McKean High School strives to provide students with personalized educational opportunities to enhance their high school experience and to ensure their academic success.

The Ninth Grade Academy
The Ninth Grade Academy was developed and implemented around the concept of a small learning community; it is a school-within-a-school organized around interdisciplinary teams of English, math, science, and social studies teacher and students who share a specific area of the school building. Incoming freshmen are connected to a select team of caring Academy staff who use research proven instructional strategies to teach the curriculum as well as address their students' needs on a more personal level.
The Freshman Academy was implemented in the 2005-2006 school year.  Since that time we have experienced improvement in promotion rate, attendance, suspensions and school climate.

The Tenth Grade Academy
The successes of the Ninth Grade academy have led to the inception of the Tenth Grade Academy for the 2009- 2010 school year. Teams of teachers continue to collaborate to provide students with support to ensure student success.

Advisory Program
Ninth Grade Advisory Program was implemented in the 9th grade for the 2007-2008 school year. This program provides additional coaching and goal setting for students who are having difficulty adapting to high school; this program supports the development of meaningful, individual student success plans to improve academic performance based on information gathered from analyzing DSTP/MAP data. Teaming upperclassman student-leaders with adult advisors to work with a team of advisees can be very powerful. The implementation of an advisor/advisee program reinforces personalization in the learning environment. Students in Advisories can: discover they are authentically members of a small-sized community of caring and concern; develop personal learning plans; engage in school governance; learn about career options and requirements; select courses; learn to manage conflict appropriately; perform school and community service; learn to appreciate differences between self and others; work on postsecondary planning and pre-employment skills; engage in recreational activities or some combination of all of these.

School Wide Advisory Program
At McKean we are striving to offer personalized opportunities for student to support their success.  Research supports students connected to a staff member have increased attendance and academic achievement.  Connecting advisory to clubs and activities provides us with the forum to not only build relationships with students but to increase the students’ involvement in the school community.  The Advisory program is part of our Restructuring Plan as required by NCLB and is also aligned and designed to support the implementation of the state’s Student Success Plans (SSP).  All Students are required to participate in the school wide advisory program and will earn .25 credits.
Students meet in their advisory classes once a week for a period of forty minutes. Advisory sections are based on student interests, clubs, and Ninth Grade Academy.
The role of the Advisory teacher includes:
•    Monitoring students’ attendance, academics and extracurricular activities.
•    Making parent contact regularly.
•    Support the implementation of Student Success Plans.
•    Promoting club/activity.
The role of the Advisory student includes:
•    Attend class weekly and to be on time.
•    Come prepared for Advisory/club.
•    Participate in activities and conversations to improve attendance, academics and extra-curricular involvement.
•    Complete SSP activities.
•    Share successes with parents and advisory as well as seek support when needed.
•    Be respectful to self and others as a contributor to the school community.
•    Get involved!

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