Magnet Schools of America selects three Richland Two Schools to receive Merit Awards
February 12, 2024
Three schools in Richland School District Two are 2024 Magnet Schools of America (MSA) Merit Award winners. MSA is the national association for magnet and theme-based schools. Ridge View High School and Spring Valley High School were selected as Top Magnet Schools of Excellence. Sandlapper Elementary School was selected as a Magnet School of Distinction. The Magnet School of Excellence is the top merit award category and is only awarded to a select group of magnet schools. The Magnet School of Distinction is the second- highest award of recognition.
Magnet Schools of Excellence
Ridge View High School has two magnet programs being recognized as Schools of Excellence. The Scholars Academy for Business and Law Magnet program, a school-within-a-school magnet, is an energetic smaller learning community of highly motivated students committed to achieving the goals of a challenging academic curriculum focused on law and business through a four-year Honors/Advanced Placement track. Scholars Academy provides rigorous academic and experiential learning opportunities necessary to help participants become knowledgeable professionals in the fields of business and law.
The Institute for Health Sciences houses the BioHealth Sciences Magnet and Allied Health Sciences Magnet. BioHealth is designed for highly motivated Honors students with interests directed toward careers in health science professions. Allied Health Sciences is designed for highly motivated College Prep students with interests directed toward careers in health science professions. Ridge View is a Nationally Certified Demonstration Magnet School. The Institute for Health Sciences houses the BioHealth Sciences Magnet and Allied Health Sciences Magnet. BioHealth is designed for highly motivated Honors students with interests directed toward careers in health science professions. Allied Health Sciences is designed for highly motivated College Prep students with interests directed toward careers in health science professions. Ridge View is a Nationally Certified Demonstration Magnet School.
Spring Valley High School offers the Discovery, school-within-a-school, magnet program. Discovery is a rigorous, Honors/Advanced Placement, four-year program designed for students with special motivation, interest, aptitude, and commitment to the study of science and math. Students focus on problem-based learning with an emphasis on both the theory and application of science and mathematics.
Explorations is a magnet program designed for motivated college-bound students with a focus on forensic science. Critical thinking skills are taught through problem-based learning strategies, and students complete a 200-hour internship between their junior and senior year in a career they are interested in pursuing in college and beyond. Spring Valley is a Nationally Certified Demonstration Magnet School.
Magnet School of Distinction
Sandlapper Elementary School is a Computer Science Immersion School (CSIS). Sandlapper offers a full computer science integrated curriculum and provides computer science coding experiences to students as early as kindergarten. The purpose of the program is to prepare students in work, life, and citizenship by providing computer science coding skills to become effective collaborators and communicators, computational and creative thinkers, and problem solvers with a global perspective. The magnet theme is integrated through the school’s core classes using project based computer science learning units. CSIS is a whole-school magnet that was the 2022 National New and Emerging Magnet School of Excellence.
Principals and magnet teachers will be formally recognized at the Magnet Schools of America’s 40th National Conference in April.
To receive a national merit award, members of Magnet Schools of America must submit a detailed application that is scored by a panel of educators. These schools are judged and scored on their demonstrated ability to raise student academic achievement, promote racial and socioeconomic diversity, provide integrated curricula and instruction, and create strong family and community partnerships that enhance the school’s magnet theme.
February is National Magnet Schools Month.
