A successful high school experience draws influence from a wide spectrum of variables and supports. The Academies at Romeo High School, with guidance from Ford Next Generation Learning (Ford NGL) and Macomb County Planning and Economic Development, have strategically targeted some of the more critical variables and set structures in place to assist students in making the most of their 9th grade year and beyond. The 9th Grade Academy is considered the foundation for this model.
In The Academies at Romeo, every student in the 10th, 11th and 12th grade is placed in a career academy. Choosing which academy is the best fit for the students is an important, strategic and structured component of the 9th Grade Academy. In preparation for this decision, ninth grade faculty and staff plan lessons and activities to help students make informed decisions about which pathway they will explore for the rest of their high school career.
The 9th Grade Academy consists of 12 core teachers, 3 support teachers and 10 elective teachers. The core area teachers are placed on three interdisciplinary teams within the 9th Grade Academy. Similar to a middle school teaming model, each academy team has four core content area teachers and services about 130 students to create smaller learning communities. Creating these strategic teams shrinks the students’ environment to ensure that each child is known by an adult. This structure creates specific supports and/or interventions that help 9th graders succeed. Along with smaller learning environments and structures for interventions, the model also incorporates self-assessment. Students use personality, learning style and interest surveys, with special attention dedicated to career and college exploration to help students identify their strengths and weaknesses. This strategic focus helps students better understand themselves, their interests and their passions.
“How do you expect a 14 year old to decide what they want to be when they grow up?” This might be the most common question voiced about the academies. The short and honest answer to this question is, “we don’t”. The goal is to offer the students multiple classes, opportunities, experiences, views, voices and connections to prepare them for life after high school. This may include college, career, military service, or a custom combination. The goal is to graduate students who are equipped with some “personal currency”. Earned AP credits, specialized certifications, transferable success skills that are universal to all workplaces -- anything that will pay dividends in the next chapter of their lives. Every student is expected to complete the three pathway classes (within their academy) before graduation. Each pathway is focused on making learning relevant and instilling skills necessary to be successful regardless of the paths students follow after high school.
Romeo is fortunate to have a dedicated seminar course to provide a structured approach to career exploration and the academy selection process for every 9th grade student. It all begins with Xello, a platform that helps students recognize their learning styles, personality types and career interests. In addition, it affords students the opportunity to search for colleges by major and degree and even connect with local business owners for experiential learning opportunities. As an extension of Seminar Class, every student visits a two year college and a four year university, participates in a career fair, meets with business professionals and attends Career Quest in Novi, Mi. By the end of the first semester of 9th grade students have the information and experiences necessary to make an informed decision about the pathway they would like to explore at the 10-12 building.
The 9th Grade Seminar Class also includes many lessons about how to be successful in high school. Students work on skills like organization, interpersonal and professional skills, building a resume, having adult conversations, asking for help, email etiquette, working as a team, communication, collaboration, presenting to business partners, and many more.
Romeo Community Schools has committed to transforming the high school experience for ALL students. In addition to the 9th grade experience, our “wall to wall” career academy model includes commitments we have made for added value specific experiences to all of our students in each grade level. Every student experiences industry visits, a job shadow placement and an internship during their pathway journey that allows them to explore careers and begin to find their passion for life after high school. With an intense focus on building strong relationships with our students in a collaborative environment, we are seeing a new culture that students and staff alike are fully embracing. Beginning in the 9th grade Academy and all the way to graduation the Academies at Romeo High School has structures in place that our teachers have been longing for, and they are now in place in Romeo, Michigan.
Written by Melissa Arendts, 9th Grade Academy Principal and Richard Boggio, Academy Coach
For more information about The Academies at Romeo please visit www.Romeok12.org