Mackinaw Academy
for Adult/Alternative Education
Barb Cicinelli -- Principal
Cheryl Arnold -- Secretary
Time to come Back to School at
Mackinaw Academy!! Earn your Free High
School Diploma
The Mackinaw Academy has
been providing opportunities for 10 years for students ages
16 and older to earn their High
School Diploma! Successful programs don’t stand
still; they make things better for their students! Students
coming to the Mackinaw Academy will find some new and exciting
changes to traditional programs:
u Orientation
days give every student the
information they need to start the school year successfully!
u Students choose
weekly Advisory
sessions with a staff member for small-group and one-on-one meetings
to discuss important issues that will help students stay on-track!
u As well as
Basic Skill Checklists, students find their learning comes alive
when
they take on in-school and out-of-school PIPs
- Personal Interest Projects - based upon the students'
own interests! PIPs are chosen and developed by the student with
support from the staff all the way!
u Demonstrate proficiency to earn Credits
toward a Mackinaw Academy diploma
or to transfer to another high school!
For a great, exciting, WOW,
learning experience, get ready to join the Mackinaw
Academy! If you are age 16 or older and do not yet
have your High
School Diploma, or if you are looking for an Under
16 alternative learning program, call 799-8470.
The Program
The Mackinaw Academy is an innovative program designed to meet
the learning needs of alternative and adult students. The Mackinaw
Academy has two components: High School Completion for Students
and adults 16 years and older and an Under 16 Program.
High School Completion Learning Labs are open Monday through
Thursday, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm, and Friday from 9:00 am to 12:00
pm. A flexible schedule is offered. Progress is measured by
demonstrating proficiency. The Under 16 Program operates Monday
through Friday from 8:30-3:30 pm. Child care is available on
site.
Student Development
The success of the Mackinaw Academy is that students take responsibility
for their learning. The day-to-day program has been designed to eliminate
most barriers for student learning. Likewise, the program is designed
so that teachers are freed from non-essential tasks so they can teach
and facilitate learning opportunities for students. Even daily record
keeping is centralized at the main entrance.
Flexible scheduling allows students to go to school around their ever-changing
schedule. Students spend as much or as little time as they need in
each class. They can divide their time on several subjects, or all
of their time on one subject.
Seat time and turning in daily work do not necessarily equate to learning.
A student at the Mackinaw Academy must demonstrate proficiency to
earn credit. Proficiency is measured by a skills checklists for each
content area: language arts, math, science, social science, and computers.
Student learning improves for those who work at it. Some students
move along at a quick pace; others move along at a slower pace.
The Curriculum
In the District School Improvement Plan, five (5) adult
roles have been identified that ALL graduates must meet in order to
receive their high school diplomas. The Mackinaw Academy will align
its objectives with these five adult roles:
| KNOWLEDGEABLE |
| LITERATE |
| EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR |
| INFORMED CITIZEN |
| PROBLEM SOLVER |
The focus of the Mackinaw Academy is to assist the adult student in
obtaining the skill competencies needed to earn a high school diploma.
Staff
The staff at the Mackinaw Academy are certified teachers, some full-time
and some part-time. All are experienced professionals dedicated to
creating a caring and nurturing environment for learning.
Teachers work with students in learning labs in language arts,
math, science, social studies, and computers/business. The under
16 year old program works with students in all subjects. A counselor
is also on staff.
The staff individualizes instruction for all students. Teachers have
the time to get involved with students, and students can relate to
them.
Continuous Improvement
The staff has carefully scrutinized the teaching and learning research.
This research has been put into practice to create an environment
that allows students to focus on learning.
Changes and adjustments continue to be made as opportunities arise
to better meet the needs of the students. The staff strives to provide
the best alternative for student learning that they can. The Mackinaw
Academy is a “work-in-progress” program that will continue
to evolve. Everyone’s input is valued.
The Mackinaw Academy has several integral program components:
- The staff is challenged to apply the best practices of teaching, learning,
and assessment as they relate to the needs of the adult student.
- A flexible daily schedule. Students are able to attend school depending
upon their schedules. Students earn credit by demonstrating proficiency.
- A variety of delivery methods are used: traditional, computerized,
tutoring, project-based, team learning, etc.
- Subject areas are integrated to facilitate learning and cooperative
learning will be utilized for the benefit of staff and students.
- Each class has a checklist of skills that a student must achieve. Students
will earn credit based upon demonstrating proficiencies, rather than
seat time. A variety of multiple assessments (MEAP, High School Proficiency
Tests, Self Assessment, and/or Performance Assessments) will be used.
Students will know exactly what they need to demonstrate in order
to obtain proficiency.
- Students are expected to take the responsibility for learning
and be accountable for their progress. Teachers will facilitate a
learning environment and assist and nurture the students at every
turn.
- Collaborative efforts with area agencies will provide basic services
in the following areas: health, mental health, employment, social
services, and substance abuse. Our objective will be to provide information
for all students and enable those who need the services to obtain
them.
- The Mackinaw Academy works collaboratively with Delta College
to make sure that our students know what is needed to be accepted
and have the skills necessary to successfully complete at least two
years of college.
The following story depicts the philosophy of assessment
at the Mackinaw Academy.
Two students have a project to build a chair. One
designs and draws plans on a piece of graph paper. He then completes
the planned project by using no power tools and builds and assembles
a very good chair. The other person uses a CAD, (Computer Aided Design),
program to layout and design the chair project. She then uses a full
complement of power tools to complete the actual building of the project.
She too produces a very good chair. Both chairs are displayed. Each
one is unique in design and solidly constructed. But the final “grade”
assessed upon these two projects is quite different. How can this
be? Should not both creations be judged a success?
The person using the CAD program and power tools in the example above
achieves a higher grade than the other person. The finished chairs
were not looked at. Only the skills and use of tools needed to build
the chairs were considered. The “hi-tech” person was judged
on assessments based on using computers and power tools and proportional
scale drawings. The “low-tech” person was judged by his
lack of technological use even though he successfully completed
the
project in an alternative fashion. He receives a low grade for computer
class and a low grade in the use of power tools. The actual chairs
become secondary when they obviously should be the primary concern.
Is not what one makes as important as how one makes it?
If we can properly set assessment goals to judge completed projects
and offer several ways to achieve successful completion of a project,
then students will build instead of bang with tools, and teachers
will teach the art of building instead of just teaching how to use
the tools of the trade.
As well as the adult roles from the District's School
Improvement Plan, the Mackinaw Academy focuses of the following six
(6) basics that all students need to demonstrate in order to graduate:
1. The ability to read at the high school level.
2. The ability to do math at the high school
3. The ability to solve semi-structured
problems where hypotheses must be formed and tested.
4. The ability to work in groups with persons
of various backgrounds.
5. The ability to communicate effectively,
both orally and in writing.
6. The ability to use personal computers
to carry out simple tasks like word processing.
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Registration is LIMITED and is done in person. Students and
parents should call for an appointment. During the registration
period, an application form and writing sample is completed.
An orientation and interview with the student and parent/guardian
must be completed before a student in enrolled.
The school year begins with an orientation session for all students.
This session will provide students with all the information they will
need to get started.
Students under 20 years of age must bring with them their Birth Certificate,
Proof of Residency, Immunizations Record, Social Security #, and their
H.S. Transcript. Adults over 20 must bring their H.S. Transcript and
Social Security #. Heritage students must bring a letter from their
counselor and principal.
Call (989) 799-8470 for more information.
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