SHS: News

SCOTTSBLUFF HIGH SCHOOL OPENS DOORS

March 27, 2008

Scottsbluff Public Schools provide academic opportunities for area students, not just those who live in the Scottsbluff school district. Scottsbluff High School offers many different areas of study which prepare students for their next stage of life, and when feasible, opens their doors, to students in other high schools in the county.

“We have had students from Gering, Mitchell and Morrill High Schools taking classes on our campus for the past couple of years,” commented Scottsbluff Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Gary Reynolds. “If the classes are not offered in their schools, if the classes fit into their schedule time-wise, and we have seats available, they are welcome to enroll in our courses.”

When students enter Scottsbluff High School, they have various pathways from which to choose with regard to course selection which prepares them for future endeavors. The variety of courses offered at SHS will help students prepare for the next step after high school whether it is in the vocational, technical, work, military, or college area.

Students preparing to attend college after high school have a growing variety of advanced placement (AP) courses available to them through SHS for possible college credit. Next year, SHS will offer students the opportunity to take AP English, AP Chemistry, AP U.S. History, AP World History, AP Statistics, and AP Calculus. Most colleges and universities in the U.S. have an AP policy granting incoming students credit, placement, or both on the basis of their AP exam scores. The administration and counseling office continue to add AP classes when possible.

“Advanced Placement classes are an excellent way for students to prepare for college by adding rigor to their schedules and giving the students a chance to earn college credit by attaining a certain score on the exam,” said Dr. Reynolds.

One course students can take for dual credit (college and high school credit) through SHS is physics from Nebraska Wesleyan. Students can also take Medical Terminology through WNCC and earn college credit.

WNCC is teaming up with SHS and other area high schools to offer Career Academies next fall in the areas of Health Sciences and Human Services and Resources. This program is designed to provide high school students the opportunity to earn college credit while attending high school. The WNCC Career Academy is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors, and has a three-year schedule of courses to help students plot their program of study. Tuition and fees for all career academy classes through WNCC will be at a 50% reduction in cost. Applications for the WNCC Career Academy are due April 15^th in the high school counselor’s office.

SHS offers students an assortment of core and elective classes in all academic areas. Scottsbluff High School has award-winning programs in journalism, speech, drama and music in which students may participate, and four-year foreign language offerings in Spanish and German.

Some of the unique to SHS include music technology, DECA marketing courses, visual design, digital video, College Algebra, ProStart Culinary program, Vocational Agriculture program, and swimming.

“With the Splash Arena located within our campus, we are able to offer beginning, intermediate and advanced swimming, along with lifeguard and CPR training. We are also able to combine with Gering to form our ‘Seacats’ swim team, which is the only swim team west of North Platte,” stated Dr. Reynolds.

One of the other programs unique to SHS is the ProStart Culinary program. In this program, students acquire both culinary and business skills in the area of restaurant and food service. For the last several years, Scottsbluff has qualified individuals and teams of students from this class for state and national competition with several students and/or groups placing high in competitions. Through this program, scholarships have been made available to students. Some of the students that complete this program continue their education at top culinary schools across the nation.

“We are very proud of the ProStart program Mrs. Nancy Sakurada has built,” said Reynolds. “Our high school has a state-of-the-art industrial kitchen where students can get a feel for a professional work atmosphere while participating in the class.”

Another area where SHS offers a variety of superior courses is in Agricultural Education. Along with agricultural and animal science, SHS offers courses in companion animals; equine science; floral design and interior landscape development; landscape design; construction and maintenance; horticulture plant production; computer applications and leadership development; entrepreneurship in agribusiness; agricultural mechanics; agricultural metal fabrication; and basic welding.
“In an area where agriculture is vital, we feel it is important to give students every advantage and opportunity to learn about the latest in technology for agriculture,” remarked Reynolds. “Our agricultural education program is the strongest in the area. Students from Gering and Mitchell are also taking advantage of our vocational agricultural instructors and classes.”

High school students wishing to learn more about the courses offered at Scottsbluff High School are encouraged to contact the high school counselors’ office at 635-6243.