The Freshman Bridge is designed as a transition course for incoming 9th-grade students who need or desire support in multiple subject areas to prepare for their first year of study at Xavier.  Through a cohort model, this course provides support for the academic and social transition from middle school into high school. Students will participate in the following preparatory modules: 

English I Prep & Literacy - This subject module is designed for incoming freshman students who want to improve their English language arts skills.  Students will read, discuss, and analyze The Stranger in the Lifeboat.  Students will work on reading for overt and implicit meaning in these texts, supporting the development of more sophisticated interpretative skills.  Emphasis will be placed on reading comprehension, the discovery of new vocabulary, and textual analysis to become a stronger reader.  Students will strengthen their knowledge and application of skills related to grammar, paragraph unity and coherence, and essay structure, in order to become stronger writers. 

Math Prep & Literacy - This subject module is designed for incoming freshman students who want to improve their mathematics skills. Emphasis will be placed on reinforcing and further developing the fundamentals of algebra and the language of mathematics. Topics include, but are not limited to the following: arithmetic, evaluating algebraic expressions, solving equations and inequalities, factoring, and developing problem-solving skills.   Students will be grouped according to math level in order to best support the needs of each student.

Executive Function & Study Skills Prep - This module is designed to support incoming freshman students with the busyness of high school life and balancing academic and co-curricular activities.  Students will work toward developing the following skills:  getting organized, effective study and test-taking skills, social integration skills, time management, academic accountability, note-taking and journaling, goal setting, stress management, and academic planning.

Leadership Prep & Formation – This module is designed to help students develop and strengthen their leadership skills within the high school community.  Students will build confidence, improve communication skills, and learn how to take initiative, collaborate effectively with others, and lead with integrity.  Students will explore what it means to be a leader with attention to service, responsibility, and ethical decision-making.
 

Freshman Bridge is a non-credit course. Freshman Bridge will be conducted in person on Xavier's campus.

Registration fee: FREE (does not include the cost of summer reading books) 

Summer book requirement: https://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Lifeboat-Novel-Mitch-Albom/dp/006288834X 

DATES & TIMES:  Freshman Bridge runs according to the following schedule, daily from 8:30 am - 12:30 am:

Program Start Date:  Monday, June 15
Program End Date:  Friday, June 26

ENROLLMENT: We have limited enrollment and are only available for students enrolled at Xavier during the 2026-2027 school year. Xavier reserves the right to cancel our courses that do not meet minimum enrollment. Students will be scheduled according to class and period availability on a first-come, first-served basis, families will be contacted should a class be cancelled or full.

ATTENDANCE: All students enrolled in Freshman Bridge must be on time and in attendance each day.

APPEARANCE: Students are expected to dress appropriately for class. Attire must be in good taste. Xavier t-shirts and shorts that approach the knee are perfectly acceptable.

TECHNOLOGY: All students enrolled in Freshman Bridge will need a device such as Chromebook, Windows PC (WindowsOS 11 & 10), or Apple computer (MacOS 10.15 or higher). Students will be issued a Xavier email account connected to a student Google account that will be used for the entirety of this seminar and throughout their time at Xavier. If a student does not have a device, please contact Ms. Kristy Gitmed at kgitmed@xavierprep.org 

FOOD: Lunch is not available for purchase so please bring a lunch. We will have a snack store with a variety of items that are available for purchase at lunch and break.

 

BY CHECKING THE BOX ABOVE I/WE ACKNOWLEDGE I/WE HAVE READ THIS PARTICIPATION, ASSUMPTION OF RISK, WAIVER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY, AND INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT; FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS TERMS; UNDERSTAND THAT I/WE HAVE GIVEN UP SUBSTANTIAL RIGHTS BY SIGNING IT; AND HAVE SIGNED IT FREELY AND VOLUNTARILY WITHOUT ANY INDUCEMENT (OTHER THAN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN XAVIER’S 2026 SUMMER PROGRAM), ASSURANCE OR GUARANTEE BEING MADE TO ME/US. I/WE INTEND MY/OUR SIGNATURE(S) TO EFFECT A COMPLETE AND UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE AND WAIVER OF ALL LIABILITY, INCLUDING ANY NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASEES IDENTIFIED IN THIS AGREEMENT, AND TO INDEMNIFY THE RELEASEES, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW.