Aldine ISD Invites Families to Explore Magnet, IB® Public School Choices During Festival Set for October 27

Parents and students can learn about the District’s magnet themes, International Baccalaureate programs, and the application process. The event will take place at the Campbell Educational Ctr. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Magnet students share their experience with a parent attending the 2017 Festival.

Aldine ISD will hold its annual Magnet/IB® Festival on Saturday, October 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the M.O. Campbell Center (The MOC is located at 1865 Aldine Bender Road.). Parents and students considering any of the programs should attend to learn about the District’s magnet themes, talk with school staff and learn how to enroll.

Opening a World of Opportunities for Students

According to Olivia Boatner, magnet schools offer students new opportunities they may not find in other traditional school settings. Boatner is director of magnet schools. She also oversees the District’s IB® World Schools.  Magnet school themes range a wide spectrum and include engineering and the arts. IB® World Schools are another option for families and their children. The IB® program (Click to read more.) provides a globally respected and highly recognized curriculum.

Students show elation at getting their project to fly at one of the STEM Smart Labs. Every elementary and middle grade level magnet school with a STEM string has a lab.

“We hope to see families and community members. The festival is a great one–stop shop for parents to learn about all the choices available to their children. They will also get a strong sense of the campus culture.

“Students and staff from all of the magnet and IB® schools will be present showcasing their programs and skills.”

Aldine ISD — Giving Our Students a World of Choices

The District offers a wide variety of options. Public school choice allows parents 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.

Award-winning Schools

Since the inception of U.S. News & World Report’s Best High School Rankings (click), which began in 2007, Carver HS (click) has earned Bronze and Silver medals. Each year, the magazine ranks high schools both nationally and by state to show how well schools are preparing students for college. In 2016, Niche ranked (click) Carver HS 17th in Best Magnet High Schools in the Houston Metro area. Eisenhower High School (click) ranked 23rd in the same category.

Aldine ISD campuses with magnet and IB® programs have also received nearly 100 awards — Schools of Excellence and Schools of Distinction honors — since 1997 from Magnet Schools of America (click), which recognizes the top magnet schools in the U.S.  

Magnet Schools

The magnet programs give students a range of thematic educational choices for students in 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® (Click to IB Organization website.) studies program (IB) targets students in early childhood/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. Students develop into caring young people who are motivated to succeed.

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 — Primary Years Program, Middle Years Program and Diploma.

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

Carver HS’ musical production of “Jelly’s Last Jam.”

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

At the event, each campus will have a booth where families can get 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 schools. Expect to see visual arts on display and performing arts students to entertain the crowds. Scheduled events will take place in the arena, foyer and halls of the MOC.

Artwork by Carver High School student.

Additionally, campuses have invited alumni to support their alma maters.

“Our grads come from all walks of life and backgrounds. They are making their mark in diverse fields. The alumni on hand will share how they benefited from the magnet or IB® program they took part in as students of Aldine ISD. For many, magnet and IB® programs were a stepping stone giving them the competitive edge in their careers.”

Fourth-graders at Kujawa ES — IB® World School shared projects with their parents and the wider community during the 2017 IB Primary Years Program (PYP) Exhibition.

Enter for a Chance to Win

Families that attend have a chance to provide feedback by completing and submitting a survey. Those that do will be entered into a drawing for prizes the day of the festival. However, they must be present to win.

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 at the festival for parents to apply for the magnet lottery for the 2019-2020 school year. The applications will be available online starting November 1. The programs are available to all students that live in Aldine.

Deadlines & Lottery Dates

[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Deadline to apply for the First Lottery is January 31, 2019; First Lottery set for March 2, 2018[/li] [li]The Magnet Office will accept applications until July 31, 2019; Second Lottery set for May 4, 2019[/li][/ul]

Families taking part in the First and Second Lotteries will receive a call or notification from the campus. The Magnet Office will also mail an acceptance letter to the address provided on the application. 

The final in-house lottery will take place two (2) weeks after school starts in fall 2019. Parents taking part in the Final Lottery will be notified of the selection by phone ONLY. They will have to go to the Magnet School Office to accept the seat.

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

Join us! Discover the magnet and IB® options AISD offers!

Carver HS graduate Jorge Quintero. He went on to attend and graduate from Rice University with an engineering degree. (Click to read full story.)

2018 Festival Schedule of Performances

9:05-9:30 a.m.: Drew Academy Badger Dance Company performs “Love” @ MOC-Arena

9:35-9:50 a.m.: Eagle IB® Choir from Kujawa Elementary School performs @ MOC-Teaching Theater

9:40-10 a.m.: Carver HS performing arts students put on “From Broadway to Ballet” @ MOC-Arena

10-10:20 a.m.: Anderson Academy performing arts students put on “All STEAM Ahead” @ MOC-Teaching Theater

10:10-10:30 a.m.: Houston Academy Fine Arts Department performs “Bright Shining Stars” @ MOC-Arena

10:25-10:45 a.m.: Drew Academy students performs “Mary Poppins Jr.” @ MOC-Teaching Theater

10:40-11 a.m.: Carver HS performing arts students play “Fall Festival Music” @ MOC-Arena

10:50-11:05 a.m.: Magnet Office shares talent highlights.

11-11:10 a.m.: Kujawa Elementary School cheerleaders perform @ MOC-Arena

11:10-11:30 a.m.: Carter Academy performing arts students put on “World Tour” @ MOC-Arena

11:15-11:30 a.m.: Showcase of magnet school student entries in 2018 Aldine Film Festival & Photography; shorts of videos will take place @ MOC-Teaching Theater

11:40-11:55 a.m.: Reece Academy performing arts students take the center stage @ MOC-Teaching Theater

12:10-12:30 p.m.: Magnet K-12 Orchestra gives Festival finale performance @ MOC-Arena

Stick Around!

12:30-1 p.m.: In addition to door prizes being given away, there is a chance to win a seat at a magnet or IB® school! One seat for each grade level at every campus — with the exception of the IB® Diploma Program at Eisenhower HS where students must meet requirements for admission — will be given away. However, you MUST be present to win!

View images from the Magnet & IB® Festival in 2017.