School Profile Highland Park Senior High School (9-12) 1015 South Snelling Avenue, 55116, Phone: (651) 293-8940 High school should be a place of exploration and preparation.  At Highland Park Senior High, students search, discuss, and discover new possibilities to prepare for life after high school. Like high schools across the United States, Highland Park Senior High is developing small learning communities.  Educational studies show that few factors are as important to the success of a student as being known well, bared about and encouraged by adults in the school and community.  In order to foster those relationships, to help more students reach high standards and learn more about the world after high school, Highland Park Senior High has organized itself into three small learning communities no larger than 500 students each.  Ninth grade students choose an initial small learning community upon registration at Highland, and then enter an advisory group where they learn more about the three small learning communities.  In advisory students also meet with the same group of students three times a week to get to know each other and develop their high school six year plan.  The communities are Health and Human Services, Liberal Arts, and Technology and Science.  Each small learning community will feature a broad range of classes and community/based learning experiences that meet the state’s graduation standards, the school’s graduation requirements, and college entrance requirements.   Special Features     * Highland Park Senior High received the prestigious U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award.     * Highland Park Senior High’s International Baccalaureate (IB) program is a comprehensive and rigorous two-year academic program for highly motivated students interested in a pre-university program.  Teachers throughout the small learning communities offer IB courses.  Students in twelfth grade who choose to earn an IB diploma are supported in a specific advisory, where students are able to learn more about the requirements of IB diploma testing and receive support for the completion of their diploma program.     * Long-standing successful specialties such as Chinese language and culture, Spanish Immersion, and Deaf and Hard of Hearing will continue at Highland.     * Post-Secondary Education Options (PSEO) allows students to take courses at college campuses in the Twin Cities, beginning in the junior year.  Highland also offers Advanced Placement (AP) classes and College in the Schools (U of MN courses for college credits) in the English Department.     * Special education and English language learner students participate in all small learning communities and are included in the regular education.     * Students participate in instrumental music, choir, theater, and Chinese dance production.     * Extracurricular activities include athletics, clubs, musical groups, writer’s workshop, tutoring sessions and community service organizations.     * Language classes include Spanish, French, Chinese, and American Sign Language.     * The industrial technology classes use state-of-the-art Computer Aided Drafting (CAD)     * Computer science classes are offered on Macintosh and PC Computers.     * Highland Park Senior High has received grant money from the Bush Foundation, Gates Educational foundation and the federal government to develop small learning communities.     * The school offers small learning community theme-based courses taught by teams of teachers from different academic subject areas (e.g., aerospace engineering/geometry, English/Social Studies classes, Social studies/Health)   Blueprint For Better Schools Highland Park Senior High staff began research on small learning communities in fall 2000.  The school initially had four small learning communities under the Gates grant, but is moving toward being able to sustain three SLCs after the grant is over in 2005.  Students in grades 9-12 belong to an advisory group associated with their chosen SLC.  All students develop a six-year learning plan that includes post-secondary education.  Highland Park Senior High has a student advisory group to assist with small learning community development.  Small learning community event days allow for community building and education activities on and off campus related to small learning community themes.