News and Other Information: 

• Click below to read the latest (or past) editions of the TCHS Freshman Academy Newsletter:

          OCTOBER 5, 2009

   SEPTEMBER 21, 2009
         

• How is our Freshman Commodore Academy doing? Check out the data and see!
    GRADES             ATTENDANCE              TARDIES              DISCIPLINE

What Is A Freshman Academy?

As research shows, students entering the ninth grade, in most cases, are in a very special situation.  Students are frequently accustomed to a middle school team concept and must make huge adjustments during the ninth grade year to a much more individual (rather than team) based high school.  Tates Creek High School operates through subject departments, not student teams.  Students who are having difficulty with one class may very well need intervention in several classes, but with the high school structure, it is often more difficult for the many different subject area teachers to communicate and to identify those common problems.  With a freshman academy, students are housed in one general area of the building, they share a group of core teachers who share a common plan time, and they move from class to class as a group as well.  To help facilitate transition into high school, student groupings are present but invisible.  The teachers share students and a common plan; however, students do not necessarily identify with a "team."  The main objective of the Commodore Academy is to transition students from middle school to high school more successfully.

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Commodore Academy for Freshmen is to ensure a smooth transition into a more personalized high school environment.  Through this experience, we will encourage parental involvement, improve student achievement and attendance, and instill school pride.  Through collaboration with teachers, parents, and administrators, students will develop the skills, goals, and confidence necessary for success through high school and beyond.

Academy Goals:

1.  Increase freshmen promotion rate.
2.  Increase freshmen attendance.
3.  Increase students' participation in extracurricular activities.
4.  Decrease freshmen SAFE and behavior referrals.
5.  Decrease freshmen tardies.
6.  Enhance student academic achievement at all levels.

Critical Components:

• All 9th grade core classes will be housed in one specific area of the building.
• Students will be assigned to interdisciplinary groups.
• Teachers will share common planning time to better monitor student progress, provide individual support, and increase parental communication.
• Students will be required to take Freshman Seminar, a class designed to meet specific needs of 9th graders.
• Students will continue to be engaged in rigorous and relevant learning but in a smaller and more personal environment.

Teachers and Staff:

Freshman Seminar:

TOPICS INCLUDE:  Physical Education (PE), Time Management Strategies, Introduction to Tates Creek - Understanding High School, Literacy Strategies - Reading, Note Taking, and Comprehension, Technology, Personal Problem Solving Strategies, Academic Problem Solving Strategies, Where Can I Go With Education and Vocation Career?