SMITH ACADEMY

34 School Street

Hatfield, MA  01038

Telephone: (413) 247-5641     Fax: (413) 247-0201

hatfieldpublicschools.net

 

Superintendent of Schools and Director of Student Services . . . . . . . . . . . .Mr. Patrice  Dardenne

Principal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mr. Scott Goldman

Guidance Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mrs. Christine Soverow

Athletic Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ms. Sherry Webb

 

Smith Academy is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges

 

Mission Statement

Smith Academy endeavors to use its resources to enable all students to achieve their fullest potential by providing a learning environment conducive to growth.  This includes acquiring an appreciation for the values of our society, a respect for self and others, and an academic background necessary for the students' understanding of their role as citizens in a pluralistic society.  This learning environment will stress the importance of independent and critical thinking, while recognizing individual strengths and talents.  It will also encourage a closeness which will assist students to overcome adversity and provide hope for the future.

 

Historical View

Smith Academy, the town's public secondary school, was endowed by a Hatfield resident, Sophia Smith. Smith Academy began accepting students in 1872. Ms. Smith is also credited with founding Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. In September of 1921, Smith Academy opened for the first time as a public high school and in 1980, a new 59,000 square foot middle school - senior high school was built to accommodate a projected enrollment of 300 students. This facility is located on a 42-acre site on School Street.

           

Community

Hatfield is a residential, suburban town with a population of approximately 3,300 located in Hampshire County.  Residents are employed in professional, managerial, agriculture, and skilled craft positions.  Nearby colleges include Amherst College, Smith College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, the University of Massachusetts, Greenfield Community College, and Holyoke Community College. 

 

Program of Studies

Smith Academy’s 2005/06 enrollment totals 197 pupils in grades 7-12. Thirty-one students are enrolled as seniors. 

 

Our rigorous college preparatory program of studies prepares students to make the transition to, and meet the demands of, college level academic work, vocational training, or employment in the work force.  Full-year classes (180 days) meet 5 times weekly for an average of 250 minutes and are awarded 5 academic credits. Half-year classes (90 days) meet on an average of

125 minutes weekly and are awarded 2.5 academic credits. Typically, students carry 6 major courses plus Physical Education. 

 

Staff:  There are 20 teachers, 1 guidance counselor, and 1 principal.  Facility:  There are 50 classrooms, specialized laboratories, gymnasium, computer labs, offices, and a library media center; soccer, field hockey and baseball fields.

 

Special Components of the Curriculum

College courses:  Students are permitted to take courses at nearby colleges and universities for enrichment purposes upon recommendation of their counselor and approval of the principal.  Credit will be granted for such course work upon successful completion of the course.  Credits are entered on the transcript, and are used in the computation of the grade point average. College courses receive a weight equal to an Advanced Placement course.

 

Honors courses:  Beginning in grade 11, students may enroll in honors level courses. Students may take a total of three honors level courses or a combination of three AP/Honors courses in an academic year. An H on the transcript designates honors courses. This year students could select from the following honors level and AP courses:   

           

Honors

            English III                     French IV                     English IV                     Spanish IV                  

Physics             U.S. History                 Modern American History                                                                   

                                                  

Advanced Placement (AP) courses:  Beginning in grade 11, students may enroll in AP level courses. Students may take a total of 3 AP level courses or a combination of 3 honors level/AP courses in an academic year. An AP on the transcript designates AP courses, earning 5 credits per year. This year students could select from the following AP courses:   

           

AP

Biology Spanish            Calculus

 

Virtual High School: VHS is a non-profit collaborative of nearly 200 participating high schools offering full-semester online courses to high school students in 22 states and 8 countries. VHS offers nearly 150 innovative, student-centered courses that augment curricula and meet nationally accepted standards.  VHS offers courses in the following disciplines:  Arts, Foreign Language, Language Arts, Life Skills, Math, Science, Social Studies, Technology, and Advanced Placement Studies. 

 

In the fall of 2005, Smith Academy introduced Virtual High School as an option for students to enhance their educational experience through on-line course work. Currently, 7 Smith Academy high school students are enrolled in fall and spring semester courses, and in the fall of 2006,

20 seats will be allocated to Virtual High School. Students are required to attend VHS classes during the academic day at Smith Academy. The VHS academic calendar is divided into two distinct grading terms per semester. This is a rigorous program, requiring a great deal of time, effort and self-discipline. Semester courses are awarded 2.5 credits and yearlong courses are awarded 5 credits. A VHS on the transcript designates a Virtual High School course. 

 

Academic Independent Study:  A student interested in a field of study, which extends beyond the high school curriculum, may apply for one semester or two semester academic independent study projects. The intent of the academic independent study program at Smith Academy is to provide an opportunity for extraordinary achievement and to acquire knowledge not to be gained in the conventional class. The equivalent of one class period per day is devoted to the academic independent study, and each project is advised and graded by a faculty member. These courses are graded Pass/Fail and the grades are part of the permanent transcript. One-semester academic independent studies are awarded 2.5 credits and year-long academic independent studies are awarded 5 credits. An IS on the transcript designates an Independent Study course. 

 

Rank and Grade Point Average (GPA)

Rank in class is not calculated at Smith Academy except to determine first, second, and third placement in the senior class.  At the end of the third marking period of the senior year, the cumulative GPA is updated and used for establishing the Valedictorian (Class Rank =1), Salutatorian (Class Rank =2), and the individual with Third Honors (Class Rank =3).

 

The Honor Roll is based on a Quarter Point Average (QPA) with 3.0 being honors and 3.67 being high honors.  All courses are included in the determination of the QPA.  The passing grade is D- or 60.

           

High school grades have a point value assigned to each letter grade.  That point value is multiplied by the weight of the course (1 for full year, .50 for half year, .20 for band).  The points earned for each course are added together and then divided by the total weight to determine the Grade Point Average (GPA).

 

Graduation Requirements – Class of 2006

125 Credits in grades 9-12 which must include:

            20 credits in English (a passing grade in English IV is required)

            15 credits in Social Studies (a passing grade in U.S. History is required)

            15 credits in Mathematics

         * 15 credits in Science

              5 credits in Health

             2.5 credits in Technology Education

              2.5 credits in Computer Education

            10 credits in Physical Education

            40 credits in Elective Courses

 

*  Lab science courses:  Physical Science, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Science, Physics,   

   and AP Biology.

 

Grading System:

 

                          A+    A      A-     B+    B     B-     C+     C     C-     D+     D     D-     F

AP                  5.00  4.67  4.33  4.00  3.67  3.33  3.00  2.67  2.33  2.00  1.67  1.33  0.00

Honors (H)     4.67  4.33  4.00  3.67  3.33  3.00  2.67  2.33  2.00  1.67  1.33  1.00  0.00

Level I            4.33  4.00  3.67  3.33  3.00  2.67  2.33  2.00  1.67  1.33  1.00  0.67  0.00

 

The above is a modification of the system recommended by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

MCAS Information:  100% pass rate for the class of 2005 and the class of 2006.  Over 35% of our seniors are eligible for The John and Abigail Adams Scholarships and the Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery Awards.

 

SAT Mean Test Scores (Class of 2005)

SAT Reasoning Test:  Verbal = 531  Math = 587

SAT Test Scores with Both Reasoning and SAT Subject Test Scores: Verbal = 638 Math = 670

 

       Post-Secondary Educational Placement

% of Class attending             2005    2004   2003    2002    2001    2000     

4-Year Colleges                           63      58        68        72        77        62     

2-Year Colleges                           29      21        28        22        15        24                                                         

Other Schools                                6        6          0          0          0          2                                                         

Total % Continuing                   98     85        96        94        92        88                                

 

 

 College Acceptance ~ Class of 2005

 

            Amherst College **                                                      Assumption College

            Bates College   **                                                        Bentley College

            Boston University *                                                      Brandeis University

            Bryant University                                                          Clark University

            Elms College *                                                Emerson College

            Endicott College *                                                        Fairfield University *  

            Fordham University                                                      Franklin Pierce College

            Greenfield Community College *                                   Holy Cross College *

            Holyoke Community College *                         Kansas State University

            Lasell College                                                               Northeastern University * 

            Providence College                                                       Rensselaer Polytechnic

            Roger Williams University *                                          Saint Anselm College

            Salem State *                                                               Sienna College

            Smith College   *                                                          Southern New Hampshire University

            Springfield College                                                        Stonehill College                                               Springfield Technical Community College               Suffield Academy (Prep) * 

            University of Connecticut                                             University of Findlay

            University of Massachusetts – Amherst *                      University of Rhode Island       

            University of Massachusetts - Stockbridge*                  University of Rochester   

            University of New Hampshire *                                    University of South Carolina *

            University of Vermont *                                                Wesleyan University

            Western New England College                         Westfield State *

            Wheaton College                                                          Williams College **

            Worcester Polytechnic Institute

 

*  Denotes the colleges that students are attending

** Denotes colleges that accepted students to an admission waiting list