HOW MAGNETS ARE CHANGING

Will we get to see the results of these changes before we graduate?

By: Christian Golden

The magnet programs across the Vancouver School district are programs that give students great opportunities to learn new career options or go into challenging courses. Due to the benefits, these programs give to the students that are interested in them, it gives the student the ability to switch schools based on the magnet they want to go into.

Students all have their home school based on where they live and in most cases have to go to that school. In some cases, students can go to schools outside of their home school if they have a reason called a boundary exception. Since magnet programs are important to a student’s learning, schools will allow students to go to different schools other than their home schools. This allows students to avoid their home school by saying they wish to do the magnet of another school as the reason for a boundary exception.

When the students are in the school that they wish to be at instead of their home school after around a year of being at said school the student can leave the magnet program. This is because the student has a new reason to be at the school which is the ties and connection they have to the school and the people there allowing them to keep going to the school they like.

Many students in the boundaries of Fort should be in Fort Vancouver however go to different schools using this method. The people who do this method can have a multitude of reasons for doing this but one reason that affects forts’ images is athletes wanting to go to better sports programs. This makes the athletic capability of Fort lower due to the highly capable athletes going to different schools with better track records or assets to support athletes.

This will change this following year due to magnets becoming half days instead of full days. Having the magnets as half days will make the ability to change schools due to magnets not possible because of the ability to take a shuttle bus for the school’s magnet. This will make students who truly want to go to other schools for magnets the ability to do so, while the kids who do magnets as a reason in boundary exceptions have to stay in their home school. This can make students who have great potential in academics, and athletics come back to Fort bringing Fort to a better light.

Magnet programs feature a unique theme as a focus for teaching the curriculum across all content areas. These full-day programs offer special opportunities not readily available in all schools and help motivate students to learn within an area of aptitude, talent and interest. Magnet programs draw students from all schools in the district, and from outside the district on a space-available basis.

VPS’ magnet programs include:

Fort Vancouver High School Center for International Studies (CIS)Learn without boundaries at the Center for International Studies, a school-wide magnet for students in ninth through 12th grades located exclusively at Fort Vancouver High School. While gathering the knowledge, skills and habits needed for success in college, careers and life, you’ll actively learn about global issues and how you can positively impact our world.

International Baccalaureate (IB) - This is is a worldwide honors program with an internationally designed curriculum stressing the importance of expertise in all academic areas. The program helps students develop critical thinking and research skills that will facilitate their success at college and in careers within the larger global society. The honors program in grades 9 and 10 prepares students for the rigorous course of study in the 11th and 12th grades.

Science, Math and Technology (SMT) - Maybe you’re a goalie who solves quadratic equations in your sleep. Or you’re as comfortable speaking about student government issues as you are discussing Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. Perhaps when you’re not playing the saxophone, you build and program robots for fun. You are, quite possibly, a student who belongs in the Science, Math and Technology magnet for freshmen through seniors at Skyview High School.

Vancouver Flex Academy - A school of choice with a small school environment for motivated, hard-working students who will excel in a unique school setting. Flex Academy uses a learning model that combines face-toface instruction with online, digital and experiential learning to prepare students for college, career and life readiness. At Flex Academy, students attend five full days per week. Students who choose to attend Flex Academy learn to take responsibility for themselves and their education as they prepare for college and beyond.

Vancouver iTech Preparatory - At the crux of science, technology, engineering and math, aka STEM, are people like you. People who are interested in using their creativity to generate ideas and solve real-world problems. Solving problems is exactly what you’ll learn to do at Vancouver iTech Preparatory, a unique experience for students in sixth through 12th grades.

Vancouver School of Arts and Academics (VSAA) - Art is ethos at Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, one of the top schools in the state according to U.S. News and World Report. Here you can pirouette, even if you’ve never pliéd. Sketch the contents of your soul. Express yourself on the page. Every student in grades six through 12 has opportunities to tour different areas of the arts: visual, performing, literary, musical, moving image and recording. VSAA teachers are practicing artists who can advise on the creative process.

BY TJAY BARHITTE

Teacher Sam Korpela

Q. Name?

A. Mr. Korpela or Mr. K

Q. Favorite color?

A. Red

Q. What do you teach?