MFISD Freshman Academy filling educational, social gaps

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

Even veteran teachers might shudder at the thought of wrangling nine strong-willed teenage boys in a classroom. Freshman Academy teachers at Falls Career High School (FCHS), however, face that challenge every day and are starting to see in their students both academic and social progress for their efforts.

More than four months into the pilot program at FCHS, the nine freshmen in the program should be ready to transfer to MFHS for their sophomore years, caught up with their peers, said Peggy Little, FCHS principal and mind behind the Freshman Academy program.

“It’s been baby steps, but not anything I didn’t expect,” she said Wednesday, Dec. 3. “In the past, they’ve not been pushed. So failing is fine with them. Now, some of the kids are starting to turn that corner, deciding to stop the silliness and learn.”

She got permission from the MFISD board of trustees in May to start the Freshman Academy program to help struggling 8th graders get up to speed for high school, as an alternative to holding students back.

The program is not for special education students.

Only boys were chosen for the pilot program because girls are, well, a “distraction” for boys with raging hormones, Little said.

Before students can start learning coursework, they have to learn they’re in charge of their destinies and success.

“We think success is kind of scary to them because they became comfortable with failure,” Little said. “It’s scary to them because once you’re successful, you’re expected to be successful. Now that they’re passing, we tell them, ‘You have to keep doing this, you can do this.’”

For the full story, see Tuesday's Highlander.