9th Grade BEC Program
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The 9th Grade Program at BEC focuses on preparing incoming 9th graders to successfully complete their high school diploma in their 10-12 grade years as early college students. Each year this cohort of 60 students will build a foundation of college skills, self-management, and an understanding of how to navigate the rigorous college environment while earning significant high school and college credit.
Program Goals & Objectives
This program aims to complete these three goals during the full academic year of enrollment:
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Build self-management (executive function) and college readiness skills.
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Acclimate students to the college term schedule and pace of work demands.
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Earn 10-14 college credits over the 9th grade year and significant high school credit aimed at HS diploma completion.
Advisory Class
The advisory class is the primary vehicle for teaching academic skills, executive functioning, and college readiness. Each of the three quarters students are enrolled in this low-time commitment class, and have weekly requirements of setting goals, building and submitting a weekly schedule, and completing skill-based assignments. Each Wednesday from 10-11:30 am, the entire cohort meets synchronously for 90 minutes to build community, enrich academic content and processes, and focus on optimizing their actions and habits to be more successful students.
Weekly Schedule
Each of the three, 11 week quarters, students take 4-6 courses that are preselected to maximize high school diploma completion. These will be a mix of high school credit and ‘Dual Credit - DC’ courses that bear both college and high school credit. These will be taken by all students in the cohort simultaneously.
Courses
All courses are taught online within varying online learning programs. Canvas serves as the main access system to learning, while Math uses the highly-esteemed ALEKs platform. Our DC courses are granted credit by our partnering colleges of EOU, BMCC, and WOU. All courses are taught by BEC highly-qualified teachers
Term Class Schedules
Fall Quarter
Late September - Mid December
Winter Quarter
Early January - Late March
Spring Quarter
Early April - Mid June
Social & Community
We have specifically designed this program to support students all over the state which means that we logistically can’t bring students all together each week in person; however, we strive to build as much community as we can. The Wednesday meetings and coursework serve as a basis for creating weekly connection and interactions and we also host no-cost monthly in-person activities and events around the state; including five proms.
Transition to 10-12th Grade
The goal of the 9th grade program is to move our students into all, or a majority of, college coursework for high school diploma completion; and can be combined with online high school credit only coursework. In the second half of the 9th grade year, students will enroll at the Oregon community college that best suits their needs, either geographically or by course offerings, and begin the process of registering there for their 10th grade year. As they transition to 10th grade, their advisory teacher and counselor will help to individualize the best path forward. It can be anywhere from all high school options courses, to all college courses, or anywhere in-between.
Is the 9th Grade Program Right for You?
We Are If:
You are excited about advanced coursework at an accelerated pace. You enjoy working independently most of the week and learning skills that will help you here and at your future college. You are excited about the possibility of completing your HS degree by taking mostly college courses, and beginning to build your college transcript early.
We Might Not Be If:
You have a hard time starting or sustaining work on your own, and aren’t interested in learning the skills that support this crucial action. You can’t devote 25-35 hours per week towards your academics. You’re not interested in reaching out for help from your peers or instructors. You aren’t interested in starting 10th grade as a full time college student.