Diploma Plus program, freshmen academy both strive to prepare Adrian students for success
ADRIAN — With a new school year less than two weeks away, Superintendent Nate Parker and high school Principal Sam Skeels gave the Adrian school board updates about initiatives that are starting up for the 2023-24 school year.
The Adrian district has been briefed previously by Parker on the Diploma Plus program, which is one of several plans either in place or in the works that are designed to increase student success in the classroom while preparing them for life after high school, whether that be enrolling in college, attending a trade school, joining the military or jumping right into the workforce.
Skeels’ update, meanwhile, looked at Adrian High School’s inaugural offering of its freshmen academy, which is open to all incoming freshmen. The academy will be explored at length during a freshmen fair offered at the high school today for all incoming freshmen and their parents.
Both programs — Diploma Plus and the freshmen academy — work toward the same vision of increasing student success and making sure students see school as the correct avenue for propelling their careers.
“We need to get kids to understand the process (of school) and we need to be more intentional about that,” Parker said at Monday's board meeting.
Diploma Plus program
A multistep plan that aims to serve as a student’s roadmap throughout their years of schooling and introduces them to the post-secondary educational options available to them is at the heart of Adrian’s Diploma Plus program.
The plan could be introduced to students as early as kindergarten and will continue to be monitored and updated as students progress through each grade level, Parker said.
More: Adrian Superintendent Nate Parker presents college and career plan to school board
The objective of the plan, Parker said, is to show students the many pathways available to them once they graduate from high school.
College enrollment, heading into the workforce, entering a trade school or enlisting in the armed forces are pathways Parker said students should be aware of and strive toward.
“Essentially, there are enough avenues and enough pathways out there that we believe all of our kids can not only receive a diploma, but they can get a head start into whatever their next career is,” Parker explained to the school board.
The Diploma Plus program highlights that life after graduating from high school can be more than just earning college credit, which is a perfectly fine avenue for a student to take, Parker said.
“If a student wants to be a welder and doesn't think college is the right fit for them, maybe we can give them a head start on that,” he said.
The mission of exploring career pathways needs to be intentional, he said, and it will look different from the elementary schools to the middle school and on to the high school.
Exploring careers and postsecondary education during parent-teacher conferences could improve how such conferences are conducted and might even bolster attendance, Parker said.
Keeping tabs on a student’s success plan and an educational development plan can make sure students see the connection between what they are doing in school and how it relates to what they might want to do for a career.
Parker also pointed out the importance of collaborating with other school districts. Juniors and seniors can attend classes at the Lenawee Intermediate School District’s Tech Center and Adrian students also have the opportunity to check out course offerings in Hudson at the Southern Michigan Center for Science and Industry (CSI). Adrian is working with Addison Community Schools to have students enroll in the firefighter training program offered there.
Another detail of Diploma Plus are one-pagers, which Parker described as one-page documents that contain specific information about what courses, grades and skills students must achieve to attend college or apply for apprenticeships in the trades.
The one-pagers are also useful for students who plan on dual enrolling. They also provide step-by-step instructions of what’s needed for students who are interested in joining the military right after high school.
Freshman academy
Adrian High School’s freshman academy began forming in October and is now ready to go for the 2023-24 school year.
The mission of the academy is to provide ninth grade students with a platform and an opportunity to find success in a new educational environment where teachers can support students more directly, Skeels said.
Other objectives of the academy are building strong relationships, incorporating life skills curriculum, creating accountability for academics and fostering work habits and resilience.
Like Diploma Plus, the freshman academy works with students on planning for careers/pathways after high school.
“I think it's only going to grow once we get this year of experience and look forward to the success that it will provide,” Skeels said.
Core ninth grade teachers, graduation coaches, counselors and administrators will be involved in working with the students, Skeels said. They will each offer enrichment, extra help and remediation for students who are in need of assistance.
Common assessments and standardized testing data will be utilized to measure how a student is doing.
“A lot of (the academy) is going to be genuine concern for the (students) and having those conversations with those teachers who have the same kids the same day,” Skeels said.
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From a student’s standpoint, Skeels explained, they will now have a core group of teachers working with them as well as additional opportunities and informational sessions they will be able to receive throughout the school year if they are struggling or falling behind.
Rebecca Jones, a new graduation coach at the high school who was previously at Springbrook Middle School, will be the ninth grade academy graduation coach.
“To throw all we can at kids to help them be successful is a great model,” Skeels said. “(The freshmen academy) is unique to Lenawee County. There are no other schools in Lenawee County that are doing an academy model.”
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian school board updated on Diploma Plus, freshmen academy
