The WS/FCS Magnet and Choice School Community Conversation will be held on Thursday, January 22 at 6 pm at the Reynolds Auditorium. The deadline to apply for a magnet school is Friday, January 30. Apply online today at https://wsfcsncc.scriborder.com/.
Magnet schools offer specialized curriculum on subjects like STEM, performing arts, world languages, health sciences, and more in addition to their standard grade level content. Students interested in pursuing a future in a particular field are able to apply to attend a magnet school even if it’s outside their residential zone.
WS/FCS wants to empower all students and families with plenty of school choice options, regardless of their zip code. Events like the upcoming forum help students and their families navigate the school choice process and identify what schools can best meet their needs and help them complete their goals.
But which magnet program is right for you or your student? Here are a handful of the district’s best options:
Brunson Elementary School is a STEM Magnet school that offers many opportunities to learn about the engineering design process through both specials and core curriculum. Brunson brings learning alive through guest speakers and field trips, as well as hands-on, problem-based learning to develop critical thinking and prepare students for competitive future careers. The Downtown School is a one-of-a-kind school where students in grades Preschool–8 learn through passion-driven projects and meaningful community partnerships. Located in the heart of Downtown Winston-Salem, DTS transforms the city into their classroom, connecting students with local universities, arts organizations, and downtown businesses to create authentic learning experiences. Through enrichment clusters, students explore their interests while developing creativity, leadership, and a lifelong love of learning.
Early College of Forsyth provides a learner-centered community which promotes independence, responsibility for learning, and community involvement. All students take college-level courses beginning with their freshman year. They can graduate high school with an associate’s degree, and the school offers support in moving on to careers and higher education after high school.
Flat Rock Middle School is a candidate for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP), which helps students grow into confident, thoughtful, and capable young people through lessons rooted in real world applications, encouraging meaningful questions, and critical examinations of the world. Families who choose Flat Rock can rest assured that their students are being taught to dream bigger and achieve more. Konnoak Middle School is a STEAM magnet school that seamlessly blends science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics to prepare students for a dynamic future. Their new Verizon Innovative Learning Lab allows students to explore hands-on science through robotics, virtual reality and 3D printing as part of their experiential learning projects. The school also hosts clubs dedicated to coding, environmental stewardship, legal studies, and more.
Middle College of Forsyth is a unique magnet high school for juniors and seniors who are mature, self-motivated and eager to learn in a college setting. Part of North Carolina’s Career and College Promise program and hosted at Forsyth Technical Community College, the school offers college coursework, small class sizes, and a tight focus on preparing students for life after high school.
Mineral Springs Elementary and Middle Schools share a campus, as well as a focus on nurturing students’ artistic talents. Mineral Springs students not only enjoy rigorous curricula for dance, music, theatre, and visual arts, but also experience the arts through integration into core subjects, visits from local community artisans, and a dynamic school atmosphere that encourages a lifelong love of creativity.Moore Magnet Elementary School utilizes the engineering design process, problem-based learning units, and guided inquiry to help students build practical learning skills. Students participate in makerspace activities, research projects, LEGO literacy builds, video creation, community gardening, robotics, coding, and more while collaborating with companies and community partners like RoboWunderkind, UNC School of the Arts ArtistCorps, Kaleideum, and a variety of local churches and temples.
Wiley Middle School celebrates its 100th birthday this school year on its historic Winston-Salem campus. This STEAM magnet school hosts students from 21 countries who speak nine different languages, and in addition to its STEAM curriculum, it’s also the only middle school in the district with visually impaired and deaf/hard of hearing programs.
Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy hosts middle and high school students for career preparation coursework in sports management and human services. Their class schedule integrates club days so that students can spend more time pursuing arts, sports, practical skills, and other fields they’re interested in. Their Verizon Innovative Learning Lab allows students to practice future-ready technological applications.
These are only a few of the amazing opportunities WS/FCS students have to focus their curriculum through magnet school programming, so make sure to come out to this month’s forum to speak with the district’s magnet educators and see what their programs can do for you!
Learn more about WS/FCS magnet schools at https://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/page/magnet-schools.