Parents of Escambia County students in kindergarten through tenth grade, and their student (s), are invited to hear about the choices available to local area public school students at the 2015-2016 School Choice Expo. The Expo will be held on Nov. 17, at 6-7:30 p.m. at Woodham Middle School.
Displays will be available in the gymnasium and the Media Center. Families can visit every program age appropriate for their child in one place and learn how to apply for their first, second and third choice programs. Middle and high school career academies, magnet schools, and academic choice programs will be present. Staff members will also be available to help explain the online application process.
The district-wide electronic application for all middle school and high school choice programs became available on Nov. 3, 2014, at http://www.ecsd-fl.schoolloop.com/SchoolChoice. Computers will be available during the Expo for parents who wish to prepare an application that night. This year’s deadline for online applications for the 2015-2016 school year is Dec. 19.
The elementary level school choice programs will have staff members available at the Expo to answer questions, however, the elementary application will not be available until February 2015 (details will be distributed later to elementary school guidance counselors).
While choosing a school or an academy, it is especially important for fifth grade students moving into middle school next year, and for eighth grade students interested in a high school academy to see the options for every grade level.
Escambia County offers magnet schools, schools within a school, career academies, an academic academy, and virtual schools. More links to information about all of them can be found at http://www.ecsd-fl.schoolloop.com/ChoicePrograms. That same page has links to more information about school boundaries, school transfers, and home-schooling. High school juniors and seniors with questions about an Exit Year transfer for seniors wishing to remain at the school they already attend, should also visit the School Choice table, or call later for more information.
For families who have their choices narrowed down, but not finalized, the School Choice Expo is an outstanding opportunity to visit with teachers and staff from all of your top choices before filing your application. The application asks parents to rank their top three choices, in order, so if parents and students have any doubts about their order of preference, they are strongly encouraged to attend the School Choice Expo and to visit with representatives from the schools or programs they are considering.
In addition, for students entering eighth grade or higher, the Escambia Virtual Academy staff will be available to answer questions about the online requirement for high school graduation. For parents of students in 8th to 12th grade, beginning with students who entered grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year, at least one course for high school credit must be completed through online learning. Escambia County offers three ways to meet the online high school course requirement. Students and parents who have not yet met this requirement are encouraged to stop by the Escambia Virtual Academy’s table for more information.
For more information about the School Choice Expo, contact the School Choice Office at 850-469-5580 between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. For more information about the Career Academies, contact the Workforce Education Office at 850-469-5357.