Academics

LYMAN WARD ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT PROFILE

• LWMA is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). 

• The teaching faculty has earned degrees
from several notable colleges and universities;
60 percent of the full-time faculty holds
advanced degrees in their field; they average
15 years of teaching experience.  Each faculty
member serves as a mentor for a small group
of cadets, and provides tutorial assistance
after school at least twice a week.  Faculty
members also serve as athletic coaches and
activity sponsors as part of their responsibilities.

• LWMA offers a college preparatory diploma. 
Twenty-four (24) Carnegie Units are required
for graduation, including units in English (4), Mathematics (4),
Social Studies (4), Natural Sciences (4), and Electives (8), including JROTC,
fine arts, foreign language, computing, health, and physical education.

• Typically, 90 percent of seniors enter a college or university upon graduation; 10 percent enter military service.  All seniors are qualified to enter an institution of higher education upon graduation.  LWMA graduates have been accepted to 56 different colleges and universities over
the past five years.  Two seniors from the Class of 2008 have already been awarded four-year Army ROTC scholarships.

• Senior School cadets (grades 9 – 12) follow a college semester schedule, with four 90-minute class periods.  Junior School cadets (grades 6 – 8) have seven, 45-minute class periods.  The academic year is divided into Fall and Spring semesters.  The Academy has a 10-point grading scale.

• Special Studies, a 30-minute tutorial period, is offered twice a week by individual teachers for students who need remediation or extra help.  A mandatory two-hour supervised study hall is conducted Sunday through Thursday nights in the dormitories.  Tutorial assistance is available during each evening study period.

• The Academy provides its own assessment testing for each cadet in reading and mathematics at the beginning and end of each school year.  Cadets also take the ACT, SAT, PSAT, PLAN, ASVAB, and Stanford Achievement Tests, as appropriate to their grade level.

• LWMA offers Advanced Placement (AP) classes in several academic disciplines, and seniors who are eligible may take courses for college credit through the Dual Enrollment Program at Central Alabama Community College (CACC) in Alexander City, AL.