Academic Opportunities
We understand students coming to Building Bridges need the opportunity to have small class sizes and a hands-on approach to teaching. Many of our students also need time to work on missing credits, or they may need to relearn past material. Building Bridges operates under the philosophy that every student should have a clean slate on which to write the rest of their academic story.
Designed to meet the needs of all levels of academic success, we offer a curriculum customized to match the academic capabilities of each young man enrolled in our school. Many of the young men who come to our program are behind in their academics, sometimes they are substantially credit-deficient. Our Academic Team works closely with each student and his family to create the best academic plan for that student. Students graduating from Building Bridges Academy may have a transcript that boasts a rigorous course load, or it may be versatile for students considering a nontraditional path.
Many of our students spend a semester in Building Bridges Academy, after which they are mainstreamed into our local public school. For these students, the goal is to give them the opportunity to find success in a public school environment. Once enrolled in public school, our students benefit from the support of their peers, learn how to overcome challenging behaviors and social situations, and develop positive social skills.
Extracurricular Activities
We ask our students to participate in extracurricular activities to enhance not only their academic, but their social and emotional experiences as well. Being involved in activities beyond academic topics not only provides a healthy outlet where a student can experience positive peer supported activities, it gives them the opportunity to fully invest themselves in a healthy high school experience. Many students choose to participate in a sport – Cross Country, Football, Basketball, Wrestling, Track, Golf, Baseball and Soccer are all options. Other non-sport opportunities are Pep Band, Drama, Envirothon, Science Olympiad, Robotics competitions, or volunteering.
College and Career Planning
Many of our students graduate from high school while at Building Bridges. Building an appropriate academic, military, or vocational plan is critical to their ongoing success. Both the academic and therapeutic teams will work together with the student and his family to build a post-graduation plan that works for all involved. Graduates from Building Bridges have found success in top tier universities, moved on directly to the job market, or enlisted in the military. We will support each student as he takes ACT/SAT exams, completes college and financial aid applications, arranges college tours, and ultimately decides, along with his family, on the best school to attend. We will also support them as they arrange for job interviews, create resumes, or arrange meetings with military recruiters and ASVAB testing.
There are innumerable paths to a single goal. We work with each student and family to find the one that works best for their needs.
