NPS Young Scholar Specialty Programs (Virginia Beach, Norfolk: middle-class, credit, magnet schools)

[Yippeekayay]

What is this program about? What do children do on these programs?

[TN Lily]

I'm assuming you've read the stuff that the Norfolk Public Schools put out on this program.
I found this online:

http://www.vsba.org/images/uploads/c...OEILawsuit.pdf

William R. Ruffner Middle School, where the Young Scholar Program, is discussed on page 6 of the complaint.

I don't live in Norfolk and have no personal experience with this program. Based on what goes on in Newport News & its public schools, I would guess this is a special program to appease middle-class parents who would otherwise move to a better school district such as Virginia Beach or put their kids in a private school.

You would have to ask the school system if the Young Scholar students are kept in their special classes all day or do they simply attend special extra-curricular activities and have a few classes each day as part of this program.

Hopefully, someone with personal experience will respond.

The impression I have had is that Norfolk Public Schools are sub-standard for this region. Isn't the city's inability to deal with its public schools the reason for the successful initiative to have an elected school board?

[randomlikeme]

I am hoping that the new superintendent can help turnaround NPS, but time will tell. It does not look like she was all that successful at her last place in MA.

[Yippeekayay]

Originally Posted by TN Lily

I'm assuming you've read the stuff that the Norfolk Public Schools put out on this program.
I found this online:

http://www.vsba.org/images/uploads/c...OEILawsuit.pdf

William R. Ruffner Middle School, where the Young Scholar Program, is discussed on page 6 of the complaint.

I don't live in Norfolk and have no personal experience with this program. Based on what goes on in Newport News & its public schools, I would guess this is a special program to appease middle-class parents who would otherwise move to a better school district such as Virginia Beach or put their kids in a private school.

You would have to ask the school system if the Young Scholar students are kept in their special classes all day or do they simply attend special extra-curricular activities and have a few classes each day as part of this program.

Hopefully, someone with personal experience will respond.

The impression I have had is that Norfolk Public Schools are sub-standard for this region. Isn't the city's inability to deal with its public schools the reason for the successful initiative to have an elected school board?

Thank you.

There are 3 other schools that have similar programs -- Rosemont, Blair and Norview. Are these the equivalent of "magnet schools"? I don't understand though why Ruffner which has a YSP fails to get accreditation. One would think that only the best accredited schools can offer YSPs. Any thoughts anyone on their respective programs?

I myself was assigned work in another State but my kid still studies in Norfolk and that is why I wish to get as much inputs on this.

[TN Lily]

The less desirable school systems often put the "magnet" or special programs into their schools that are perceived to be bad. My guess is that the school administrators hope that the scores of the higher achieving students brought in by things like the YSP will bring up the overall scores.

In Newport News, the International Baccalaureate program is placed in Warwick High School which is hardly a good school. BUT if you look at the SAT scores for NN high schools, having the IB program clearly affects this statistic.

Contact the person in charge of the YSP program and find out how it functions. Are these kids in their own set of YSP classes all day long, interacting with the general population students only for things like P.E., art, music? When you look at the brochures online for this program, they make it look great. But it's kind of hard to believe self-promoting media material put out by the NPS.

The IB kids at Warwick H.S. have their own set of classes and do not have many classes with the general population. From what I have gathered from the IB students I know, it's kind of like a private school within the public school.

Good luck. It's good that you are involved with your kid's studies.

[Yippeekayay]

Thanks. I have studied what I can based on websites and correspondence. I'm narrowing it down to Norview and Rosemont.

Nice angle you shared regarding the programs as a way to increase shall I say lagging schools by getting good students though I think it will only work like you said if the entire Program is a full class and not as extra curricular. At the end of it, it really looks good on a kid's credential being a gifted student.

I'm reading through the IB program you shared. Like you said, that is quite a good program since the kids have their own set of classes and they get to push each other every school day higher. Thanks again.

[TN Lily]

Good luck. I hope you get to visit both schools before you pick one. Media shots are simply that. Go see what these two schools look like in real life on an ordinary day. And feel how the school administrators treat you.