Freshman Academy

Welcome to Ottawa Township High School’s Freshman Academy. Our goal is to ensure a successful transition into high school for incoming freshmen. Our teachers and counselors collaborate with each other, with administrators and with parents to provide a nurturing environment and to foster academic success. Teachers and administrators monitor students in order to encourage, challenge and intervene when needed. We are looking forward to working with parents to provide the best education for your children.

Sincerely,

Matt Gross, Freshman Academy Coordinator

About

What is Freshman Academy?
Freshman Academy, implemented in 2009, is a transitional program to provide all incoming ninth graders with a foundation for success at OttawaTownship High School.  The desire of Freshman Academy is to create a smaller, more personal learning environment which allows for close monitoring, support and accountability.  This learning environment provides students with the academic and social skills that are needed to be successful in high school and future endeavors.   

Features

Features of the Ottawa Township High School Freshman Academy:

  • A focus on both academic and social development, with the goal of creating a culture of college and career-readiness  

  • Insulation, not isolation: freshmen take core academic classes for part of the day; PE, lunch, and elective courses will be taken with students of all grade levels  

  • Support: a coordinator and the Freshman counselor work exclusively with freshmen to meet their specific needs  

  • Teamwork and collaboration: Teachers and staff work together collaboratively to help all students achieve at high levels  

  • Extracurricular activities: all high school extracurricular activities are available to freshmen  

  • Mentoring program: the freshman mentoring program provides students with support and information on a broad range of topics

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Freshman Bags Tournament Sept. 2016
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Exam prep 2014-15

Goals

Goals of the Ottawa Township High School Freshman Academy:

  • Improve student achievement

  • Provide students with a focus for setting short and long-term goals for academics and for life.

  • Help students develop academic and social skills needed to be successful in high school and beyond

  • Develop a student-centered learning community that promotes collaboration and planning centered on student achievement and higher-order thinking skills.

Faculty

Freshman Academy Faculty

  • Freshman Academy Coordinator: Matt Gross

  • Counselor:  Mrs. Yates

  • Counselor: Miss Pytel

English

History

Math

Science

Julie Brown

Andrew Amm

Derek Broadstone

Brianna Bertolino

Matt Gross

Lacey Belino

Wendy Fox

Greg Hughes

Erin Hanley

Pamela Cronkright

Ellen Gross

Kristina Kore

Sarah Heuser

Tom Hart

Kathy Nellis

Julie Mantzke

Kyra Parrott

Dave Rhoads

Emma Schoonover

Karyn Rader

Rebecca Stamberger