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Escambia Looks To Expand Career Academies To Middle Schools
February 16, 2010
The Escambia County School District is looking at expanding its high school career academy model to the middle school level throughout the county.
Middle school career academies are small, personalized learning communities within a school in which select students and teachers participate during a two or three-year span. Students enter the academy with parental knowledge and support. A career academy involves teachers from different subjects working together as an interdisciplinary team.
Staff teams work together to implement the key features of the model and to provide students with exposure to the career field. Students are grouped together for several periods every day with a core group of teachers. This model promotes a family-like atmosphere and results in close student-teacher ties, according to the district.
Dozens of career academies already exist in Escambia County’s high schools, such as the Building Trades and Construction Design Academy at Northview, the Early Childhood Education Academy at Tate, Web Design Services Academy at Washington and the Legal Services Academy at West Florida High. An Agriscience Technology Academy is under development for Northview.
Workman and Wooham are the only middle schools in the county with career academies, health occupations, agriscience and pre-engineering academies.
The curriculum and instruction within an academy will meet or exceed state and district standards, while differing from a regular secondary school by focusing learning around a theme. Career academies often partner with colleges or employers, bringing resources from outside of the school to improve student motivation and achievement.
At today’s school board meeting, the board is expected to approved a set of standards and guidelines that will allow for the development of career academies at other middle school in the county, including Ernest Ward.
Comments
3 Responses to “Escambia Looks To Expand Career Academies To Middle Schools”
ANY day NOW!!!
ARE YOU NUTS??? WHAT AN OPORTUNITY FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE! ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO CAN’T AFFORD A COLLEGE EDUCATION.
INSTEAD OF GIVING UP IN THE NINTH, TENTH OR ELEVENTH GRADES THIS IS A GOAL THEY CAN STRIDE FOR.
THERE ARE NO “FAVORITE” STUDENTS OR “SPECIAL PARENT/POLITICS” HERE. NOT EVEN A STRAIGHT A REQUIREMENT.
HEY LET’S LET MRS. WEAVER PROVE THAT GIVEN A CHANCE ALL STUDENTS ARE EQUAL AND CAN EARN, THAT’S EARN A GOOD EDUCATION.
NO I AM NOT A PARENT OF NV NOW BUTT I SURE DO LOVE THESE KIDS. I WANT THEM TO GO PLACES…
A MOMA WHO LOVES OUR KIDS
This is not education, this is job training. Why isn’t Gulf Power doing their own job training instead of the taxpayers? There already exists a HUGE population of trades people, so much so that wages are low and jobs are few and far between. How many nurses, plumbers, carpenters, and daycare workers does Escambia county need?? I’ll tell you how many, enough to keep wages at minimum wage or worse still, as “private contractors”. The kids will have to move away to find a living wage.
Thank you for your article concerning our career academies. Yes indeed, we are expanding our career academies into the district’s middle schools. There is one correction that I wish to make in your article:
Workman Middle School is not the only middle school with career academies. Currently, the following is accurate as of this writing: Agriscience Technology Academy Woodham Middle School
Health Occupations Academy Woodham Middle School
Information Technology Academy Woodham Middle School
Pre-Engineering Academy (Project Lead The Way) Woodham Middle School
Health Academy Workman Middle School
Pre-Engineering Academy (Project Lead The Way) Workman Middle School
For the 2010-2011 school year, we will be adding the (1st in the nation) National Flight Academy at Warrington Middle School. Additionally, we will be adding an Information Technology academy and Health Academy at Warrington. Ernest Ward Middle School will also receive a “1st in the nation” with the opening of the IBEW Electrical Academy.
Other middle school academies are also under construction. If you or your readers wish additional information regarding our school district’s career academies, I would suggest a visit to our website: http://career.escambia.k12.fl.us/CareerAcademy/index_school.asp
Thank you once again for an excellent article,
Carl Leiterman
Director, Workforce Education
Escambia County School District
cleiterman@escambia.k12.fl.us
850.469.5304