BY NICOLE BOWMAN-LAYTON
This week, the new Health Sciences Academy will start recruiting Edenton-Chowan School students for the upcoming program.
Coordinator Casey Spear discussed some of her plans for the academy during the Board of Education meeting held Monday at the Professional Development Center, in Edenton. Spear is also Career Development Coordinator and Special Populations Coordinator for the public school district. The academy is a partnership between the district and ECU Health.
Spear said she plans to start recruitment Thursday at Chowan Middle School with eighth-grade students.
“My recruitment efforts will actually begin at our middle school this Thursday, and I’m hoping that I’ll also continue with those recruitment efforts for our seventh-grade students prior to the school year’s end,” Spear said.
The academy’s vision is to home grow future leaders in health care.
“So our vision basically ‘Let’s home grow our future leaders in health care through innovation, excellence and compassion.’ That that key word there – Compassion,” Spear said. “I want our students to love what they do. I want them to love others, and I want them to flourish in whatever career they choose to be in.”
The application window is now open and will end in May, with classes expected to start next academic year. Spears noted that she plans to have rolling admissions for current ninth- and 10th-graders. For those who transfer during the school year, the academy will enroll them on an individual basis. Spear noted that they must apply soon after transferring into the district, rather than wait until the semester ends.
In terms of requirements, students enrolled in the academy must maintain a 3.0 grade-point average. Those whose grades fall below that benchmark will be in the program on a probationary basis.
Another requirement will be completing 100 volunteer hours by April of the student’s senior year – about 25 hours each academic year if they enroll in the academy as a ninth-grader. Spear said at least 25 of those hours must be in a health care setting. Examples include volunteering at the hospital, helping at a blood drive, spending time at the health department, or helping JAHHS Athletic Trainer Courtney Phelps.
“(Coordinating with the community) is the fun part for me. I feel like all of it’s exciting but this is one of those times that, you know, I look forward to contracting with some people to come in and have some hands-on opportunities with our students,” Spear said. “(Students) may think 25 hours is not really hard. However, I also want to make sure and I assist them and lay those opportunities out there for them to make sure they do receive (the hours).”
All students will have to meet the volunteer hours requirements no matter when they enter the program.
Spear noted that she is still working on the curricular pathways but is looking at six main pathways. She is coordinating the curriculum with the College of the Albemarle, the high school staff and gauging students’ interest.
More about the school board meeting will appear in upcoming articles.
One response to “Health Sciences Academy Launches Recruitment for Edenton-Chowan Students”
[…] The board meet Monday in regular session at the Professional Development Center, in Edenton. More on the meeting, which included information about the new Health Sciences Academy, can be found by clicking here. […]