Watauga County Schools plans for middle college
by Kellen Moore
Watauga County Schools gave the go-ahead this week for continued exploration of the Pioneer Middle College High School, which could be open as early as fall of this year.
An early or middle college is a small school typically located on a college campus that allows high school students to complete graduation requirements while also earning credit toward an associate degree or transfer credits toward a bachelor's degree.
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute has offered to work with Watauga County Schools to develop the Pioneer Middle College on the campus of Watauga High School next school year.
“If you think about two years of college while you're still technically in high school, that's a tremendous advantage for parents and students,” said interim Watauga County Schools Superintendent Dick Jones, who added that he worked to start three early colleges in his previous jobs.
Jones said he thought staff would know in the next month or two whether the Pioneer Middle College was feasible for the next school year.
“If this happens, it will happen fast and furious,” said Marshall Gasperson, director of human resources and auxiliary services for WCS.
Gasperson said the Pioneer Middle College would be a pilot program, as most early/middle colleges are located on college campuses. While most early/middle colleges are independent schools with their own staff, those involved hope the state will recognize it as a school within a school and provide a school number and administrator.
The classes would be taught by Caldwell Community College instructors and would be free to students, according to a memo in the Watauga County Board of Education packet this week.
Gasperson said he has had preliminary conversations with the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, while President Kenneth Boham of CCC&TI planned to talk to the State Board of Community Colleges.
It may even take state legislation to form such a school, he said.
“It would have to be a perfect storm to get it together,” he said.
Boham said this week that he would prefer to comment on the proposal as it became further developed.
Gasperson also addressed questions about registration and student athletics. While some districts have previously said that students enrolled in early college programs could not participate in sports at their original high schools, Gasperson said that wouldn't be a problem in Watauga County's proposal.
The school board's general consensus was to move forward with planning.
Jones said a middle college would be another way for students to become part of a small group and form tremendous bonds within the larger high school.“I believe that could happen here,” he said.
An early or middle college is a small school typically located on a college campus that allows high school students to complete graduation requirements while also earning credit toward an associate degree or transfer credits toward a bachelor's degree.
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute has offered to work with Watauga County Schools to develop the Pioneer Middle College on the campus of Watauga High School next school year.
“If you think about two years of college while you're still technically in high school, that's a tremendous advantage for parents and students,” said interim Watauga County Schools Superintendent Dick Jones, who added that he worked to start three early colleges in his previous jobs.
Jones said he thought staff would know in the next month or two whether the Pioneer Middle College was feasible for the next school year.
“If this happens, it will happen fast and furious,” said Marshall Gasperson, director of human resources and auxiliary services for WCS.
Gasperson said the Pioneer Middle College would be a pilot program, as most early/middle colleges are located on college campuses. While most early/middle colleges are independent schools with their own staff, those involved hope the state will recognize it as a school within a school and provide a school number and administrator.
The classes would be taught by Caldwell Community College instructors and would be free to students, according to a memo in the Watauga County Board of Education packet this week.
Gasperson said he has had preliminary conversations with the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, while President Kenneth Boham of CCC&TI planned to talk to the State Board of Community Colleges.
It may even take state legislation to form such a school, he said.
“It would have to be a perfect storm to get it together,” he said.
Boham said this week that he would prefer to comment on the proposal as it became further developed.
Gasperson also addressed questions about registration and student athletics. While some districts have previously said that students enrolled in early college programs could not participate in sports at their original high schools, Gasperson said that wouldn't be a problem in Watauga County's proposal.
The school board's general consensus was to move forward with planning.
Jones said a middle college would be another way for students to become part of a small group and form tremendous bonds within the larger high school.“I believe that could happen here,” he said.