History
Calhoun City Schools is proud to be one of Georgia’s Charter School Systems and celebrates 120 years of excellence. Through its storied history, Calhoun City Schools has been known for its success in academics, athletics and the arts. Throughout Calhoun City Schools’ existence, community support has been a critical component of that success. Its mission of inspiring all students to become life-long learners in the pursuit of excellence is achieved daily. Interwoven into the tapestry of the historical lineage of Calhoun City Schools, is a commitment to excellence and community spirit that rests on the very pulse of its existence. This rich tradition would not be possible were it not for the involvement of our parents, business leaders and community over the years.
The Past
On December 22, 1896, an Act was approved by the General Assembly of Georgia, authorizing the municipal authorities of Calhoun to levy a tax for establishing, and maintaining a public school system for the town, and constituting a Board of Education composed of F.A. Cantrell, W.G. Fuller, T.W. Harbin, W.L. Himes, W.R. Rankin Sr., and O.N. Starr. This Act was ratified by the voters of Calhoun September 14, 1901.
An Act approved by the General Assembly December 16, 1901, permitted the transference of the old school property, corner of Fain Street and College Avenue, to the mayor and aldermen of Calhoun and their successors for public school purposes, and the buildings were erected on this site.
The tax levy for maintenance was fixed at $1.50 a thousand; superintendent’s salary, $80.00 per month; teachers’ salaries, from $25 to $35 a month; janitor’s hire, $4.50 monthly. Teachers were required to take 10 weeks of normal training in a summer school. Tuition fees for non-resident students ranged from $1 to $3. The school was divided into three departments: Primary- composed of first, second, and third grades; Grammar, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades; and High School, eighth and ninth grades. Two grades were assigned to each teacher. A course of study covering nine grades was arranged, teachers were chosen, and the public school, at that time the town’s most ambitious venture, was inaugurated in September 1902, with an enrollment of 155 students.
The Golden Age of the school’s development was 1916-1927 under superintendent M.C. Allen, at which time literary standards and physical equipment attained to the requirements of the Southern Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges, entitling graduates of the high school to enter any college or university in the South without examination.
The Present
The Calhoun City Schools System is a public Charter School System located in the foothills of northwest Georgia, approximately 65 miles northwest of Atlanta. Through its storied 119 year history, Calhoun City Schools has been known for its strong and rich history of academic and athletic excellence. Throughout Calhoun City Schools’ existence, stakeholder involvement has been a critical component of its success. Although challenges exist, Calhoun City Schools looks at these challenges as opportunities to reach its mission of inspiring all students to become life-long learners in the pursuit of excellence. Interwoven into the tapestry of the historical lineage of Calhoun City Schools, is a commitment to excellence and community spirit that rests on the very pulse of its existence. This rich tradition of the Calhoun City Schools would not be possible were it not for the involvement of stakeholders over the years.
One hundred and nineteen years after the inaugural school was opened, we welcome to our schools more than 4,297 students and we project our enrollment to be more than 4500 students by the year 2025. Calhoun City Schools’ demographics for FY21 are as follows: 51% white, 37% of our students are Hispanic, 6% black, and approximately 6% of our students are multiracial, Asian or Native American. We are a school system of choice with 23% of our student population composed of non-resident students. Students participating in special programs include more than 400 of our students served by special education programs, and we are proud to share that our Special Education graduation rate of 100% was recognized by the Georgia Department of Education as a leader in the state for the outstanding efforts to improve the performance of students with disabilities. The increase of Hispanic immigrants joining our community has naturally resulted in a large number of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students; 14% of our students participate in ESOL services. The system percentage of students receiving free and/or reduced lunches is 58%. Each of the schools within the Calhoun City Schools System is designated as a Title I school and the system also shares this designation.
Our school family continues to grow with more than 250 certified educators and approximately 150 support staff members. More than 3,134 students are transported daily via school buses and we’ve recently added three new buses to our fleet. As a school system, CCS desires to move the finish line beyond graduation, educating students about the countless opportunities present to them once they complete their high school career. Every day our cafeteria workers prepare more than 3,000 school lunches and 1,500 breakfast plates. Our technology department maintains more than 3,000 computers in our school system with added capabilities within our schools and via the Internet for support both at home and at school. All schools have high speed internet capabilities with access to wireless. The students per instructional computers ratio is 1:1. All of our schools have updated safety and emergency preparedness plans so that we can continue to provide the finest and safest education possible for our students. We continue to engage the many businesses in our community while having more than 54 businesses as active members of our Partners in Education Program.
To meet the needs of our growing clientele, our facilities are changing as well. The Calhoun Educational Complex which houses the primary and elementary school was completed in the fall of 2004. A new Calhoun Middle and High School educational campus was completed in 2014 with the last phase reaching maturation in the spring of 2015. Our Pre-k Program shared an older primary school building with the Central Office until the 2020-2021 school year. The district staff moved to a new Central Office facility in the fall of 2019 and PreK remained at the site until the end of the 2019-2020 school year. PreK classes moved to the Calhoun Educational Complex in the fall of 2020. The PreK building was raised and a new Early Learning Academy is being constructed on the site. Construction will be completed in the Fall of 2022. PreK and Kindergarten classes will move to the new learning academy along with our Junior Jacket Academy which includes a two and three year old program. Many athletic and extracurricular facility enhancements have been made over the past several years and we are proud of what we have to offer our students, recognizing that as enrollment increases, we must continue to meet the needs of all learners. We continue to grow to fit our community’s needs to accommodate growth. Maintenance and operations planning includes facility enhancements.
While the district has not been immune to economic challenges over the last ten years that have included substantial austerity cuts, it is set apart largely because of the culture and climate in which it flourishes. Calhoun City Schools is a progressive school district that embodies its mission, "Inspiring all students to become lifelong learners in the pursuit of excellence." Of the four schools in the system, all four are designated as public charter schools which offer engaging programs focused around the areas of academics, arts and athletics. The College and Career Academy of Calhoun City Schools is a school within a school concept which engages student learners at all levels in a host of career pathways and dual enrollment opportunities. This affords students and parents the opportunity to select the most challenging educational path that is best suited for students' particular strengths and interests. Students discover their talents and abilities through self-selected specialty classes such as art, technology, music, CTAE, etc.
Our vision for Calhoun City Schools is to ensure that all of our students are not only meeting state standards by the year 2025 but exceeding them as we continue to inspire all students to become life-long learners in the pursuit of excellence.
The vision of the school community is reflected in a superintendent who makes a point of building deep and genuine relationships with students, parents, support staff, teachers, school leaders, central office personnel, and anyone else connected with the Calhoun City Schools System. The superintendent's priority is to provide a safe and engaging learning environment where excellence in academics, arts and athletics is the expectation and not the exception. Administrators, teachers, and staff are expected to model the vision and mission of CCS with all stakeholders. Under her leadership and with the governance of a truly committed Board of Education, the efforts of the teachers, administrators, support personnel, parents, community stakeholders, and students are clearly aligned, and the children of the Calhoun City Schools System are the rich beneficiaries of a culture that makes them its highest priority.
In addition to the public schools, Calhoun City is also home to Georgia Northwestern Technical College – Gordon County Campus. Our superintendent serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the College. The Georgia Technical College System is a vital educational partner, offering numerous dual enrollment options for our students both on-site at Calhoun High School and on their state-of-the-art campus.
The mission of Calhoun City Schools System is "To inspire all students to become life-long learners in the pursuit of excellence." The district's strategic plan consisting of Calhoun City’s mission and vision, portrait of a graduate and system goals guide the district's work. The Comprehensive Needs Assessment serves as the roadmap for assessing and monitoring district level goals. At the same time, the District Improvement Plan and the School Improvement Plans provide the mechanism for aligning district and school level goals with detailed strategies dedicated to continuous improvement. Calhoun City Schools embraces the Plan, Do, Check, Act model. School improvement initiatives are monitored frequently using formative and survey data which enables the district to modify improvement plans and adjust instruction to meet the needs of students. Stakeholders play a vital role in this process are an essential part of the school improvement process.
The Calhoun City School System believes every learner has unique gifts and passions. The current superintendent, Dr. Michele Taylor, is in her thirteenth year as superintendent of CCS. Leading the system mission, "To inspire all students to become lifelong learners in the pursuit of excellence," she seeks to fulfill the mission by empowering school leaders to meet the needs of each child and each community of learners. By challenging building principals to "engage the community as the classroom," Superintendent Taylor has fostered an environment where possibilities become realities. Schools have been granted tremendous autonomy all the while being expected to adhere to the district's mission.
As the district has experienced budget cuts, increases in enrollment, revised accountability systems, and the challenges inherent to diversified needs, the District Improvement Plan has proven itself to be a fluid guidance document. While the mission has remained a constant since its inception, the District Improvement Plan has been revised and will continue to be revised for the purpose of aligning both district and state level accountability features.
The Calhoun City School System believes that the engagement of young people in rigorous programs that focus on their individual strengths and interests is the way to improvement, achievement, and enthusiasm for lifelong learning. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) classrooms within Calhoun City Schools are evidence of such a belief.
In the spring of each school year, school-level leadership teams come together for a system retreat with a school improvement focus. The retreat offers an opportunity to collaborate and discuss current levels of performance in furthering the vision for students. Georgia’s Department of Education provides data analyses to help each school evaluate itself against other systems in Georgia. System-wide professional development days provide activities that exemplify current research and procedures for all teachers. These sessions are aligned to support the district mission - To inspire all students to become lifelong learners in the pursuit of excellence.
Partnership Overview
Our Charter is designed to ensure that students are supported by our diverse community through strong business partnerships, agency alliances and governing bodies within the school itself. Through our continuous improvement process, various affiliations and partnerships, we have realized that to maintain the long-standing tradition of excellence in the face of an ever-changing world, we must be flexible and embrace new ideas and innovations to meet the demands of these changes. As a major component of our continuous improvement process, we continually strive to develop an academic curriculum and partnerships that step outside of traditional educational models and embrace opportunities for learning that encourage the concept of lifelong learning and community leadership. One such innovation is to “utilize our community as a classroom” by continuing to develop strong partnerships and alliances. Currently more than eighty district level partners in education have made a commitment to the students, the district, and the community to support the continuous improvement process by partnering and providing varied services and resources. These partners have agreed to commit financial, intellectual and human resources to the district’s processes. A complete listing of our partnerships may be viewed at https://www.calhounschools.org/community/partners-in-education.
Our Community Education PIE Program (Partner In Education) continually seeks out and develops relationships with other potential partners. Our PIE program has been an instrumental piece in the development of our Calhoun College and Career Academy.
Calhoun College and Career Academy
Geographically Calhoun City Schools is located in Gordon County in the Northwest corner of the state on the I-75 corridor. Gordon County is a rapidly-growing county 55th out of 186, according to the 2010 Census. Georgia Northwestern Technical College performed the most recent needs assessment of the region in late 2007. Respondents from healthcare, technology, manufacturing, banking, construction, education, and service sectors indicated that they employed more than 10,000 people and that employment needs were growing in all these areas requiring specific technical training. In planning for this grant, information from the US Department of Labor, the Georgia Department of Labor, the Census Bureau, the Georgia Office of Planning and Budget indicates that total employment in Northwest Georgia is projected to increase by 12.5% by 2014, with the highest need in healthcare, technology, service and manufacturing. The economy and the new College and Career Readiness Performance Index have given Calhoun City Schools a new vision for the 21st century.
In an effort to meet the needs of the local economy and the changing school accountability measures, Calhoun City Schools have developed a College and Career Academy, governed by a board of directors, that spans the entire life of a student from Pre-K to 12th grade. Information from the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce, representing Gordon County and the City of Calhoun, as well as various members of the business and industry community (including manufacturing, healthcare, education, and service) are being continuously polled concerning economic outlook and job growth and called upon through CTAE Advisory Boards, Work-Based Learning and Youth Apprenticeships, job shadowing, career days, field trips, mentors and guest speakers.
Through these community/business stakeholder discussions and relationships, it is apparent that one of the challenges school systems face today is the development of students that graduate with requisite 21st Century Skills that focus on literacy, technology, math and science knowledge, higher order thinking skills and problem solving in order to be successful in the workforce and the community. Although many initiatives for STEM Education exist, most US school districts do not offer STEM options, mainly due to the lack of qualified teachers and funding. Calhoun College and Career Academy is proud to boast a robust STEM program with it's own facility to support student learning within the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This facility is on the campus of Calhoun High School and is also home to our online learning academy.
Calhoun City School is proud of our curriculum which supports those students who are extremely driven and work toward the highest educational level possible. This plan begins with the Discovery Program which serves those students identified as gifted under state testing and identification guidelines. Discovery is offered to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Once a student enters middle school, they may be enrolled in honors classes without being technically identified as gifted. These placements are based upon teacher referral, educational performance, and work ethic. This criteria is also continued throughout high school where students can further challenge themselves through honors and/or the Advanced Placement Programs. Gifted and honors services are designed to meet the specific needs of gifted students by emphasizing the following competencies:
- Critical and creative thinking
- Higher order reasoning
- Extensive and advanced research skills
- Advanced and accelerated academics
In grades k-5, students are served through both the pull-out/enrichment model as well as cluster model. The pull-out/enrichment allows students to meet with gifted peers to explore higher level/critical thinking in a variety of content settings with a gifted certified teacher. This class includes only those students who have been identified as gifted by state guidelines. The cluster model operates within the general classroom setting. In this setting, a small group of gifted students are placed within an otherwise heterogeneously mixed classroom with a gifted certified teacher. The teacher has received specific training in how to meet the needs of the gifted child through differentiation within the classroom to ensure that the students are provided with a rigorous and challenging educational experience that meets their individual needs.
At Calhoun Middle School, students may participate in honors classes which offer advanced content that moves at an accelerated pace. All honors classes are taught by a certified gifted teacher. By utilizing this approach all students placed in these classes will continue to be prepared for the rigor and academic demands that come in high school and college. Calhoun Middle School recognizes the educational benefits of offering a model of instruction that provides opportunities to a greater number of students than could be met with a resource setting as we work to prepare our students for their high school career. Students at Calhoun Middle School are provided an opportunity to earn high school credit in language arts, mathematics, science and several CTAE program areas.
Calhoun High School offers both honors and advanced placement, work based learning opportunities, and a robust offering of dual-enrollment courses. Honors level classes provide students with a rigorous curriculum that challenges them to a level higher than a general education class could provide. These classes are instructed by gifted certified teachers. Advanced Placement courses are offered in 14 subject areas. These courses are taught by teachers trained in Advanced Placement instruction. Students are exposed to a highly rigorous curriculum and are given the opportunity to earn college credit by a high performance level on the AP test at the conclusion of the course. The work based learning program takes the premise of an internship program to a much higher level. Students are not only exposed to careers of their individual interest, but are entrenched in that career while working side by side with the employer. Students also receive specific guidance in employability skills training.
This program is designed to offer students an opportunity to explore their career choice in depth throughout the course of their junior and/or senior year. Dual enrollment has grown significantly over the past 5 years at Calhoun High School. Students have the opportunity to earn college credit with a partnering college, university, or technical school in all academic areas. These partnerships with post-secondary institutions, and the courses offered, represent the focus on preparing students for life beyond high school.
Calhoun Primary/Elementary Complex
At Calhoun Primary/Elementary School, we utilize the Georgia Standards of Excellence as a base to design engaging lessons and units of study for our students. These standards provide a consistent framework to prepare students for success in college and/or the 21st century workplace. The performance standards provide clear expectations for instruction, assessment, and student work. They define the level of work that demonstrates achievement of the standards. GKIDS, MAP and the CCRPI are formally used to aid the measurement implementation of those standards in Language Arts and Mathematics in grades K-5. Additional academic support is provided through our English as a Second Language, Early Intervention, Multi Tiered System of Supports, Discovery (gifted education), and Exceptional Student Services programs.
At the start of the 2020-2021 school year, Calhoun Primary/Elementary launched the Calhoun Online Learning Academy (COLA Jr.) for students PreK-5th grade. This opportunity is an innovative approach to student learning in which an individualized plan is created for each and every participant. The primary goal of COLA Jr. is to deliver an individually tailored educational model which meets the diverse needs of 21 century learners.
Calhoun Primary/Elementary is a Title I school and operates the program school wide. Title I is the largest federal assistance program for our nation’s schools. Title I provides federal funds to public schools with high numbers or percentages of economically disadvantaged children to help ensure that all children meet the state’s challenging academic content and student achievement standards. Schools with 40% or more of children from low income families can develop school wide Title I programs to serve all students. Calhoun Primary/Elementary operates a school wide Title I program.
Our school believes in the value of building relationships with students, parents, and each other. All of our faculty and staff have been trained in the Capturing Kids’ Hearts framework and are intentional in building a strong culture of trust within our school family. Calhoun Primary/Elementary was proud to be named a Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase School by the Flippen Group for the 2019-2020 school year. Calhoun Primary/Elementary partners with the Calhoun High School Key club to implement the Big Jacket/Little Jacket mentor program. Students from the complex are matched with high school students who regularly visit and read with them, eat lunch, play games and provide any additional support the student may need.
All students K-5 are afforded the opportunity to participate in special programs in the areas of art, music, PE, STEM, guidance, and project based learning. Students also have the opportunity to participate in competitions such as: Young Georgia Authors, Red Ribbon Drugs Don’t Work poster contest, Georgia State Bus Safety contest, Math Mania, Science Fair, Brain Bowl, Huddle House Write to Win, Special Olympics, and Menlo Cross Country Race. Extra curricular activities are offered before and after school which include: chorus, 4-5 musical, Odyssey of the Mind, VEX robotics team, STEM club, art club, basketball club, school newspaper, ROTA kids, FCA, and Good News Club.
Calhoun Primary/Elementary have strong Partners in Education. Many businesses support our work through gifts and time. Huddle House and Chick-Fil-A are prime examples of this type of partnership. Chick-Fil-A sponsors our Core Essentials Character Program by providing instructional material and celebratory meals for students based on their achievement. Huddle House supports our school improvement initiatives in numerous ways which include, Huddle on the Bus reading time with students, Social Contract Champion meals, and Page to Stage rewards for ESOL students. They also provide meals for faculty and staff appreciation days and for parents who attend literacy training.
Calhoun Middle/High Campus
Through cooperative planning, the Calhoun College and Career Academy (CCCA) can offer the best educational experience possible for our students and strengthen the progression from sixth grade through graduation. Utilizing the GA Futures, You Science, and the BRIDGE Law for guidance, we plan to meet the expectations outlined in the State College and Career Readiness Performance Index. This guidance is designed to ensure that students are exposed to multiple career development opportunities to assist them in effectively selecting a career pathway in high school that will lead them after graduation through post-secondary and/or the work force. For example, by exposing students to career-based instruction in all grades 6-12, we can expand student exploration opportunities in the 17 pathways across 9 career clusters offered. In addition, middle school students can explore and examine CTAE pathways prior to high school enrollment to make an informed decision regarding pathway concentration upon entering 9th grade. These courses and exploratory opportunities support existing curriculum in place which includes music, chorus/drama, 21st-century technology, and STEM. Through the process of vertical alignment and collaboration, we will continue to add a greater variety of career opportunities in the future. These plans include an expansion to our existing programs to increase exposure over time to career-related fields. It is our desire to provide all students with the foundation needed to select a career pathway based upon their interests, as well as gain valuable career readiness knowledge and skills that help to prepare them for their future.
We are implementing and integrating the Calhoun College and Career Academy both horizontally and vertically across the curriculum by providing programs and resources that support teacher effectiveness to improve student achievement and higher-order thinking skills. This will be accomplished by including Power Skills grading across all classes and by using the "Community as a Classroom," developing an integrated academic curriculum and partnerships that encourage students and educators to step outside of traditional models and embrace opportunities for learning that encourages the concepts of post-secondary readiness, lifelong learning, and community leadership. Such extended classroom settings will allow students to practice and apply learned skills in real-world environments and situations. To be effective we will embrace Hybrid Middle/High School Instructional Models for classes that will allow a sharing of instructional staff and resources that are dependent upon innovative, flexible scheduling models that provide students access to all college and career pathways. As we continue to grow the CCCA, we will continue utilizing a School-Within-a-School Learning Communities concept, mini academies can be developed based upon current data, needs assessments and student/community stakeholder input. Research has shown that smaller learning communities build relationships, strengthen collaborative skill sets, and offer great advantages for student academic growth. Such mini-academies can focus on advanced placement, language acquisition, fine arts, career readiness, communication skills, public speaking, citizenship, leadership, writing, and other areas to strengthen student confidence and awareness as they strive to meet post-secondary goals.
CTAE Program Offerings
Agricultural Science- Production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing, and development of agricultural commodities and resources including food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products/resources.
Broadcast Video Production- Designing, producing, exhibiting, and publishing multimedia to prepare students for employment or entry into a postsecondary education program in the Broadcast/Video Production career field.
Construction- Prepares students with knowledge and hands-on skills, including safety, for students who dream of designing, planning, managing, building or maintaining the structures where we live, work and play.
Culinary Arts-Design, creation, and serving of food, and for students interested in the “art” of cooking and continuing in the culinary arts field.
Education- Planning, managing, and providing of education and training services and related learning support services.
Graphic Design- Designing, producing, exhibiting, and publishing products utilizing or incorporating words or pictorial images to convey information, ideas, and feelings. Students can acquire a fundamental understanding of the graphic communications and design world.
Healthcare Science- Planning, managing, and providing of services that promote health, wellness, and diagnosis, as well as treat, injuries and diseases.
Information Technology- Information Technology involves the design, development, support, and management of hardware, software, multimedia, and systems integration services.
Public Safety- Execution of governmental functions, and the planning, managing, and providing legal, investigation, forensics, public safety, protective services, and homeland security.
STEM- Introduces students to the principles of engineering, areas of specialization within engineering, and how to apply engineering tools and procedures to complete hands-on instructional activities with tools, materials, and processes.
Calhoun Online Learning Academy
The Calhoun Online Learning Academy (COLA) was established in the summer of 2013 and is currently in its eighth year as a thriving academic extension of Calhoun City Schools. Serving students in grades Pre-K-12, COLA (grades 6-12) and (grades PreK-5) offers an innovative approach to student learning in which an individualized plan is created for each participant. Students 6-12 can be served in our lab setting at the STEMWorks building at the CMS/CHS campus, from home, or through blended learning and hybrid opportunities. Students Pre-K-5 have full home placement opportunities. The primary goal of COLA is to deliver an individually tailored educational model which meets the diverse needs of 21st century learners.
In addition to providing individual students with a customized educational plan, the COLA program also offers blended learning opportunities to classroom teachers. Blended learning is an educational program in which a student learns at least in part through online delivery of content and instruction. A successful blended learning course leads to using more participation and student-centered learning activities. Blended learning in the classroom will benefit Calhoun City School students by providing opportunities with the following:
- More interaction with teachers and peers.
- Use and availability of up-to-date resources in all content areas on the web.
- Immediate and more frequent feedback from online coursework.
- Enhances critical thinking and problem solving skills.
- Promotes time management skills.
- 24/7 access to courses and materials online.
Calhoun City Schools students who meet eligibility requirements are allowed to participate in extracurricular programs and athletics. This opportunity includes those who are enrolled in the Calhoun Online Learning Academy. COLA has played a major role in helping students achieve full scholarships to colleges and universities by allowing students a flexible schedule option to pursue future career and academic interests.
COLA adheres to a rolling admission process in which applications are received throughout the school year. As space becomes available, the Calhoun Online Learning Advisory Board reviews applications for potential student placement. COLA has a dedicated staff and progress monitoring system in place to provide students with support so they can be successful in the virtual courses they are taking through COLA. All applications are submitted online via the COLA Application page on the Calhoun City Schools website.
The Future
CCS utilizes our Partners in Education (currently 54 active partners, and growing) and our community as an innovative extended classroom setting, with hybrid models of instruction and scheduling and learning community. Such settings and models will provide new applied learning opportunities for students that increase and reinforce academic rigor, focus on higher order thinking skills, problem solving skills and effective communication skills and increase opportunities for students to apply knowledge and skills within real world settings. Such an undertaking will require planning and coordination by school leaders, and community stakeholders to ensure successful implementation. Upon successful implementation, we believe that the outcomes will be higher student achievement and the creation of a future workforce that will have the necessary 21st Century skills to compete in a global economy.
We continue to implement and integrate STEM initiatives both horizontally and vertically across the curriculum by providing programs and resources that support teacher effectiveness to improve student achievement and higher order thinking skills. Using the Community as a Classroom and developing an academic curriculum and partnerships that encourage students to step outside of traditional models and embrace opportunities for learning that encourages the concept of life-long learning and community leadership, we are preparing our students for college and careers. Such extended classroom settings allow students to practice and apply learned skills in real world environments and situations. We embrace Hybrid Middle/High School Instructional Models for connection classes that allow a sharing of instructional staff and resources that are dependent upon innovative flexible scheduling models that provides students access to proposed pathway academies. The middle/high school facility allows us to implement inventive Hybrid Middle/High School Instructional Models for connection classes that will allow a sharing of instructional staff and resources that are dependent upon innovative flexible scheduling models which in turn will provide students access to proposed pathway academies.
We believe that career awareness should begin in elementary school. A more deliberate attempt to offer career awareness activities will be provided and supported. Additional career pathways will be developed for middle and high school programs. As a part of our Charter, School Governance Teams, the School System Governance Committee and leadership teams are researching and developing proposals and new partnerships for career pathways that reflect input from local industry, businesses and colleges and through our strong partnerships use the community as an extended classroom. As a result of such collaborations our students will be better prepared to join the future workforce as knowledgeable and highly skilled productive individuals and establish vital links between local industry, post secondary institutions.