Welcome to the

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Welcome to the
Erwin Freshman Academy
Success Nothing Less!
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National Statistics
A National Challenge

• More students fail the ninth grade than any
  other grade.
• Students who live below the national poverty
  level are twice as likely as others to be
  retained and six times more likely to drop out of
  school.
• Students who repeat at least one year are
  three times more likely to drop out of school
  than students who have not failed a grade.
• Among 14 - 15 year-olds who struggle with
  basic reading and math skills, 20 drop out of
  school within two years.

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Our 2006-2007 Statistics
Our Challenge

• Forty-nine percent (49) of our students received
  free or reduced price lunches.
• Out of a class of just under 300 Freshman
• 65 students (22) failed two or more classes
• 89 students (30) missed 10 or more days of
  school
• Only 21.4 of our economically disadvantaged 10th
  graders met their reading proficiency goals.

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Our 2006-2007 Statistics
Our Challenge

• Percentage of Students Making Level III or IV on
  the NC End of Course (EOC) Graduation
  Requirements
• English I 63
• US History - 62
• Civics Economics 59
• Biology 59
• Algebra I 62
• Over one third of the students in each of these
  classes will have to retake the test and some
  will have to retake the class.

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Our Response
District Initiative

• A committee of teachers, counselors, emeriti,
  and administrators was formed to design a
  solution. The committee conducted research and
  visited successful programs in NC and SC. The
  following key areas of need were identified
• Change of learning community culture
• Common assessments in core subjects
• Greater teacher collaboration
• Greater teacher autonomy
• Shorter class periods

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Our Solution
Erwin Freshman Academy

• Our solution is the establishment of the Erwin
  Freshman Academy. Based solidly on current
  research, the Academy is a comprehensive program
  that strives to provide every ninth grade student
  with a nurturing academic environment for the
  successful transition from middle school to high
  school.

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Our Goals
Student Achievement

• The goals of the Erwin Freshman Academy are to
• Ensure the academic success of all students.
• Eliminate the appeal of dropping out of school.
• Improve attendance rates of students.
• Reduce discipline problems.
• Maintain a safe and orderly learning environment
  that more intentionally addresses the social,
  emotional, and academic needs of ninth grade
  students.

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Our Teams
Our Families

• The Freshman Academy will be comprised of
  three teams (or families), each made up of four
  core content teachers and one Leadership
  teacher. 

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Our Teams
Teacher Collaboration
Freshman Academy Teachers will collaborate on all
aspects of curriculum design, instruction, and
scheduling to support the achievement of all
students. This includes

• Common planning time for all Academy teachers.
• Solving challenges and celebrating successes as
  teams (and families).
• The flexibility within teams to adjust class time
  to accommodate and maximize student learning.
• Communicating with parents to establish a
  positive working relationship.

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Our Tools
Parental Involvement

• The Freshman Academy faculty recognizes that
  parental support is critical to the success of
  every student. The faculty will incorporate
  strategies to increase parental awareness,
  communication, and participation. Strategies
  will include
• Parent conferences during team planning time.
• Parent involvement in the planning of service
  activities.
• Parent involvement in cooperative discipline.
• Erwin Freshman Academy Homepage
• Creation of a PTA.

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Our Tools
Class Schedule

• Core courses, Leadership, and Foundations
  will be taken by freshmen during five (5) 45
  minute periods and one (1) 60 minute period
  before lunch.
• Electives will be offered to freshmen during
  one 90 minute period after lunch.

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The Schedule
An Example
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Our Tools
Flexible Scheduling

• The length of class periods will be
  determined by the nature of lessons. Flexible
  scheduling will
• Empower teams to control instructional time.
• Reduce time for disciplinary problems to occur
  between classes.
• Lessen the amount of time students spend in the
  hallways.
• Allow for all core academic courses to be taken
  before lunch.
• Provide greater opportunities for
  interdisciplinary units and thematic instruction.

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Our Tools
Cooperative Discipline

• The Cooperative Discipline model will
  facilitate the process of teachers and
  administrators working in cooperation with
  students, colleagues, and parents to solve
  discipline problems and to make the classroom a
  safe and inviting place in which to learn.
• Cooperative Discipline is a process that will
  build strong partnerships with students and their
  parents and will maintain a positive discipline
  approach.

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Our Tools
Leadership

• All freshmen will take a Leadership class.
  The objectives are to
• Explore, develop, and reinforce appropriate
  social behaviors.
• Encourage supportive peer relationships and
  conflict resolution skills.
• Foster communication between home and school and
  among members of the school community.
• Facilitate students recognition of the impact of
  education on their futures.
• Promote awareness of diversity and tolerance.

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Our Tools
Leadership

• .. The objectives will be to
• Undertake community service both within and
  outside the school (such as with the Erwin Pride
  Initiative).
• Illustrate how government, businesses, community
  groups, and non-profits work together to create
  strong communities.
• Prepare students for life transitions by
  developing and using ten year plans.
• Promote character development, with emphasis
  placed on envisioning a positive future
  school/life outcome.

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Our Tools
Foundations

• Students will participate in Foundations for
  60 minutes each day. The objectives are to
• Ensure a solid foundation for success in all
  classes and particularly in exit standard
  classes.
• Provide tutoring and/or enrichment in subject(s)
  of need.
• Provide individualized instruction.
• Provide time and structure for Self Selected
  Reading (SSR), a component of the Balanced
  Literacy Model.

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Our Tools
Exceptional Children

• Special Education services will be delivered
  through the inclusion model.

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Our Tools
Location of Academy

• The Academy will be located on the hall currently
  housing Social Studies.
• All core classes, except Science, will be taken
  on the Freshman Academy hall.
• Freshmen will travel down one flight of stairs to
  take Science classes in the existing Science labs.

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Our Tools
Guidance Administration

• One administrator (Dr. Jack Hill) and one
  guidance counselor (Mrs. Laura McCreary) will be
  dedicated to the Freshman Academy.
• Dr. Hill and Mrs. McCreary will be housed on the
  Freshman Academy hall.

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Welcome to the
Erwin Freshman Academy
We invite you to be a part of our success!