One of the key missions of Magnet Schools of America is to raise public awareness of the benefits and accomplishments of magnet schools. Our organization proactively engages major media outlets to share this good news. Below are examples of this work.
By embracing diversity and providing an innovative curriculum focused on individual artistic abilities, New World School of the Arts (NWSA) has established itself as one of Florida’s top magnet schools. The performing arts school has made it its mission to empower students to become local, national and international leaders by challenging them with fresh ideas and pushing them to be active members of a global community. Because of all this and more, Magnet Schools of America has recognized NWSA as one of only 18 Nationally Certified Demonstration Magnet Schools.
Sitting in the back of the classroom, Hermes Velasquez was a quiet student. He had stage fright and was embarrassed to stand up in front of other students at an award-winning magnet school for the performing arts south of Miami. But slowly, with the help of his teacher, Adalberto Acevedo, and the school's family-like culture, Velasquez overcame his stage fright. To get over his fear, he familiarized himself with the stage by helping to put props out. Then he started acting in supporting roles.
Khan - a celebrity designer who has dressed Beyoncé, Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton, to name a few - said the idea is to train a future generation of designers and entrepreneurs in an effort to revitalize Miami-Dade's fashion industry.
"It's a hidden treasure," said the school's principal, Bradford Mattair, in full agreement with our assessment. The school sits in the heart of Broward County, but it's in a quiet residential neighborhood, a bit off the beaten path. The performing arts community, however, knows all about Parkway Middle.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" may be one of the most common questions asked of children. Magnet programs have emerged as a popular way to help them figure it out.
They're only in their second year as a STEM school, but their new focus is making a big impact in the classroom, not just in a lab or in science and math classrooms, but all classes.
The school, for gifted students in grades 2 to 5, will be run as a magnet program, so it will be open to children from across the county and will operate without an attendance zone. A lottery will be used if there are more applicants than the 434 available seats.
Among all the noise coming out of a welding shop students are learning a trade. Just a few classrooms away at Tampa Bay Tech Nathan Gonzalez is doing a different type of work. "It's a magazine ad for an elderly community; 55 plus," says Gonzalez. This senior takes part of just one of 18 career-focused programs at one of several magnet schools in Hillsborough County.
"When New World School of the Arts opened 30 years ago it was a pioneer of the magnet school model. Its founders wanted to eliminate the normal neighborhood borders and provide students from across a wide geographical area equitable access to specialized and focused training," explained Dr. Jeffrey Hodgson, Provost and CEO of New World School of the Arts.
Raise the level of performance consistent throughout school districts nationwide and creates a platform from which all magnet schools can flourish. Magnet Schools of America’s national certification process is designed to recognize the hard work of the best magnet schools in the nation and to help them as they grow.
