Serenity High School
Encyclopedia
Serenity High School is the oldest substance-abuse recovery public high school in Texas
. It was founded in 1999 as a partnership between the McKinney Independent School District
and the Avenues Counseling Center in McKinney, Texas, and serves several school districts in and around Collin County, Texas
. As of November 2008, it has served over 150 graduates from over 25 high schools.
The school was rated Academically Acceptable in the 2009 TEA accountability rating
.
Serenity High offers traditional instruction, self-paced studies, online instruction, and dual-credit instruction in conjunction with Collin College. It has a student-teacher ratio of 10 to 1.
In 2002 and 2003, the school district considered closing the school due to costs. Private funds kept it open.
In the fall of 2003, the school received a $160,000 grant from the Texas Education Agency
.
As of November 2008, private fundraising efforts included an annual golf tournament.
but did not receive a rating for the 2007-2008 school year
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It was founded in 1999 as a partnership between the McKinney Independent School District
McKinney Independent School District
McKinney Independent School District is a public school district in McKinney, Texas .In addition to McKinney, the district serves the town of New Hope and parts of Allen, Fairview, Lovejoy, Weston, Princeton, and Lowry Crossing....
and the Avenues Counseling Center in McKinney, Texas, and serves several school districts in and around Collin County, Texas
Collin County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 491,675 people, 181,970 households, and 132,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 580 people per square mile . There were 194,892 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile...
. As of November 2008, it has served over 150 graduates from over 25 high schools.
The school was rated Academically Acceptable in the 2009 TEA accountability rating
Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system
The Texas Education Agency accountability ratings system rates all public schools, charter schools, and school districts in the State of Texas.The criteria are the same for schools and districts, and are discussed below...
.
Mission and academics
Mission: "Serenity High transforms lives one day at a time."Serenity High offers traditional instruction, self-paced studies, online instruction, and dual-credit instruction in conjunction with Collin College. It has a student-teacher ratio of 10 to 1.
Funding
Serenity High School is funded through the McKinney ISD, state funding, and private fundraising. Out-of-district students pay tuition or have their local school districts pay tuition on their behalf.In 2002 and 2003, the school district considered closing the school due to costs. Private funds kept it open.
In the fall of 2003, the school received a $160,000 grant from the Texas Education Agency
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...
.
As of November 2008, private fundraising efforts included an annual golf tournament.
Affiliations and accreditations
The school is in the McKinney Independent School District and is affiliated with the Association of Recovery Schools. In addition, students from the Anna ISD, Celina ISD, Community ISD, Farmersville ISD, Frisco ISD, Garland ISD, Gunter ISD, Melissa ISD, Pilot Point ISD, Plano ISD, Princeton ISD, Richardson ISD, Rockwall ISD, and Wylie ISD may attend without paying out-of-district tuition. The school is accredited by the State of TexasTexas 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 did not receive a rating for the 2007-2008 school year
National attention
In 2002, federal officials considering creating similar schools in the United States said the school could serve as a national model.External links
- Association of Recovery Schools
- Avenues Counseling Center
- Interview, KNTU-FM radio interviews Principal Juli Ferraro and two students. Also: Interview with Traci Bowermaster, the chair of the Association of Recovery Schools, Interview with Mandy Baker of the Center for the Study of Addictions at Texas Tech UniversityTexas Tech UniversityTexas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
. - Serenity High School demographic information