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Graduate Florence Academy

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School of Foundational Studies

Graduate Florence Academy is a comprehensive academic alternative to renew hope and accelerate at-risk, eighth grade students to the high school level through intensive course curriculum and individualized instruction in a Florence School District One small learning community.

 Key Components

• Reduced class size (20 students per class)
• 13 to 1 student-to-staff ratio
• Emphasis on hands-on learning
• Chance for students to enter 10^th grade with 8 Carnegie units (high school credits)
• Curriculum that is interdisciplinary, rigorous, relevant, and responsive to students’ current and future needs
• Classroom activities that enhance the students’ affective, cognitive, and psychomotor development
• Individualized and technology-based instructional strategies
• Emphasis on building student skills through exposing students to real-world challenges.
• Schedule designed to allow one-on-one interactions and mentoring relationships.
• Program structured to facilitate home-school partnerships that support student learning.
• Located at Florence District One Career Center

 2009-10 Selection Criteria

District Guidelines for participating students follow:

• Must be a regular education student and have attended at least one year at the middle school
• Must be 14 on or before the opening of school on August 17, 2009
• Must have repeated at least one school year and not be currently eligible for promotion to the ninth grade by either age promotion or traditional district policy.
• Must have a MAP Lexile score of 700 or higher.

Principals’ recommendations, as well as student discipline records, academic performance, and state assessment scores may also be considered in the selection process.

 Number of Students

The program can accommodate up to 45 students a year.  This is a one-year program only.  At the end of the year, students in the program are placed in their home high school to finish completing their graduation requirements.

 Outcomes

Participating students will be promoted to 10^th grade in the home high schools at the end of the school year.  They will have acquired the courses, skills, attitudes, and aptitudes needed to graduate high school in four years.

 Additional Considerations

• Student commitment and parental support are critical to the success of the program.  Parents are expected to partner with the school to create success strategies for their student. Student and parent/guardian must complete information sheets, sign commitment forms, and cooperate with home visits.  Attendance at an informational meeting is required as it is an early indicator of family commitment. 
• Reasonable grade-level academic potential is required for all students.  No Special Education services are provided as a part of this program.
• Student acceptance is provisional.  Students must satisfactorily complete the first seven weeks of the program before being formally inducted into the academy.  Students who do not qualify at the end of seven weeks are reenrolled at their home middle schools for the remainder of the school year.

 Contact Information

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