History of Lehigh Senior High School
After several years the comunity of Lehigh finally got a high school they could call their own. In 1993 the ground was broken. Although construction was still going on two years later in some buildings, the two year project was actually completed in 15 months. Contractors and construction workers weren't the only ones designing and building the school. Members of the community, teachers, students, and parents attended town hall meetings. Starting from scratch, they made the rules, set the dress code, and decided the school mascot and colors. From February to June, teachers met every other week to set the goals for Lehigh Senior High School. "Striving for excellence from the beginning" has made Lehigh Senior High a school in which students and teachers can take pride.
9th & 10th Grade Academies
In 2004, Lehigh Senior High School Center for the Arts became the first high school in Lee County to offer an “Academy” setting for all 9th and 10th grade students. The Academy was developed around the concept of a small learning community. It is a school within a school dedicated to student achievement. The goal of the Academy is to help students make a smooth and successful transition from middle school to high school and to address the various needs and challenges that students encounter as they begin their high school experience.
All 9th and 10th grade students at Lehigh Senior High School Center for the Arts are in the Academy. The Academy is based upon a team approach. Each Academy has its own dedicated administrator and guidance counselor. Core subject areas teachers are on teams with a common planning period. Team meetings provide a forum for discussing student needs, challenges, successes and cross curricular/activity planning.
Students in the Academy attend their core classes in separate buildings and have their own designated lunch periods. Quarterly, students are recognized for their academic achievements at a formal award ceremony. The Academy provides a nurturing environment where all students are focused on building a strong academic and social foundation for future success.
As an Academy parent you can expect a strong focus on academics and communication. Weekly, interim reports are sent home with the students. In the fall, there will be a special Academy Open House for all 9th and 10th grade students.
Benefits of the Academies:
- Low student teacher ratio
- Increased academic achievement
- Increased student attendance
- Strong student teacher relationship
- Increased communication
- Increase support
AVID
AVID stands for Achievement Via Individual Determination. AVID began at Lehigh Senior High School Cen-ter for the Arts in 2008. AVID is a class in which students prepare for four year college eligibility. AVID stu-dents are enrolled in Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, Cambridge or Honors courses, and attend an aca-demic elective class called AVID. Lehigh Senior High School Center for the Arts was the first high school in Lee County to offer this college preparatory class. Lehigh Senior graduated its first AVID seniors in 2011. AVID students may also participate in Cambridge and JROTC as well as the Center for the Arts.
Learn more about AVID
Cambridge
Lehigh Senior High School Center for the Arts was the first public high school in Lee County to offer the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Program. Cambridge courses are rec-ognized by universities around the world as offering the most challenging syllabi that prepare students to have extraordinary skills in higher order thinking, writing, problem solving and teamwork. The Florida DOE recog-nizes the AICE program as an official acceleration mechanism and is included in the Bright Futures Scholar-ship Program as an additional means to earn scholarship monies.
Learn more about Cambridge
Dual Enrollment
Dual Enrollment is a program that allows high school students to simultaneously earn college credit while also earning high school credit. These courses and the required textbooks are free to students. Classes may be taken at Lehigh Senior High School, at the Edison College campus or on the internet. Upon graduation from high school, the college credits earned may be transferred to any college or university in the Florida State University System, and many others, private and out-of-state, as well. Students have the opportunity to earn their AA(2 year degree) or BA (4 year college degree) when they graduate with their high school diploma.
Learn more about Dual Enrollment
Advanced Placement
With 25 sections of Advanced Placement courses, and over 500 students enrolled, Lehigh Senior currently offers one of the county’s fastest growing Advanced Placement curriculums. Our program is also expected to grow even more within the next year! By enrolling in an Advanced Placement course at Lehigh Senior High School, students can earn college credit and accelerate their college careers. Over 3,600 colleges and universities receive AP Exam scores annually, and over 90% of all U.S. 4-year colleges provide credit and/or advanced placement in classes for qualifying scores. Taking AP courses is a great way to separate yourself from the others in the college admissions process, and can help you gain skills that will be essential for success in college. All AVID students are required to enroll in an Advanced Placement course.
Learn more about Advanced Placement
Center for the Arts
The Center for the Arts provides an exciting opportunity for artistically talented high school students of Lee County. Once selected, students will become part of an artistic environment designed to develop their talents to the highest possible level while fostering an appreciation and love of the arts which will serve them well in the pursuit of the next step in their educational training and chosen careers.
Learn more about the Center for the Arts