Grades 9-12 Program

The Rock Creek Academy High School Program implements a year-round educational program that prepares students for post secondary education/training &/or entry into the work force. Wrapped around the Program are transition services preparing students for a successful adult life. Our program components include:

• DCPS Diploma:  A strong academic program enables many of our students to earn appropriate HS credits that can culminate in a DCPS Diploma. Many of our subject matter teachers are dually certified in special education and their content subject.
   
• Credit Recovery Program: Students who need to make up HS credits lost because of course failure or extended absences can participate in the Failure is Not an Option (FINO) program. This program assesses past course work, if available, and the number of seat hours completed and fashions an individual Credit Recovery Plan for the student.
  
• Adult Education/Transition Program: This program serves several different student groups:   
  
  GED Preparation component for older academically capable students with few HS credits;

          Basic Skills Module for developmentally  delayed/cognitively limited 18+ year old students;

          Scaffolded Job Skills component for students of varying academic and intellectual abilities; and

          Job Internship component beginning at Rock Creek Academy and extending to the private/public employment sector.

• Career Academies:  Each HS student selects and enrolls in one of four Career Academies. They are:
  • Culinary Arts and Hospitality,
  • Arts and Technology
  • Cosmetology/Barbering and
  • Construction and Facilities Management

       Students attend their chosen academy for three hours  each week. Students can receive up to 120 – 138 hours of Academy training and career preparation within our year round program. Each Academy is developing certification opportunities for its students. These include Food Managers Licenses, Cosmetology certificates, Technology certificates based on digital software and hardware competencies and Facilities management certification. The Academies coordinate career related job internship opportunities with the Adult Education/Transition Program.   

• Student Incentive and Financial Literacy Program: All HS students can earn up to $12 per day or $60 per week by attending each of their scheduled classes, completing homework, finishing class assignments, following directions and respecting others including students and staff. Staff assists students with establishing bank accounts at local bank branches. Local bank branch personnel teach students the fundamentals of utilizing savings and checking accounts. The local Chevy Chase Bank branch works closely with our HS program to educate students in personal finance. Students are taught about direct deposit and use of bank cards.     
  
• School Community Groups (SCG): Each School Community Group generally consists of five separate homeroom classes that comprise approximately 30 students. Each SCG is staffed with 4 -5 core subject matter teachers, 1 – 2 elective teachers, a social worker, a speech and language pathologist, an occupational therapist and dedicated aides as specified in IEPs. These professionals work as a team with all of the students in their SCG.  Students in each SCG are grouped and scheduled into their classes by age, social compatibility and academic skills. Each teacher serves as case manger for 5 - 6 of their students and is responsible for managing IEP meetings, completing yearly academic assessments using appropriate educational instruments such as the Woodcock – Johnson Academic Assessment and the Brigance and reporting academic and social/emotional progress to parents on a regular and consistent basis.