Video shows interaction between students and teachers including balloon game. Narrator says - Perhaps the most noticeable change can be seen in the relationship between teachers and students. A number of programs have been implemented to create a caring learning environment. This more personalized setting, combined with rigorous academics has raised overall student achievement. We came up with an idea called Access and that is one period during the day where students have a teacher in a small learning group.
Narrator says - All students participate in Access.
If you were having trouble with math, or sciences, or language arts q you could access that teacher during that period and get special help from that teacher. This success prompted the school to implement wider-reaching reforms, including creating smaller learning groups. After researching similar programs at a nearby New American High School, they instituted what they call a house system. The houses at Rex Putnam High School are built around ninth and tenth grade classes, they're small learning communities of 90 students with 3 teachers for four periods, and that's half their schedule. Students in houses study English, Science, and Social Sciences with the same group of teachers and peers for two years.