Northside Health Careers High School
Encyclopedia
Northside Health Careers High School (HCHS) is a magnet school
in Northside Independent School District
for students that are interested in pursuing a career in the health professions. HCHS attracts students from school districts all across Bexar County
and some from as far as Hondo, Texas
.
s in south Texas under principal John Boyer, who remained principal until 2002. The land on which the school sits was donated to Northside Independent School District by the San Antonio Medical Foundation. HCHS is in the heart of the South Texas medical center.
or Communications Arts High School
). Admission to HCHS requires the submission of an application and essay, as well as a C average. Eligible applicants are entered into a lottery system with selected students notified by mail. Prior to admitting the class of 2001, the admissions process did not operate as a lottery, and admitted students were selected based on the merits of their application. Each year, over 800 students apply to fill only 250 spots. As a public school, no tuition is charged to either in-district or out of district students.
HCHS educates about 900 students from the 9th grade (freshman) through 12th grade (senior). The curriculum of HCHS complies with the requirements of the Texas Education Agency
, but additional courses that relate to the health field are also offered . Health-related electives include:
As of 2006, HCHS has grouped together Medical/surgical Technology, Diagnostics Services I, Patient Care, and Dental Science classes into a single class in which the students "rotate" from one to another each grading period. Prior to this, each student selected which particular lab they wanted to join.
(TEA) Exemplary campus, and has received the Gold Performance Acknowledgment(from the TEA). In addition, educators at HCHS have also been recognized at the state and national level for excellence in education . In addition, since 1997, long time volunteer and resident statistician Dr. Joe Ward has run the Biostatistics Research Club. Dr. Ward's commitment to the Northside Independent School District and HCHS has recently been recognized with the naming of Dr. Joe Ward Elementary School in his honor .
In 2004, Latin teacher Mr. Clyde Lehmann was named as a recipient of the $25,000 prize from the Milken Award Foundation.
In 2008 Health Careers was recognized as a "2008 Just for Kids Higher Performing Schools in Texas"http://www.just4kids.org/en/texas/school_data/chart.cfm?campus_id=015915006&tab=hp
In 2009 and in 2010 HCHS was listed as the top High School in San Antonio by "Children at Risk">http://www.childrenatrisk.org/childrenatrisk.cfm?a=cms,c,875,3.
HCHS was also listed as an Honor School by the Texas Business & Education Coalitionhttp://www.tbec.org/honorroll.php for 2006. As well as being listed as one of the top 500 schoolshttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18757087/?sort=Rank&count=1236&start=0&limit=100&year=2007&search=health in the country by Newsweek.com for 3 consecutive years (2005-2007), HCHS was also listed as one of the top schools in Texas by Texas Monthly http://www.texasmonthly.com/preview/2006-12-01/feature7.
The school mascot is the phoenix
, which is sometimes affectionately referred to as the "flaming chicken" and the school colors are navy blue, medical white, and maroon.
The mascot is rarely used or mentioned, though, contrary to most High Schools, due to the lack of major team sports.
Northside ISD Homepage - http://www.nisd.net
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
in Northside Independent School District
Northside Independent School District
Northside Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Leon Valley, Texas. It is the largest school district in the San Antonio area and the fourth largest in the State of Texas...
for students that are interested in pursuing a career in the health professions. HCHS attracts students from school districts all across Bexar County
Bexar County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...
and some from as far as Hondo, Texas
Hondo, Texas
Hondo is a city in and the county seat of Medina County, Texas, United States. According to the 2000 Census, the population was 7,897...
.
History
HCHS opened in 1984 as one of the first magnet schoolMagnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
s in south Texas under principal John Boyer, who remained principal until 2002. The land on which the school sits was donated to Northside Independent School District by the San Antonio Medical Foundation. HCHS is in the heart of the South Texas medical center.
Admissions
HCHS is unique from other Bexar County magnet schools in that it operates as an independent campus rather than as part of a "parent" school (See Business Careers High SchoolBusiness Careers High School
Business Careers High School is a business magnet high school part of the Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas. It is a "school within a school" located on the campus of Oliver Wendell Holmes High School. The school attracts students who want to study business and other...
or Communications Arts High School
Communications Arts High School
Communications Arts High School is a magnet school in the Northside Independent School District of San Antonio, Texas, United States. Founded in 1995, the school has an enrollment of 100-130 students per class, accepting 130 freshmen per year...
). Admission to HCHS requires the submission of an application and essay, as well as a C average. Eligible applicants are entered into a lottery system with selected students notified by mail. Prior to admitting the class of 2001, the admissions process did not operate as a lottery, and admitted students were selected based on the merits of their application. Each year, over 800 students apply to fill only 250 spots. As a public school, no tuition is charged to either in-district or out of district students.
Academics
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
, but additional courses that relate to the health field are also offered . Health-related electives include:
- Medical/Surgical Technology: students learn information and techniques related to surgerySurgerySurgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
. - Diagnostic Services I: the majority of this course involves the study of hematologyHematologyHematology, also spelled haematology , is the branch of biology physiology, internal medicine, pathology, clinical laboratory work, and pediatrics that is concerned with the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases...
, collecting and processing human blood tissue, as well as the ability to learn phlebotomyPhlebotomyPhlebotomy is the process of making an incision in a vein.It is associated with the following concepts:* Venipuncture, the practice of collecting venous blood samples* The main practice of a phlebotomist, an individual trained to draw blood...
using a fake arm instead of a real person. - Diagnostic Services II: this course involves the study of clinical chemistry as well as more in-depth studies of topics covered in Diagnostic Services I. Students in this course are also allowed to practice phlebotomy on fellow students.
- Patient Care: a course for students interested in nursing, physical, occupational, and respiratory therapy
- Medical Administrative Procedures: introduces students to the clerical side of the health profession
- Clinical Rotation: students have the opportunity to visit nearby hospitals, observe professionals in the medical field, and in some cases, assist with minor medical procedures.
- Dental Science I: a course covering basic dentistry and dental-related subjects
- Dental Science II: covers more dentistry and dental-related subjects, as well as some radiology.
- Health Careers Prep ("Co-Op"): students who have a job in a health-related field for half a day, everyday.
- Scientific Research and Design: students work with professionals on a research project for one year and report findings to a panel of scientists as well as other students.
- SPD Certification: students take a course directed at certification in sterilization, processing and distribution, taking half a year in class and half a year doing hospital rotations
As of 2006, HCHS has grouped together Medical/surgical Technology, Diagnostics Services I, Patient Care, and Dental Science classes into a single class in which the students "rotate" from one to another each grading period. Prior to this, each student selected which particular lab they wanted to join.
Athletics
HCHS does not have a football, basketball, baseball or volleyball team. HCHS does compete against other schools in golf, tennis, aquatics, track, and cross country, which HCHS considers "lifetime" sports. The school does compete in 5A classification competitions despite its 3A status.Accolades
HCHS is a nationally recognized school, having been named a National Blue Ribbon School for the 1990-1991 academic year. HCHS is also a Texas Education AgencyTexas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
(TEA) Exemplary campus, and has received the Gold Performance Acknowledgment(from the TEA). In addition, educators at HCHS have also been recognized at the state and national level for excellence in education . In addition, since 1997, long time volunteer and resident statistician Dr. Joe Ward has run the Biostatistics Research Club. Dr. Ward's commitment to the Northside Independent School District and HCHS has recently been recognized with the naming of Dr. Joe Ward Elementary School in his honor .
In 2004, Latin teacher Mr. Clyde Lehmann was named as a recipient of the $25,000 prize from the Milken Award Foundation.
In 2008 Health Careers was recognized as a "2008 Just for Kids Higher Performing Schools in Texas"http://www.just4kids.org/en/texas/school_data/chart.cfm?campus_id=015915006&tab=hp
In 2009 and in 2010 HCHS was listed as the top High School in San Antonio by "Children at Risk">http://www.childrenatrisk.org/childrenatrisk.cfm?a=cms,c,875,3.
HCHS was also listed as an Honor School by the Texas Business & Education Coalitionhttp://www.tbec.org/honorroll.php for 2006. As well as being listed as one of the top 500 schoolshttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18757087/?sort=Rank&count=1236&start=0&limit=100&year=2007&search=health in the country by Newsweek.com for 3 consecutive years (2005-2007), HCHS was also listed as one of the top schools in Texas by Texas Monthly http://www.texasmonthly.com/preview/2006-12-01/feature7.
School Spirit
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
, which is sometimes affectionately referred to as the "flaming chicken" and the school colors are navy blue, medical white, and maroon.
The mascot is rarely used or mentioned, though, contrary to most High Schools, due to the lack of major team sports.
External links
The Official Health Careers High School Website - http://www.nisd.net/healthcareersNorthside ISD Homepage - http://www.nisd.net