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Class of 2024 Freshman Success Academy

Welcome! We're glad you are considering joining the CHS Freshman Success Academy (FSA)! Here is some important information to help you decide whether the FSA is a good fit for you.

If you have any scheduling questions, please contact your alpha counselor (by last name):

All other questions can be directed to

Administrators: Darci Darci.Jones@camas.wednet.edu

Teacher/Leaders: Sam Hicks: Samuel.Hicks@camas.wednet.edu

For more information on the Freshman Success Academy, view the presentation below:

All About FSA

The Camas High School Freshman Academy is a program whose goal is to facilitate a smooth transition from 8th to 9th grade. The program features smaller class sizes and a unique lab/study support elective where students have the opportunity to receive one-on-one or small group instruction from their English, math and College & Career Ready teachers in a collaboratively team-taught curriculum. The Freshman Academy is the only system in place at CHS for mainstream, college-bound students to receive additional support in math, English and science. While our goal is to maintain class sizes at 18-22, budget constraints may result in classes as large as 23, though this is still smaller than other 9th grade English classes and will facilitate greater one-on-one support for students.

Unlike other programs with the "Academy" in their name, the Freshman Academy is not a remedial program or a program for behavior-problem students. In fact, the curriculum students experience in their Academy English 9, IPS (9th Grade Science), and Math classes is only modified by including the opportunity for more one-on-one teacher-to-student experience. The assessments, assignments, readings, and expectations are at the same academic level as classes outside the Academy. The difference comes in class size and in the Academy Lab study support period—fostering increased student-to-teacher connections.

Click on the image below for a visual which helps explain the populations we serve.

In short... KEY DETAILS:

The Freshman Academy curriculum is college-prep and non-remedial. Individual support is facilitated by our smaller class sizes and the extra support period team-taught by the math, English, and careers teachers. Students with skills deficits are welcome, but significant remedial curriculum is not offered.

The Freshman Academy is not a homework club. While students may occasionally recieve time to complete homework or study for upcoming assessments, the focus of this time is not to give students in-school time to complete homework. Rather, this time is used to help students develop effective and efficient homework and study skills that they can apply in future classes.

The Freshman Academy is not a behavior remediation program either; it is not for students who “don't play school well." However, students should not be excluded because of minor discipline history. Academy is for students who did not reach their full potential before High School and want to commit to doing better in High School and beyond. The key to success in the Academy is the learning community—if a student has a track record of consistently disrupting their learning community, despite any and all teacher efforts, the Academy may not be the best placement for them. We leave this to the judgment of the 8th grade teams since they know the student in a learning context.

The Freshman Academy welcomes students served by special education services, provided that they are still able to enroll in whatever classes or supports are required by law outside of their Academy schedule.

The Freshman Academy does not limit a student’s future academic track. We have past students who have moved on to Pre-AP and AP English, AP Biology, AP History, and upper-division elective mathematics. Many strong students have benefited from the one-on-one support and community of learning provided by the Academy, and have therefore been able to establish a strong foundation for superior educational experiences in the higher grades.

Still have questions? Email one of our teachers.

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