MAU ponders freshman plan

In an effort to help freshmen transition into high school, Mount Anthony Union High School is exploring the possibility of instituting a freshmen academy.

[Coco]

Sounds like the middle school teaming approach moving upward. This is a good thing if done properly.

[GDog]

Isn't eighth grade "freshmen academy"? Sounds like more re-inventing the wheel. Just stick to teaching the kids what they need to know and stop thinking of new ways to justify administrator salaries.

[Coco]

Sorry GDog but grade 8 at MAUMS is grade 8 at MAUMS and has nothing to do with the high school. The high school has its own set of issues and having a program like this will help the transition into this huge and new environment. With the high amount of dysfunction and poverty in your area you should be very thankful that the administrators and teachers are working hard to offer systems and new programs to help the many struggling students meet with success. These very capable people could move a few miles west and make much more money.

[GDog]

I went to MAUHS and grade 8 then was set up as prep for grade 9. Worked then. But now everything about education is catering to the lowest common denominator. You know what will prepare kids for their freshman year? Their freshman year.

[NRA life member]

This one of the dumbest things I have ever heard.What is even dumber is that Spaulding has an academy for every grade.Maybe we should have an individual teacher for every kid and then no one would have to worry about being able to make the transistion.

[Coco]

Go back to my comment about the "high amount of dysfunction and poverty in your area" - things and ideas may sound dumb to you but I assure you it all comes back to this. It has always been the elephant in the room when it comes to education in the Bennington area.

[NRA life member]

Not really sure how dysfunction and poverty relates to making sure freshman can transistion into the big scary high school.This is the reason this generation is looked at as lazy and unmotivated society just continues to find new ways to coddle them and make sure no one gets there feelings hurt and no freshman get put in lockers.

[Coco]

Never mind - the good folks in charge of MAU will do what is right.

[GDog]

Coco attitude is a good example of the "I know what's best for all of you unwashed masses" that is a big part of the education system today. Common sense does not compute at all.

How did you survive the transition into HS Coco?
How did your parents make it?

By the way, Clifton Park isn't exactly the epicenter of wealth and mental stability, so feel free to climb down off the high horse.

[Coco]

Not on a high horse - just have a whole bunch of knowledge about MAU and the reasons why many children in the area struggle in school and in life. Remember, all I said in the beginning was the freshman plan could be a good thing.

PS: I went to a K-12 school - no transition!!

[VTER]

check out BFUHS- they have been doing Freshman Academy for several years. The reality is life is different these days- different than it was 30 yrs ago

[scoopster]

VTER wrote:

check out BFUHS- they have been doing Freshman Academy for several years. The reality is life is different these days- different than it was 30 yrs ago

Life is not any different these days. The parents are different. This is a big waste of money.

[Whatever]

Ha Ha.You can put whatever you want in place to help "welcome freshman"In the end it will be your sophmores,juniors and 12th graders who will welcome them.I wonder how they will do it?Maybe like always they will make fun of them for not having enough money?Maybe they will pick on them for not being pretty enough?Or maybe they are just too fat.Public school is full of bullies and just plain mean kids.I went to MAU and as a low income kid it was hell.But i guess kids grow up as they are raised.Good job parents.

[Vermont transplant]

Lets work on a getting through a school year without a fight or a teen pregnancy or truancy and then maybe work on a school within a school. I think you should try it with the 6th graders first since they seem to have beeen thrown together from different schools for the first time and this is the last year before they actually need to start planning for their future. In 7th and 8th they start earning credts for language which may or may not play a roll in their college education or future employment.

[A Board Member]

Coco wrote:

Sorry GDog but grade 8 at MAUMS is grade 8 at MAUMS and has nothing to do with the high school. The high school has its own set of issues and having a program like this will help the transition into this huge and new environment. With the high amount of dysfunction and poverty in your area you should be very thankful that the administrators and teachers are working hard to offer systems and new programs to help the many struggling students meet with success. These very capable people could move a few miles west and make much more money.

The PROBLEM is a lack of DISCIPLINE in the middle school. Freshman that you can not do anything with for a year at MAU -- is an old problem. Change the administrators and you will get the wanted results.

[A Board Member]

VTER wrote:

check out BFUHS- they have been doing Freshman Academy for several years. The reality is life is different these days- different than it was 30 yrs ago

BFUHS is another "failing school district with high drop out rate, like MAU that is leading the state in dropouts. That fact tells us the freshman plan doesn't work. Try discipline in the middle school.