Aldine ISD Invites Families to Explore Magnet Schools at October 28 Festival at M.O. Campbell Educational Center

Parents and students will learn about the District’s magnet themes, talk with staff and learn how to enroll.

Aldine ISD will hold its annual Magnet Festival on Saturday, October 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the M.O. Campbell Center (1865 Aldine Bender Road).

Parents and students are invited to attend and learn about the District’s magnet themes, talk with staff from the schools and learn how to enroll.

Students show elation at getting their project to fly at one of the STEM Smart Labs located in intermediate and middle grade level magnet schools.

“Magnet schools offer students new opportunities they may not find in other schools,” said Olivia Boatner, director of magnet schools. “With themes like engineering and the arts, magnet schools open up new possibilities for students.

“The magnet festival is a great one–stop shop for parents to learn about all the choices available to their children.”

Aldine ISD — Giving Our Students a World of Choices

The District offers a wide variety of choices. Choice schools allow you to elect out of an assigned boundary school zone. Most of the campuses specialize in a specific area or areas of interest. And there are programs for students as young as four years old.

The magnet programs give students a range of thematic educational choices for grades PreK-12. Students in the magnet programs have a unique opportunity for in-depth studies in a specific area of interest. The campuses attract a wide-range of students, creating richly diverse learning environments.

Magnet Themes

[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Montessori, Direct Instruction & Fine Arts[/li] [li]Mathematics, Science & Fine Arts [/li][/ul][ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Performing & Visual Arts[/li] [li]Engineering [/li][/ul][ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Engineering, Applied Technology & The Arts[/li][/ul]

IB Programs

The International Baccalaureate® studies program (IB) targets students in prekindergarten through 12th grade. The IB program provides a globally respected and highly recognized curriculum. The rigorous program challenges students to excel not only in their studies but also their personal growth.

The focus is to prepare students to live, learn and work in the globally interconnected society of the 21st century.

IB Program Benefits

[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Develops the whole child.[/li] [li]Emphasizes academic challenges and the development of life skills. [/li][/ul][ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Encourages a positive attitude toward learning by motivating students to ask challenging questions, to reflect critically, to develop research skills, and to learn how to learn. The goal is to prepare students for the demands of college work.[/li] [li]Instills community service because IB believes that there is more to learning than academic studies alone.  [/li][/ul]

Aldine ISD offers the entire IB continuum.

Students can follow the entire IB continuum, which includes the Primary Years Program, Middle Years Program and Diploma Program. It is worth noting that the IB Diploma Program is a globally recognized honors curriculum. Many colleges and universities award credit upon exam results.

These offerings give students a school-within-a-school learning community experience that drives students to grow to their full potential academically and in their area of interest. 

What to Expect at the Festival

The magnet festival draws large crowds so arrive early to park. This will give you time to talk with several magnet school representatives.

At the fair, each magnet school will have a booth where families will be given information and learn about campus tours. Campus organizations will be on hand to discuss offerings and programs available to students.

This is also an opportunity to showcase what students are doing, learning and experiencing at the magnet schools. Expect to see visual arts on display and performing arts students entertaining the crowds.

Scheduled events will take place in the arena, foyer and halls of the MOC.

Additionally, families that complete and submit a survey at the festival will be entered into a drawing for prizes.

Applications Will Be Available

Due to the popularity of programs, seats at all campuses may be limited or not available due to high enrollment (capacity). The selection process uses a lottery system. Applications will be available for parents to apply for the magnet lottery for the 2018-2019 school year.

The official postcard notice of deadlines and lottery dates will be mailed out November 1 to all students enrolled at any Aldine ISD school.

Deadlines & Lottery Dates

[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Deadline to apply for the First Lottery is January 31, 2018; First Lottery set for March 3, 2018[/li] [li]Deadline to apply for the Second Lottery is April 20, 2018; Second Lottery set for May 5, 2018 [/li][/ul]

For more information about magnet and IB programs, visit the AISD Magnet Office webpages or call Director Olivia Boatner at (281) 985-6559.

Make plans to attend and learn about the different school choice options for students!

See images from previous Magnet School Festival celebrations.