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8th Grade Academy
Welcome to the 2018-2019 academic year and the 8th Grade Academy at Greenfield High School! Our team of adults has worked diligently to create many diverse learning experiences this year. Our goal is to challenge students intellectually, encourage them to grow socially, and guide them toward independent thinking and problem solving. As we strive to promote healthy development in all aspects of each student's life, we also make every effort to develop a student body that demonstrates good character and students who make good choices and decisions that result in successful and healthy outcomes. We encourage students to demonstrate the best of themselves every moment of everyday and to make positive contributions to the groups and organizations to which they belong. We strive to instill within our student body a sense of personal and collective pride and love of, and for, our school.
In the 8th Grade Academy, students have the opportunity to choose high-school level elective courses including Spanish, French, Band and Chorus. These are year-long electives that will replace the normal 8th grade elective rotation, which include Manufacturing, Woodworking, Wellness, Film Production, TV Production, Culinary Arts, Graphic Design, and Art. Students who attended the step-up day at GHS last spring chose which courses they were interested in enrolling. If you have changed your mind or have not had the opportunity to sign up for a year-long elective please contact your guidance counselor. For last names beginning with A-K, your guidance counselor is Siobhan Fitzgerald and can be reached by email at siofit1@gpsk12.org and for last names beginning with L-Z, your guidance counselor is Shelly Demeo and can be reached at shedem1@gpsk12.org.
Project-based learning is a strong component of our program. This approach emphasizes learning by doing with a particular focus on character growth, teamwork, reflection and literacy. Teachers connect high quality academic learning to adventure, service, and character development through a variety of student experiences including interdisciplinary, project based learning expeditions. We will spend the first day exploring the new building, learning about school and classroom expectations, learning about each other and the ways in which we learn best.
We believe that a strong partnership between our school, each classroom and home is critical to student and school success. We encourage and invite you to participate and volunteer in our school. Without the support and involvement from parents and families we would not be able to achieve our dreams. Working together enhances the caring school environment that makes the 8th Grade Academy so special.
There's a lot of excitement ahead of us, including new teachers to meet, new books to read, new friends to meet and new skills to master...and we look forward to you sharing in those exciting times.
In closing, we encourage you to fully embrace the moment and urge you to take the time from your schedules to become familiar with our school, as well as create a homework-friendly home environment that will allow your child to excel.
Thank you for your commitment to your child's education.
Sincerely,
8th Grade Academy Team