Classes began last week for the second year at Beaufort County Community College for students in the Beaufort County Early College High School.
The school’s opening comes in the wake of an announcement this week that the high school made adequate yearly progress in meeting its goals established under the federal No Child Left Behind legislation – the only high school in the county to do so, according to officials with the Beaufort County Schools.
On opening day, first-year students at the school said they are excited about entering the start of school. And they also recognize the opportunity available there.
One 13-year-old ninth grade student from eastern Beaufort County said he chose the school “because I want to make my family proud by working hard and concentrating on my studies.”
“I’m nervous and excited at the same time,” he said.
A 14-year-old ninth grade student from Washington said he chose the school “because it’s a good opportunity to get a college education,” he said. “I’m very excited.”
They are two of 65 new ninth grade students from across Beaufort County chosen through a rigorous application and interview process to join the 46 students beginning their second year at the school.
“We had a wonderful first year due to the hard work and efforts of the students, faculty and staff,” said Principal Todd Blumenreich in an interview before classes began. “And we are looking forward to continuing the progress we made the first year.”
Five new faculty and staff members have been added to the early college high school as a result of the school’s expansion bringing the total number of administrators, faculty and staff at the school to 12.
Joining the school this year are veteran teachers Jeannie Boyd, Anna Clingenpeel and Lynette Ware, counselor Ginger Jefferson and Administrative Assistant Joan Campbell. Boyd, of Pinetown, served previously as chairman of the English Department at Washington High School. Clingenpeel, of Belhaven, previously taught at the Hyde County Early College High School. Ware is former chairman of the Math Department at Washington High School. Jefferson formerly served at Southside High School. Campbell joins the early college high school faculty from the Beaufort County Schools central office.
School administrators, faculty and staff were as excited about the start of th
e new school year as their students.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Boyd, who will teach English III, said. “I wanted to become part of this school because of the innovation of the program, the creativity of the classroom and the commitment on the part of the students.”
Returning teacher Gladys Howell said her English I and II students can look forward to the same type of rigorous coursework that her students experienced last year.
“I’m very enthusiastic about the year ahead,” she said. “One of the most important things I will be doing is to make them rethink their attitudes towards school because we are getting them ready for college.”
Beaufort County Early College High School students take high school and tuition-free community college courses and graduate in five years with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree in the field of their choice. They could then either head into the work force with job-related skills or transfer to a four-year college.
The students at the new school face a rigorous schedule of classes – equivalent to honors courses in a traditional high school – prepare them to begin taking community college courses their second year in the school.
Blumenreich said it was this rigorous schedule and the quality of the instruction that accounted, for the most part, for the school’s success in meeting its goals for student achievement under No Child Left Behind.
Insert info about Adequate Yearly Progress.
Of those ninth grade students who enrolled in the early college high school last year, about 40 percent were performing their school work below grade level. But at the end of the school year an average of 80 percent of students were performing at or above grade level in end-of-year tests in English I, Algebra I, Geometry, Physical Science and Civics and Economics. The highest end-of-grade success rate was recorded in English I where over 85 percent of students performed at or above grade level, according to school statistics.
“These scores show that under the right conditions, with the best teachers in the county, these students can succeed,” Blumenreich said.
Of the 105 applicants who were either accepted or put on a waiting list for this year’s ninth grade class at the school, most, or about 42 percent, were in eighth grade at P.S. Jones Middle School and about 25 percent were in eighth grade at Chocowinity Middle School. Seventy percent of the 105 quality for the school free lunch program and two-thirds will be the first in their family to attend college, according to school statistics.
Given the school’s success to date, Blumenreich predicts that the competition for spaces in future early college high school classes will be brisk.
The first year, the Beaufort County Early College High School had 81 applications for 60 spaces. This year, the school had 119 applications for 65 spaces, he said.
Originally located in a portion of Building 10 on the community college campus, the school expands this year to additional classrooms in a portion of Building 5 to accommodate the increased enrollment.
Backed by an $11 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Gov. Mike Easley and the Public School Forum launched the N.C. New Schools Project as a private-public partnership to focus leadership and financial resources on change in the state's high schools.
The school’s opening comes in the wake of an announcement this week that the high school made adequate yearly progress in meeting its goals established under the federal No Child Left Behind legislation – the only high school in the county to do so, according to officials with the Beaufort County Schools.
On opening day, first-year students at the school said they are excited about entering the start of school. And they also recognize the opportunity available there.
One 13-year-old ninth grade student from eastern Beaufort County said he chose the school “because I want to make my family proud by working hard and concentrating on my studies.”
“I’m nervous and excited at the same time,” he said.
A 14-year-old ninth grade student from Washington said he chose the school “because it’s a good opportunity to get a college education,” he said. “I’m very excited.”
They are two of 65 new ninth grade students from across Beaufort County chosen through a rigorous application and interview process to join the 46 students beginning their second year at the school.
“We had a wonderful first year due to the hard work and efforts of the students, faculty and staff,” said Principal Todd Blumenreich in an interview before classes began. “And we are looking forward to continuing the progress we made the first year.”
Five new faculty and staff members have been added to the early college high school as a result of the school’s expansion bringing the total number of administrators, faculty and staff at the school to 12.
Joining the school this year are veteran teachers Jeannie Boyd, Anna Clingenpeel and Lynette Ware, counselor Ginger Jefferson and Administrative Assistant Joan Campbell. Boyd, of Pinetown, served previously as chairman of the English Department at Washington High School. Clingenpeel, of Belhaven, previously taught at the Hyde County Early College High School. Ware is former chairman of the Math Department at Washington High School. Jefferson formerly served at Southside High School. Campbell joins the early college high school faculty from the Beaufort County Schools central office.
School administrators, faculty and staff were as excited about the start of th
e new school year as their students.“I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Boyd, who will teach English III, said. “I wanted to become part of this school because of the innovation of the program, the creativity of the classroom and the commitment on the part of the students.”
Returning teacher Gladys Howell said her English I and II students can look forward to the same type of rigorous coursework that her students experienced last year.
“I’m very enthusiastic about the year ahead,” she said. “One of the most important things I will be doing is to make them rethink their attitudes towards school because we are getting them ready for college.”
Beaufort County Early College High School students take high school and tuition-free community college courses and graduate in five years with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree in the field of their choice. They could then either head into the work force with job-related skills or transfer to a four-year college.
The students at the new school face a rigorous schedule of classes – equivalent to honors courses in a traditional high school – prepare them to begin taking community college courses their second year in the school.
Blumenreich said it was this rigorous schedule and the quality of the instruction that accounted, for the most part, for the school’s success in meeting its goals for student achievement under No Child Left Behind.
Insert info about Adequate Yearly Progress.
Of those ninth grade students who enrolled in the early college high school last year, about 40 percent were performing their school work below grade level. But at the end of the school year an average of 80 percent of students were performing at or above grade level in end-of-year tests in English I, Algebra I, Geometry, Physical Science and Civics and Economics. The highest end-of-grade success rate was recorded in English I where over 85 percent of students performed at or above grade level, according to school statistics.
“These scores show that under the right conditions, with the best teachers in the county, these students can succeed,” Blumenreich said.
Of the 105 applicants who were either accepted or put on a waiting list for this year’s ninth grade class at the school, most, or about 42 percent, were in eighth grade at P.S. Jones Middle School and about 25 percent were in eighth grade at Chocowinity Middle School. Seventy percent of the 105 quality for the school free lunch program and two-thirds will be the first in their family to attend college, according to school statistics.
Given the school’s success to date, Blumenreich predicts that the competition for spaces in future early college high school classes will be brisk.
The first year, the Beaufort County Early College High School had 81 applications for 60 spaces. This year, the school had 119 applications for 65 spaces, he said.
Originally located in a portion of Building 10 on the community college campus, the school expands this year to additional classrooms in a portion of Building 5 to accommodate the increased enrollment.
Backed by an $11 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Gov. Mike Easley and the Public School Forum launched the N.C. New Schools Project as a private-public partnership to focus leadership and financial resources on change in the state's high schools.
