Frequently Asked Questions - House Structure
NFA HOUSE RESTRUCTURE
F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S
Responses to questions that have been submitted by students and families can be found below. Questions have been slightly revised to relate the question to a wider audience.
If students were already placed in one school, would the House restructure change their original placement?
No. The campus where a student is placed will not change.
Our scholars have a diverse offering of classes other than electives. How do the Houses correlate with the various math, science, language arts, social studies, foreign language, and gym classes offered? Will each House offer all of these plus the various levels - general, honors, and Advanced Placement (AP)?
Each House will offer honors, Advanced Placement (AP), and general classes in addition to all content subjects.
Will students be placed in different cafes based on their Houses?
Yes. Each House will have its own cafeteria.
Will all subjects be available in each House?
Yes, all subjects will be offered in each House.
How will administration/guidance be restructured with these Houses?
Each House will have the following:
2 Assistant Principals
3 School Counselors
1 Social Worker
1 Psychologist
1 Attendance Caller
Will this be temporary?
Newburgh Free Academy will have a House Plan beginning in the 2024-2025 school year and for subsequent years to follow.
The communication states, “In an effort to enhance the instructional program and positively impact our graduation rate, we will be restructuring all campuses at Newburgh Free Academy.” Can you please provide the research, documentation, statistics, etc and references that show a restructure of this kind will provide this outcome? Additionally, what KPIs will you be using to track and measure this change to determine if it is successful? Will the KPIs and their findings be provided publicly and at what frequency?
The team has reviewed research from the US Department of Education, Johns Hopkins, and the National Association of Secondary Principals as we made the decision to restore the Houses at the Main Campus.
Studies show that in large high schools, small learning communities provide students with a sense of belonging and purpose. Small learning communities foster stronger relationships between students and teachers, promote academic engagement, and provide a sense of belonging and support for students. These communities will be designed to provide a personalized and supportive learning environment where students can develop close relationships with their peers and teachers forming strong bonds and often providing mutual support. Students will receive targeted instruction and hands-on experience in specific courses in addition to an increased opportunity to work collaboratively on interdisciplinary projects and assignments.
The Key Performance Indicators that will be used to determine the success of the House structure will be both qualitative and quantitative data. This includes student performance data, program data as well as community data.
How will lunch and gym be assigned?
Each House will be assigned a Cafeteria. Gymnasiums will be assigned to a House.
What’s the star (*) for when listed under House 1 for Teacher/Educator? Is it of limited quantity or not available?
The asterisk is noted at the bottom of the House Options document. New programs through Smart Scholars Early College High School grant funding. The Teaching Program is a new program that will be offered to a selected number of incoming 9th grade students. Click this link for more information and to apply.
What are the names of the Houses?
The names of the Houses will be announced at a later date.
How were the Houses divided?
In an effort to create smaller learning environments for our scholars, the location of the program within our building was taken into consideration when restoring the House system. The locations of the various programs were evaluated in order to provide equity and balance among the Houses.
Can students take classes in other Houses? Will students have classes with students who are in other Houses?
Students will be able to take an elective in a House other than the one they are assigned. Students will have limited interactions with students placed in other Houses.
ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We’d love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!
