Student Benefits
Students will
• make an easier transition from
middle school to high school
• build lasting relationships with
peers and faculty
• improve academic confidence
and achievement
• increase test scores
• increase positive behavior
Academy Goals
Academy Features
• A focus on both academic and
social development, with the goal
of creating a culture of college- and
career-readiness
• Insulation, not isolation: freshmen
take core academic classes for part
of the day; math and an elective
course will be taken with students
of all grade levels.
• Support: a coordinator, two
deans and three counselors work
exclusively with freshmen to meet
their specific needs Freshman
•
Extra help: an after-school tutoring
center is available for freshmen,
staffed by core teachers with
Academy
transportation provided
• Teamwork and collaboration:
Teachers and staff work together Dundee-Crown
collaboratively to help all students
achieve at high levels
High School
• Extracurricular activities: all high
school extracurricular activities are
available to freshmen
• Advisory: the freshman advisory
program (part of Charge It Up) Empower
Challenge
provides students with support and
information on a broad range of
topics
Support
 What is the Freshman
Academy?
The Dundee-Crown High School Freshman
Academy is a comprehensive freshman
transition program for all first-time (or non-
repeating) 9th graders. The Freshman
Academy implements a school-within-a-
school model designed to help all students
achieve at high levels. The unique features of
the Freshman Academy ensure a smooth
transition from middle school to high school.
The smaller environ-
ment of the Freshman
Academy, combined
with a professional
faculty and staff
committed to
incorporating
research-based best
practices, allows for
more individualized student attention and
minimizes the opportunity for students to
“slip through the cracks.”
A wide range of elective courses taught
throughout the building allows students to
pursue a variety of interests. The support
network provided by the Freshman
Academy provides students with needed
encouragement while introducing them to
the expectations, possibility, and
responsibility of high school.
Academy Schedule Student Support
There are four Freshman Academy core Guiding Principles
courses: English, World History, Biology, The Freshman Academy operates under
and PE. three guiding principles:
1. Failure is not an option
Freshmen will be given either a morning
2. We will do whatever it takes
academy schedule or an afternoon academy
3. One school, one community
schedule.
Freshman Academy courses are scheduled Character Education
as A/B courses. This means that all four Character education addresses both
Academy classes meet on alternating days, academic and social skills. These skills
or A/B days. A student with a morning include:
academy schedule might have English and Responsibility Caring
Biology during blocks 1 and 2 on Monday, Accountability Self-Respect
Wednesday and Friday this week, with Perseverance Goal Setting
World History and PE during the same Trustworthiness Decision Making
Cooperation Problem Solving
blocks on Tuesday and Thursday. The
Self-Control Critical Thinking
following week, this would be flipped.
Work Ethic
Students with a morning academy schedule
will take a math class and an elective class 4+1 Plan
At the beginning of the freshman year,
during blocks 3 and 4; students with an
students will outline a course plan for all
afternoon academy schedule will take a
four years of high school, and will begin
math class and an elective class during
blocks 1 and 2. These classes will be on the planning their post-secondary career.
same 4x4 block schedule as the rest of the Counselors will meet individually with
building and will meet at the same time for students at least twice per year (during
the entire school year. Charge It Up time) to evaluate and
modify the plan as needed.
Charge It Up time will occur at the same
time for all students in the building.