Schools’ Specialty Program Deadlines Approaching

By KRISTINA SCHNACK KOTLUS
Schools and Education Reporter

I’m not sure if anyone missed me, but I have, in fact, been on something of a “holiday hiatus” since November. I’ve been learning plenty of my own lessons as family continues to navigate our way through our first year of homeschooling our children, including that it is a full time job, especially around the holidays!

Around this time last year was when I first started to consider our schooling options, which I had never done before, and we started filling out forms and showing up at test dates and writing sessions. As I’ve shared before, my husband and I are both products of the plain old public school system, and I always assumed it would be what I wanted for my own children.

For reasons that are very individual and unique, however, some families decide they want things a little different for their children. Whether you have a future kindergartner, or will soon have a high school student, our local school systems offer some excellent options that can shape your child’s education in a unique way, and this is the time of year to be thinking about them.

All specialty programs for Prince William County are due on February 15.

Prince William County schools offers two “traditional schools”, Porter and Pennington, with both schools housing students in 1st-8th grades. Students must submit an application and, for 2nd-7th grade applicants, attend a writing session.

The county also has several in-school programs where students attend a school with both a traditional public program and a specialty program in the same building.

For elementary parents, there is an upcoming International Baccalaureate (IB) Early Years Meeting that will be held on January 25. Most of the county’s middle schools have already held their information sessions, but you can view a list of the schools that offer special programs , either IB Middle Years, World Languages, or Math and Science and find the application on the school’s website, along with additional information on the program’s structure.

Many county high schools offer special programs, ranging from technology to languages to performing arts. These programs can even be applied for online, and the presentations from the information sessions are available online in English or Spanish.

Students in grades 7-10 with an interest in math and science may also consider the Governor’s School at Innovation Park , which has an upcoming information session on Saturday, January 28.

Stafford County Schools offers IB programs at both Mountain View and Brooke Point high schools. At this point, students must contact administrators about essay dates, but the process is still open through April 1.

The Stafford Academy for Technology (STAT) is an option for current 8th graders who have a strong interest in science. The program is housed at Brooke Point. Students in the 9th-11th graders may also apply to the Governor’s School.

The options available to families through public specialty programs help to engage students and ensure they are being challenged sufficiently. Best of luck to those applying for spots for 2012-2013!