Small Learning Communities (Academies)
at Central High School
High school is changing. In a global society where career opportunities reach across national borders and job competition continues to intensify, the way in which children are educated needs to evolve and grow in order to meet the demands of a new, ever-changing landscape. To that end, many high schools across the country are
exploring alternatives to traditional methodologies.
One such alternative is the implementation of Small Learning Communities (SLC’s) in which large schools are transformed into smaller, close-knit neighborhoods where students stop being a number and start having a voice, and educational standards are enhanced through teacher collaboration. Through SLC’s, students develop close, personal relationships with both peers and educators alike. Additionally, the SLC model allows students to pursue their interests and passions in an academic environment that establishes the interconnectedness and importance of a child’s educational experience. Despite being referred to by many different names, SLC’s are critical in providing students with the personalization necessary for each child to flourish.
Here at Central, the term “Academy” has been chosen to refer to our own SLC structure. In this model, students will be housed in three distinct academies. Beginning in the fall of 2011, incoming freshmen will enroll in an exploratory Freshmen Academy designed to encourage a “voyage of self-discovery” as students seek to identify their academic strengths, interests, and goals. For students who next year will be entering grades 10-12, they will be able to select between two thematic academies: the Academy of Humanities and Social Thought, and the Academy of Global Industry and Applied Science. Within each, students can then chose from two interest Strands that serve to sharpen the focus of a particular thematic interest. Each Strand includes teams of teachers from Math, English, Social Studies, and Science content areas who work together in an interdisciplinary approach to ensure both personalization and academic rigor.
On behalf of everyone at Central, we eagerly anticipate the implementation of academies and look forward to the opportunity to continue to make Central High School an ideal place for the education of our students.
Small Learning Communities (Academies)
at Central High School
High school is changing. In a global society where career opportunities reach across national borders and job competition continues to intensify, the way in which children are educated needs to evolve and grow in order to meet the demands of a new, ever-changing landscape. To that end, many high schools across the country are exploring alternatives to traditional methodologies.
One such alternative is the implementation of Small Learning Communities (SLC’s) in which large schools are transformed into smaller, close-knit neighborhoods where students stop being a number and start having a voice, and educational standards are enhanced through teacher collaboration. Through SLC’s, students develop close, personal relationships with both peers and educators alike. Additionally, the SLC model allows students to pursue their interests and passions in an academic environment that establishes the interconnectedness and importance of a child’s educational experience. Despite being referred to by many different names, SLC’s are critical in providing students with the personalization necessary for each child to flourish.
Here at Central, the term “Academy” has been chosen to refer to our own SLC structure. In this model, students will be housed in three distinct academies. Beginning in the fall of 2011, incoming freshmen will enroll in an exploratory Freshmen Academy designed to encourage a “voyage of self-discovery” as students seek to identify their academic strengths, interests, and goals. For students who next year will be entering grades 10-12, they will be able to select between two thematic academies: the Academy of Humanities and Social Thought, and the Academy of Global Industry and Applied Science. Within each, students can then chose from two interest Strands that serve to sharpen the focus of a particular thematic interest. Each Strand includes teams of teachers from Math, English, Social Studies, and Science content areas who work together in an interdisciplinary approach to ensure both personalization and academic rigor.
On behalf of everyone at Central, we eagerly anticipate the implementation of academies and look forward to the opportunity to continue to make Central High School an ideal place for the education of our students.