Early College Academy

The Jennings School District established the Early College Academy (ECA) in collaboration with St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley.

This partnership allows current Jennings High School students to obtain an associate degree will fulfilling their Missouri graduation requirements. Applications are available online and at the high school.

During enrollment in ECA, students still have access to their full-time Jennings High school counselor, as well as their college advisor. They will also have access to the STLCC-Florissant Valley Student Resource Center, library, and computer labs, as well as student clubs and campus activities. Students will follow the STLCC academic calendar and are required to be in attendance to all classes.

Jennings School District Early College Academy

Start College early while still attending High School

Students who are interested in getting an early start on their college classes while still in high school have a few options. Jennings Early College Options enables students to earn credit toward their high school diplomas while taking college classes at St. Louis Community College (Florissant Valley). Students can choose one of the following:

· Take courses to being their college experience- Students earn both high school and college credit while attending classes at STLCC campus during their junior and/or senior year. Students taking part will attend FLO Valley fulltime. Courses can be used to complete an associate degree at STLCC after high school graduation or eligible courses (CORE 42 Program ) can be transferred to any public, Missouri four year college or university.

· Earn an associate degree while in high school-Students earn both high school credit and college credit while attending classes full-time at St. Louis Community College (Florissant Valley) during their junior and senior years and earn an associate degree. Eligible classes (CORE 42 Program ) are also transferable to any public, Missouri four-year college or university

· Attend the informational meetings at 6:00 p.m., Thursday, October 20, 2022, or January 19, 2023.

APPLY

1. Meet with Dr. Debbie Jones Fowler, JSD Early College & Secondary Programs Administrator, to discuss the program and whether it aligns with and supports your post-secondary graduation plans.

2. Apply to STLCC online in early February. For more information on how to apply to STLCC, please visit htt ps://stlcc.edu/admissions/apply-to-stlcc/.

3. Take STLCC’s Accuplacer to assess college readiness. Students will be able to sign up to take the Accuplacer at STLCC. For more on testing please visit https://stlcc.edu/admissions/testing-centers/

4. Download Jennings School District ECA Application. Fill out the form and collect all necessary signatures. Turn the form into your counselor.

5. Once accepted, complete and sign this agreement form prior to participation

IMPORTANT

Students must be accepted to STLCC and the Jennings Early College Academy to be dually enrolled and earn credit at both educational institutions. Additionally, feedback will be sent to each applicant’s teachers and counselor to gather information about the student’s potential for success in the Early College Options Program. All Applications and feedback forms will be reviewed by a staff committee.

TIMELINE AND DEADLINES FOR THE 2022 – 2023 SCHOOL YEAR

· Student and Family Informational Meetings- October 21, 2022, or January 19, 2023, at 6:00 STLCC, Training Center

· Complete STLCC’s application-Early February

· Applications due -February 28, 2023, to JSD

· Acceptance to program announced-Late March or early April 2022

· STLCC Course enrollment with STLCC-April 2023

· STLCC ORIENTATION -August 2022

CHOOSE TO ATTEND CLASSES ON THE JHS CAMPUS? THESE ARE THE ADDITIONAL OPTIONS TO EARN COLLEGE CREDIT IN HIGH SCHOOL

· DUAL credit courses- Courses taken on a high school campus using a college-level curriculum tied to a specific university. Students take classes and earn college credit with their high school teacher, who is also an approved instructor for the college or university. Individual universities determine if they accept the credit(s).

*NOTE ABOUT THE CORE 42

The Missouri Department of High Education (MDHE) has identified a common set of general courses called the CORE 42, CORE 42 courses are guaranteed to transfer to any Missouri public college or university to satisfy general education requirements. The Core 42 offers several courses across five knowledge areas: Communications (Oral & Written), Humanities and Fine Arts, Mathematical Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences.

Angel Coleman

During my experience as an Early College student, I have been given various opportunities, such as taking college classes, making connections with other successful college students, and exploring different career paths. At the beginning of my first semester, I faced many challenges because of my time management skills. But the teachers and advisors in the Early College Program were supportive and helped me learn how to manage my time. I am grateful to have the opportunity to grow and succeed in graduating with my high school diploma and Associate Degree. Going forward, I will continue to work hard to manage my time and complete all my classes successfully to make myself and the people supporting me proud.

Angel Coleman

Sophomore

Bobby Lewis

Attending St. Louis Community College and participating in the Early College Program while in high school will be one of my best decisions. This decision changed my perception of college life. There were many benefits of participating in the program. One of them was using my senior time wisely instead of my schedule being full of classes I didn’t need. I took advantage of getting college credits early with college courses. These courses were all rigorous, and each brought me different challenges. But the process I took to solve these challenges will help me deal with problems in the future. Another benefit was this opportunity made sure I stayed focused on the work. Because if you weren't, you would quickly fall behind and fail classes. My college courses gave me a glimpse of the coursework I will have to take at a university eventually. My favorite class was the mechanical engineering course. This course helped me learn design programs such as Solid-Works, which I would need to know beyond college and in a work field. The last benefit was being able to communicate with different classmates. There were people from many different backgrounds and ages. Despite my initial challenges, a welcoming atmosphere made me want to continue coming to the campus.

Bobby Lewis
Senior

Allen Wilson

Being a part of the Early College Academy was a great opportunity and experience. As a high school senior, I was given the whole college experience while earning credits toward my future degree. Although the course load was more difficult than I was used to, I still succeeded in it. The ability to be on college campus full-time has allowed me to make connections I would have never imagined I would have. I had the chance to build bonds with people in and outside the classroom and gain knowledge and wisdom from those individuals. This opportunity helped me move further with my education and was an experience I’ll never forget.

Allen Wilson
Senior

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