New technical high school in the works

Northwest area site to offer six career choices

Construction has started on a new career and technical high school on Durango Drive and Tropical Parkway.

The unnamed high school, scheduled to be open for the 2007-2008 school year, will offer students a college-prep curriculum to choose from as well as elective courses sequenced to provide students in-depth study in one of six career academies.

The career academies will include Pre-engineering/Construction Management, Early Childhood Education, Hospitality and Culinary Arts, Medical Professions, Technology Communications and Transportation.

"We want these programs to lead to a higher skill level and a higher wage," said Kathleen Frosini, Clark County School District director of career and technical education. "We are working on it so they can earn nationally recognized certifications right out of high school."

Students attending the high school can prepare to enter the job market out of high school or attend college.

Those in the Pre-engineering/Construction Management program can add courses such as calculus to prepare for a college program in the field.

"The skills required in the work place are the same as those required in college," Frosini said. "And we don't know what jobs will exist in 20 years."

The curriculum will be aligned with Nevada System of Higher Education colleges and universities to allow students to earn college credit while in high school.

"The message we want to send is to be prepared," said Frosini. "All students need some education beyond high school. That could be a two-year school, a four-year or the military."

Students will have the opportunity to explore their interests during their freshman and sophomore years but once they are in the final two years they will be very focused in their chosen area.

There also will be work-based learning including internships, work related experience and job shadowing.

"Our community is great for this," said Frosini. "I have rarely had anyone say they couldn't place a student for us."

Frosini said students at career and technical schools have better attendance and a lower dropout rate. For the 2003-2004 school year, the district's dropout rate was 7.6 percent and the dropout rate in career and technical schools was 3.4 percent.

"People think kids that go to Vo-Tech are not as capable. This is not true at all," said Frosini.

Students will have the option of electing to attend the school of choice, rather than their zoned school. They must apply to attend and no competitive sports will be offered.

The high school will be one of the first CCSD schools to merit the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. It will take advantage of natural daylight, utilize thermal heat and feature other environmentally sound design features.