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Coronado High School and Scottsdale Community College Forge Innovative Partnership for Early College Campus
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (March 4, 2024) – Scottsdale Unified School District’s (SUSD) Coronado High School and Scottsdale Community College (SCC) proudly announce a new partnership to establish an Early College Campus at Coronado, located at 7501 E. Virginia Ave., Scottsdale.
“This initiative marks a significant step forward in providing enhanced educational opportunities for our SUSD high school students and aligns with both institutions' commitment to academic excellence, preparing the next generation for success in higher education and the workforce,” said Dr. Scott Menzel, SUSD’s superintendent.
Key Highlights of the Partnership:
- Concurrent Enrollment with Expert Instruction from SCC Faculty: SCC professors will teach select courses at Coronado High School, offering students a unique opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals in a high school setting as part of their regular high school schedule.
- Prepare for the Future, Today: Coronado students will work towards earning their Level One Entrepreneurship Certification as part of this innovative and dynamic learning model. Students will learn how to launch a successful company from start to finish and turn their dreams into reality.
Goals of the Partnership:
- Networking Opportunities: Establish networking opportunities for students with SCC professors and local industry leaders.
- Diversify Course Offerings: Introduce high-interest classes not currently part of dual-enrollment offerings at Coronado High School.
“The long-term goal of this partnership is to empower students participating in the program to graduate from Coronado High School and have greater access to college courses, possibly earning a degree or certificate along the way,” said SCC President Dr. Eric Leshinskie. “We are excited by the early interest this is generating among Coronado students and look forward to growing our partnership, offering more courses and increasing the pipeline to higher education.”
The first Early College course being taught this semester by SCC faculty at Coronado is "Marketing and Social Media.” Next school year (2024-2025), the offerings will be expanded to include “Intro to Entrepreneurship” and “New Venture Creation.” Both courses lead to students being eligible to earn their Level One Entrepreneurship Certification from SCC. These courses are concurrent-enrollment classes, meaning SUSD students earn college credit and high school credit simultaneously.
Coronado Principal Amy Palatucci said the new SCC/SUSD partnership fits well with the community’s Coronado Promise program. “The Coronado Promise is a K-12 commitment that helps ensure our students are prepared for higher education by providing scholarships to help offset the cost of college tuition,” she said. “With this new partnership with SCC, our Coronado Dons get a running start on higher education, along with earning their diploma from us. It’s a wonderful collaboration.”
You can learn more about Coronado here and schedule a school tour here.
#BecauseKids #SUSDAdvantage #CoronadoAdvantage
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About the Scottsdale Unified School District With more than 21,000 students in 30 schools, the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) has been a premier choice for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public education for 127 years. Located northeast of metropolitan Phoenix, the District serves the educational needs of students and families in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Tempe and Scottsdale. A highly experienced, professionally certified teaching staff fosters a diverse and rigorous educational environment that engages all students in world-class, future-focused learning. Offering gifted learning, special education, career and technical education, and a variety of athletics, arts and enrichment programs and clubs, SUSD provides the rich environment today’s students need to explore their interests, develop important social skills and grow into tomorrow’s leaders. For more information, visit www.susd.org and follow along on social media: Facebook: @ScottsdaleUSD, Twitter: @ScottsdaleUSD, Instagram: @ScottsdaleUnifiedSD, LinkedIn and YouTube.