Entering first assembly

WHAT'S A FRESHMAN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM (FIT)?
One of the things freshmen most often say they love about EHS is the opportunity to know so many of their classmates by the end of their first year; FIT plays a large part in making this happen. EHS draws its freshman class from more than 40 public and private middle schools every year. This creates a need and an opportunity to assist students in their academic and social transition. That is what FIT is designed to do. Here's how it works:

• What is FIT anyway?
  First, freshman are divided into two groups, named for Edgewood's school colors, Maroon and Gold. Each of these two groups, has a different set of teachers for the 6 subjects that all freshman take -- Biology, Computer Literacy, English, Guidance, Religious Studies and U.S. History.
  
• Maroon or Gold?
  Students are then further divided into groups of around ten and assigned a letter of the alphabet (i.e. Gold B). They attend FIT classes with their color/letter group throughout a semester. During that semester, each group of ten is paired each month with a different group of ten (i.e. Gold B attends FIT classes with Gold D in September). Each month, the letter pairings switch (Gold B now attends FIT classes with Gold E for October). For 2nd semester the process is repeated, with each student assigned to a new letter group of 10 and monthly pairings with other groups of 10 continuing. By the end of the year, each freshman has gotten to know at least half of their grademates. (Color and letter designations apply only to the portion of the school day when students are in FIT classes.)
  
• How do Maroon freshman meet Gold freshman, and vice versa?
  Freshmen have many opportunities to meet students assigned to the opposite color group -- outside of FIT classes in homeroom, Math, Phy. Ed., Foreign Language, other electives and at lunch, as well as in 55 offered sports and co-curricular activities.

THE MANY BENEFITS OF FIT
Along with the social benefit of getting to know many of their classmates, freshmen experience many other benefits from the FIT program:

• FIT provides for frequent communication about students' needs: The features of FIT allow for more communication among teachers, counselors, students and their parents. Teachers meet first mod every morning to discuss how their freshmen are doing. This close contact allows parents to be notified as soon as possible if their freshman needs help, and allows students to get a good, solid start in high school.
• FIT achieves interdisciplinary learning: FIT provides a common experience for all freshmen by incorporating themes -- community, diversity, change, challenges, choices and balance -- across the six FIT courses. The FIT schedule allows for flexible class lengths. Teachers of all FIT subjects work together to team-teach important themes and projects. Research, grammar, logic, interpretation, critical analysis, essay writing, and debates are tools used to help freshman acquire skills useful both in school and throughout life.
• FIT Builds technology skills: FIT integrates technology across the curriculum. By using Internet sources and various software programs in their classes and on team-taught projects and papers, students become familiar with computers as a means of gathering, manipulating and presenting information.
• FIT builds library & resource skills: In their FIT classes, students learn ways to access resources and information through the use of online library databases. Our school librarian instructs them in how to critically evaluate information and choose appropriate resources for personal and research needs. These skills will enable them to be life-long learners.
• FIT builds cohesiveness: Group activities the kids love and that help to cement the bonds among class members include orientation, scavenger hunt, retreat, guest speakers, Secret Santas, Olympic Games and field trips.

More about FIT academic specifics at this link