Sevier County High School is nestled in the foothills of The Great Smoky Mountains. Established in 1921, SCHS has been the home to many great success stories. Our most famous graduate, Dolly Parton, has shown much support to our school and community over the years. Dolly’s generous donation of $150,000 to our alumni association has helped our endowment fund grow to half a million dollars at this time. Sevier County High School prides herself on always striving for excellence in all areas of student life.

Why?

At Sevier County High School, we had been observing a high percentage of students in a downward spiral as a result of not being successful their freshman year. At one point, over 40% of our 9th graders were not meeting our standards of passing 7 of 8 classes to advance to the 10th grade. Many of these failures occurred as a result of our school being so big that students fell through the cracks, never really becoming a part of the school community, and never having at least one teacher who truly cared abut their success.

Believing that a strong foundation in a student’s first-time ninth grade year insures future success, we believe these are the key “pieces ” to a student graduating high school in four years:

•

improve attendance rate

•

increase the % of students “passing” their freshman year

•

decrease the # of discipline referrals

Statistics do not lie!

Let’s take a look at how FRAC has been successful at SCHS!

SCHS 9th grade failures 1996-2003

1 0

17% 11% 21% 15% 24% 34% 40% 35%

39 52 68 87 107 50 100 150 180 184 213 200 250 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996

These statistics clearly gives validity to Freshman Academy’s academic success rate!

Attendance Percentages: 1996-1999 94.00% 93.00% 92.00% 91.00% 90.00% 89.00% 88.00% 87.00% 86.00%

YEAR

1996 1997 1998 1999 FRAC

FRAC

89.95% 88.55% 90.33% 92.22% 10th 11th 1996 1997 1998 1999

10th

91.80% 91.01% 91.90% 93.30%

11th

92.48% 90.10% 91.18% 93.15% 12th

12th

91.84% 91.53% 90.24% 92.32% total school

total school

91.31% 90.23% 90.84% 92.71%

Comparison of Attendance %'s 2000-2004 95.00% 94.00% 93.00% 92.00% 91.00% 90.00% FRAC 2000-2001 10th 2001-2002 11th 12th 2002-2003 total school 2003-2004

Year FRAC 10 th 11 th 12 th TOTAL SCHOOL

2000 94.10% 93.03% 92.67% 92.28% 92.54% 2001 93.30% 93.61% 93.15% 91.53% 92.43% 2002 94.30% 93.65% 93.90% 92.65% 93.24% 2003 94.17% 92.66% 93.27% 93.50% 93.10%

Attendance Percentages: 1996-2003 95.00% 94.00% 93.00% 92.00% 91.00% 90.00% 89.00% 88.00% 87.00% 86.00% 85.00%

YEAR

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 FRAC

FRAC

89.95% 88.55% 90.33% 92.22% 94.10% 94.30% 94.30% 94.17% 10th 11th 12th 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

10th

91.80% 91.01% 91.90% 93.30% 93% 93.61% 93.65% 92.66% 11th 92.48% 90.10% 91.18% 93.15% 92.67% 93.15% 93.90% 93.27% total school 12th 91.84% 91.53% 90.24% 92.32% 92.28% 91.53% 92.65% 93.50% total school 91.31% 90.23% 90.84% 92.71% 92.54% 92.43% 93.24% 93.10%

250 200 150 100 50 0 Suspension 1997-2004 230 171 133 45 57 27 58

1

1997-1998 1998-1999 1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 The incidents of suspensions continued to be lower than years prior to FRAC: 1997-1998 1998-1999 1999-2000 2000-2001 230 (No FRAC) 171 (No FRAC) 133 (No FRAC) 45 FRAC students 2001-2002 2002-2003 57 FRAC students 27 FRAC students 2003-2004 58 FRAC students

Key used for Student Status Data

G-R:

graduated in 4 years with regular diploma

G-Ged:

passed GED within 4 years

G-Sped: W-1:

graduated meeting the goals of IEP withdrew following 18th birthday, did not pursue GED

W-0: W-3:

withdrew under 18 ( runaway, married) transferred to another school in Tennessee

W-4:

transferred to another school in county

W-5:

transferred out- of- state

W-6: W13:

transferred to non-public school did not drop out after turning 18, but did not meet credit requirements for graduation within a 4- year period.

Eight-Year Com parison w ith FRAC/w ithout FRAC 250 200 150 100 50 0 1997-2000/ w ithout FRAC 2000-2004/w ith FRAC We have been able to decrease the number of “negatives” from 11% in the class of 2000 to 5% in the class of 2004.

Plan…Plan… then Plan some more!!!

Doing “what’s best for kids” must be the primary motivation for a reorganization of a school!

Incorporating research of successful freshman transition programs can only improve the quality and sustainability of FRAC The program model of “Academic Teaming” is the “heart” of FRAC!

Staff selection and sufficient professional development is critical to success!

Support from all “stakeholders”!

Freshman Academy is a work in progress at SCHS!

We have overcome many obstacles over the past five years:

•increase in numbers •cross-teaming difficulties •changes in scheduling due to Gateway

Testing

•teacher turnover

However, on the in Tennessee in 2000. flipside..

•We were awarded the only implementation grant

for the smaller learning communities grant program

•In 2002, we were selected as one of eight “exemplary “ programs

in the nation for the SLC grant program.

•Our teachers have been given opportunities

for professional grawth ,funded by our school system as well as the grant program.

•Our students have been provided with positive reinforcements

throughout the school year.

•We have also provided our students and teachers opportunities

to spend “fun time” together and to develop strong ties to each other and to our school!

•We have been visited by schools from all our surrounding states,

looking to model our program in their schools