Hales adopts Academic Approach
Hales adopts Academic Approach
Matthew Pietrafetta, founder and CEO of The Academic Approach, donated its online ACT test preparation courses to the Hales Franciscan High School's junior class - as well as English and vocabulary building courses for freshmen and sophomores - in a long-term effort to build successful test takers.
Pietrafetta, who started his test preparation company in Chicago about seven years ago, has been tutoring students for standardized tests since he began his Ph.D. program in English Language and Literature at Columbia University in New York. Through his work with high school and college students over the years, he said he found that the logic skills required for successful test taking were also necessary basics for success, along with the more complicated tasks of reasoning, analysis, and argument on the college level.
Pietrafetta said what makes his test prep company different is that other test prep companies drop off a couple of books or testing materials at a school, which causes overburdened administrators and teachers to use the materials to teach to the tests. He said The Academic Approach has a teaching beyond the test model.
"You don't just game a test," said Pietrafetta. "For example, people used to say 'if you just guess C you will get it right.' We have developed a standardized testing curriculum that imparts both sound academic knowledge and the reasoning skills necessary for optimal test performance and sophisticated critical thinking in the classroom."
Pietrafetta, who attended St. John's Preparatory, an all boys Catholic school in Danvers, Mass., said that he is impressed by Hales and is excited to see the students' test results over the next several years.
Pietrafetta, whose Academic Approach content costs between $800 and $1,000, donated all subjects of the online ACT preparation course to Hales, 4930 S. Cottage Grove Ave., on an ongoing basis because he is impressed by the culture of student achievement and family involvement at the school.
During the teacher and student training, every student received an account that allows them to access the online ACT prep materials at school and at home. Teachers and parents also received account numbers that allow them to monitor the use and progress the students are making.
The Academic Approach recently held an introduction night for parents to show them how to use the program and answer their questions.
Arthur Reliford, principal at Hales Franciscan, said that the parents are in support of the school using the online ACT program provided by The Academic Approach.
"The parents are very enthusiastic about the program being provided to their children at no cost." Said Reliford. "They also liked that the company provided laptops during the training session so that they could see how easy it is to use the program."
Reliford said the online ACT prep donation was a great fit for the school.
"The online approach was just right because the results could be obtained almost immediately and parents and teachers can monitor student use and plan curriculum to integrate student needs into lessons.
Since the program's implementation in March, the students have been using the programs two days a week in the computer lab during their advisory periods, said Reliford.
Reliford said Hales plans to create a fully structured program in the summer and find a way to give all students access to it.
"Our trustees are working on finding inexpensive internet service for families so students can practice over the summer," said Reliford.