School Info

WHAT IS FOOTHILLS ACADEMY?

Foothills Academy was established in 1993 as a coeducational college preparatory school serving grades six through twelve. The Academy has four major program objectives:

• engender academic excellence by providing an environment for recognizing and rewarding outstanding scholarship;
• enrich lives by teaching interpersonal skills and self-development techniques through the community volunteer service program, the arts program, and the career guidance program,
• encourage leadership by strengthening experiential relationships through the outdoor action program; and to
• enhance Academy life through the programs for autumn and spring retreats.

MISSION STATEMENT:

The mission of Foothills Academy College Preparatory is to provide an educational setting for academically advanced students who are self-directed, competent learners who will excel in college and exercise leadership in a changing world.

All goals relate to the acceleration of each student's achievement and academic development. Our students

• are taught critical thinking skills in the classroom through a relevant curriculum which is based on higher order thinking skills, and taught problem solving within an outdoor action program.
• develop their own values and perspectives based on personal and group experiences and by the use of logic, intuition and abstract analysis.
• will produce creative projects and authentic assessments in the areas of writing, research, creative problem solving, and critical thinking.
• will demonstrate competency in computer use, library skills and lab procedures, and methods of field research.
• will master the skills necessary to gain admission to the college of their choice.

Criteria for meeting our goals include high achievement scores on AIMS, Stanfords, SATs and other criteria referenced measures, the ability to write a sustained argumentative essay on a value issue, depth of writing and research, the ability to problem solve in groups or individually, the ability to work for extended periods without direct supervision, contributing positively to a collaborative effort, demonstrating competency with a computer and research techniques, and the completion of a college entrance test, interview, application, and acceptance to a college or university.

CLASS SIZE:

We believe the above objectives can be more effectively attained by limiting both class sizes and total campus enrollment. Individual attention to student needs is an important aspect of education, and this is difficult when classes are overloaded. With our total maximum enrollment of 250 students it is possible to know and recognize every face on campus. This is desirable for many reasons, not the least of which is maintaining a real sense of community. We proudly advertise our current average class sizes as: High School (20.6) and Middle School (22.1).

ONLINE LEARNING:

Foothills Academy subscribes to the Acellus online learning program. Learn more about this innovative resource at: www.acellus.com. Originally geared to Science and Math instruction, Acellus continues to expand its course offerings. This is an interactive learning environment, where students can view videos created by master teachers, engage in problem solving, and get feedback on their progress. Foothills teachers of grades 6-12 are using Acellus in a variety of ways, including both in-class and at-home activities. For more information, or to obtain access to Acellus, contact Claudia Moreira at: cmoreira@foothillsacademy.com.

COMPUTER USE POLICY:

Students are encouraged to bring their own laptops for academic purposes. For those without, two carts of laptop computers are available onsite for student use. Wireless coverage is available campus-wide for internet access, file transfer, and printing. This can be a powerful tool to enhance learning. All students, and their parent or guardian, must sign a "Computer Acceptable Use Agreement" at the start of each school year. You can view that document below:

ComputerPolicy.doc (30 k)
ComputerPolicy.pdf (66 k)

SUMMER LEARNING:

Foothills Academy offers several opportunities for learning over the Summer break. Our "summer camps" are hosted right here on campus, occasionally include an off-campus activity or field trip, run from days to weeks in length, and meet for extended sessions each day. Each program is run by one or more of our credentialed faculty, and focuses on areas where students often need or seek additional help. These are all fee-based programs with limited enrollment. To see our current offerings, click here.

CURRICULUM SUMMARY DOCUMENT:

Foothills Academy has compiled its diverse curriculum into a single document, including Course Descriptions, Learning Objectives and Arizona State Standards taught. You can download the current version by clicking on any of the links below. If you are unable to download or read these file types, please call us for a promptly mailed hardcopy.

curriculum.doc (111 k)
curriculum.pdf (169 k)

POLICY REGARDING REMEDIATION OF "D" and "F" GRADES:

For all grades: If your student receives a D or F on any progress report or semester report card, please contact the teacher immediately!

For all grades: Students who require remediation for a 5th D or F in a core subject will be retained in their current grade.

For high school, because of its college preparatory program, Foothills Academy will not give credit for D's on transcripts of students transferring to Foothills Academy from other schools. In addition, D's earned at Foothills Academy will not accrue credit. D's and F's must be remediated before the student is allowed to proceed to the next course in the sequence. It is recommended that remediation be completed in the summer so that the sequence of college preparatory study is not interrupted.

For 6th and 7th grade, written proof of remediation is required. Remediation must be done for D's and F's in any of the four core subjects through taking summer school classes, completing an accredited supervised or independent course, tutoring, earning credit by exam or doing a special project. A 6th or 7th grade student in the regular education program who receives a D or F average in both English and math for the current year will be recommended for retention at that grade level for the coming year unless remediation in both subjects is successfully accomplished.

For 8th grade, remediation must be done for semester D's and F's in any of the four core subjects through successfully completing pre-approved (by the Assistant Principal) and verified (through official transcript) coursework from a state endorsed or accredited institution. A list of those that offer remediation course work is available in the front office. In order to have a 9th grade enrollment position reserved for the student, an official transcript showing successful completion of course work in each core subject (C grade or better) must be received by Foothills Academy no later than May 1. Remediation of D's orF's in core subjects for 2nd Semester must also be completed by May 1. Parents and students who presently anticipate a grade lower than a C in any core subject for the 2nd semester will therefore need to start remediation immediately in order to meet the May 1 deadline. It is the responsibility of the parent and student to make sure an official transcript of the course work is received by Foothills Academy by that date.

GRADE REPORTS:

Providing teachers enough time to plan and implement instruction is a priority of the Foothills Academy administration. We are asking that parents read again and understand thoroughly the grade reporting policy outlined on page 7 of the Student Handbook. The policy states that mid-quarter reports go home for any student earning D's or F's. All students get EasyGrade Pro reports at the end of the 1st and 3rd quarters, and a formal report card at the end of each semester.

If weekly reports are not part of a special needs plan as stipulated by the Federal IDEA law or the civil rights law pertaining to education, please do not expect weekly printed grade reports.

Excessive requests for these printouts can be a burden on our teachers. Be assured that teachers always welcome your visits and phone calls and will gladly provide verbal and/or e-mail responses to your questions regarding your child’s progress. Remember that our mission speaks to developing self-directed learners. Your resources and responsibilities to help your child become a self-directed learner include

• providing a routine for the completion and checking of homework (grades 6-9 homework assignments are on our website at Course Assignments)
• developing positive relationships, and communication, with your child’s teachers
• visiting and observing your child's classes and activities (24 hour advance scheduling required)
• requiring your child to provide an accurate assessment of his or her progress at school

Self-directed learners know where they stand. Thank you for helping us enforce our grade reporting policy.

EMERGENCY PLAN:

Foothills Academy had developed an Emergency Plan Handbook, in accordance with federal and state guidelines, to ensure a rapid and safe response to any type of emergency situation. It is revised and updated regularly to reflect changes in our societal and natural environment. All classrooms maintain a current copy of this Handbook, and our Faculty and Administration are schooled in its content and procedures. A copy is available for your inspection in our main office on campus.

UNIFORM CODE:

Foothills Academy has elected to require a uniform code for all students on campus, and at certain school-related off-campus activities. This code is enforced for all grades, 6-12. You can download a copy of our uniform code here:

uniform.doc (36 k)
uniform.pdf (62 k)

The uniforms are available only through Collette's Uniform Company, now at two locations:

5212 W. Camelback Road, Glendale, AZ 85301, phone 623.931.1793, fax 623.435.5242.
5555 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85254, phone 602.971.4433

Uniforms from any other source will not be in compliance. The easiest way to obtain your uniforms are to order from Collette's online at: www.euniformstore.com (username = foothills, password = foothills). Or, you can

• Visit Collette's in person during the summer for best selection
• Fax Collette's your order (order forms are available in our Administrative Office)
• Shop at Foothills Academy during our August on-campus uniform sales event (dates posted in Parent Notices)

SCHOOL CALENDAR: Click here to view.

DAILY CLASS SCHEDULE: Click here to view.