BIDDEFORD — Closer relations with teachers and fellow students, more class discussions and shorter class times are just a few of the benefits cited by students attending Biddeford High’s School pilot program of its Freshman Academy.
About 80 students of the approximately 200 members of this year’s freshmen class were chosen take part in the experimental program.
If all goes well and the school committee gives the green light, starting next year all freshmen will attend the Freshman Academy their first year of high school, said Assistant Superintendent of Schools Jeff Porter. The program is designed to ease students into the transition from middle school to high school, he said.
Some of the differences between the Freshman Academy and rest of the high school, said Porter, are: Smaller class sizes, the same group of students take classes with the same group of teachers for the entire school year, and shorter class times ”“ 60-minute instead of 80-minute class blocks.
Students in the Freshman Academy take one 80-minute elective block class with the rest of the school and eat lunch with the rest of the student body.
About six students, Porter and the instructors who teach in the program gathered on Thursday to talk about how it’s working out.
Though there are still a few kinks to work out, said Porter, most give the Freshman Academy high marks, especially the students.
When asked if they liked the program, the students in unison gave an emphatic “Yes!”
“It’s fun,” said Casey Twomey about being part of the Freshman Academy. He said he likes the shorter block classes. Smaller class sizes, which allow teachers to have more time to help students, is another positive, he said.
Classes are more interesting than those she’s had in the past, said Taylor Kocyba. There’s more discussion and time to learn about subjects in depth, she said.
Bethany Whitney and Katie Letellier said they enjoy the increased discussion they have in their classes in the Freshman Academy.
“I’m learning more now than ever,” said Blake Wilson, also a fan of the Freshman Academy. He said he’s also doing better in school than ever before.
He credits the close relationship he’s developed with teachers as a major reason for his academic improvements.
Dominique LaVallee said she also values having closer relationships with her teachers.
Teachers also say there are many benefits to being part of the Freshman Academy from their vantage point.
A major benefit, said science teacher Doreen Collin, is “we get to met everyday with the (same) children.” This allows the teachers to really get to know each and every pupil, and, as the students noted, allows them to build stronger bonds than in the typical high school setting.
Because of the greater communication among the teachers in the program who work as a team, social studies teacher Jon Edstrom said, if there are any problems with behavior, academics or personally, the instructors can address those issues in a much more timely fashion with “instant feedback” to students.
Math teacher Mark Ouellette said one of the benefits he’s found is that he’s become more invested with his students.
Because they work with the same small group for the whole year, said English teacher Gerald Lemieux, he gets to learn more about each of the students than he ever did before. He also gets to know the teachers better.
The increased communication and collaboration among instructors is helpful to her, said learning support instructor Mindy Dyer.
If the program is expanded next year, all members of the freshmen class would participate in the program, said Principal Britton Wolfe. No honors students or at-risk students were chosen for this year’s pilot program because the small size didn’t allow for instruction suitable to their needs.
Benefits administrators are hoping to see include reduced behavior and truancy problems. Data is being accumulated, and in the second quarter, comparative evaluations will be conducted between those freshmen enrolled in the program and those not, said Wolfe.
In addition, he said, academic progress between the two groups will also be studied.
Some schools continue this team-learning approach throughout high school, but Wolfe said there are no plans for that in Biddeford. He said students need to branch out into the wider school community to learn self-management, which is important for their adult lives.
The program has been designed to benefit students, said Wolfe.
It’s “designed to have the right mix of challenge and support for the transition from middle school to high school,” he said. “What we’re doing is not a continuum of middle school. It’s learning for high school.”
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.