Jefferson High School's Freshman Academy
Jefferson High School’s Freshman Academy was established in 2008 to minimize the number of failures within the ninth grade class. It was founded upon two principles: First, it is evident those students who are connected with campus life continue to have a successful academic experience. Second, staff believe that creating a supportive environment during their first year is pivotal in creating positive momentum, which is especially necessary for at-risk students. The focus of Jefferson High School’s Freshman Academy is teamwork. The faculty teaching schedule has been streamlined so that eight core teachers have the responsibility of teaching nearly the entire freshman class. These teachers, who make up the academy, meet as a group seven times within the school year to discuss each student’s progress and to share effective teaching strategies. The academy also plans specific field trips, service projects, and homeroom activities, which are geared toward building student involvement in school and developing positive character traits. The first year results were dramatically positive, thus gaining the support of school and community.