Academics

High Academic Achievement
The Smith Leadership Academy takes pride in its rigorous, college preparatory, middle school curriculum. To help new students prepare for the school's academic demands, the Academy requires incoming students to attend to ensure that the students are prepared for the academic demands of the Academy, incoming students are required to attend a two-week summer institute.

The Academy offers interdisciplinary learning and real-world application of content knowledge and skills within their classrooms, distinctive programs such as Rites of Passage, conflict resolution training and service learning programs. The Academy  also offers a number of support services that include additional math programs,  after-school tutoring and preparation for MCAS, ISEE and SSAT tests.

The Academy's college preparatory program helps students to succeed in New England's best high schools and, eventually, in some of the nation's top colleges and universities. Eighty percent of the school's first 8th grade graduating class received acceptance into private, charter, pilot, METCO or one of Boston Public's exam high schools. The Academy has partnerships with Steppingstone, A Better Chance, Concord Academy, the Boston Learning Center's BIFF (Building Inspiration to Fight Failure) program and Cambridge School of Weston's Project Rise.

Core Values
Leadership, one of the school's core values, is an intricate part of the Smith Leadership Academy curriculum. We believe that learning becomes meaningful when students apply their content knowledge and skills to act on and resolve "real world" issues. We cultivate students' leadership potential in three primary ways: 1) linking classroom instruction with service-learning projects; 2) engaging students in ethics courses to help them identify, understand and appreciate the principles of morality and acceptable conduct; and 3) educating students in dispute resolution and consensus building to lay the foundation for responsible community and national citizenship.

Curriculum and Instruction
The focus of the Smith Leadership Academy's curriculum and instruction is on developing advanced mathematics, English, science & technology and U.S. & World History for all of our students. The Academy integrates leadership skills, character building, service learning, ethics and conflict resolution into all aspects of the curriculum. The Academy incorporates the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), the Boston Citywide Learning Standards, as well as the components delineated in our school charter. Teachers meet and plan for interdisciplinary learning and real-world application of content knowledge and skills within their classrooms.

Different Learning Modalities
The faculty and staff of Smith Leadership Academy understand that students come from varied backgrounds, have diverse learning styles and need different learning modalities to succeed in school. Teachers utilize a variety of instructional models including the Socratic method, cooperative learning techniques, interdisciplinary teaching and differentiated instruction. All courses are scheduled for 60-minute periods.

The Academy's professional development programs explore several strategies to meet the needs of all students whether they are visual, auditory or tactile/kinesthetic learners. Visual learners benefit from diagrams, illustrations, overhead transparencies, videos, flip charts and handouts while auditory learners prefer classroom-wide discussions, debates and cooperative learning strategies. Tactile/kinesthetic learners need hands-on opportunities, using manipulative and project-based learning.

Grade Level Assessments - The Academy assesses students throughout the year, using a variety of tests including GMADE and GRADE standardized tests in math and English Language Arts and VARK to determine students' learning styles. The teachers also administer benchmark MCAS tests during the year.

Academic Support Services - The Smith Leadership Academy acknowledges and celebrates the value of all learners. The Academy educates all students in an inclusive, supportive classroom and provides differentiated instruction to students with differing learning styles.

The Academy provides instruction based on an inclusion model, where support staff work alongside general educators in classrooms. English and math are the primary focus areas of inclusion instruction, but the Academy requires all general educators to implement students' specific accommodations. The school also offers pull-out instruction per individual student needs, as specified on the Individual Education Plans (IEPs). The school also provides any related services necessary, including Speech/Language, Occupational Therapy, individual counseling and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) supports.

Tutoring Services -The Academy provides students with tutors to support their academic needs. It contracts with several outside organizations for these services:

• Through a contract with the Boston Learning Center, the Academy offers tutoring twice a week at the school. BIFF (Building Inspiration to Fight Failure Project) is a motivational reform initiative geared for economically-challenged urban, middle school youth who are at risk of failing in school.
• Through a grant with the Peabody Foundation, the Academy contracts with Tutors for All to provide 8th grade students with tutoring throughout the school day
• The Academy offers after-school tutoring through the Young People's Program.