Editor's Note: This school year, The Times will embark on a project, the first of its kind in Northwest Indiana, to follow Calumet High School and Hammond High School for the school year. Both schools have granted education reporter Carmen McCollum unprecedented access to chronicle the school day -- sitting in on classes, meeting with teachers and administrators and talking to students and parents about the school and related events. Each Monday beginning Sept. 6, The Times will publish a story highlighting the schools.

This school year brings a fresh approach to six schools on probation in Lake County as the pressure mounts from state schools Superintendent Tony Bennett to boost academic achievement.

The failing Lake County schools are Gary Roosevelt High School, East Chicago Central High, Calumet High in Lake Ridge Schools, Hammond Morton High, Hammond High and Central Elementary in Lake Station. The elementary school will be off probation when it closes at the end of the school year.

According to Indiana Public Law 221, schools that remain on probation for six consecutive years are subject to state intervention, which could include the state taking over the schools and installing a team to manage all or part of the schools as early as June.

This year, Calumet High has implemented the New Tech model of school reform for freshmen and sophomores. Students will focus on project-based learning and teachers will serve as facilitators rather than lecturers.

Hammond High chose the turnaround method of reform, resulting in the school choosing a new principal and eliminating 50 percent of the staff.

Even though juniors and seniors are not part of New Tech, Calumet High Principal Tim Pivarnik said teachers in New Tech will work with those who teach upperclassmen in a buddy-buddy program. By the 2012-13 school year, the entire high school will be New Tech.

The program got off to a good start when school began Aug. 18, but there were a few glitches, as two technology experts at the school are on sick leave.

Two of six classrooms didn't have Internet service six days after school was in session. Teacher Dustin Nelson said, "We need more tech people. There may also be some software issues that we can handle ourselves."

Nelson likes the ability for teachers to get together in the middle of the day to talk. Freshmen and sophomores are taking electives at those times in other parts of the building. They return to their New Tech classrooms at 12:26 p.m.

New Tech Director Cynthia Trevino said they expected some "hiccups" but will work through them.

"Despite that, the kids are responding very well," she said.

Hammond High received an Indiana Department of Education grant of $5.9 million to be used over the next three years to improve the school.

Leslie Yanders is the new principal of curriculum and instruction, approved by the state, and former assistant principal Robert Wilson is principal of climate and operations.

The freshmen academy at Hammond High was so successful last year that school administrators are using some of its $2 million this year to create a sophomore academy as well as small learning communities to help students.

An official state report, which reviewed school performance last fall, said "the school does not gather and analyze data well enough to have a clear and up-to-date understanding of the progress of each student and subgroups of students."

Yanders said that's going to change. She said the school will be data-driven and expects to "exceed benchmarks."

Yanders said the school is using the state's curriculum-mapping program to make sure the curriculum is aligned to state standards.

Counselors Lori Owens and Juanita Camacha said they will talk to students about the importance of their grades and grade point average.

Hammond High only offers three Advanced Placement classes, but it offers several honors classes. It does not yet offer dual-credit classes allowing students to earn college credit while they are in high school. School leaders said they are looking into dual credit.

The state report said the administration has gained respect for the way in which the school has raised expectations of student behavior and improved the school climate. Yanders said she intends to build on that as well as improve the relationship between the school and the community.