A select group of eighth-graders will be getting a head start on high school next year. Wareham High School recently announced its plan for a Middle School/High School Dual Enrollment Program, the Accelerated Academic Academy, set to begin next fall.

This program, which was originally proposed at a December School Committee meeting, will allow a group of eighth grade Wareham Middle School students to be dually enrolled at both the middle school and Wareham High School. Forty-two students have been accepted into this program after an application and interview process

The Accelerated Academic Academy students and will attend WHS classes in the morning, earning high school credits, and WMS classes in the afternoon, fulfilling their middle school course and graduation requirements. The credits these students earn at WHS will allow and prepare them to take higher level math and science courses as juniors and seniors. It will also allow students the possibility to take Advanced Placement courses as sophomores rather than juniors as it is presently.

Another option for this group of students is dual enrollment in an area college, allowing them to earn college credits while fulfilling their high school graduation requirements.

To help transition to this program, there will be an informational meeting for parents/guardians of students accepted into the program on May 20 at 7 p.m. as well as a student orientation later this summer.

High School Principal Scott Palladino and Assistant Principal Deborah Freitas congratulate all the students who have been accepted into the new Academic Accelerated Academy:

Abigail Bergenheim, Juliana Bertrand, Matthew Bridge, Victoria Correia, Victoria Crockett, Evan D'Olimpia, Alexandrea Daher, Kylie Decas, Allison DeLuca, Renneanna Dillen, Nicholas Dix, Shayla Foote, Macleod Fox, Joshua Gallagher, Keanu Hayashi, Madeline Howard, Jenna Iacobucci, Emily Kauranen, Cameron Keith, Vyper LaTulippe, Aubrey LeBlanc, Lucas McManus, Ryann McSherry, Daniel Anthony Minkle III, Tivon Morton, Alana Nicoletti, Cameron Osborne, Ethan Osley, Wilfred Noel Ouellette III, Aaron Packer, Coleby Paling, Kyran Pina, Sheridyn Pinkham, Jillian Rawding, Jamie Read, Justin Schluter, Jacob Scott, Lillian Stahmer, Paige Strawn, Connor Walsh, and Samuel Williams.