Cincinnati Public Schools is adding new programs at nine of its neighborhood schools. They include focus areas such as technology, the environment and math and science. The move follows the creation last year of neighborhood school focus programs at seven schools.
Superintendent Mary Ronan says the district is creating two magnet schools as well.
"To meet the increased demand for gifted services, CPS will launch The Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students," says Ronan. "It's going to be a citywide magnet that will start serving students in grades 3 through 8, but then additional grades will be added - 9, 10, 11, and 12 - in future years."
The Spencer Center is in Walnut Hills.
The other magnet is LEAP Academy on the West side. It is a foreign language school similar to Fairview German School with a focus on Spanish. It will serve grades PreK-3 initially, eventually expanding up to Grade 6.
"I think everyone realizes that learning a foreign language at an early age offers many benefits, and at LEAP, Spanish instruction will start in preschool," says Ronan.
A new preschool will come online next year in Carthage. It will serve 80 preschool students and 20 kindergartners.
Expanded preschool was one focus of the school levy passed by voters in November, 2016.
"We're planning on adding 400 additional seats for next year," Ronan says. "This will bring the total number of preschool seats to more than 2,000 in Cincinnati Public Schools."
The district expects to hire 50 additional teachers and support staff for the new preschool and magnet schools.
Neighborhood School Programs
Here are the new programs for the 2017-2018 school year:
Bond Hill Academy - Math and Science Discovery
College Hill - Expeditionary Learning
Ethel M. Taylor - New Tech
Frederick Douglass - Dance and Movement
John P. Parker - Global Environmental Literacy
Mt. Washington - Expeditionary Learning
Rockdale - Global Conservation
Roll Hill Academy - High Technology
South Avondale - Creative Integration of Arts and Sciences
