Academic program
The following description applies to students entering in 9th grade in the 2009-2010 school year. For our first class, the 11th grade cohort of 2007-2008, this description generally applies, albeit with some variations.
Students enrolled in this program follow the University of Michigan-Flint’s academic calendar as appropriate, and matriculate Fall, Winter, and Spring semesters. For the 2007-2008 school year, students began attending classes on or around Wednesday, August 29th. The school year concludes on or around Thursday, June 26th.
Students are identified for this program during 7th and 8th grades, based on student and family interest, counselor and teacher recommendation, and demonstrated academic path.
Students will apply for admission to the program during their 8th grade year.
Students begin this program prior to 9th grade, by participating in a three-week summer institute at the University of Michigan-Flint. This program will be designed to better prepare them for college level work in the health sciences, and to introduce them to the university’s campus, faculty and resources. Particular emphasis will be given to introducing them to a variety of health science experiences along multiple career pathways.
9th and 10th grade students take an academically rigorous high school schedule, in classrooms located on the University of Michigan-Flint’s campus, following a curriculum modeled loosely off the Essential Schools/Pilot Schools program and adapted for use in this early college environment. The curriculum will place special emphasis on the skills and concepts integral to health science fields. Important science, technology and mathematics skills and concepts will be closely intertwined with all aspects of the curriculum, and will emphasize the "3 R’s: Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships." This curriculum will meet or exceed all requirements for the Michigan Merit Curriculum.
All secondary faculty will meet the requirements for the NCLB Highly Qualified Teachers Act, and will be certified according to State of Michigan standards.
A sample 9th and 10th grade student schedule will like this (assumption is students will have already taken pre-Algebra I in 9th grade:
Graduation requirements accrued:
- 1 credit mathematics (Algebra I)
- 1 credit ELA
- 1 credit science (Physics)
- 1 credit Social Studies (Civics and Economics)
- Online experience fulfilled
- Half of world language requirement fulfilled
College credit accrued:
- 0 credits
Similarly, the 10th grade schedule may look like this:
Graduation requirements accrued:
- 2 credit mathematics (Algebra I, Geometry)
- 2 credit ELA
- 2 credit science (Physics, Biology)
- 2 credit Social Studies (Civics and Economics, World History and Geography)
- Online experience fulfilled
- World language requirement fulfilled
College credit accrued:
- 4 credits
As both grades will follow a version of the "Essential Schools" model emphasizing "Projects With A Purpose," each grade will focus on "Essential Questions" arrived at the year prior. These Essential Questions will provide a lens through which to view coursework in each area and a focus for each year’s exhibitions.
As appropriate and logistically manageable, older students will be fully integrated into the university culture, meaning they will travel from building to building for high school and university classes. Recognizing that 9th graders and, to a lesser extent, 10th graders, need additional support and supervision, a "hub" will be established for core classes. These students may still need to travel from building to building at times during the school day for enrichment activities or to use specialized classrooms, but they will do so within a more closely scaffolded environment.
9th and 10th grade "Exhibitions" will be predicated on students’ participation in a hands-on health science experience. For a variety of reasons (including existing HIPPA requirements), these may be substantially different than the clinical rotations performed by upperclassmen at GEC.
11th, 12th and 13th grade students will split time between taking academically rigorous high school courses and traditional University or College courses.
Sample students schedules for 11th, 12th and 13th grade students are more problematic because students’ choices of college courses will vary widely based on their individual EDP. Here is a sample student schedule for 11th grade:
Graduation requirements accrued:
- 3 credit mathematics (Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry)
- 3 credit ELA
- 3 credit science (Physics, Biology)
- 3 credit Social Studies (Civics and Economics, World History and Geography, American History)
- Online experience fulfilled
- World language requirement fulfilled
- Physical education requirement fulfilled
College credit accrued:
- 23 credits
Grade 12, meanwhile, might look like this:
Graduation requirements accrued:
- 4 credit mathematics (Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry)
- 3 credit ELA
- 3 credit science (Physics, Biology)
- 3 credit Social Studies (Civics and Economics, World History and Geography, American History)
- Online experience fulfilled
- World language requirement fulfilled
- Physical education requirement fulfilled
- Visual and performing arts requirement fulfilled (EDU 223)
College credit accrued:
- 46 credits
Finally, in 13th grade, students generally graduate following Winter term (late April):
Graduation requirements accrued:
- 4 credit mathematics (Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry)
- 4 credit ELA
- 3 credit science (Physics, Biology)
- 3 credit Social Studies (Civics and Economics, World History and Geography, American History)
- Online experience fulfilled
- World language requirement fulfilled
- Visual and performing arts requirement fulfilled
- Physical education requirement fulfilled
College credit accrued:
- 66 credits