This school year will mark many changes at Biddeford High School, with students finally getting to enjoy some building improvements from the ongoing construction work at the site.
Gone are the decrepit, old concrete stairs and crooked “Biddeford High School” letters at the former entryway. Gone are the 1970s-era window walls. It’s all been replaced by a shiny, new glass foyer and dark brick facades with new windows already installed in much of the building. The library, some classrooms, the main office and music room have been renovated as well, giving not only students but also staff a reason to look forward to the new school year.
The work is far from complete, however, with many students still learning in portable classrooms in the back parking lot, and the grand unveiling of the revamped high school won’t be until 2012.
For this school year, the most important change is not the building itself, but the freshman academy pilot program. The freshman academy concept is widely used and has been implemented at the nearby Massabesic and Bonny Eagle high schools in recent years.
This year, BHS will kick off the program with 80 students from this year’s freshman class, but, if all goes well, may expand it to all ninth grade students beginning next year.
We hope BHS sees the value in this pilot program and does choose to implement it for the entire class.
It provides ninth grade students with a little extra support to transition into the high school atmosphere, by using one team of teachers for the students during the entire school year.
Not only do the students get to know their teammates and teachers well, but the teachers can focus on just those ninth grade students, thereby helping pinpoint any struggles they might be having and addressing them early on.
Instead of feeling lost in the crowd, these students will keep the same teachers and classmates, helping them to have a supportive community of people they know as they begin to find their place in the high school environment. Ninth grade students will still have a chance to interact with upperclassmen through their elective courses, such as the arts, and through extracurricular activities.
It’s wise for Biddeford High School to institute a program such as this, which has been proven in other schools to increase graduation rates and help students succeed. Some youth can thrive in the wider high school environment from day one, but others can understandably be intimidated by the atmosphere and the increased demands placed upon them. If ninth grade is too daunting or students can’t get off on the right foot by feeling that they are an integral part of the school, it leads to struggles and even drop-outs later on.
Massabesic High School began the freshman academy program in 2007, grouping students into teams that keep the same core subject teachers throughout the year. Those freshmen will graduate this year, and the numbers of those who succeed in completing their high school education, as compared to those who went through MHS before the academy began, should be a good initial indication of its success.
Giving young high school students a little extra support can help the entire school ”“ and the community as a whole ”“ succeed. Statistics show that the national graduation rate is about 70 percent – an unacceptable number for a well-educated country such as ours. Success in ninth grade can be pivotal for students and we support any efforts made by the school that can help them make their way to that diploma. Without it, they’ll be behind the pack for the rest of their lives.
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