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Academy of Distinction honors awarded to eight academies
Oct. 24, 2018
Four schools were recognized with the Academy of Distinction honor for maintaining the highest level of performance and alignment to the national standard. The schools were: East Lake Middle School (Academy of Engineering); Osceola Fundamental High School (Culinary Arts Academy and Center for Technology, Entertainment and Design); Richard O. Jacobson Technical High School at Seminole (Academy of Construction Technology, Academy of Electricity, Gaming, Simulation and Programming Academy and Veterinary Assisting Academy) and Tarpon Springs High (Veterinary Science Academy). The schools were recognized at Tuesday’s regularly scheduled School Board meeting.
The Academies of Pinellas is a system of career academies in high schools and middle schools dedicated to refining a student's focus on career goals and academic success. There are 87 distinct career academies, 66 academies in high schools and 21 academies in middle schools. The Academies are guided by nationally-adopted standards that facilitate the operation of an academy, maximizing the rigor and relevance of career and academic content providing students a clearer direction for their education plan.
To receive the Academy of Distinction honor, the schools were visited by the Pinellas Education Foundation ‘s Career Education Board who partners with the district’s Career, Technical and Adult Education department. They visit each academy twice annually and utilize a rubric of 10 operational standards that measure the status of implementation and effectiveness of the academy. Schools that have achieved “Exemplary Implementation” on each of the 10 standards are eligible for the Academy of Distinction honor. Academy of Distinction is reviewed every two years to ensure the academy is maintaining the highest level of performance and alignment to the national standard.
Tuesday’s designations increase the number of academies having met the rigorous requirements to 20 high school academies and one middle school academy.
View pictures of the Acadamy of Distinction recipients below.