The mission of the Guidance Department is multifaceted. First, each student will be provided with personal/individual counseling. Adolescence can be a time filled with turmoil for some children as they mature and grow into adulthood. It is essential that they have available to them a qualified professional to help them sort out their issues and talk with them. The guidance department of Admiral Farragut will provide crisis intervention therapy when necessary and then will take the lead in finding a reputable resource to provide any extended counseling or other psychiatric services. As an intermediary step between the student having a need for a counseling session with the guidance counselor and an actual meeting with that student and/or their family, the student will have the opportunity to designate a staff person of their choice to help the with their concerns. These advisory periods will occur pro re nata (as needed).
Second, if necessary, Admiral Farragut Academy will provide initial family related counseling services. Of course, if either the personal or family counseling sessions uncover issues that require more in-depth therapy referrals will be made to the appropriate agencies in the community so that, ideally, the student can continue their studies and the family or student can get the help they need.
Third, the guidance department will also provide some career counseling. Many times the student has difficulty selecting a career path. It may help the student if they understand what their personal strengths are and what field of study they should pursue in order to have a long and productive career in their chosen field. It could be a possibility that these sessions will include specific testing. If so, then the testing will either be conducted by the guidance department at Admiral Farragut Academy or be referred to an outside agency or qualified professional.
Another important function and mission of the Guidance Department is to provide standardized testing to evaluate the level of academic functioning for each student. There are two primary tools, or “norm-referenced achievement tests” we employ to provide this evaluation. First, in the fall, we will administer the Stanford Achievement Test (or SAT). The Stanford Achievement Tests, produced by Harcourt Educational Measurement, are the latest in a well-respected line of carefully constructed, nationally normed, multiple-choice academic achievement test batteries, which may be complemented by optional standardized performance assessments. Stanford tests provide a detailed look both at what students know and what they can do.
The SAT 9 Complete Battery, Form S, is composed of the following subtests: Reading, Mathematics, Language, Spelling, Study Skills, Listening, Science, and Social Studies. The Form SA includes and alternate, integrated Language subtest and does not have separate Spelling and Study Skills subtest. The Abbreviated Battery, Form S, has subtests for Reading, mathematics, and Language only. It is highly probable that the only test we will be administering from the Stanford Achievement series is the SAT 9 Complete Battery.
The most appropriate use of the test data gleaned from the Stanford is identification of academic strengths and weaknesses at both individual and various group levels, so that teachers and administrators can make advisement and curriculum decisions. Test results may contribute to (but should not be the sole determinant of) decisions about placement in special programs and may also help to measure program effectiveness.
The other norm-referenced achievement test we will administer at Admiral Farragut Academy is the California Achievement Test (or CAT). CTB Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, Monterey, California, authors the CAT. The CAT is designed to measure achievement in the basic skills taught in schools throughout the nation. We will be administering the CAT during the spring semester. The purpose of administering two tests of this type at different times of the year is to be able to cross-reference the results from each test therefore providing our own validity test. The only confounding variable that will prohibit our ability to accurately determine the level of achievement for each student is if they decide to “Christmas tree” their responses, therefore not giving a true depiction of their knowledge base.
Some other important functions of the Guidance Department at Admiral Farragut Academy are handing out report cards, searching for scholarship opportunities, determining the membership of the David Glasgow Farragut Chapter of the National Honor Society, and scheduling speakers to come to our school to share their information with our students. These topics of scheduled speakers could range from issues such as drug/substance abuse, eating disorders, time management, communication skills or any other topics deemed essential in the development of well adjusted student.
The dual enrollment program allows students to earn both high school and college credit for their course work. Courses are offered on our campus and taught by Farragut instructors who are also adjunct faculty members at the St. Petersburg College. College credit is available in conjunction with St. Petersburg College in the following courses:
| Course | Course Name | Fall | Credits | AFA Class Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMH 2010 | History of the United States I | F | 3 | AP US History |
| CHM 1025 | Introductory Chemistry | F | 3 | Chemistry |
| CHM 1025L | Introductory Chemistry Laboratory | F | 1 | Chemistry |
| CHM 1045 | General Chemistry I | F | 3 | AP Chemistry |
| CHM 1045L | General Chemistry I Lab | F | 1 | AP Chemistry |
| ENC 1101 | Composition I | F | 3 | English III (H) |
| ENC 1101 | Composition I | F | 3 | English IV |
| ENL 2012 | British Literature I | F | 3 | English IV (H),AP |
| EUH 1000 | Development of Western Civilization I | F | 3 | Western Civilization I |
| FRE 1120 | Elementary French I | F | 4 | French II |
| FRE 2200 | Intermediate French I | F | 3 | French III,IV |
| MAC 2233 | Applied Calculus I | F | 3 | Calculus (H) |
| MAT 1033 | Intermediate Algebra | F | 3 | Algebra 2 (H) |
| MAT 1033L | Intermediate Algebra Laboratory | F | 1 | Algebra 2 (H) |
| MUH 1110 | Introduction to Music | F | 3 | Music |
| PHY 1048L | Physics Laboratory I | F | 1 | Physics (H) |
| PHY 1053 | General Physics I | F | 3 | Physics (H) |
| STA 2023 | Elementary Statistics | F | 3 | Statistics (H) |
| Course | Course Name | Spr | Credits | AFA Class Name |
| AMH 2020 | History of the United States II | S | 3 | AP US History |
| CHM 1026 | Chemical Calculations | S | 3 | Chemistry |
| CHM 1046 | General Chemistry II | S | 3 | AP Chemistry |
| CHM 1046L | General Chemistry II Lab | S | 1 | AP Chemistry |
| ENC 1102 | Composition II | S | 3 | English III (H) |
| ENC 1102 | Composition II | S | 3 | English IV |
| ENL 2022 | British Literature II | S | 3 | English IV (H),AP |
| FRE 1121 | Elementary French II | S | 4 | French II |
| FRE 2201 | Intermediate French II | S | 3 | French III,IV |
| MAC 1105 | College Algebra | S | 3 | Algebra 2 (H) |
| MAC 2234 | Applied Calculus II | S | 3 | Calculus (H) |
| MAC 2311 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | S | 5 | AP Calculus AB |
| MUL 1010 | Introduction to Music History | S | 3 | Music |
| PHY 1049L | Physics Laboratory II | S | 1 | Physics (H) |
| PHY 1054 | General Physics II | S | 3 | Physics (H) |
| WOH 2040 | The Twentieth Century | S | 3 | 20th Century History |