The model gets results. The attendance rate for academy students is 90 percent, a full 10 points higher than Tilden's 80 percent average rate. The close personal attention teachers give to students is one reason for the academy's success, says sophomore Nichola Davis. They watch over us so we won't go in the wrong direction. Teachers know students well enough to intervene in interpersonal conflicts long before they become fights, she adds.
Students keep tabs on each other, as well, both socially and academically.
If we see one student slipping down, we help out. We never let each other fall. Teachers encourage such closeness. Ronald Crosby, chief military instructor. Teachers at most successful small schools share a common philosophy that helps them bond as a team.