Academics

Last Updated 3/30/2009 9:08:55 AM

Academics

The foundations of the academic program that allows us to prepare students for college in four years include, but are not limited to:

Teachers:

Teachers who are selected to teach at Noble Street College Prep go through a rigorous selection process. All teachers embody our core values, believe in the potential of all students to graduate from college, and aim to be masters of their teaching craft.
Noble teachers backwards-plan using ACT’s college-readiness standards.
Teachers set ambitious goals for their students, track student progress toward these goals, and constantly reflect on student progress.
Teachers work in grade level teams to problem solve for students.
Teachers choose professional learning communities topics that allow them to investigate best practices in reaching all of our students.

Students:

Students attend a lengthened school day and receive 2000 minutes of instructional time each week and have an extended school year. The year begins in August and ends in late June.
Students receive double instructional time in math and reading both freshmen and sophomore year.
Students take low-stake tests throughout the year that better teacher understanding of how students are progressing toward goals of college-readiness. These tests include: beginning of the year diagnostics, interim assessments throughout the year, and an end-of-the-year test.
Students who do not meet the expectations necessary to pass classes must retake courses at night and/or during the summer.
Students are a part of a single gender advisory in which students remain all four years. In advisory, students develop a close personal relationship with an advisor who helps prepare them succeed in high school and prepare for success in college.

Parents

Parents are part of a thorough beginning-of-the-year orientation and are offered classes that cover topics vital to raising a teenager in Chicago.
Parents know their child’s advisor well and are in phone and email contact. Many advisors visit students’ homes as needed.
More than 90% of Noble parents attend Noble’s four parent conferences.
Parents receive a newsletter each week, and must sign a progress report every other week.
Parents can access Powerschool and see their students’ grades at any time.

Noble Beginnings and Noble Ends

In May, eighth grade students chosen in the lottery come to school on a Saturday to take placement tests and receive their summer reading.
The first week of school, our new class has the building to themselves, as they learn the Noble Way and take their first steps toward becoming Noble Scholars.
All Noble 9^th graders take a course called Early College Scholars, which teaches the organization and study skills that a rigorous high school requires.
All Noble seniors take College Writing, where they choose colleges to apply to, write their essays, and fill out their financial aid forms.