Freshman Academy
What is the Freshman Academy?
The Freshman Academy is a smaller learning community of approximately 100 students shared by four core content (language arts, math, science, and social studies) area teachers. The four core teachers will be teaming and teaching interdisciplinary units in the following career areas: business, marketing, and tourism with a Northern Michigan focus; communication, media, and technology; and health and medicine. The mission of the Freshman Academy is to create a student-centered community that implements a rigorous curriculum leading to the development of creative and independent thinkers.
What are the benefits of the Freshman Academy?
The benefits include personalized education, successful transition to West Senior High School, exposure to future academic and real world opportunities, and increased core credits earned.
Where will the Freshman Academy be housed?
The Freshman Academy will be located at West Middle School. However, the students will be transported to West Senior High School every day for their fifth hour elective classes.
How will the students be chosen to participate?
Those who are interested in the Freshman Academy opportunity are encouraged to apply through their counselors.
What are the benefits of team teaching in the Freshman Academy?
Whenever teachers share students in common, they are better able to discuss student grades, attendance, and potential difficulties. They are able to collaborate best teaching practices, integrate lessons, and schedule tests and big projects so as not to overwhelm the students. Research indicates that smaller learning environments improve grades, test scores, attendance, graduation rates, and other areas of achievement by establishing a more personalized learning atmosphere and interdisciplinary collaboration.