Academy for New Americans Secondary and Middle School program description

The secondary program is a two year program designed to provide students with the English and math skills necessary to successfully transition into a mainstream school. At the end of 2 years, high school age students will earn 120 credits: 40 in English, 20 in Physical Education, 20 in elective science, 20 in elective math, and 20 in primary language literacy.

English Language Instruction
The students receive a 2 hour block of ELD: one hour of content English Language Development and one hour of English Language Arts. Content ELD includes school and community orientation in a social science curriculum. First year students receive 20 ELD I credits. Second year students will receive 20 credits of ELD II.

Math and Science
Secondary student schedules also include a 2 hour block of math and science for which they will receive 10 elective math and 10 elective science credits in one school year. The math curriculum is FAST Math, a program designed specifically for second language learners with little or no prior schooling. The program is infused with ELD and uses lots of manipulatives to teach math concepts. At the end of 2 years with the FAST math program, students should be able to successfully transition into a high school Algebra class. The science curriculum is also hands on and employs the Full Option Science System where students conduct scientific inquiry through experimentation and observation. Math and science classes are taught by BCLAD teachers using primary language support in Spanish and Hmong.

Physical Education
Physical education, primary language literacy and cultural arts enrichment classes are also provided to the students of the academy.

Assessment
Students learn at different rates and arrive at our school with a variety of educational backgrounds. Ongoing assessment ensures that a student is transitioned into the mainstream program as soon as feasible. Students who progress quickly may be moved to their home schools as early as the end of the first semester.