Supporting Every Cadet’s Success
We work to place each young man in a supportive environment that is sensitive to the underlying reasons where “struggling and falling behind” may only be a surface symptom. We have a pragmatic approach: eliminate issues, identify concerns, and then move forward with a success plan.
Within the backdrop of small class sizes and caring faculty, cadets often find themselves performing at or above a standard they themselves wouldn’t have believed possible.
A Team Rallying Around Him
Underneath every success plan is a not-so-secret foundation: your son will see a team of faculty, staff, coaches, and family members that are unified and rallying around him. We keep each other informed. We take on disappointments and celebrate successes together.
By working together, we avoid putting the cadet in an impossible position with conflicting goals. We won’t lose sight of growing the whole person while continuing to strive to bring him up to a high academic standard on a reasonable, achievable timeline.
Initial Academic Assessment
We begin by verifying that there aren’t underlying concerns via diagnostic content testing in Reading and Math. This objective test is followed by:
- Observations within small class sizes
- Discussions with the Academics department
- Initial placement in appropriate coursework based on academic record
- Input from the family
- Conversations with the cadet
All cadets receive an Initial Academic Assessment in Reading and Math skills to determine if a weakness has been overlooked.
The Academic Learning Center
The services under the umbrella of the Academic Learning Center at Hargrave have been serving students since 1959 when HMA President, Colonel Joseph Cosby, laid the foundation for Hargrave’s reading program. He started with a vision to create a program that focused not only on the struggling reader but also on the good reader that wanted to be more proficient. The program was developed in cooperation with the University of Virginia.
The Academic Learning Center umbrella has expanded to include:
- Reading support courses
- Math support courses
- Evening study sessions
- School-day tutorials
- Supervised independent study for high school and college courses beyond our physical walls
Open-Door Approach
The Academic Learning Center is located in the center of campus. Its open-door approach underscores Hargrave’s commitment to being realistic about the needs of boys: provide a convenient drop-in environment, minimize the stigma that extra help is only for poorly performing students, and put genuine relationships to work for authentic learning.
Who Uses the Academic Learning Center?
Any student may find himself using the Academic Learning Center on any given day:
- Some are assigned to afternoon study hall in lieu of an hour of athletic practice (due to an immediate need for homework help)
- Some drop by or are assigned to evening study hall supervised by faculty for help (to avoid loss of athletic time or to improve themselves)
- Approximately 20% of students have the learning center as a regular part of their school schedule
- Approximately 20% work with a reading or math specialist five days per week
Faculty Reviews
In addition to informing faculty of attendance for study halls, the Academic Learning Center staff prepares reviews for those in math or reading support courses. These reviews include:
- The student’s educational background
- His individual reading or math strengths and needs
- How those needs might present in the classroom
- Suggestions for addressing and accommodating those needs
Reading and Math Support Courses
Should a student need additional support, reading and math courses are available. These courses feature faculty trained and experienced in helping learners who may be behind their peers.
A methodical approach—starting from diagnostic content testing to a course curriculum tailored to his needs—will support him as he works to resume standard college-prep coursework.
Study Halls
Designated Study Hall (DSH)
Designated Study Hall is a scheduled block of time offered each academic day for all cadets. During DSH, faculty are available to meet with cadets to provide additional support for their class. Support can range from:
- Reinforcing a concept or skill
- Preparing for a test
- Help with homework
DSH is hosted within the Academic Learning Center or, if appropriate, in faculty classrooms.
Evening Study Hall (ESH)
Evening Study Hall is a scheduled block of time offered Sunday through Thursday evening for all cadets. During ESH, faculty are available to meet with cadets to provide additional support in the Academic Learning Center. This time is intended for cadets to:
- Complete homework
- Study for upcoming assessments
- Get help from faculty
The Academic Advisor Program
As part of their commitment to cadets, faculty and select staff also serve as Academic Advisors, providing another touchpoint for personal relationships for each cadet. Cadets meet with their advisors at a minimum of once a week.
The advisor role is essential to the health and well-being of students, and caring for students is the top priority of the advisor program. Well-developed relationships and clear understanding of community expectations are the key to a healthy community.
The Advisor group is aligned with the Residential Life program to facilitate the flow of information between TAC officers and Academic Advisors.
Primary Roles of an Advisor
Academic Mentor
Addresses issues related to academic performance. This includes timely review of grades, planning for upcoming academic calendar deadlines, and appropriate awareness and development of career and college plans.
Advocate
Functions in the role of mentor through encouragement, affirmation, and building trust. The advisor provides support in situations between the cadet and adults as those inevitably arise. He also acknowledges and praises accomplishments and improvements.
Facilitator
When other channels aren’t effective, the Advisor will be another source of communication between cadets, parents, staff, and Administration. These communications may promote each cadet’s individual interests and talents, or provide support and encourage seeking extra support.
A Structured and Safe Environment
The school and its classrooms are the basis of a structured and safe environment. We support age-appropriate and teen-boy-friendly development. Parents may hear the terms “grit” and “growth mindset”—basically, we provide an environment where authentic feedback is provided and students can embrace the reality that failure is part of getting stronger.
Teens can see the difference between no effort and authentic effort with poor results. Hargrave strives to recognize a balance between what’s fair and what’s progress.
Accountability That Teaches Character
Not making an authentic effort on homework is significant and results in a short—measured in days—”Academic Redline” featuring total restriction of athletic practice, free time, internet access, etc. A student struggling with low grades is prohibited from missing academic time and study halls until the next set of grades is posted in a few weeks.
While both should feel serious and are intended to hold the cadet accountable, they also signal a key character lesson: missing homework assignments signals that a cadet isn’t taking responsibility for his academic performance.
The Hargrave Classroom
Our classroom is characterized by small class sizes with qualified and compassionate faculty. The military structure helps cadets stay focused while still in a supportive environment. Often this new environment with clear behavior expectations and resources that won’t let a cadet “fall through the cracks” can reset his efforts, regain authentic confidence, and help focus his energy towards productive activities.
Faculty Approach
Excited and qualified faculty are charged to guide cadets through a cycle of:
- Exposure to new and relevant material
- Authentic learning
- Assessment
- Correction
- Reinforcement
The grades in a course reflect both content mastery as well as the student’s efforts applied to the challenging process of working through difficult material.
Most importantly, the faculty focus on “teaching the young man in front of them” over following a pacing guide or preparing for a state-level course exam. They have the flexibility to make adjustments to provide additional support or set more demanding goals.
We build young men into leaders of character prepared for lifelong success.