SCHOOL PROFILE
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Trends In Education
A home-base is central for students at IRCHS. Each group of two
dozen or so students who make up a class have access to a communal
room adjacent to their teacher’s classroom throughout the
school day. A weekly meeting there allows them to exchange notes
on studies, events on campus and in the community, cultural events
— anything that’s on their minds. Students meet individually with
their home-base teachers every other month.
ACADEMIC CHALLENGES
The academic challenge at IRCHS is built on four levels for the
650 students in the four grades. Many of the students in the regular,
honors, dual enrollment and advanced placement programs choose
to take courses at Indian River State College, where they can get a
head start on college. The high school is on the college’s Mueller
campus, so changing classes is a breeze. Students in the 2013
IRCHS graduating class earned almost 3,000 college credits
through dual enrollment. Ninety-eight percent of the students
planned to attend college.
Now in its seventh year, the Advanced Placement program began
with only two class offerings, but by 2013-2014, there was a full
schedule of AP classes, all college board authorized.
The school must comply with the state requirements for graduation,
but its scheduling is the key to allowing students to take
advantage of all the school has to offer, Miller says. “Our school
is actually open from 7:30 until about 6, and classes are scattered
throughout the day, much like a college schedule. This allows kids
a bit easier opportunity to participate in VAPA Visual and Performing
Arts courses.” He explains that a little more than half the student
body schedule VAPA’s elective classes. Incoming students who
choose to be part of the VAPA programs have to make it through an
interview and audition. >>
Students learn
about Internet
development
and web design,
included in the
IRCHS core
curriculum
ED DRONDOSKI
/www.jbriceoriginaloils.com