[1] Chang said that the school "dole[s] out liberally" positive reinforcement for academic achievement and also "qualities like helping others," and that the praise, given on a daily basis from teachers, and the "celebration" assembly, held every week, "convince students that they can be the first in their families to go to college, if only they work hard.

"[1] Wendy Kopp of The Atlantic said that, at the school, there is "required rigorous coursework, an intense culture of character-building, and an all-out effort by teachers[...]"[2] The school uses specialized vocabulary, referring to all students as "scholars" and teachers ask students to "spark," or to visibly show enthusiasm and energy, and to "track," or look at a person who is speaking.

[1] The school hosts weekly seminars on the importance of using formal speech and what clothes one should wear to a job interview.

[1] The school assigns individual groups of students to a faculty member for all four years as part of its "advisory" system.

Chang said that the system "ensures that each child has a surrogate parent at the school and helps to inculcate the values and behavioral norms associated with the college-bound upper middle class.

It later concluded that its students needed to develop additional reading skills, so it added a literacy program, and according to principal Ben Marcovitz, the curriculum "basically changed over a weekend.

"[5] The school stopped assigning students to read novels such as Lord of the Flies, and began extra grammar and writing classes.

[1][6] 80% of the Sci Academy students received "basic" or higher in the English language arts section.

[1] Also in November 2010, Cindy Chang of the Times Picayune said "As a rule, students do not enter Sci Academy any better-prepared than their counterparts at Carver, Clark, Cohen, John McDonogh or Sarah T. Reed.

[1] Chang added that "Students bring with them the same set of social ills -- single-parent homes, violence-plagued neighborhoods, poverty-related health problems -- found at other urban high schools.

"[1] Cindy Chang of the Times Picayune also said that "teenagers sit bolt upright in their seats -- no surreptitious napping here -- and getting good grades is considered cool.

"[1] According to Macovitz, as paraphrased by Chang, fights become more infrequent "once the faculty convinces new students that they are safe at school and do not need to prove their toughness.

"[1] As of 2010, when a strong rain occurs, the hallway coverings cannot prevent flooding and classes are delayed.