Fremont Union High School District seniors will have the opportunity this fall to spend their fourth year of high school in advanced study on the De Anza College campus. About 100 seniors are expected to take college credit courses alongside De Anza students of diverse backgrounds and ages, said Janice Winkel, a spokesperson for the college.
"This unique accelerated program may well become a national model for high school and community college partnerships," said De Anza College President Martha Kanter. "This new collaboration offers students an outstanding opportunity to access higher education more quickly, thereby lessening the time it takes to earn a college degree or certificate of achievement."
To learn about the two-part pilot program, parents and juniors of the Fremont school district are invited to a May 14 informational meeting at the Fremont district board room. Students interested in enrolling in a one-year certificate program or beginning a two-year technical preparation program should attend between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.; those who would like to accelerate learning by beginning their college studies sooner should attend between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m.
"The accelerated program offers so many advantages for high school seniors, primarily because they'll get a head start on their college career, while at the same time earning credits for high school graduation," said Rena Frabony, director of De Anza's Office of Relations with Schools.
Students will be provided with counseling, academic progress reports, direct contact with college instructors and a cost savings.
To enroll in the "Technical Advantage" program, students must have earned a 2.5 or higher grade-point average at the end of 11th grade. Career programs include manufacturing and design technology, computer information systems, child development, film/television, certified nursing assistant and home health aide.
The "College Advantage" program is geared toward students planning for advanced or professional degrees. Students must have a 3.5 or higher grade-point average at the end of 11th grade.
Contact Frabony at 864-8631 or Polly Bove of the Fremont Union High School District at 522-2243.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, May 8, 1996.
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