Sturgis Charter Public School
| Sturgis Charter Public School | |
|---|---|
| File:SCPSlogo.png | |
| Location | |
| Information | |
| Type | Charter high school |
| Motto | "International Baccalaureate for All" "Student learning is why we are here" Formerly: "Independence of Thought, Generosity of Spirit" |
| Established | 1998 as Sturgis Charter School |
| Head teacher | Eric Heiser |
| Faculty | 36.8 (on FTE basis)[1] |
| Grades | 9 - 12 |
| Enrollment | 367[1] (2008-09) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 10.0[1] |
| Color(s) | Blue & White |
| Information | 508-778-1782 |
| Website | School website |
The Sturgis Charter Public School is a charter school located in the village of Hyannis, Massachusetts (Town of Barnstable, MA). The school received its charter in February 1998 and opened in September for the 1998-1999 academic year with 162 freshman, 15 faculty and staff, a newly renovated facility, and a $1.2 million budget. The school philosophy is International Baccalaureate for all students.
For its first six years, the school was known as Sturgis Charter School. In 2004, the Sturgis board changed the school's name to "Sturgis Charter Public School," in keeping with a public relations initiative of the Massachusetts Charter School Association. According to the enabling legislation for Massachusetts charter schools, a "charter" school is by statutory definition a public school. Sturgis determined that many people were unaware of this and thus added the term "Public" for clarity.
As of the 2008-09 school year, the school had an enrollment of 367 students and 36.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 10.0.[1]
Awards and recognition
In 2010, Sturgis was ranked 28th. In May 2009, Newsweek magazine ranked Sturgis 27th in the nation in their annual ranking of America's top public high schools.[2] Newsweek ranked it 43rd in 2008 [3] and 54th in 2007.[4] The magazine's ranking is based exclusively on the number of Advanced Placement Program and IB tests taken divided by the number of graduating seniors.[5]
International Baccalaureate
In 2004, the Sturgis Charter Public School became an International Baccalaureate World School, offering the Diploma Program (DP) to students in the 11th and 12th grades, along with an intensive "pre-IB" program in the 9th and 10th grades. Sturgis is one of six high schools in Massachusetts that offer the IB Diploma Program.[6]
The IB Diploma program of studies consists of courses taken in six groups (Language A, Language B, Individuals and Societies, Experimental Sciences, Mathematics, and the Arts). Courses are offered at the Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL), for the diploma, a student must complete at least three but no more than four courses at the higher level, with the remainder at the standard level. Diploma candidates also complete a thesis known as the extended essay, a course in philosophy called Theory of Knowledge, as well as participate in CAS (creativity, action, and service) activities. Students who fulfill all these requirements earn the I.B. Diploma, students who are unable to or decide not to complete the diploma earn IB certificates in the courses for which an exam was taken. The IB Diploma is earned by students who choose to pursue it, although all students Sturgis are required to take IB courses and exams during their junior and senior years.
In North America, many colleges and universities grant credit for higher level courses scored with a sufficient mark (usually a 6 or 7), a smaller number also grant credit for standard level courses. Some institutions, such as Amherst College,Harvard University, and SUNY Fredonia grant sophomore standing to any incoming student who has completed the full diploma. In the United Kingdom and continental Europe, an I.B. Diploma is one of the few ways in which a student from the United States can apply for direct entry after graduation. Typically a student graduating from a U.S. high school is required to complete an Associate's Degree in the United States before transferring to a European institution.
Extracurricular activities
- There are several school clubs and other extracurricular activities available at Sturgis. Some of the most prominent school clubs include: Student Council, StormWatch (school newspaper) Mock Trial, a ski club, Death by CAS club, Bible Club, Pastafarian Club, Film Club, Surf Club, S.T.A.G.E. (Sturgis Theater and Arts Guild of Entertainers, an acting group), a Model United Nations club, Gay–straight alliance, jazz band, several choruses, and a string ensemble. There is also a Chess Team and a Key Club, and backpacking club.
- Sports at Sturgis include: Boys and Girls soccer, Field Hockey, Cross Country, Boys and Girls Basketball, Cheerleading, Boys and Girls Tennis, Lacrosse, Golf, Baseball, Softball, and Co-Ed Volleyball.
References
- ^ a b c d Sturgis Charter Public School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 28, 2010.
- ^ America's Top Public High Schools
- ^ America's Top Public High Schools | Newsweek Best High Schools | Newsweek.com
- ^ "The complete list of the 1,300 top U.S. schools", Newsweek. Accessed October 8, 2007.
- ^ Méndez, Teresa. "A top-100 list roils high schools: Do best-of lists spur schools to try harder - or simply feed an obsession with rank?", Christian Science Monitor, May 12, 2005. Accessed December 20, 2007. "To calculate high school rank, Newsweek uses an index that divides the number of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests taken by students at public high schools in 2004 by the number of graduating seniors at their school that year."
- ^ Find an IB World School—results, International Baccalaureate. Accessed May 19, 2007.
External links
- Sturgis Charter Public School
- National Center for Educational Statistics data for Sturgis Public School
- IBO Profile for Sturgis Charter Public School