Spring 2012 - Oxford Community Schools

G
6 w w w . O X F O R D S C H O O L S . O R G
Goal
Create an organizational structure that supports meaningful,
effective, and efficient changes in curriculum and changes in
instructional practices.
international
Baccalaureate
Oxford High
School is an
authorized
International
Baccalaureate
World School,
Diploma
Programme. All
other Oxford schools are candidates
for International Baccalaureate
(IB) World Schools accreditation.
Oxford has the most certified IB
teachers and administrators—over
250—in the world. We anticipate full
implementation and accreditation
district-wide by the fall of 2013.
Collegiate Schedule
collegiate
schedule
Last fall Oxford High School launched
a new schedule to spread learning out
over a greater length of time during the
school year. This mechanism is referred
to as the “Collegiate Schedule,” and the
use of a rotating schedule makes it one
of a kind. Consisting of two semesters
and a May term, the Collegiate Schedule
requires students to be enrolled in
seven classes; however, only six periods
are in session each day. Each day of
the week one class period rotates out,
balancing the schedule so that students
will attend all seven classes four times
per week. The May term consists of five
class periods. It provides students with
more extensive remediation and credit
recovery opportunities than ever before.
It also offers innovative classes that take
ENROLL IN VIRTUAL ACADEMY
SUMMER CLASSES: (248) 969-5009
an expanded approach to differentiated
instruction. They are geared toward
student interest while enhancing core
skills. Optional zero and eighth period
classes are available for those students
who are interested in creating more
flexibility and options in their day.
Early College
Early College is
a rigorous, fiveyear
high school,
combining
the best of
high school
and college
experiences.
Oxford Schools Early College (OSEC)
offers both online/virtual and faceto-face
instruction to enable students
to earn a high school diploma as
well as up to 60 transferable college
credits. OSEC provides a supportive
educational environment through
the use of Mentor Teachers for
students throughout Oakland County,
as well as all contiguous counties.
Students can earn credits from
Oakland Community College (OCC) or
Rochester College for free, while still
attending Oxford High School.
S C H O O L S
OXFORD
EARLY COLLEGE
Early high School
In the Early
High School
Program,
middle school
students can
earn up to
seven high
school credits in
the classroom and an additional nine
credits in virtual classes, making it
possible for them to enter high school
as juniors.
Oxford Virtual
Academy
The Oxford Virtual Academy (OVA)
is by no means a one-size-fits-all
school with only one virtual provider.
Students can choose from a variety
of course providers, including e2020,
Aventa Learning, PowerSpeak, Lincoln
Interactive, Plato Learning and K12,
Inc. There are more than 180 different
courses for grades kindergarten through
twelve. Every family meets with a
full-time staff counselor to review the
student’s goals and to determine the
best virtual coursework that fits his or
her individual learning style. Students
receive a customized education which
builds on their unique strengths.
OVA is fully accredited to provide
virtual courses for students in grades
kindergarten through twelve, including
required world language classes in
grades three to twelve. About 400
students took at least one OVA course
in the 2011-2012 school year, with 300
of them enrolling from another district
or through the district’s homeschool
partnership. Some students are seeking
credit recovery while others take
advantage of the scheduling flexibility
offered by online classes. Yet others
pursue upper-level coursework, such
as AP courses not in the district’s
traditional classrooms. There are also
unique electives students can take
advantage of, such as art history, solar
technologies, Java programming and
introduction to screenwriting.
Global trade mission 2012
OHS Students Compete in a “Shark Tank” Environment
have you ever watched the TV series Shark Tank which has a panel of investors called sharks consider investing in an entrepreneur’s
business or product? That was the scenario for six OHS students when they participated in the 14th annual Oakland Schools
Global Trade Mission 2012 (GTM) at Oakland Community College. The program is an intensive, three-day, international global
trade mission in which students challenge their entrepreneurial spirits and global knowledge and compete against other Oakland County
high schools. GTM simulates a global business venture in which students learn about other cultures, emerging technologies, how to do
business and compete in a global economy.
Students select a country from one of five
regions (Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia/North
America, and Latin America) and work with
Automation Alley and other Michigan business
and industry representatives. They SKYPE
with individuals from their selected country
to learn more about the culture and business
environment. They also explore some of the
top growing industries globally, including
cleantech and renewable energy, defense and
homeland security, information technology
and cybersecurity, life sciences and medical
devices, and robotics and automation. Teams
create a new product using green technology
and a business plan to compete and sell in
their country. Finally, the teams present their
products and plans to a panel of investors
and compete for financial
backing. Many of our
teams received investment
awards, and OHS senior
WILLIAM LOGAn
received the highest honor
ABOVE L-R: LAUREN UBBING, MACKENZIE CREASEY, JESSICA BRASINGTON, RACHEL SAIGH, DANIEL GAVRILOVSKI
AND WILLIAM LOGAN.
Science on the Go!
at the conference, the
Exportmanship Award for
teamwork.
After school enrichment programs such as Science on the Go! by the Cranbrook
Institute of Science give elementary students a chance to explore geology,
physics, zoology, and more. The Institute brings all the supplies necessary to set
up fun, interactive learning stations in subjects that young minds are most interested
in. The whole family can take part in the fun, visiting the various stations and learning
together. Daniel Axford Elementary recently took part in the program and transformed
its gymnasium into a cool science museum with exhibits to learn about static electricity,
dinosaurs, animal skulls and pelts,
magnetism, roller coasters and
inertia, light and heat, and much
more. There were even Madagascar
hissing cockroaches. Yikes!