programs : freshman center

The Freshman Center provides personalized, special assistance for freshmen who are not reaching their full potential and can benefit from personal attention from teachers during the regular course of the school day to improve their overall academic performance as well as help with homework and preparation for tests. Simply put, The Freshman Center helps to settle “new-school-jitters” and makes a big school feel like a small one.

The Freshman Center Program is modeled after the BHS Tutorial Program. Teachers representing four traditional academic departments provide individualized content and study skills support for freshmen. Students in the Program experience a 5 to 1 student/teacher ratio and a peer supported learning environment.  This Program helps incoming students meet the increased demands of a high school setting and allows for selective early intervention with vulnerable incoming freshman flagged by their elementary schools. 

An independent survey of teachers, parents, and students conducted in the first year reports gains in homework completion, organizational skills, self advocacy, academic content knowledge, and the ability to “navigate” a new school.  The early results of the Freshman Center have shown that it honors the culture and context of the Brookline Schools while providing the individual social and academic support required by some freshman. 

Following up on recommendations from an initial evaluation, we increased staff training, stepped up collaboration with 8th grade teams to identify appropriate students for the center, and developed more consistent and structured course expectations and grading criteria. 

Ultimately, we believe this approach will be a model of how to personalize and individualize the high school experience for students in large schools.