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Seminole County Public School Overview

The communities in the Seminole County School District are Altamonte Springs, Apopka*, Casselberry, Fern Park*, Forest City*, Geneva*, Heathrow, Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland*, Oviedo, Sanford and Winter Springs. *unincorporated areas

Schools

There are 48 schools in the district: 31 elementary, 10 middle and 7 high schools. It is among the top 100 school districts in the nation.

Seminole County

One of the smallest counties in Florida and one of the fastest growing, Seminole's student population is about 54,000. Enrollment is projected to reach 74,000 over the next seven years. Current projections indicate the need for 26 new schools over the next 10 years. To maintain a steady pace with the county's growth, Seminole has adopted a five-year comprehensive building program. A Business advisory Committee comprised of business people with various areas of expertise reviews plans and options for building and financing school facilities.

Scholastic Aptitude Test

Seminole County has a tradition of excellent scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Eleven years in a row the SAT score, throughout the school district, for graduating seniors was far above the state and national average. Approximately 60% of graduating seniors took the test compared with state and national averages of only 51% and 41% respectively.

The School Board

The board is composed of five board members who help determine the policies of the 47 schools. Their goal is to chart the course of education with responsible and responsive leadership. School board meetings are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month and 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. All citizens are encouraged to attend the board meetings and take an active interest in the matters affecting their schools and children.

Superintendent

The superintendent of schools is an appointed position. Dr. Paul Hagerty is Seminole's current Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Hagerty has been with Seminole since 1992. Formerly superintendent at Springfield, Mo., a strong proponent of community and corporate involvement, Hagerty has been named one of the nation's top 100 administrators five years running by Educator Magazine.

Seminole School Board District Office

400 East Lake Mary Blvd., Sanford, FL 32773. For information on your child's school zone, call 407-320-0184, extension 431. The street of your residence is required to determine your school zone. Some communities fall into two counties, therefore will be in two different school districts, for instance Apopka is in both Seminole and Orange county.

Special Programs

A number of programs are available for students with special needs. These programs are available to children who meet specific criteria matched to the program.

Early Age Home Intervention Program provides in-home instruction to preschool-age children (birth - 3 years) who are severely physically handicapped, deaf, blind, trainable or profoundly mentally handicapped.

Chapter I, a federal program, provides financial assistance to educationally disadvantaged children in all grades (K - 12).

Project Head Start is a comprehensive early childhood program for children ages 3 to 5 years old. Eligibility for enrollment in Head Start is determined by the Health and Human Services Administration for Children, Youth and Families. Family income guidelines are published each year. There are four major components in Project Head Start: education, health, parent involvement and social services.

Elementary Schools

As of this writing there are 31 elementary schools serving over 25,000 students.

There are many special programs to meet the needs of students. The Houghton-Mifflin Integrated language Arts program is offered to students in grades 1 through 5. This program brings together grammar, phonics, spelling, handwriting and reading under one umbrella.

The Latchkey Child Care Program is jointly administered by the YMCA and Seminole County Schools and offers before and after school activities in Sports/Recreation, arts and crafts.

Middle Schools

There are 10 middle schools serving about 13,000 students in grades 6 through 8. The curriculum is includes english, math, science and social studies. There are electives in art, music, foreign languages and vocational studies. Selected students may take high school level courses during their middle school programs. There is an Alternative education Program for students who have academic problem areas. The program includes small classes and tailored curriculums.

High Schools

Seminole County School District has the distinction of having the highest percentage of students going on to college than any other county in Florida. Over 84% of the graduated seniors will attend a two- or four- year college. Four percent will attend a vocational/trade school, and almost four percent will go into the military.

There are 7 high schools serving about 14,000 students.

Each high school helps to prepare students for entry into both college and careers through college prep and vocational courses. Twenty-four credits are needed for graduation, 15.5 required courses, and 8.5 elective courses. Required courses include 4 credits in English, 3 each in Math and Science, 1 each in American -World History and Physical Education, and Ť credit in Economics, American Government, Performing Arts, Life Management and Pre-Vocational.

The Vocational Education Program courses are offered in business education, agribusiness, health and industrial arts . Industrial arts includes auto mechanics, drafting design and electronics.

For More Information contact:
Seminole County Schools,
Community Relations Dept.
400 East Lake Mary Blvd.
Sanford, FL 32773
Home Page: www.scps.k12.fl.us
or call: 407-320-0184