Westwood Academies
In order to better prepare students for
entry into college and the workforce, RRISD is broadening its
Academy learning model at all five high schools so that all high
schools will become wall-to-wall Academies and every student will
be required to select an Academy starting
with 2009-10 eighth grade students. We believe asking students to
choose a career interest at the high school level will foster
forward thinking in viewing graduation as a beginning, not an end,
and will allow more personalization of the high school experience.
These wall-to-wall academies will provide:
• A small learning community, comprising of
a group of students within the larger high school who take classes
together, taught by a team of teachers from different disciplines
who work as a team to integrate curriculum and personalize
instruction;
• A college preparatory curriculum with a
career theme, enabling students to see relationships among academic
subjects and their application to a broad field of work;
• Partnerships with employers, the
community, and local colleges, bringing resources from outside the
high school to improve student motivation and achievement.
Students will have the flexibility to
explore programs of study (career pathways) in a variety of
different career fields through the selection of courses during high
school.
Professional Studies |
Science, Technology, |
|
Visual & Performing Arts |
International Business |
|
International Baccalaureate |
Links
Links to reputable on-line sources that speak to the effectiveness of high school career academies and the benefits to both students and community:- National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium http://www.careertech.org/
- States’ Career Cluster Initiative (SCCI) http://www.careerclusters.org/publications.php
- Career Academy Support Network http://casn.berkeley.edu/
- Achieve Texas http://www.achievetexas.org/Goals.htm