SILSA
SCHOLAR Expectations
Academic Demands
Required honors year-long core academic courses (ELA, Math, Sci, SS) that meet every other day (A/B Day Schedule), as well as daily semester electives
Required accelerated science program (Biology Honors for all 9th Graders)
At least 2 hours of homework each night
Strict due date policy: 10% deduction each day lateĀ
Responsible for pro-actively making up missing assignment or exams
Required independent reading every day
100 hours community service
ePortfolio (college application preparation)
AB-Tech classes available as early as second semester of freshman year (GPA dependent, free tuition throughout high school career)
University/college intended curriculum
99% graduation rate
Social Emotional Learning
4 C's: Critical thinking, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity
Focus on scholars' fundamental needs for motivation, social connectedness, and self-regulation as prerequisites for learningĀ
Develop the skills necessary for creating and sustaining a balanced lifestyle that will help them as they transition into college and career opportunitiesĀ
Foster the mindsets, skills, attitudes, and feelings that help people succeed in school, career, and lifeĀ
Acknowledging challenge & asking for help and/or support when needed!
BEHAVIORAL NORMS
Expected to adhere to the ACS Code of Success
Must be understanding of otherness & productively work collectively within a diverse student body
Personally accountable for progressing on tasks in more open environments (group work, outside, media center, field trips)
University/College/Workforce intended social interaction and accountability
Classroom Norms
(from our teachers)Ā
Reading, writing, thinking and speaking about CONTENT, every class, every dayĀ
All scholars are completing complex and high level assignmentsĀ
Read longer, more complex texts with explicit and implicit argumentsĀ
Require mastery of unitsĀ
Grade-wide penalties for late assignments
Accountablity for scholars not doing their part in the learning processĀ
Options for enrichment
The example of excellence
Traits of Motivated sCHOLARS
Initiate and complete assignments in āgood faith,ā striving to understand the content
Ethically submits their own work and apprpriately cites other's work (APA)
Manage assignments in a planner or planning softwareĀ
Submit assigned work by the due date
Read directions before starting a new task, assignment, or project, and ask clarifying questions of their teachers when they are unclearĀ
Choose to limit distractions like TV and cell phones when doing schoolworkĀ
Choose to āactivelyā listen when receiving new information (Can they repeat what has been said?)Ā
Demonstrate openness to new and additional information, skills, and constructive criticismĀ
Ask school content-driven questions of friends and family members outside of schoolĀ
Demonstrate a growth mindset of persevering through struggles, embracing challenges, and perceiving falling short of goals as an opportunity to improveĀ
Traits of Struggling SCHOLARS
Avoids asking questionsĀ
Cannot share where they are tracking their assignment progressĀ
Needs to be reminded multiple times to initiate, complete, and submit assignmentsĀ
Requests teachers accept missing assignments at the end of each quarterĀ
Appears āotherwise occupiedā when someone is providing new informationĀ
Jumps into a new task, assignment, or project; then requests support or instruction that can be found in the written directionsĀ
Displays faux confidence based on limited familiarity with a topic, content, or skillĀ
Attempts to multi-task or avoid school work with watching TV, texting, chatting, or scrolling on their phonesĀ
Focused on points toward class average instead of authentic interest, inquiry, and general educational growth
Demonstrates a fixed mindset of shutting down in the face of struggle, avoiding challenges, and perceiving falling short of goals as evidence of an inability to improveĀ
Most successful scholars enter 9th grade:
within a range of 900-1100
(ACS middle school counselors have student scores available)
Most successful scholars enter 9th grade:
within a range of 700-900
(ACS middle school counselors have student scores available)
9th Grade writing samples
Scholars are expected to write clearly and elegantly in a variety of different modes, including research essays, literary analysis papers, poetry explications, creative writing (poems, stories, narratives), and informal reflections. In SILSA, writing is considered a process of thinking and learning as opposed to a product. Scholars will write frequently across all classes to both demonstrate their knowledge of topics, but also writing to understand and learn more about themselves and the world around them. Writing is a tool for critical thinking, and SILSA scholars will write and hone these skills every day!Ā
Technology
(Provided & needed daily for classes & assignments)
(All classes & most assignments are posted online)
(Families are expected to check grades weekly)
Pathfinder
(required year-long 9th grade high school support elective)
Creating a community & close relationships
Focusing on ownership of education and gradesĀ
Understanding the difference between getting a good grade and actually learning
Breaking down SILSA outcomes and how they can be/are being achieved
Self advocacy by asking for help, time management, vocabulary, writing skills, presenting skills
Taking breaks from more "academic" activities and incorporating art and other interests
Scholar-led lessons/activitiesĀ
Scholar involvement in class decision makingĀ
To help 9th grade scholars transition to high school (study skills, organization, extra support), but also learn about the process of "finding your path" and getting ready for college applications and life beyond. It will eventually tie in with all grades and subjects, as our previous ePortfolio and Senior Projects didĀ
Extracurricular offerings
Shared arts, clubs & sports with Asheville High School
AVID - college & career readiness program
Extensive AB-Tech dual enrollment (with possibility to earn Associates Degree at graduation)
Academic CONSEQUENCES
Failing one or more classes during the first quarter, places freshmen into the Academic Supervision Protocol
If a student fails one or more classes, they are required to make up credits through summer school or next year credit recovery (These options DO NOT replace the failing grade value, and DO increase the studentās workload next year)
Additionally, scholars that fail English I, and/or other classes, may be retained in 9th grade, prevented from attending AB-Tech classes, and may become off-cohort (not graduate on time)