Lake Wales Charter Schools
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Lake Wales Charter Schools is a continuously growing area of Polk County, Florida, United States.
Contents |
[edit] List of Schools
- High School
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- Lake Wales High School
- Middle School
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- Edward W. Bok Middle School
- Elementary School
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- Dale R. Fair Babson Park Elementary
- Hillcrest Elementary
- Janie Howard Wilson Elementary
- Polk Avenue Elementary
[edit] Beginnings of Charter Status
In 2003, planning and execution for charter school status was performed by a committees and several subcommittees. Out of the seven K-12 schools in Lake Wales, five voted to go charter. According to the Florida law, in order to be considered for charter status, teachers and parents have to both agree. Lake Wales High School, Dale R. Fair Babson Park Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, Janie Howard Wilson Elementary, and Polk Avenue Elementary. agreed to the charter status while McLaughlin Middle School and Roosevelt Vocational optioned out. Although there are continuous appeals, McLaughlin’s teachers refuse to approve the transition to charter.
[edit] Future Plans
Due to the lack of grades 6-8 inclusion in the charter system of Lake Wales, Hillcrest Elementary and Babson Park Elementary have requested to have sixth grade added to their curriculum. In the two consecutive years Babson Park hopes to include seventh and eighth grade. Because of the special needs of the Lake Wales community, it is proposed that the special curriculum of charter school will allow for education to cater directly to the students in need, with an intense focus on low-performing students and reading.
Lake Wales High School (LWHS) plans to include a French Exchange and offering more college level courses. School officials plan to collaborate with Polk Community College, the University of Central Florida, and Lake Wales Hospital to bring a higher level of learning to the students. Since the charter, LWHS has went from one reading teacher to four reading teachers. They are in the process of adding an introduction to the engineering program with the collaboration of specialized professors from the University of Central Florida. They are looking into the addition of German classes, upon approval of the students. LWHS is hoping to raise 1 million dollars for renovations. By using fundraising and community support the school is hoping to not only remodel the academic structure but also to transform the scenery. In the Fall of 2006, Lake Wales Charter Schools plan to open Bok Academy, an academy that will be technologically focused with hopes to include the International Baccalaureate program and Advanced Placement classes. Although the main focus of the school will be the use of modern technology such as laptops and, officials do not plan to abandon the traditional methods of education.
[edit] School Grades
| School | 2004 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|
| Dale R. Fair Babson Park Elementary |
C |
C |
| Hillcrest Elementary |
B |
B |
| Janie Howard Wilson Elementary |
C |
D |
| Lake Wales High School |
C |
C |
| Polk Avenue Elementary |
A |
C |
[edit] External links
- City of Lake Wales, "Schools and Colleges"
- Florida Department of Education, "Annual Report Card"
- Lake Wales Charter School, "Edward W. Bok Academy"
