Centrally Speaking

High School Update

Nicole Herdrich

September 22, 2023

High School Update

We are now several weeks into the 2023-24 school year, and we're thrilled to share some exciting updates with you. So far, we've had three successful football games, among many other achievements and events for our students. Central Lee High School has smoothly transitioned into the AB day rotation, and our lunch schedules are nearly finalized. It almost feels as though we never left!

We're immensely fortunate to have a dedicated and skilled team of staff members who truly care about our students' well-being and education. Our students have embraced their return to school with a positive attitude and have shown remarkable respect in these initial days.

Now, we want to ensure that our families are well-informed about some essential aspects of high school life.

  1. The Schedule

Several years ago, our staff made the decision to implement a modified block schedule for several reasons. This schedule allows for more extensive application of learned skills, including labs, and the introduction of our daily SOAR 28-minute block. Here's an overview:

  • A-day includes blocks 1-4, and B-day includes blocks 5-8.

  • Typically, we do not use early-out Fridays or Fun SOAR Fridays as rotation days, but we will keep students informed if this changes.

  • School starts at 8:20 a.m. and ends at 3:21 p.m.

  • Each block is 88 minutes long, with a 28-minute SOAR block and a 25-minute lunch.

  • There is a generous four-minute passing time between each class to ensure students can transition without being tardy.

  1. SOAR Program

All students participate daily in a required 28-minute SOAR block, focused on addressing skill necessities beyond academics. Our SOAR sessions are designed to enhance various aspects of personal and academic growth. The five SOAR sessions include:

  • Math Minutes: A session with a math teacher for intervention or extension to improve math skills.

  • ELA Extension: Time with an ELA teacher for intervention or extension to improve reading and writing.

  • Career Academy: Concentrated on career awareness, exploration, and preparedness.

  • LEAD Academy: Designed for implementing the LEAD Curriculum from The Leader in Me.

  • SOAR Culture: Addresses social-emotional skills and helps improve school culture.

Our teachers have been assigned specific SOAR sessions based on their strengths and interests. They are excited about using this time to develop the "heart" skills of our students and provide them with essential social skills for adulthood.

  1. Dual-Credit Career Academy

A vital note for parents is that both the sophomore and junior Career Academy sessions are SCC dual-credit courses. If your student is a sophomore or junior, they will work towards earning college credit through their Career Academy SOAR. This also means that their performance in these courses will appear on their future college transcript.

There is ample time and support available for your child to excel in these classes; attendance and participation are the key requirements. If you have any questions about this required dual-credit SOAR course, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We hope that this information helps clarify the high school experience for you and your student. We are excited about the opportunities this school year holds for our students and look forward to working together to ensure their success. Thank you for your ongoing support of Central Lee CSD!