SCHOOL OF CHOICE:
SEarCH will only accept students who apply to attend and who have their parents’ support to do so.
LOCATION:
SEarCH is located on the Hamlet Campus of Richmond Community College (RCC). Students will attend SEarCH for five years, beginning in their 9th grade year. They will graduate five years later with enough high school and college courses to earn their high school diplomas and associate degrees.
COST:
There will be no cost to SEarCH students for their high school or college courses. Textbooks and transportation will be provided as well.
TRANSPORTATION:
SEarCH students will be transported to and from the school each day on school buses. They will be picked up at their homes, taken to Carver Middle School, where they will transfer to the SEarCH buses. At the end of the day, the SEarCH buses will deliver students to their homes. Once licensed, students may drive themselves to and from school.
CALENDAR:
The SEarCH calendar will closely follow the Richmond Community College calendar, not the Scotland County Schools calendar. 2009-2010 classes will begin on August 6, 2009.
SUMMER ORIENTATION:
The required Freshman Orientation for the 2009 freshmen will be held August 6, 2009 during the first day of school at RCC.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
All eighth graders who are serious about earning a college degree, have no major attendance or discipline problems, and are interested in being part of something different should apply. Preference will be given to those who are first generation “college goers.”
HOW to APPLY:
Interested eighth graders should complete and submit an application online at www.scsnc.org. Application materials include basic information (name, address, etc.) and a 300-500 word statement from the student. Signature pages should be printed and submitted to your guidance counselor. A teacher recommendation is also required for each applicant. Completed forms must be submitted by March 18, 2009.
SELECTION PROCESS:
The Selection Committee will review all applications. Students with severe discipline infractions or attendance problems will not be considered. All others will be invited for interviews with their parents. Those students who, (1) have demonstrated a serious interest in SEarCH, (2) would benefit from attending SEarCH, and (3) would be a benefit to SEarCH will be advanced to the next step, which is a public lottery. At that time, eligible students from the three middle schools will have their names drawn until the 2009-2010 freshman class has been selected. Students and parents will attend the lottery, and those whose names have been drawn and wish to accept the invitation to attend SEarCH will sign a Letter of Commitment at that time. This year SEarCH will be accepting 30 freshman.
STUDENT to ADULT RATIO:
Small class sizes will be the norm, not the exception, at SEarCH.
THE STUDENT BODY:
The 2009-2010 SEarCH family will include 29 junior students, 48 sophomore students and 30 freshman students . In subsequent years, the freshman classes will each have 30 students. When fully operational with five classes, SEarCH will have 160-180 students. It is anticipated that the SEarCH student body will reflect the racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic composition of the students of Scotland County.
POWER of the SITE:
Studies show that high school students attending high schools on college campuses mature quickly and do very well academically, often surpassing the performance of the college students.
LEARN & EARN:
SEarCH is one of many North Carolina Early College High Schools that are part of Governor Easley’s Learn and Earn initiative. The governor’s goal is to have at least one Early College High School accessible to students in all of the state’s 115 school districts.
www.newschoolsproject.org/early.html
SUPPORT and COMMITMENT:
Once accepted as a student of SEarCH, each student will have the full support of the staff. Study seminars, tutoring, and extra help will be available. However, each SEarCH student will be expected to make a full commitment to do his/her best in all endeavors. FAILURE IS NOT an OPTION! |
