Mat-Aberdeen district adopts academy plan

The Board of Education unanimously approved a concept plan to implement learning academies at Matawan Regional High School for the 2009-2010 school year at the Dec. 15 meeting.

"I am excited [that the board approved the concept] and I think the students are excited," stated board President Patricia Demarest after the meeting. "I have had students call me to tell me how excited they are for the new academies and that they are happy to be a part of it."

Introducing learning academies to the high school curriculum, administrators explained at the Dec. 8 Board of Education workshop meeting, will boost academic standards and student performance on standardized tests.

The program would be launched in the 2009-10 school year.

"We want to increase academic rigor by offering instruction related to real-world contexts," Margaret DeLuca, Matawan Regional High School director of accountability, explained in a presentation to the Board of Education at the meeting.

She said that in planning the academies, administrators looked at several Monmouth County career learning academies.

DeLuca, who was accompanied by Matawan Regional High School Principal Michele Ruscavage, explained that plans call for biomedical, performing arts and business learning academies.

"The goals of this program are to provide a rigorous, comprehensive curriculum with newly written materials taught by a superior staff that values creativity and innovation, to provide a college focus and in the long run expand to other programs," DeLuca said. "A program like this can also help increase attendance at four-year colleges or universities."

In a Dec. 9 e-mail, Superintendent Richard O'Malley cited post-graduation plans for high school seniors as reported on the New Jersey School Report Card for the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District. According to the report card, 48 percent of the class of 2007 pursued attending four-year colleges or universities and 45 percent reported they would attend a two-year college.

"The reality is that all students, regardless of their future plans, need to take rigorous curriculum in order to be prepared for the complex world into which they will graduate," O'Malley stated.

"We believe we need to raise the bar for all of our students immediately and … implementing these small learning academies will not only raise the academic achievement in our high school for all students, but give them the competitive edge as they enter college."

Teachers provided brief explanations about the benefits of the learning environment the academies would provide including helping students learn skills needed to succeed in the business world and allowing students to express their creativity.

Paul Servidio explained that a learning academy would help prepare students for higher level studies.

"This program can provide a strong basis for the academic curriculum ahead of them," Servidio said. "Research on academies shows they appear to provide the students with the maturity to permit the transition to universities where they need to compete with a higher level of achievers."

Teacher Neil Jackman compared the post-graduation plans of district students to those in other districts.

"When we look at how many students from our district go on to attend four-year universities compared to other districts, I think we fall a little short," he said. "This will help raise the reputation of our schools, helping our sons and daughters get into college."

Ruscavage and DeLuca explained how the program would get off the ground.

"We will hold an open house in January for eighth-grade students and parents and ninth-grade students, year one only," Ruscavage explained. "Applications will be due March 1 and acceptances will be mailed April 15. A committee made up of faculty, hopefully some board of education members or local business people will review applications."

According to the presentation, students will also have to participate in internships, seeking out employers who will mentor them in their respective fields.

The administrators estimated that in the first year, the learning academies would cost around $58,700 for the 2009-10 school year due to startup costs.

"We think the cost will go down to a maintenance level," DeLuca said.

O'Malley explained that the expense will be included in the 2009-10 budget.

"[The cost] will be included in the 2009- 2010 budget, but will not necessarily add to the budget," O'Malley stated in the e-mail.

Ruscavage said that initially the school hopes to admit 24 students per academy per grade.

"Our goal is for all students including students who are challenged, who are middle of the road and who are on a high level, to be able to participate in this program," she said. "We think it is going to raise standards across the board."