The Fairfield Freshman School is one of several freshman schools in the greater Cincinnati area. Although freshman schools have become more common across the country in recent years, the Fairfield Freshman School has existed for over 25 years. The mission at the Freshman School is to “create an atmosphere that embraces individuality and a sense of community. By encompassing all styles of learners, our teaching focuses on the academic and the social progression of each child. In our unique environment, we empower our students to transition successfully into the high school and beyond.” As a result of this unique environment, students will often comment that their class grew closer and lifelong friendships were developed because of their experience at the Freshman School. The process of transitioning students successfully into high school and beyond is a critical role that the Freshman School plays. During the spring of 8th grade, students create their schedules for their freshman year with teachers and counselors. This process continues at orientation as students are introduced to the block schedule and the concept of earning credits to graduate. There are many changes that take place as our students transition from middle school to the Freshman School. The staff members at the Freshman School understand the challenges students experience as they transition to the new building and the start of high school. Staff members also understand the impact that a successful freshman year will have on the rest of our students’high school career. The freshman staff believes in creating a comfortable learning environment and a sense of community within our school. Our staff works collaboratively to meet the academic and emotional needs of each child and is continuously evaluating the progress of each student. This evaluation process is critical in recommending students for high school courses and giving our students the best chance to be successful in the high school and beyond. Students will remember this sense of community and relationship building that they experienced during their freshman year. Students will talk about the freshman basketball tournament, freshman dances, Reality Check, the Dr. Mike assembly and Field Day. They will remember the daily interactions with peers and reminisce about the friendships they developed with students in their class. In addition, they will value the relationships developed with the staff, and the rapport they developed with their teachers. After leaving the Freshman School, many students return to visit or seek advice from staff. They often talk about how much they enjoyed their freshman year, and the bonds they built with peers and staff. This demonstrates the relationships that are built during this critical year, and personifies why the freshman experience is such a special year for our students.
