ESS & EL accommodations will still be serviced and supported in the Academy model. Graduation requirements take priority; we want all students to be able to be Academy completers, but know that in some cases, exceptions will need to be made. There isn't a universal cure for apathy; however, with an emphasis over four years on goals, forward thinking, and networking with business and community, hopefully students are more engaged and excited to attend school.
There isn't a universal cure for apathy; however, with an emphasis over four years on goals, forward thinking, and networking with business and community, hopefully students are more engaged and excited to attend school.
Advisory in its current setup will discontinue at the end of the current school year (23-24).
Students will be allowed to switch academies 1 time after their sophomore year. This still gives them a chance to complete a pathway. Students will only be able to take pathway courses on their campus. (eg. Culinary students must be enrolled at MHS)
The teaching and learning tactic team is developing plans for what the expectations for projects through the lens will look like. There will be PD that takes place prior to any expectations or minimum numbers of projects to complete has been set.
We will need to work with ESS to develop experiences and opportunities for students in self-contained programs so that they are also able to explore pathways.
Students would self-select to take an extra course like a 0 or 7th hour. The aspect of choice should help with this.
Students will have 1 elective during 9th grade, 10th grade, and 11th grade, they will have 3 electives during senior year. A student could take art classes as these elective options.
0 hour classes will only be held at Late Start schools; 7th hour classes will only be held at Early start schools. Schools won't offer both options.
We won't really have true projections for this for about 2 years. School activities, sports, and the draw to attend a student's home school will still factor in the enrollment process.
Selecting a pathway does not lock a student into a future career--it may actually show the student what they don't want to do as a career. This is ok! The pathway classes will allow students to develop professional skills, potentially earn college credit and industry credentials, and get them thinking about life after high school earlier.
Utilizing the 0/7th hour opportunities and increasing summer school original credit opportunities will open up more course opportunities for students.
Students are able to take any type of course combination they like--we will not be building programs of study to align with pathways.
Should the school calendar change in future years, we would adjust accordingly.
Students are able to take any type of course combination they like--we will not be building programs of study to align with pathways. A Construction student could take all AP classes and an Engineering student could take all grade-level courses.
Scheduling options will continue to be reviewed and looked at for future school years.
Initial feedback from Site Councils, Partner Summits, and Business Partner meetings has been very positive regarding Academy Names.
Capstone projects and Capstone courses will be discussed and potentially created as we continue to develop our Academy Model.
The academics team will be doing the initial creation of projects through the lens. The projects would then be reviewed for feedback in future GVC meetings. PD will be provided to staff geared towards developing and implementing projects through the lens.
Freshmen Experience will focus on the pathways on the student's home campus. Growing Grad Nights (8th grade presentations) will introduce the pathways districtwide.
Our West-Mec partnership will continue to grow. WM programs are typically the programs that are too costly to house on our comprehensive high schools.
All current CTE and Arts courses are organized into academies on their specific campus. See the Academies of the Southwest Valley doc linked in the Update.
Yes--we would still continue the junior college visits.
Boundaries and open enrollment will continue as in year's past. Students will need to enroll full time on a campus in order to take a campus specific program at this time. (eg. If you want to be in Engineering, you would have to be at VHS)
Yes, the CTE & Strategic Alliances department is currently engaging with community partners to secure guest speakers, etc for next year. Teachers will not reach out to community members--this will be the role of the site's Academy Coach. The Academy Coach will be the site's community liaison and will coordinate all guest speakers and Academy events.
No teacher will be required to teach their courses 100% of the time through any lens. Projects or activities through a lens would occur, but not with daily frequency. We will not be utilizing the Small Learning Community model that Nashville incorporates.
Next year will continue to use the 6 period traditional model. In 25-26, you will begin to see 0 hour classes at Late Start Schools and 7th hour classes at Early start schools. We will continue to examine schedule models over the next 5 years.
The only way to participate in a school's programs is to be enrolled full time on that campus. During our 8th grade "Growing Graduates" presentations with Avondale and Litchfield we inform parents/students of the programs on all campuses. Teacher movement would continue to follow our current HR practices of the Transfer option and the Needs/Excess process.
We would need to work with the student in this particular situation, just like we do with all transfer students.
All students will need to select either a CTE pathway or an Arts Pathway.
We are beginning the Academy Model using our current CTE and Arts Pathways. We will begin to research and review the potential for new programs on campus beginning next year (24-25).
We are beginning the Academy Model using our current CTE and Arts Pathways. We will begin to research and review the potential for new programs on campus beginning next year (24-25). Through work-based learning experiences and community networking students will be able to develop a professional skillset regardless of the pathway they choose that will help them to be successful in their future career pathway.
Attached in the May Academics Update.
The content, experiences, and teachers will be engaging and relevant. It will be a great course to get 9th graders connected to their campus.
Freshman teachers will participate in teaming training and will be provided Team meeting time on Wednesdays to convene.
We continue each year to increase our dual enrollment offerings on every campus. DE offerings are always contingent on teachers having the appropriate certification/approval by the partner colleges.
Students have 1 elective option each year (grades 9-11) and 3 options at the senior level to take additional Math/Science courses. Additionally, we will have course offerings during 0 hour (late campuses) and 7th hour (early campuses) where students may take additional courses.
There is no plan at this time to change any curriculum models to include more creative writing opportunities.
Course Selection sheets are updated yearly--Dual enrollment opportunities are contingent upon the teacher being certified/approved by the college to teach the course.
Next year, we will offer Education Professions at Desert Edge HS. We offered this on course selection sheets this year, but it did not make on the other campuses. We will continue to make that as an option for students to select each school year moving forward.
We will continue to explore the potential for block schedule, but at this time, we will continue in our current 6 period model.
Students that transfer in will be supported in the following ways: if they previously took a pathway course, we will work to continue the placement. If they have never taken a pathway course, we will get them placed in a course of their choosing. If they transfer in late and do not have the opportunity to complete a pathway, that is ok--graduation requirements are the top priority.
A teacher teaching a zero or 7th period class would be on a flex schedule. EG. period 1 and 2 could be prep periods, periods 3-7 could be the 5 classes that are taught.
Funding for the Academies is coming in a variety of ways from Bond monies to Grant funding to future planning within our current budgeting capacity. I do not have a specific breakdown at this time, but will work to have this during the 24-25 school year.
We are beginning the Academy Model using our current CTE and Arts Pathways. We will begin to research and review the potential for new programs on campus beginning next year (24-25).
Yes--the "Campus Visit" Guaranteed Experience will include 4 year, 2 year, and Trade School options.
Through the development of Portrait of a Graduate Skills and exposure to real-world and relevant scenarios.
