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NOVEMBER 2016
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baton rouge has its share of
school
ing options: public, private, parochial, charter, and
magnet
. what is the differ- ence between them and what is best for your child? each child is unique, and every family has dif- ferent priorities for
school
ing. east baton rouge parish
magnet
school
s are a unique option that melds the best of all of the above experiences. ?eresa porter, the east baton rouge parish
magnet
school
director, clarifies what sets
magnet
school
s apart from the rest: ?
magnet
school
s were developed to create exciting learning experiences that promote academic achievement for
students
with specific educational needs. in addition, the program is also a proven model to increase diversity in the district. with over 20 competitive programs, these specialized programs offer
students
a quality education based on their learning styles, skills, and special interests. ?e district offers dynamic, specialized
magnet
programs, such as foreign language immersion, montessori, the visual, performing arts, digital arts and pre-engineering themes.?
magnet
school
s offer specialized
school
s for
students
in several areas, yet are public without tuition. if those qualities are what you are looking for in a
school
for your child, then this avenue may be the best of both worlds. how does the
magnet
system work?
magnet
school
s are different from other options because of their application and selection process. ?eresa porter acknowledges, ??e
magnet
program is based strictly on an application process, with a board-approved selection policy. ?erefore,
students
must apply for a program before they can be selected for a
school
. parents and
students
review our
magnet
programs to select the
school
that would best fit
students
? interests and academic needs.? ?eresa explains the process of selection, ?at the end of the application period, all applications that have been deemed eligible, are imported into our lottery system. an external consultant then conducts the student selection process electronically, weighing applicants according to their priority. all eligible
students
are assigned to either their first choice
school
, their second choice
school
, or placed in a waiting pool for their first choice.? since the process involves a lottery, the best chances of acceptance are for entry level grades at the elementary, middle and high
school
levels. because ?most
students
typically remain in
magnet
programs, less seats are available for new applicants,? ?eresa observes. after the selection is complete, testing may still be needed for some programs to complete the process. if the child meets requirements, then he or she is accepted into the
magnet
school
, but if not, the parents can reapply during a later application period. before parents can apply though, they have to know the best first and second choice for their children. ?e right fit to be sure what?s the best course of education for their child, parents need to research all the choices and analyze what specific interests and skill sets their child has. ?parents give multiple reasons for wanting their child in a particular program,? ?eresa shares. if scientifically minded, they might choose one of the stem focused programs. if artistically gifted, then one of the visual and performing arts
school
s may be the perfect place. if academically driven, one of the more rigorous
school
s will aid in that intellectual excellence. ?e only way to know for sure though, is to get ?boots on the ground? and see the
school
s personally. take the tours ?e best way to know if a
school
is right for your child is to tour the
school
first. ?parents are encouraged to visit each
school
that they are interested in for a personalized tour during the
magnet
application period,? ?eresa agrees.
magnet
mania : parents and
students
review our
magnet
programs to select the
school
that would best fit
students
? interests and academic needs. ?e
magnet
school
decision by joy holden 32 brparents.com | november 2016
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