Hyde Park Career Academy High Freshmen get extra time, extra help. With nearly 10 years experience, Hyde Park is the pioneer of freshman academy programs. Students who attend seem to enjoy it, says Principal Weldon Beverly. We found many students chose to stay for the entire time, even though they didn't have to. Once the regular school year is underway, freshmen who have not completed all their assignments or not passed the tests required for promotion are given extra time.
Freshmen get credit only for work that merits a C or higher.
Once a freshman completes the work or masters the skill, the P is replaced by an A, B, or C grade. The P grades do not dampen a student's spirit to learn like F grades do, says Beverly. The teacher must find something where the student can experience success. Some students come to high school never having experienced success. Though well regarded, the early years of the program had mixed results.