Pearls of Wisdom

In 2009, the Class of 2013 matriculated to Fort Lee High School from the Lewis F. Cole Middle School.  The total number of students in this class was 287 according to one website.  At the end of the freshman year, it came to my attention that more than 40% of the students in this freshman class had had at least one failing grade in their freshman year.   I found this information to be extremely disconcerting.  Additionally, as a result of this academic lapse, I learned that the BOE had rescinded off-campus privileges during the school day “for the entire sophomore class”.  Believing this type of militaristic punishment to be grossly unfair to those students who had performed well in their freshman year, I brought the topic up at a BOE meeting.   The eventual outcome was that the edict was reversed and the student privileges were restored.

But a far more important issue emerged from this meeting! Why had so many students failed?  Why was there such a major problem transitioning from the middle school to the high school?  Was there an intimidation factor between upperclassmen and freshmen?  Were the changes in the level and intensity of the educational experience far greater than the freshmen expected?   Did the BOE have a plan to alter this situation?   I truly believe that from this dialogue came the seeds of change in Fort Lee education.  The concept of a Freshman Academy was born.   

To facilitate the implementation of a Freshman Academy, a committee was formed consisting of the following: (1) Priscilla Church, Fort Lee High School Principal, and her administrative staff, (2) Raymond Bandlow, School Superintendent, and his staff, (3) a group of energetic, highly motivated young teachers from the high school, and (4) a group of concerned parents. This committee began meeting every few weeks to brainstorm.   From these meetings and a student survey that evaluated “why so many freshmen were having difficulty transitioning”, a concept was developed.   Volunteers from this brain trust embarked on journeys to Northern Valley Demarest H.S. and Bergenfield H.S. to study their respective Freshman Academies.   A draft of proposals was put forth and approved.   Through the perseverance of Ms. Church and her staff, this entire process was completed in a period of less than six months. 

The Final Result: The Class of 2013 will matriculate to Fort Lee High School this fall and enter the new Freshman Academy.  The classrooms for the incoming freshman will be located in a  designated area of the high school.  Teachers and guidance counselors will be specific to the incoming freshman.  An upperclassman will be assigned to each freshman as a mentor, to help through the transition period and to be available for individual problems that may arise.  Lockers will be conveniently located in this area for easier access during the school day.  The freshmen will hopefully build a class spirit and comradery that will mitigate some of the difficulties in the transition process. 

As a parent with a child that will enter the Freshman Academy in 2012, I have great hopes for this new endeavor.   A new era of education has arrived in Fort Lee.