CHICAGO, Feb. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Rich Township High School District 227 celebrates the implementation of the Star Academy Program, a non-traditional learning model designed to help give students new hands-on options to increase engagement and stay on the path to graduation.

Introduced in the Rich Township District 227 for 160 students, the Star Academy Program is recognized as one of the most effective hands-on education programs in the nation. The program will focus on Project-Based Learning (PBL), which is an instructional methodology that encourages students to learn and apply knowledge and skills through an engaging experience. PBL presents opportunities for deeper learning in-context and for the development of important skills tied to college and career readiness.

What: Ribbon Cutting & Open House Event

When: Wednesday, February 26, 2020
             5:30 p.m.
             Ribbon Cutting will be at 6:00 p.m.

Where: Rich South High School
         5000 Sauk Trail
             Richton Park, IL 60471

"The Star Academy doesn't represent these students' last chance at getting a diploma; it represents their best chance," says Larry Varn, Principal of Rich South High School. "This is a new and exciting opportunity to learn in a way that they have not been exposed to before. In the Star Academy everything matters: every student, every class, and every day."

The specifically designed program for Rich Township will be housed at the Rich South campus and will offer 9th through 12th grade students project-based activities in English, math, science and social studies during 90-minute class blocks. The program will be open to all students from the three Rich Township campuses, and students can choose to attend or be referred for admission into the program. If admitted to the program, students will have a differentiated instruction plan that will identify individual success pathways for college and career. In addition to the hands-on learning opportunities, the Star Academy Program allows students to earn a full credit for each course taken per semester.

About Star Academy Program
The Star Academy Program is a school-within-a-school that enhances success for disengaged learners. Focused on helping students make the critical transition from middle school to high school, the program utilizes a hands-on, project-based learning approach that re-engages students and prepares students for future success in high school and beyond. This comprehensive program is tailored to meet the specific needs of a school, allowing the district to select up to eight courses from an offering of core courses in science, math, English, and social studies and elective courses in practical arts, life skills, technology, health-based instruction, and real-world career connections.
Star Academy Program is a service of Nola Education, LLC.

SOURCE Rich Township High School District 227