It’s only November, but parents, it’s time to start thinking about next school year.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools is about to start a marketing blitz to publicize the hundreds of choice and magnet programs offered in the district.
As an example, we watched the Hialeah Middle School jazz band rehearsing and if you closed your eyes, you might’ve thought you were in a smoky jazz club in Greenwich Village, they are that good. The kids are part of the Visual and Performing Arts magnet program.
“Yes, 100%,” said band member Daniel Fleita, an 8th grader, when I asked him if band class motivates him to come to school every day.
“We have the largest number of magnet and choice programs in this entire country,” said superintendent Dr. Jose Dotres.
Another example we saw today: the mock trial class at Barbara Goleman Senior High School, part of the Law Enforcement and Intelligence magnet program.
“I think that the choice to join a mock trial class is amazing, mock trial opens up millions of opportunities,” said Isabela Losada, a student in the program.
“We are here to compete, we are here to tell our parents and our communities that we have the best educational offerings for children in this community,” Dotres said.
The superintendent said with the high cost of living driving families out of South Florida, “high school plus” diplomas are more important than ever. The term refers to students taking dual enrollment, IB, and AP courses so they can graduate with college credits and sometimes even AA degrees.
Johanna Paigo says the AP Capstone class she teaches shows kids how to be fact finders.
“Our society needs that, you know? Critical thinkers, people who question in a way that’s intelligent,” Paigo said.
Students in the Digital Marketing magnet earn industry certifications and leave high school ready for the job market.
“I find it a hundred percent important, they should have it in all the schools in Dade,” said Andre Dubuche, a student in that program, when I asked him if it’s important to have options like that.
With enrollment down in Miami-Dade County Public Schools by about 13,000 students from last year, Dotres says offering choices at every grade level is crucial.
“These programs are here to help us recruit students but more importantly, to maintain the students that we have and open up the world to students from private schools, students from charter schools, it’s part of the new landscape,” Dotres said.
The district is holding a magnet and choice program showcase this Saturday at Miami-Dade College’s Kendall Campus, and plans on holding more events like that in the coming weeks.