Instruction
Small Learning Communities - In order to make sure that each student receives personal attention, CHEC has been divided up into six Small Learning Communities (SLC’s). The goal of these SLCs is to provide clear focus, strong student teacher relationships, and attention to the needs of students at different points in their middle and high school careers. Each SLC has its own floor in the building, along with its own administrator, counselor, teachers, and support staff. SLCs also have themes and chants to build their sense of belonging to their SLC.
Lower Division - The Lower Division consists of the 6th/7th and 8th grade Small Learning Communities (SLC). During their time in the lower division, students must meet rigorous content and performance standards in all courses. Completion of the lower division standards verifies that the student has acquired knowledge and skills for high school and early college. Upon meeting the standards in the 8 th Grade, and presenting their portfolios to community members, students exit the Lower Division and continue their education in the Upper Division.
Middle School Design - The middle school program at CHEC is rooted in the principles of inquiry, creativity, and sound habits of work and mind. Inquiry and creativity is support throughout the science and social studies programming allows students to explore and make sense of natural and social phenomena. Students explore life, physical, and earth sciences and also ancient, world, and U.S. histories. They develop the mathematical and language skills to explain these phenomena to each other, their families, communities and world. Studies in both the performing and visual arts provide a second lens through which students can ask questions and generate hypotheses as they make sense of the world. The development of sound habits of work and mind is carried throughout the physical education curriculum where students learn about their own physical development. The middle years are filled with promise for all students.
Upper Division - The Upper House is composed of the Ninth Grade SLC, the 10th Grade SLC, the Math, Science, Business (MSB) SLC and the Multilingual, Communications, and the Arts (MCA) SLC. The Math, Science and Business SLC has 11th and 10th grade students, and provides them with a strong academic background and the knowledge and skills needed to follow the pathways leading to professional or technical careers in engineering, computer networking and programming, carpentry or construction, health sciences, business administration and entrepreneurship. The Multilingual Communications and the Arts SLC provides pathways leading to professional or technical careers in cosmetology, language and interpretation, fine arts, music, law and protective services. This year, MCA will continue its program in Child Care Development.
Classroom learning is enriched with authentic portfolio projects, career fairs, "briefcases," job shadows, mentoring and practical work-based experiences. Students must complete a job shadow and 80 hours of internship before their senior year. The curriculum is aligned with DCPS academic standards, industry standards, and workplace skills. The goal is for students to take Early College courses, AP courses, and acquire the foundational skills and certifications needed to support postsecondary or other continued study and employment opportunities. To reinforce classroom instruction, students are encouraged to participate in a variety of co-curricular activities in their school, community and with the schools’ AMIGOS/partners.
Early College Campus - The Early College High School program is a full partnership between CHEC and local colleges. High School students in the Academies (see below) will have the opportunity to earn college credit and earn credit at Bell at the same time. Students take courses on college campuses, and college-level work is offered at Bell. Middle school students prepare to be able to take early college classes as early as 9th grade, by completing a rigorous program in the lower grades.
Advanced Placement for All - Every student is expected to take at least two Advanced Placement courses during their years in the Upper Division. In the 11th and12th grade, all English classes are Advanced Placement classes; there is no "regular" English. All students take the AP exams in the spring. In this way, students are exposed to the rigor they will see in college.
International Spanish Academy - Bell Multicultural High School and Lincoln Multicultural Middle School have been accepted as part of the network of schools that belong to the International Spanish Academy. This program begins in the 6th grade, and will develop students who have bilingual proficiency in reading, writing, speaking and listening. To this end, all language classes are conducted solely in the target language.
Special Education Program - CHEC’s special education program is designed to provide all of our special needs students with the services and supports they need, in an inclusive environment. We follow the Individualized Education Plan closely, and involve students and parents in assessing progress and advocating for themselves.
Schedule - In the Upper Division (Grades 9-12) we utilize Semester Block Scheduling, in which classes are offered for 83 minutes per day, every day. Most classes award one Carnegie unit for one semester's work. Students take four classes per semester and eight classes in the entire year. This schedule allows students to earn 32 credits during 4 years. Students can also take college or technical courses while in high school, saving thousands of dollars. Students who are immigrants to the country have more opportunities to earn credits and complete high school, and all students can receive twice as much time for instruction in English and Mathematics.
In the Lower Division (Grades 6-7), the school operates on a modular schedule. The eighth grade will operate using the Upper Division semester block schedule.
Homework Policy - Parents are asked to make sure that their child is doing their homework. Research shows that at the secondary level, one to two hours of homework per night increases student achievement. The CHEC policy requires that all classes assign homework every night. Students are expected to complete their homework every day. The first time a student does not do homework; he or she will be required to stay after school. The second time will be a mandatory parent conference. The third time will involve assignment to Saturday School. If students need help in completing homework, tutoring is offered every day after school. Tutoring is mandatory for students who fall behind in their homework.
The 25 Book Standard - We know that reading is the key to academic achievement. Research has shown that students must read at least 1,000,000 words per year, in order to become proficient readers. For this reason, at CHEC we have a requirement that every student read 25 books every year. Time is provided in class to meet some of this requirement, but students must also read at home in order to be able to complete the 25 books. Students are also responsible for recording their responses to the books, and keeping a list, or annotated bibliography of books. This bibliography must be in their portfolios. All students must fulfill the 25-book requirement in order to be promoted to the next grade and to graduate.
