibly
• Striving for accuracy
• Applying past knowledge to new situations
• Gather data through all senses
• Responding with wonderment and awe
• Finding humor
• Remaining open to continuous learning

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Teaching to Student Learning Styles
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Understanding by Design (UbD)Backward Design
Model
Teaching for Understanding Critical Thinking
Skills Literacy Development Habits of Mind State
Content Standards Active Learning
Strategies Inquiry and Problem-based
Learning Instructive Formative Assessment Authenti
c Performance Assessments
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Curriculum Mapping In the Freshman Academy

• Teaching for Understanding

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Using Data to make Decisions

• Collect and analyze data
• Identify student needs
• Categorize and prioritize needs
• Develop action plan
• Implement and take action
• Collect data and adjust plan
• Evaluate impact

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Prevention and Intervention Strategies

• Build Transition with 7th and 8th grade teachers
• 3 week progress reports
• Parent communication strategies
• Academic TAs
• Before and After school tutoring
• Learning team monitoring
• Skill and Learning Center

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Timeline 2006-2007

• Build Transition Process
• Develop Learning Teams
• Consistent Classroom Management
• Habits of Success
• Focus on Literacy
• One UbD unit/course assessment
• Learning Style Inventories

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Timeline 2007 -2008

• Curriculum Mapping- Performance Pathways
• Plan Humanities Course
• Develop FA Website
• Continue UbD unit development

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2007-2008Freshman Academy