Communications High School

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Communications High School
Location
1740 New Bedford Road
Wall, NJ 07719
USA
Information
School district Monmouth County Vocational School District
Principal James Gleason
Enrollment

295 (as of 2005-06)[1]
Grade 9 85
Grade 10 78
Grade 11 66
Grade 12 66
Faculty 29.0 (on FTE basis)[1]
Student:teacher ratio 10.2[1]
Type Magnet public high school
Grades 9-12
Hours in school day 6 Hours, 50 Minutes
Color(s)           Navy Blue, Silver
Established 2000
Information 732-681-1010
Homepage School website

Communications High School (CHS) is a four-year magnet public high school and career academy as part of the Monmouth County Vocational School District in New Jersey. CHS is located in Wall Township next to Wall High School. The school opened in 2000 with its first freshman class. Each year about 80 students enter the school. The first class graduated in 2004. As of 2008, the principal is James R. Gleason.

As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 295 students and 29.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 10.2.[1]

Some popular student activities include the CHS drama club, National Honor Society, Digital Video Club, Photography Club, Broadcast Club, and the Newspaper Club, which produces the school newspaper Inkblot. CHS has no sports teams or official mascot. Instead, students have the option to participate in their home high school's sports.

Contents

[edit] Awards and achievements

  • In 2005-06, the school averaged a 1888 combined SAT score, fifth highest of all public high schools statewide.[2]
  • Principal James Gleason was given a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award in October of 2007.[3]

[edit] Mission Statement

"Communications High School, a small, personalized academy with a career focus, provides a theme-based integrated curriculum in conjunction with community and industry partnerships. Monmouth County students interested in the field of communications acquire knowledge, skills, and ethics in a unique and challenging educational environment."[4]

[edit] Admissions

All admissions are through the Monmouth County Vocational School District administration offices. They accept 80 applicants via a highly competitive points system. The total amount of points possible is 100 and the minimum to be considered is 75. The point scoring is as follows:

  • 7th Grade Academic Scores (All four marking periods): 15 points
  • 8th Grade Academic Scores (Only first marking period): 15 points
  • Math Portion on Admissions Exam: 35 points
  • LA Portion on Admissions Exam: 35 Points.

CHS accepts the top ranking student from each school district. After the 1st round, all left over positions go to the highest scoring applicants from all applicants. There are, generally, no more acceptances after this, as there is overenrollment in anticipation that some students will not accept the invitation.

Letters of admission for all five of the Monmouth County Vocational School District schools were sent out to the applicants for the potential classes of 2012.

[edit] Academics

CHS is the building in the lower part of the image.
CHS is the building in the lower part of the image.

Classes operate on block scheduling. Each day is divided into 4 class periods and a lunch/activity period. The classes run for approximately 90 minutes each. The lunch/activity period is placed between periods 2 and 3, and lasts for approximately 1 hour. Students eat lunch and participate in school clubs during that time period.

The school year is divided into two semesters. Students will attend a 5 credit class 5 times a week for one semester. Classes worth 2.5 credits will be attended every other day in one semester, or they will be attended every day for half the semester and then swapped with another class. Classes are rarely given for only one quarter of the year. Students who pass every class will acquire 40 credits each school year. Students must have 160 credits in order to graduate. However, the state of New Jersey only requires 120 credits to graduate from high school.

CHS requires that students explore many options during their first two years at the school. The only language offered at CHS is Spanish, and students must take at least 3 courses of the language. Students are required to take 4 years of Math, English, History, and Science. Gym and Health classes are required every year, but seniors must fulfill class requirements outside of the school setting.

[edit] Freshman and sophomore year

As freshman, students must take the communications classes:

  • Communication Technology (2.5 credits)
  • Computer Applications (2.5 credits)
  • Digital Video Production (2.5 credits)
  • Intro TV/Radio Production (2.5 credits)

Students also take the school's "core classes" which include:

  • Algebra 1 or Geometry (To take Geometry, you must test out of Algebra 1) (5 credits)
  • Biology (5 credits)
  • English 1 (5 credits)
  • Fitness & Health (5 credits)
  • Spanish 1 or 2 (5 credits)
  • World History (5 credits)

As sophomores, students must take:

  • Journalism
  • Visual Communications
  • Geometry or Algebra 2/Trig
  • English
  • Fitness and health
  • Physics
  • US History
  • Spanish 2 or 3

All are worth 5 credits.

[edit] Junior and senior year

Junior year students must take the Media Writing class and can choose 2 electives. Electives include Animation, Intermediate Digital Video, Intermediate TV/Audio Broadcasting, Photojournalism, Programming in Java, Visual Communications II, and Web Design. Seniors can pick 3 electives. They may pick any of the junior year electives. They can also take advanced courses if they completed their junior-year counterparts. Senior year electives include Statistics, Spanish IV or Spanish Communications, Historical Issues in Film, Advanced Graphic Design, Character Animation, E-Commerce, Game Programming, Electronic Field Production, or Advanced Studio Production. Seniors must also pick between the Broadcast News class or the Advanced Digital Image Prep class. The senior year science requirement can be fulfilled by either an Advanced Biology or Advanced Physics course.

Seniors are also required to take a mentorship class. For one quarter of the school year, students spend periods 3 and 4 at the mentorship site of their choice. Mentorship sites in the past have included the Asbury Park Press, Lab Volt, architectural firms, graphic design firms, and schools.

[edit] Other career academies

There are four other career academies in the Monmouth County Vocational School District. These are referred to as sister schools. [5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Communications High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 7, 2008.
  2. ^ 2005-06 School Test Score Rankings, The Star-Ledger. Accessed June 19, 2007.
  3. ^ [1], Milken Family Foundation. Accessed November 27, 2007.
  4. ^ Communications High School, accessed December 20, 2006.
  5. ^ www.mcvsd.org

[edit] External links