Each year, 80-85 students from around the world come to East Haddam, Connecticut, to experience The Franklin Academy Difference. As the premiere boarding school for neurodivergent learners, students enter our strength-based community ready to embrace challenging yet supportive academic courses, a robust residential life program, and a team of faculty and staff dedicated to the student experience. With double the national average of college completion rates and students successfully navigating various careers (including being a doctor, artist, social worker, or teacher), our students depart Franklin Academy feeling self-assured and more confident.
Our 2024-2025 academic year is poised to be a great one. Sticking true to our school values, Franklin Academy will continue to provide our students a traditional academic curriculum delivered in a non-traditional way and a flexible social-emotional curriculum with embedded executive functioning support. As a dynamic school, however, we constantly strive to respond to our student and family experiences, making adjustments and enhancements to the school to ensure our students depart as well-rounded graduates ready to take on the world in front of them. So how will we do this?
Academically our students will continue to have robust options for academic courses this year. Students can continue to be dually enrolled in University of Connecticut coursework (with a new course in computer science) and explore various electives, including Python, Astronomy, Fundamentals of Painting, American Sign Language, Theater Production, and the American Presidents. To expand our In the Presence of Animals signature program, Franklin Academy is introducing Anthrozoology, the study of the interaction of humans and animals, to our science department. Often just offered in college courses, Franklin Academy will be the first high school for neurodivergent learners with Anthrozoology as one of the core science domains.
The classroom goes beyond our 75-acre campus. This fall, we will take over 20 students to 9 different colleges in New England to help them prepare for the search and application process. Supported through our four-year college and career readiness program, our students will work on a portfolio that guides and organizes their experience. With 40% of our students engaged in performing arts, our winter Intersession will take students to London to work with local theater troops and catch shows on the West End. Interested in marine science? Hop on our February excursion to the Bahamas with our partnership with the Island School. Finally, take a course on Japan’s history and culture to prepare for our ten-day student and alumni trip to Tokyo in June 2025.
The magic of Franklin Academy truly lies in our community. Our students are inclusive and diverse in their interests, and our residential life model supports varied passions and social opportunities. Interested in athletics? Join one of our varsity sports teams across four conferences, including soccer, basketball, eSports, swimming, and ultimate frisbee. Want leadership opportunities? We are bringing forward a new Student Ambassador program, Student Activities Committee, and continuing with our prefect and student government programs. Finally, our weekends begin on Friday nights! This year, we have designed new spaces for students, including a courtyard, Music House, and senior lounge. After all, this is your home! Local trips to the movies, dinners out, and on-campus clubs and activities will help our students develop lifelong friendships. Lifelong friendships. That is a bold statement. Yet, it is incredibly true as we have alums visit each year and share their stories of togetherness with us.
Our students will have more opportunities for growth than ever before. In our remodeled “Study and Support Hour,”” we aim to provide proactive responses to students’ areas of growth to strengthen their independent living, executive functioning, and social and emotional regulation skills. Additionally, we will offer content and skill-based tutoring through our Academic Development Center so our students can receive in-the-moment resources from the experts themselves!
Finally, our community extends to our Franklin Academy families. Our newly established Family Association allows our parents to form connections with each other both during on-campus events and regionally. Our families, too, will receive ongoing education through various departments, which will help them prepare for life after Franklin Academy.
I am thrilled to kick off our 2024-2025 academic year with our convocation and Future of Franklin Academy celebration. Our future is robust and full of endless opportunities for neurodivergent students and their families, and at our core, we cannot wait for these program enhancements to help us achieve our mission and allow our students to belong, grow, and succeed.
