‘We Don’t Give Up on Kids at FCPS’
In the Fayette County Public Schools, we are committed to helping every child reach his or her unlimited potential.
Delivering on that promise requires us to have a variety of school options so that we are able to meet the unique needs of our more than 42,000 students.
From advanced math and science academies and intensive arts programs to Spanish Immersion Schools and an International Baccalaureate campus, we have developed pathways for student success.
In the Academies of Lexington, high-schoolers have the opportunity to discover their interests, explore future careers in high-demand fields like medicine, technology and engineering and enter a talent pipeline directly to college, business and industry.
At the district’s three technical centers, students pursue hands-on learning in agriculture, veterinary science, advanced manufacturing, automotive technology, electronics, construction, fire and emergency services, law enforcement and homeland security.
In September, the Fayette County Public Schools opened another door to the future for our students – the Success Academy. This unique program fills a need that many other communities ignore by providing a second chance for students who fall behind.
What happens to the student who has a tough transition to high school and doesn’t earn enough credits in ninth grade? How do you catch up if you’re 16 or 17 and you’re still classified as a freshman?
What if your anxiety makes it hard to flourish in a large high school setting? And how do you stay motivated to keep pursuing a finish line that seems farther and farther away?
For too long, students in these situations just gave up. Even though state law sets the drop-out age at 18, we knew there were teens who had just stopped coming to school.
But we don’t give up on kids in the Fayette County Public Schools. We find new ways to help.
The goal of the Success Academy is to re-engage students through nontraditional and accelerated pathways and equip them with the skills needed to succeed in the classroom, the workplace and the community.
We offer a hybrid of online learning and teacher-directed instruction with flexible schedules of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. as students catch up on credits and regain their footing.
Internships, career guidance and technical training are also part of the program, which operates in partnership with several community agencies, including Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG).
Group sessions on goal setting, self-esteem, positive interactions and good citizenship also prepare students for the next step in life.
The program, which falls under our Department of Student Support Services, is designed to serve students 16 and older who have earned five or fewer high school credits. Enrollment is by application only.
As Faith Thompson, the director of Student Support Services who led the development and design of the Success Academy, said recently, “Our goal is to ensure they have a ticket to the workforce or postsecondary education. Every student is worth it. Not one of them is expendable.”