Curriculum

Small Learning Communities

Small Learning Communities

A Small Learning Community (SLC) is a form of school structure that is increasingly common in secondary schools to subdivide large school populations into smaller, autonomous groups of students and teachers. The primary purpose of an SLC is to create a more personalized learning environment to better meet the needs of students. Small learning communities consist of groups of up to 450 students who share the same core subject teachers over their high school career.

Two major objectives of SLCs are: (a) Strengthening relationships among students and adults; and (b) Improving engagement, alignment and rigor of teaching and learning in every classroom, every day. A major undertaking of an SLC is an advisory program where students are matched with advisors (a teacher within the SLC) who is responsible for monitoring those students' academic, social and emotional progress.

FHS will have four general SLC's for grades 10-12, one SLC as a Freshman Academy and one SLC devoted to serving as our Alternative High School.

Brief History of the Project

The Fayetteville Board of Education voted to implement small learning communities at Fayetteville High School at the December 2008 board meeting. The first organizational meeting was held in April 2009, and the Small Learning Communities Committee (SLCC) was formed in September of 2009. In the summer of 2010, three co-leaders were chosen to lead the committee: Emery Faulkner, Deanna Easton, and Denise Hoy. The SLC leadership team worked with Federal Programs Coordinator Christie Jay to write a grant that would provide funding to help in establishing small learning communities.

Small Learning Communities Grant Awarded to FHS

Fayetteville High School was awarded a grant on October 1, 2010 from the U.S. Department of Education to support the formation of smaller learning communities.

Objectives

The grant proposal set forth three major objectives to meet the requirements of the grant indicators:

1. To prepare all students for success in postsecondary education and careers without the need for remediation through small learning communities.

2. To provide an environment in which a core group of teachers, along with an SLC Assistant Principal and Counselor, know needs of population and provide academic and other support.

3. To create an Advisory Program that allows time weekly for students to catch up, participate in interventions/tutoring, discuss course of study or issues/concerns with their advisor, seek academic advising (CAP), and special work in Advanced Placement and Dual Credit courses.