Navigating 9th Grade

Jenna Johnson:

Teacher Rebecca Cline was walking her ninth-grade class through the intricacies of scientific notation when, in the back of the room, a student rested his head on his desk. Another instructor quickly stepped in to get him back on task, which was no surprise. Classes at the newly opened Fairlead Academy in St. Mary's County match two teachers with about 10 kids.

The 60 students enrolled at the public school this year were quiet underachievers in middle school. Although they didn't warrant placement in special education programs, they tended to score consistently lower than their peers on standardized tests. Their teachers worried that they might fall behind as freshmen and eventually drop out of school.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at November 11, 2008 2:11 AM
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