11 Nov 2010
The Magnet Program's Application Period is from Dec. 13 through Jan. 14
DALLAS–The Dallas Independent School District's magnet school program will have a fair on Saturday, Dec. 4, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, at Skyline Career Development Center, 7777 Forney Rd., for students interested in enrolling in one of the magnet, vanguard, or academy programs for the 2011-2012 school year. The Magnet Program has a new application period. Applications will be accepted from Dec. 13 through Jan. 14.
Under the district's magnet school system are magnets for high school students, academies for middle school students, and vanguards for elementary students. These schools provide students the opportunity of exploring special areas of interest in addition to the traditional academic studies.
The requirements to attend the magnet schools vary by school, but the application process is highly competitive because only a limited number of students can be accepted each year. Applications for the magnet schools for the 2011-2012 school year will be available at the magnet schools fair or in all the district's schools, in the Administration Building at 3700 Ross Ave., and on the Web site at www.dallasisd.org/parents/magnet, starting Monday, Dec. 6. From that page, parents can find the details of the application process, the general requirements, and a timeline for the selection process.
Magnets, academies, and vanguard schools will host open houses from Dec. 6 through Dec. 17. To find out when the open house is being held in the magnet, academy, or vanguard of your interest or for more information about the Magnet Program, call (972) 925-3300, or visit the district's Web site www.dallasisd.org/parents/magnet.
During the magnet fair, students also will be able to obtain information about the district's gender-specific leadership academies, which prepare students for college and the workforce. The new all–male academy, Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy at B.F. Darrell, which will serve grade levels 6-9, will open in the fall of 2011. The academy will expand to the 12th grade in the future. Young women who are entering 6th grade can apply to the Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School, which has grade levels 6-12. Interested students can apply to the district's gender-specific leadership academies also from Dec. 13 through Jan. 14.
"While deep implementation of district reforms is still a work in progress, the district's ongoing commitment to a common curriculum, collaboration, and proven instructional practices bodes well for future growth in student achievement."