Freshman Academy

The Freshman Academy at Mt. Scott offers ninth grade students a unique alternative to the public high school experience.  The Freshman Academy, modeled in part after other successful programs nation-wide, is designed to help students build the academic and social skills needed to succeed in larger high school programs for grades 10-12. In the Mt. Scott Freshman Academy, classes are limited to less than 20 students, offering more individual support than is possible at a larger school.

Literacy is an academic focus area in the Academy. In addition to the general Language Arts course, there is a Discovering Literature class that works on reading skills. Plus, reading and writing are woven into daily work across the curriculum, so students improve these skills through consistent application and practice in every class. If a student is particularly strong or weak in these areas, the small class sizes enable the curriculum to be adapted to meet the student’s needs, establishing expectations that will improve his or her skills at any level.

The same adaptive teaching techniques are used for Math and Social Studies in order to identify the strengths and struggles of each student. While the focus of Freshman math is Algebra, the class is structured to make certain a student has the necessary skills for success before moving forward. Social Studies uses Civics and International Events to focus on understanding concepts and developing critical thinking skills that will help students grow as students and citizens.

Additional course offerings work similarly and include General Science and Technology, as well as the new School and Community Integrated Leadership (SCIL) course.   The SCIL course focuses on helping students build the academic and personal skills needed to fully succeed in high school and beyond.  As part of the SCIL class, Camp Fire USA Portland Metro Council has generously provided instruction in the Thrive curriculum, developed by the Thrive Foundation for Youth.  These lessons focus on helping students build on their personal "sparks."  Students meet regularly for individual and small group mentoring as well as weekly lessons in the full classroom setting. AmeriCorps instructor Ted Schmidt provides the instruction and support necessary for students to succeed in their scholastic and personal pursuits.

The partnership with the Camp Fire also complements Mt. Scott’s commitment to service learning.   Ted Schmidt provides critical support and experience by facilitating the design and leadership of service learning projects.  These projects tie directly to the individual and group “sparks” of the Freshman Academy students.

Students experience success at Mt. Scott because their strengths are acknowledged and celebrated, while areas where they might struggle are quickly identified and targeted for improvement. Academic progress for each student is tracked throughout the school year by academic advisors. These advisors help identify and resolve potential roadblocks to students’ academic achievement.  Regular parent contact is a key component of each student’s academic plan. The goal is to lay the groundwork for a successful high school experience while celebrating the individuality and strengths of each student at Mt. Scott Freshman Academy.