When the bell rings, Silver Bluff High School freshmen have the halls to themselves. When classes began last month, no one worried about being thrown into lockers or stuffed into trash cans by upperclassmen.

"I think it's good that we're excluded from everyone else because we don't get smashed into the background, but we're not treated like eighth-graders, either," said Aaron Frazier, 14.

As the Freshman Academy program moves into its third year, principal Todd Bornsheuer is buying into the idea that a separate ninth-grade community will help freshmen excel through and beyond their high school years, and so far it's working, according to teachers.

"The first year we spent most of our time disciplining, but this class has heard about it, so they came in and were ready to go," said McKenna Hydrick, an English teacher.

In the first year of Freshman Academy, failure rates across all core subjects, including English and math, dropped 28.8 percent. Last year, the number of failures was down 7.2 percent from pre-Freshman Academy classes.

Mr. Bornsheuer said improved communication among the staff makes the system work.

Each week teachers have planning periods to compare lessons and notes on students.

If they notice that someone consistently struggles, the Freshman Academy system allows them to step in and help the student in a way they couldn't before.

"The juniors still feel a connection to us, and we still hold them accountable now," Mrs. Hydrick said. "They know that we want them to succeed. We want more for them than just coming to school."

After the first year's success at Silver Bluff, Midland Valley High School began its own academy last year, and Wagener-Salley High School began a program this fall.

Although the program isn't scheduled to roll out districtwide, Superintendent Beth Everitt said she supports the program after seeing it become successful nationally.

"It's certainly a deterrent to dropouts, and students are known well by the teachers," Dr. Everitt said.

Although students say they're being watched a lot, the academy has helped blend groups from two middle schools.

"It definitely got me ready for 10th grade because I'm not as shy," Deaisa Ingram said.

The 15-year-old sophomore said she had to learn how to interact with different groups.

Some freshmen said they want more group activities, but they appreciate how hands-on the teachers are.

"I do get sick of seeing the same people every day, but it's for us, and I feel like they have our backs," said Lucretia Hardy, 15.