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What is a high school academy?Academies are smaller learning communities based around clusters of courses that are grouped together by a common area of focus and by similar student interests and strengths. Academies provide students with a sense of belonging and the opportunity to explore their interests and aptitudes while receiving a solid foundation in academics. Academies provide a plan for ALL students, regardless of their interests, abilities, talents, or desired levels of future education. The intent is to have students learn about areas into which they can begin to direct their energies and to plan beyond high school. Academies help to open a student's mind to the relevancy of academic courses and to show how high standards relate to success. The academies are designed to address the broad spectrum of student interests and future possibilities and provide transferrable skills and adaptive expertise.Why academies?RELATIONSHIPS: In smaller learning communities students develop a greater sense of belonging and purpose. They develop more positive relationships with teachers, other students, and members of the greater community. These benefits result in lower absenteeism, higher achievement and greater satisfaction with school. Academies provide a stronger link to the community which increases student options through positive partnerships and connections. RELEVANCE: Academies focus on student strengths and interests. It's a way to interest all students in learning. Academies allow students to see the relevance in their selected courses of study which can guide students as they prepare for college or life after high school. Students report this to be the number one benefit of academies. RIGOR: Academies raise the expectations for all. Students are challenged to be the best they can be. Research shows that academy students take more advanced courses, are better prepared, stay in school longer, better understand the need for education, and earn more once in the workforce. What do the academies look like?Academies are self-contained smaller learning communities of students and teachers. Courses are integrated within each academy with an emphasis on all students meeting or exceeding graduation requirements. Academy teachers collaborate to integrate, coordinate, and enhance the curriculum by providing academy specific experiences, examples, activities, projects, interdisciplinary lessons, and more. The academy structure helps teachers to better know their students and students to better know their teachers. Within each academy the emphasis for the younger students is on goal-setting, self-exploration, and development of the habits of success; sophomores and juniors enroll in electives that support their selected academy focus; seniors who have met all graduation requirements may apply for internships or develop projects that focus on their areas of interest and strengths.
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