The Academy serves as a student support service in a smaller learning community for James Clemens and Bob Jones high schools. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – At The Academy, Principal Dr. Treva D. Stewart and staff significantly increase graduation rates of at-risk students from Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools.

“We ensure those at-risk students don’t fall through the cracks,” Stewart said. The Academy is located on James Clemens’ campus.

Treva also is principal of Alternative School, which people often confuse with The Academy.

“In fact, they are two are separate entities. The Academy serves as a student support service (in a) smaller learning community for our two high schools: James Clemens and Bob Jones,” Stewart said.

The Academy’s students “are at-risk and display the general characteristics of a high school dropout: high absenteeism, over-aged/under-credit, lacks necessary social skills to fit into a general high school setting, pregnant, has medical issues and/or discipline issues,” she said.

Students have a flexible, six-period schedule. They “are not traditional, high-achievers, but our mission is to restore, transform and empower their young minds to achieve academic excellence,” Stewart said.

The staff includes Marquis Gray, history; Olivia Karr, English; James Bell, science; Randall Blair, math; counselor Heather Porter; social worker Jasmine Green, and a support committee from Madison Board of Education.

The Academy’s staff nurtures sustainable relationships for students, “reachable goals and realistic pathways. None of our students get the ‘same’ instruction; instead, they get what they need to be successful,” Stewart said.

Last fall, The Academy graduated eight seniors “who were pregnant, needed a smaller learning environment, wanted to drop out or needed one-on-one attention. We expect to graduate 10 seniors in May,” she said.

Students can stay temporarily to regain lost credits and return to their ‘home’ high school, or they can stay at The Academy for their high school years.

To enroll, a student, parent and/or counselor makes the initial referral, followed by an application to Stewart. The student, parent and Stewart discuss if the teenager is a viable candidate. Stewart then delivers results to parents, student, home high school counselor and committee.

For more information, visit paas.madisoncity.k12.al.us or theacademyatmadisoncity.weebly.com.