NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
March 30, 2006
ScholarCentric Launches "Success Highways"
Innovative Curriculum Offers At-Risk Students Roadmap to Achievement
CHICAGO -- March 30, 2006 - ScholarCentric, a K-12 publishing company devoted to creating the Ready-to-Learn Classroom, will introduce its flagship product, "Success Highways," at the 2006 Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Annual Conference, April 1-3 in Chicago. Developed at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for students in grades 7-9, "Success Highways" is a curriculum that helps students build the personal skills that motivate them to stay in
school and achieve at the highest possible levels.
"Nearly one-third of all high school students aren't graduating on time," said Steven Weigler, president and founder, ScholarCentric. "That number is even higher for socio-economically disadvantaged students. 'Success Highways' is a proven curriculum that reduces a school's dropout rate, improves student performance, and pays off in an overall better learning environment for teachers and students."
Based on more than 15 years of research, much of it conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, "Success Highways" is integrated into existing curriculum, seamlessly incorporated into math, language arts, social studies, and science classes. It was developed by V. Scott Solberg, associate professor of educational psychology, who began with the thesis that students first have to become emotionally invested in learning before they can reach their potential.
"Success Highways helps disenfranchised students discover their self-worth and the value of education," said Solberg. "It begins by focusing on their life and personal development issues while cultivating their personal strengths, then shows them how to navigate past obstacles and remain on course for success." The "Success Highways" curriculum addresses the issues that many at-risk students say caused them to drop out. According to a recent study, 47 percent of the dropouts interviewed said they were bored and indifferent to high school. Sixty-nine percent of respondents said they didn't have any motivation to work hard. A startling two-thirds of the dropouts felt they would have done better if more had been expected of them.
"Success Highways" was rigorously tested and refined over a seven-year pilot program at Milwaukee's South Division High School, an urban high school in a lowincome, culturally diverse area. South Division has a substantial percentage of students who face educational challenges because of poverty, violence, frequent moves, language barriers and family, social and community issues. South Division principal, Charles Siebert, has seen a marked improvement in student retention since the program's inception.
"I've noticed a significant difference in the atmosphere of the school since 'Success Highways' became a part of our curriculum," said Siebert. "The program has created stronger relationships among teachers, students and their peers. Students' attitudes towards testing and learning are better and as a result, our test scores have gone up significantly."
"Success Highways" includes 15, 45-minute lessons that fit easily into any core subject curriculum. The program combines innovative one-day teacher training, a student assessment, and an interactive curriculum that is keyed to all U.S. state standards.
For more information, visit www.ScholarCentric.com.
About ScholarCentric
ScholarCentricTM is a K-12 educational publishing company focused on helping students tackle a rigorous curriculum and succeed in school and life. The company's flagship product, "Success Highways," is an innovative, teacher-driven curriculum designed to put at-risk middle and high school students on the right track for academic success. With "Success Highways," students stay in school, score higher on achievement tests and prepare for future education. The research-based curriculum is aligned with state standards and was developed from the results of 15 years of research, mostly conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a seven-year pilot in an urban school district.
For more information, press only:
Lisa Wolfe, L. Wolfe Communications, 773-325-9935, lwolfe@lwolfe.com.
ScholarCentric
2406 W. 32nd Ave., Suite C
Denver, CO 80211
www.ScholarCentric.com
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