Through the first three weeks of the school year, Keystone Oaks High School’s freshmen class has toured the school, navigated Google Classroom and Google Suite tools, learned how to sign up for daily Eagle Times, reviewed the building’s PBIS expectations, met upperclassmen mentors, and began discussing a variety of skills that are essential for success in high school: organization, advocacy, note taking, test preparation, and study skills. 

In total, students have completed 14 hours of lessons and activities as part of Keystone Oaks High School’s new Golden Eagles Academy, a program designed to support students’ transition to high school. 

“The goal of the Golden Eagles Academy is to not only prepare students for the academic, behavioral, and cultural expectations of Keystone Oaks High School,” said High School Principal Michael Linnert, Ed.D., “but also to grow a culture that encourages support and kindness throughout the high school.” 

The Golden Eagles Academy was developed after students shared through surveys and other feedback loops that a program designed to support their transition to high school would have been beneficial to their academic, social, and behavioral success. High School science teachers Allyson Culp, Rebecca Hritz, and Michelle McSwigan, and social studies teacher Sean McCrerey, along with High School Principal Michael Linnert, Ed.D., and Assistant Principal Ryan Brown, created the program, which includes 36 student mentors, six homeroom teachers, one mentor counselor, one dedicated school counselor for 9th grade, and the high school principal and assistant principal. 

Freshmen will continue to participate in Golden Eagles Academy sessions daily through the end of September when they will commemorate the completion of their first month as high school students with a field day event. Sessions will then continue weekly through the remainder of the school year and teachers and mentor students will continue to lead activities and sessions on goal setting, time management, career exploration and standards, growth mindset, Keystone Exams, graduation pathways, understanding transcripts and GPA, and more. 

“I am proud of the hard work the Golden Eagles Academy team has put into making this program meaningful and impactful for the Class of 2030,” Dr. Linnert said. “My hope is that not only will it cultivate friendships and build a sense of community at Keystone Oaks High School, but that it will have a lasting positive impact on our students’ and teachers’ high school experience.”