Academies

EDUCATION

AGRISCIENCE
AGRICULTURAL
BIOTECHNOLOGY

BUSINESS

CULINARY ART

FINANCE

HEALTH

About

The Education Academy at Lake Gibson High School is a program
designed to give students the opportunity to assess their interest
in several career paths working with children and integrates academic
rigor with career development skills. It is designed with 9th-12th grade
students in mind. Students will have the opportunity to learn from
professional mentors, listen to guest speakers from business partners
in the field of education, and observe in real classrooms. Internships
are an integral part of the curriculum. Students will have the opportunity
to observe and teach in classrooms from preschool to high school.

In the Education Academy, there are 2 tracks to choose from.

Academy Mission Statement

The mission of the Lake Gibson High School Education
Academy is to provide students with the skills and
experiences that enable them to explore educational career
pathways. By providing a rich curriculum and a school
environment that fosters a growth mindset, collaboration,
personal development, and respect for individual differences,
we seek to give students diverse experiences in education
preschool to high school.

Early Childhood Education

This course focuses on preparing students to work with young children
from infancy to age five in child care settings. Major areas of study
include health, safety, and nutrition for young children, recognizing child
abuse and neglect, and child growth and development. Students have the
opportunity to intern in the Little Braves Preschool and learn how to write
and implement developmentally appropriate lesson plans. In addition to the
Families training curriculum and will have the opportunity to gain state
certifications and licensure to work in a childcare setting upon successful
completion of the course. There is a $20 fee associated with the class. This
pays for the cost of the DCF textbooks, exams & certification.

Requirements

• Maintain a 2.5 GPA
• Have less than 10 absences per semester
• Have no discipline record
• $20 DCF fee

Teaching Principles

In this track, students will learn the history of education in the United
States, enhance their communication & leadership skills, and understand
the various roles and career paths of educators. Students will begin their
professional portfolio by creating lesson plans and preparing visual aids.
Students will have the opportunity to explore various teaching methods,
teaching, learn classroom management skills, study multiple intelligence,
recognize the signs of child abuse, and solve issues using critical thinking
skills.

Internships are an integral part of the curriculum. Students are given the
opportunity to gain experience by interning in local elementary schools,
neighboring middle school, or our high school. Each student will have a
professional teacher mentor, learn from guest speakers who are our
business partners in the field of education, and observe in real classrooms.

Requirements

• Students must be in 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade
• Maintain a 2.5 GPA
• Have less than 10 absences per semester
• Have no discipline record

The Focus

AVID is designed to increase school-wide learning and performance. The focus of AVID
is to ensure that all students are capable of completing a college preparatory path, will
succeed in rigorous curriculum, will enter mainstream activities of the school, will increase
their enrollment in four-year universities and colleges, and will become educated and
responsible participants in a democratic society. AVID is an academic, regularly scheduled
elective program based on writing as a tool of learning, inquiry method, and collaborative
grouping. The three main components of the program are academic instruction,
tutorial support, and motivational activities. The goal of AVID is to educate the “whole
student.” This is achieved by unifying six important elements in education:
students, curriculum, faculty, tutors, parents, and community.

Mission Statement

AVID’s Mission is to close the achievement gap
by preparing all students for college readiness
and success in a global society.

VISIT AVID.ORG

About

Biotechnology is the manipulation of living things to produce a product.
An example is inserting a human gene into bacteria so that bacteria would
produce insulin to treat diabetes. Biotechnology techniques include
developing medicines or making plants, and animals more resistant to
diseases, discovering cures for human diseases, cleaning up the
environment, utilizing biofuels.

This program might be right for you if:

• You enjoy a hands-on program using cutting-edge technology.
• You want to work in a laboratory with high-tech machinery in college, an internship, or during your career.
• You are planning to pursue a degree such as medicine, marine biology, pathology, veterinary medicine, etc.

Classes Available

• Grade 9: Biology 1 or Biology 1 honors
• Grade 10: Biotechnology 1
• Grade 11: Biotechnology 2
• Grade 12: Biotechnology 3

Skills Learned

After this program is completed, students will retain skills related to
making chemical solutions, using real equipment (utilized by laboratories
of universities and biotechnology companies), isolating DNA, multiplying
DNA for gel electrophoresis (i.e., used in the identification of an
individual), sterile techniques for growing bacteria, working with proteins,
cloning plants, and more!

Objectives
The academy seeks to create a collective learning environment that is centered
on communication across all levels of the school. Plans and strategies will be shared
between the academy faculty, cohort teachers, and administration on a monthly basis.
The focus of monthly meetings allows for a review of goals, strategies, and data-centered
collaboration. It also provides an opportunity to examine results and revise expectations.
Communication at all levels is key in tracking progress, coordinating implementation,
and establishing accountability.

The focus of the Academy is on building a solid foundation of academic skills while instilling
responsibility, interpersonal skills, and work ethics. The teachers incorporate teamwork,
leadership, and communication skills within English, Economics, and technology classes.

The relevance of the classwork is underscored by constant demonstrations of the connections
between school, career, and post-secondary education.

While enrolled in this program, credits can be earned from the different courses that are offered.
Credits from Southeastern University and Honors credits are available for the students to receive
while in this Academy.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Polk Academy of Business &
Technology, in cooperation with parents and
the community, is to provide all students
training in specialized technology courses
while preparing them for post-secondary
studies and to enter the workforce of tomorrow

Accounting Operations - For students interested in a career in
financial operations

Administrative Assistant - For students interested in a career ranging
from Business Administration to Entrepreneurship.

Digital Design - For students interested in a career as a Graphic Designer
or Production Assistant.

Business Supervision and Management For students interested in a
career in an international business environment.

Legal Administrative Specialist For students interested in a career as a
Legal Secretary of Legal Administrative Assistant.

Web Design Services For students interested in a career in Information
Technology, HTML Coding, or Web Producing.

Mission Statement

The Academy of Finance Program is designed to motivate and support the development of students 
toward personal and professional success in high school and to pursue higher education. In this
program, students learn to invest money wisely and about the world economy in an informative
developing medicines or making plants, and animals more resistant to
environment.

Program Description

The Academy of Finance introduces
students to Money Management through their
course work in the program.