HAINES CITY Ð The Polk County School District is breaking new ground with a school of technology scheduled to open in August.
The Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology will offer a hands-on technology-based curriculum for students in grades 6 to 12 who would ordinarily feed into the Haines City and Lake Wales high schools. Equipped with new and emerging technologies, students are expected to gain technical skills as they prepare for the work force of the future.
The school board unanimously approved the concept Thursday.
"It will have a career-type focus," said Bob Helmick, assistant superintendent of instructional services. "When the first group of students complete the course, they will be very much technology-oriented."
Students are expected to benefit from a partnership between Polk Community College and Cisco Systems Inc. under an agreement that was recently negotiated by the Florida Department of Education and Cisco.
Cisco Systems is a global technology company with a substantial market share in the U.S. Baldwin said the partnership will lead to high quality training at the school at the community college level. It will offer a four-semester structured curriculum for high school students leading to certification as a Cisco network specialist at the successful completion of the course.
This will provide immediate opportunity for employment in a high-skill, high-wage arena and assist in developing an appropriate work force for technology-related careers from network specialist to systems engineering.
PCC will develop the specifications such as the hardware and software training and the local curriculum.
In addition, high school students will be enrolled in the Florida On-line High School program, established by Orange and Alachua counties.
"It will almost be like an individualized approach for each student," Helmick said.
The former Jenkins Middle School will serve as the new facility and sections of the now-defunct school have been demolished. Remodeling will soon begin to make classrooms more spacious for technological needs, said Assistant Superintendent of Facilities Bob Williams. The entire project will cost an estimated $3.5 million.
