Academic Magnet High School
January 24, 2012: Our speaker today was Judith Peterson, Principal of the Academic Magnet High School in the Charleston County School District. A graduate of Connecticut College, Mrs. Peterson has been a teacher, principal, supervisor of the Charleston County gifted education program, and since 2008 the principal of the 650 student Academic Magnet School.
In broad certain tones she told us that education today is the responsibility of everyone in the community to help raise and nurture our children. The students will reach out and exceed beyond expectations if we so challenge them. The family continues to be the most important influence on students, for good or for bad. Many children arrive at school each day with both stress and fears. The knowledge base increases exponentially every 10 years, yet we have not added one minute to the student day in decades.
The schools have turned to the business community for insight in building and maintaining the school plant, directing personnel, and in the general operation of the school office and administration. Programs like the Rotary Scholars have brought out the best in students. While she has worked for many superintendents in her tenure at Charleston, she has the highest of praise for Superintendent Nancy McGinley. The superintendent has built partnerships throughout the school community and the teachers of the district are eager to improve student education.
Among the “little things” that make a teacher’s work easier are notes from parents, interactions with students who make progress, evidence of a sense of humor, closer insight into the minds of students when disciplinary incidents occur, and evidence of high academic success. Students at the Magnet school spend 7 periods a day in a traditional liberal arts type education which includes math, social studies, foreign language, art, music and computer engineering. The typical graduate takes with him or her from 4 to 12 advanced placement college credits. The school day goes from 8:15 AM to 3:15 PM, with no “early outs”. In last year’s class 6 students totally qualified for admission to Harvard and two were admitted. Others go to places like Stanford, along with a large number, who because of outstanding grades, qualify for a totally free college education in the universities and colleges run by the state of South Carolina.
The magnet school is much like a family. Students and faculty work together, have mutual respect and demonstrate pep and enthusiasm for their school. Each senior writes a thesis on a topic that directly relates to society issues of the day. The school campus includes 9 buildings and shares the area with the School of the Arts. Today over 500 students apply for 100 openings each year, thus the student body does not directly mirror the demographics of the county. Those who are accepted appreciate their education and do well in college.
Submitted by Fred Sales, Keyway Committee