» What kind of students should apply?
Students attending Early College must demonstrate the maturity and independence needed to succeed in a less-structured academic environment. Other than that, the student body will be chosen to reflect the broad spectrum of Lee County.
Students who may be right for Early College include:
» Those whose learning styles would benefit from a nontraditional high school experience.
» Career-oriented students who want to get started quickly after high school.
» Those who already have an interest in some technical program offered by Central Carolina Community College.
» Advanced students who want to pursue courses or subjects not offered at Lee County or Southern Lee high schools.
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» Will this take all of the better students from our school?
It's not likely. There's no doubt that some outstanding students will want to pursue a fast-paced academic program at Early College. But, there's no reason to believe that all of the better students will even prefer this option.
First of all, Early College requires students to take college electives over two summers. Some students simply will not want to attend class in the summer, and others may prefer to pursue summer enrichment opportunities available to traditional high school students.
Then, there are some outstanding students who will want to participate in varsity athletics or some other activity not offered at Early College.
Aside from that, the student body will be selected to reflect a broad range of interests and goals. Students who may not have had success in many academic pursuits could be admitted to Early College if they want to develop technical skills for the workplace.
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» Will we lose staff in our high school because of Early College?
Yes, but not many and over time. When fully staffed, Early College will employ about 16 teachers drawn primarily from faculty now teaching in the Lee County Schools or Central Carolina Community College.
They will be added over the first four years, as new classes arrive and the number of students rises to a total of 400. The number of teachers within the school system, as a whole, will not diminish.
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» If Early College is on the college campus, who's ultimately in charge?
The high school principal is in charge and will be assisted by a Central Carolina Community College employee hired to serve as a liaison between the high school and community college.
Though the school is operated in close collaboration with the community college, Lee Early College is chartered as the county's third high school — with its own school number assigned by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction — and is under jurisdiction of the Lee County Schools.
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» We just opened another high school. Why do we need a third? Why now?
A very good (and complex) question, so let's deal with the school's purpose first and its timing second.
Early College isn't just another high school; it's a very different experience designed to serve students with learning styles or career goals that may not be met easily in the traditional setting. It also allows students to get their associate degree without paying for college tuition, fees or books — which may be the only way some could manage to attend college at all.
So, most importantly, Early College offers opportunity: a chance for students to succeed and achieve their goals in life.
For the broader community, Early College has several benefits. It helps provide well-qualified workers for local industry and demonstrates a spirit of innovation and dedication to education. This makes our county much more attractive to business and industry.
And, for the schools, it provides a new option for students and teachers, while raising our capacity to serve students without having to build new classrooms.
As for the timing, we might have preferred to wait a bit longer after opening Southern Lee to launch a new school. But, Early College is an important project we wanted to pursue anyway and a substantial grant was available at this time to help establish the school, making this the best time to help the new school succeed.
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» How do I apply to teach at Early College?
Faculty needs and hiring plans are still being determined, though faculty will likely be selected by a committee consisting of the principal, high school counselor, college liaison, and possibly others, some time in March or April. Anyone interested may contact: Early College, Lee County Schools, PO Box 1010, Sanford, NC, 27331-1010.
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