Shamrock Educational Academy
Academics
Shamrock Educational Academy is accredited by the regional accreditation agency, NAAS, Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, licensed by the state of Washington, and is SEVIS certified to accept international students. We are committed to addressing the special needs of teen boys who have struggled in traditional school settings, with experienced, licensed teachers instructing the classes. Correspondence and on-line instruction are used only occasionally as a part of a credit recovery program. Our small teacher to student ratio allows for individualized instruction, helping each teen achieve his maximum academic potential.
Master level teachers work as a team to coordinate academic plans, assessment and instructional needs. Each student is evaluated individually to assess their specific needs, which may include credit recovery, remedial language arts or math skills, advanced course work, study skills and the opportunity to participate in individual studies. Due to the small classroom size, as well as the unique residential setting, each student receives intensive guidance and interaction from the teaching staff.
The school offers core courses in English, Social Sciences, Laboratory Science, Mathematics, and Physical Education, and makes available elective courses in many other areas, including Business/Technical, Art, Occupational Education, and Consumer Sciences. Homework is expected and the daily schedule offers supervised evening study halls, with tutors available for individual instruction.
The academic calendar is comprised of two semesters within a 12-month
period. A semester’s work in each course totals 75 hours in class, and
full high school course totals 150 hours instructional time. Partial
credits may be awarded depending upon a student’s date of arrival on campus
and his prior academic records. 23 credits are required for a student
to earn a school diploma from Shamrock Educational Academy, and must include
four years of English, three years each of Math, Social Studies and Science.
Students normally take six full courses each semester, and may pursue
elective courses as they are offered and as a student completes requirements.
At Shamrock Educational Academy, we believe that a student needs to
learn to be responsible for his education. As teachers and staff, we
are mentors and coaches, rather than information givers. We expect our
students to learn to work independently, to learn study, organizational
and research skills, and to develop pride in their abilities.
When our students achieve success in school, and have demonstrated a consistent,
respectful behavior, we offer the opportunity for them to transition into
the local public school. Shamrock has worked with East Valley School
District for over thirty years, and enjoys a strong relationship with
the school professionals and administrators. It is our belief that offering
our students the chance to achieve academic success in both a private
and public school setting can help them strengthen their skills and new
behaviors, as well as make the transition home easier. This philosophy
has proven successful over the past thirty-eight years, and we encourage
families and students to consider this option as a final step in completing
Shamrock.
Some students attend Shamrock for one year, while others attend Shamrock
for their entire high school career. We work with students and families
to evaluate the individual needs of our students, and recommend a variety
of options.
Shamrock also works with students to plan for post secondary opportunities.
We have been successful in helping students choose appropriate options
for post high school, including universities, junior colleges and technical
colleges. Our alumni have attended Berkley University, Boston University,
Humboldt University, Bemidji State College, San Diego State, North Idaho
College, Utah State, University of Arizona, Arizona State, University
of Oregon, Northwestern and UCLA to list a few.