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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 3, 2006 Medford considersfreshman academies By PARIS ACHEN Mail Tribune The Medford school board on Tuesday will consider authorizing the establishment of small learning communities for freshmen this fall at the city’s two high schools. North and South Medford high schools have studied school reform since April 2004, when each received a grant to transform into a cluster of small learning communities. Part of the Oregon Small Schools Initiative, the freshman academies would launch the schools’ overhauls, which are meant to promote student achievement and curb dropout rates. "The pattern we see is when students have a rough freshmen year, they come back for their sophomore year," said Kevin Campbell, principal at North Medford High School. "But if they have the same pattern, they start to lose hope and start looking at other options; sometimes it’s night school, sometimes it’s a GED." The school district has committed to phasing in three more small learning communities by fall 2007. Advertisement South Medford adopted a small-group learning program for freshmen this school year, which is expected to transition into the new small-school plan. Strategies have included advisory periods and tutoring. The advisory periods give students a chance to review their scholastic performance, get to know their teacher and receive mentoring from an upperclassman. "One of the factors in having a connection at school is having a relationship with a significant adult," Campbell said. "Kids who know somebody do better in school." The initiative, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Meyer Memorial Trust, gave North Medford $1.4 million and South Medford $1.28 million to change the schools. The grants aim to divide large, often impersonal high schools into a series of small connected groups that give students a social structure that pushes them to succeed. Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4459 or e-mail Medford considers freshman academies ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s Advertisement