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Students at Turnaround School Reflect on Changes

Academy @ Shawnee senior student Alison Philpott, right, signs a yearbook for friends in her class as fellow senior Keenon Kelly watches on May 31.

—Pat McDonogh for Education Week

Seniors reflect on experience

By Alyson Klein

Louisville, Ky.

Alison Philpott, 2011’s valedictorian at the Academy @ Shawnee, could tell this school year was going to be different when she helped move a few of her new teachers into their classrooms last summer.

“They were excited to be here,” said Ms. Philpott, who will enroll in a pre-veterinary program at Western Kentucky University in the fall. “They really wanted to teach at Shawnee.”

Raven Smock, another senior, agreed. “Last year, we had teachers giving up on us,” she said, recalling one who walked out of a class because she was frustrated with the students’ behavior....