What area districts are doing to help freshmen succeed

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By The Quad City Times | Sunday, August 13, 2006 1:16 AM CDT | () comments

Davenport District

The district applied for a Smaller Learning Communities grant for its three high schools. North High School will start a freshman academy this school year, which breaks students into groups of 100 with core academic teachers that monitor their progress. Those teachers also have collaborative planning time to talk about where students are lagging and what can be done to help them. North, Central and West all started a Jump Start Academy this year for students going into ninth grade who were labeled at-risk of failing by former teachers. The two-day academy allows students to become familiar with the high school, their new peers, teachers and the curriculum.

At the middle school level, the district uses Making Middle Grades Work, a program that focuses on increasing the rigor of curriculum, teacher collaboration and parental involvement.

Bettendorf District

The district has applied for a grant to help fund a freshman academy but has not put one into place. It instead has established a student mentor program that pairs freshmen with upperclassmen and starting school half a day earlier for them. During that time, the students are able to meet with their homeroom and regular teachers while learning their way around the high school. Bettendorf also established a freshman transition class that serves 30 to 40 students who struggled in middle school.

Rock Island-Milan District

Rock Island opened its freshman academy this year, separating ninth-graders from their peers for the first time. Students are broken into “pods” of fewer than 100 students who are taught by the same core teachers each day. There is a common planning time for those teachers and a more rigorous curriculum. Also, students will take more small assessments throughout the year to make sure they are mastering the standards they are expected to.

Moline-Coal Valley District

Moline started a Step Up Academy this year for at-risk students coming into ninth grade. It’s a three-week program that counts as a high school credit and engages students through interactive curriculum. About 30 kids took part in the class this summer. It is meant to give students a head start in the classroom, while equipping them with the study skills necessary to succeed in high school. It also makes them familiar with some of their new classmates.

In addition, the district has a “freshman only” first day of school. Officials said it gives them a chance to get to know the school and their teachers, without more than 2,000 students swarming the hallway. Moline also shares a five-year, $2.5 million Smaller Learning Communities grant with Rock Island and United Township High School. The district hopes to use that money to eventually start a freshman academy.