Introducing the New Academic Support Centre at Hellgate
New Academic Service Center at Hellgate High School Aims to Support Students
In the summer of 2025, Hellgate High School welcomed the introduction of the Academic Service Center (ASC), thanks to additional Title I funding from the federal government. The new centre, located on the second floor of the old-old library, down the hall from student services for easy student access, is in its initial year of operation.
Britt Hanford, the assistant principal, expressed concern about students suffering alone and in silence, emphasizing that the ASC provides the tools to help them. The ASC is designed to be an open-door environment for students to receive personalized academic support, addressing academic issues before they become irreversible.
Simon Hill and Astrea Steen are the two content interventionists at the ASC. Hill, who previously worked at Sentinel and Big Sky, covers science and math concepts, while Steen handles English and history. Steen stated that the Credit Recovery Lab, a key component of the ASC, aims to make education less menial and more meaningful.
The long-term goal for the ASC, as stated by Simon Hill, is an experiential-learning-based cocurriculum. The primary goal of the ASC, as stated by Hanford, is to reduce dropouts, increase school engagement, and improve attendance. Hanford believes that analyzing data will be the key to measuring the success of the ASC.
The ASC's operation is influenced by the changes in education over the last five to ten years, with COVID being a significant factor in shaping the learning process for students. The ASC is proactive, working with students individually to address academic struggles.
The goal of the ASC is not to eliminate all academic issues but to improve the current situation. Astrea Steen, one of the content interventionists at the ASC, emphasized that the ASC provides the tools to help students earn credits they didn't get in other classrooms, keeping them on track for graduation.
Despite a lack of publicly available information identifying Simon Hill and Astrea Steen as employees in the new Academic Service Center of Hellgate High School, their roles and affiliation with Hellgate High School’s academic services are clear within the ASC. The ASC is a beacon of hope for students at Hellgate High School, offering a supportive environment and personalized academic support to help students succeed.
