From Orange County Public Schools
Orange County Public Schools is hosting a virtual Magnet Fair to promote its specialized learning programs, known as magnets. All parents and students are invited to learn more about the 41 magnet programs offered in 29 sites across elementary, middle, and high schools. These award-winning, focused programs encourage academic excellence in highly specialized areas of study and often pave the road to post-secondary schools and colleges.
All OCPS magnet programs offered at the elementary, middle, and high school levels are outlined in the magnet brochure. Parents must complete an application for their students to participate in a magnet program. For more information, visit www.schoolchoice.ocps.net. The application window is Nov. 1, 2024 – Feb. 17, 2025.
Spotlight programs include:
- Dr. Phillips High School’s Center for International Studies – This program provides a solid academic curriculum with an international dimension. Students develop the skills, attain the knowledge, and cultivate cross-cultural awareness to assist them in whatever direction they pursue. Students are exposed to significant concepts and issues in international affairs, politics, history, world religions, and humanities. Students become proficient in a foreign language as part of their commitment to international studies. This is a Magnet School of Distinction, a national merit award from Magnet Schools of America.
- Liberty Middle School’s Cambridge Middle School Academy –The Cambridge curriculum prepares students for life, helping them to develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. The program's focus is to allow middle school students to explore rigorous high school-level coursework requiring knowledge, understanding, application, and skills through research projects, investigation, written response, and practical oral labs relying on student-supported perspectives. This is a Magnet School of Distinction, a national merit award from Magnet Schools of America.
- Sally Ride Elementary School’s Aviation and Aerospace – This magnet program provides an enhanced curriculum focusing on science with connections to the worlds of aviation and aerospace. Students will have the opportunity to learn science content through hands-on, minds-on experiments in a science lab and in the regular classroom. For the applicable science units, teachers extend the concepts to include any aviation or aerospace links, creating a web of understanding between the state standards and the magnet topic.
The Office of School Choice Services in Orange County Public Schools works to increase awareness among parents and community members about voluntary public school choice options in Florida. School Choice means allowing parents to be involved in selecting the school their child will attend. It also means providing services and assistance to help children receive the instruction that best meets their needs.
