Does your school system have different high school options?

[hereyago]

The thread about the parents of Seniors got me thinking about what the different options are for high schools in different places.

Our school system has: regular high schools, magnet high schools-arts and communication, aviation school that is a magnet school as well. vocational school that covers beauty school, vet assistant, dental assistant,etc.

There are 2 schools for kids who were kicked out of regular school with 1 school being for those who really want to achieve.

many possibilities.

So what does your school system have in way of high school level schools and options?

 

[a1tinkfans]

I know of no other options here, just regular school or private.
Our regular High Schools offer "classes" at vocational schools if kids are interested (automotive, hair etc) but that is part of their school day, not separate.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

No.

 

[tiggerlover]

We have regular high schools, plus Academy programs that are specialized in certain schools and you have to apply and be accepted in order to attend. My son goes to one of these schools, which is out of our school district but still in the same city. He attends the Technology Academy, so in addition to his honors classes he also is working with electronics because his goal in life is to be an avionics tech. Some of the others are an International Baccalaureate program, Math and Science Academy, Law Academy, Performing Art Academy and I think there are two more, but they are escaping me at the moment. With the Academy students they will graduate with two diploma's, one for their high school and one for their adademy program.

 

[shortbun]

We have several magnates, several tech training options, language schools, discipline-last chance or rehab type schools, a severe behavioral school, arts school, Afrocentric school, regular schools and an IB/AP school.

 

[3boymthr]

On the public school side - traditional HS, vocational HS and surprisingly an agricultural HS where the kids can major in things like Animal Husbandry, Forestry, Diesel and Mechanical Technology, Animal and Marine Science, & Plant and Environmental Science.

There are no magnate schools, but if a child is advanced enough there are multiple colleges around that offer programs whereby a child can take college level academics on top of their regular academics.

 

[MomofKatie]

Our county has several options for public schools:

regular 'ol high school

regular HS with a Vo/Tech emphasis

regular HS with AP courses (which may count for some college credit)

charter HS (year round calendar)

magnet HS that focuses on engineering/science/healthcare

magnet HS that is Early College- kids go for 5 years at a local community college. When they graduate, they have a HS diploma AND a college Associates degree. Completely free- no tuition or book cost.

HS for kids expelled from "traditional" HS

Online classes for kids (or adults) who want to get a GED

 

[Pigeon]

We have one high school and one junior high. I have no idea what they do with kids who need an alternative school.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Our district is huge with several dozen high schools, but not all of the options are available to every part of the county.

For our address my son will have the following options:

An IB magnet, with an admissions test to get in.

A math science magnet with an admissions test.

Our local high school that has lots of AP classes, a full IB program, and some specialized programs such as a theater concentration, and a series of courses for kids who are Spanish/English biliterate, either because they came from an immersion program or because they learned Spanish elsewhere.

The option of splitting the day between the high school described above and a vocational school with a variety of programs.

The option of splitting the day with the local fire and EMS academy.

The option of taking some classes at a local college or university.

There are also special ed and alternative programs of various kinds.

I teach in a different school district that is also huge and has a huge number of charter options - pretty much everything under the sun.

 

[gm]

We have 1 magnet school in our school district.

We have an IB school part of a high school which my dd is in.

We have a new elementary school with "pods" for teaching. Its a new concept that if successful will move to all elementary schools.

Ps all the schools are now using tablet computers that are given to each student. No more blackboards. This has been going on for 4 years now.

 

[MomofKatie]

My brain might not be awake yet- I can't figure out what an "IB" school is. Someone refresh my memory?

 

[princessmom29]

WE have lots of specailized programs offered within regular high schools, as well as a couple of magent school and a vocational school we send kids to for half days. We do have an alternative school for problem kids as well. WE offer IB at 2 schools, a pre-engineering program, a perfroming arts magnet, and a full vocational program at the vo/tech school.

 

[scrapquitler]

So what does your school system have in way of high school level schools and options?

My town has two public high schools. You are supposed to attend the one whose district you live in. HOWEVER. One of them is the regional vo-ag school and has several career clusters that you can take special classes in (incl. CNA, and auto shop) and offers Latin. The other has several extra science classes (and a planetarium) and offers German classes. If you want to take Vo-Ag or one of the classes that is not offered at the school in your district, you can attend the other school.

There are several magnet schools in the area but out of district that you can choose to attend as well. They are chosen either by application/audition or lottery depending on the school.

There is also a state run vocational/technical school in the next town that you can choose to attend and apply for.

And of course there are several private schools in the area (including a boarding school right in the center of town) which you can attend if you apply and are accepted and your parents can pay the tuition (the prep school is something like $30K just for tuition, Room and board is extra)

 

[Anne34]

We have 2 high schools in our district (both over 3,000 students) and you attend the high school in your area of town that you live in. No other options besides private schools.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

We have a large school district (100,000 or so students) so there are a lot of choices available for high school. Each school has various academies. My son is in the Visual and Performing Arts Academy at his school, but it also has IB, Finance, and one other that is escaping me at the moment. He had a choice of 5 high schools in our consortium and there's something like 25 high schools in the county. Your location determines which schools you are eligible to attend.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

My brain might not be awake yet- I can't figure out what an "IB" school is. Someone refresh my memory?

International Baccalaureate

 

[MomofKatie]

International Baccalaureate

Ok, thanks... I still don't know what that means...

 

[DebD4T]

Ok, thanks... I still don't know what that means...

The following is cut and pasted from the IB website. This describes the high school IB program.

What is the Diploma Programme?
The IB Diploma Programme is designed as an academically challenging and balanced programme of education with final examinations that prepares students, normally aged 16 to 19, for success at university and life beyond. The programme is normally taught over two years and has gained recognition and respect from the world's leading universities.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The curriculum
IB Diploma Programme students study six courses at higher level or standard level. Students must choose one subject from each of groups 1 to 5, thus ensuring breadth of experience in languages, social studies, the experimental sciences and mathematics. The sixth subject may be an arts subject chosen from group 6, or the student may choose another subject from groups 1 to 5.

In addition the programme has three core requirements that are included to broaden the educational experience and challenge students to apply their knowledge and understanding.

The extended essay is a requirement for students to engage in independent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to one of the subjects they are studying.

Theory of knowledge is a course designed to encourage each student to reflect on the nature of knowledge by critically examining different ways of knowing (perception, emotion, language and reason) and different kinds of knowledge (scientific, artistic, mathematical and historical).

Creativity, action, service requires that students actively learn from the experience of doing real tasks beyond the classroom. Students can combine all three components or do activities related to each one of them separately.

Read more on the Diploma Programme curriculum


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Assessment
Students take written examinations at the end of the programme, which are marked by external IB examiners. Students also complete assessment tasks in the school, which are either initially marked by teachers and then moderated by external moderators or sent directly to external examiners.

The diploma is awarded to students who gain at least 24 points, subject to certain minimum levels of performance across the whole programme and to satisfactory participation in the creativity, action, service requirement. The highest total that a Diploma Programme student can be awarded is 45 points

 

[Andtototoo]

There is the regular high school and what the kids call the "Soarin'" school, so named because, "The kids who attend it are high." It is so well known as the drug school that dd knew a kid who deliberately acted up in regular school so that he'd get booted to "Soarin'" and be in closer proximity to his drug dealer (also another student).

Aside from that there is one small parochial school that goes up through high school, but you have to be an active church member to attend that school. If you went to the next big city, there are three private high schools. Two are parochial -- one of which is a fundamentalist school well-known for its rigidity and the other is a well-regarded Catholic high school; both are super expensive. The third school is very small and super expensive, focusing on high level academics and foreign languages.