Harbor City International School
Harbor City International School | |
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Michigan Street Entrance Reach, Respect, Relationship and Responsibility | |
Address | |
332 W. Michigan Street Duluth, MN USA | |
Coordinates | 46°47′00″N 92°06′05″W / 46.78333°N 92.10139°WCoordinates: 46°47′00″N 92°06′05″W / 46.78333°N 92.10139°W |
Information | |
Type | Charter |
Established | 2002 |
Director | Paul McGlynn |
Staff | 24 |
Number of students | 220 |
Color(s) | Blue and Black |
Website |
harborcityschool |
Harbor City International School, also known as Harbor City or HCIS, is a secondary school in Duluth, Minnesota that opened in the fall of 2002. It serves students in grades nine through twelve. It currently has 220 students enrolled in the school and is accepting applicants. It is a college preparatory school that offers advanced placement classes while also emphasizing Service Learning, Environmental Awareness, Open Source Information Technology, Creative and Performing Arts and Community Connections.
As of January 2012, all students of Harbor City get a free membership to the Duluth YMCA. As of September 2015, all students also receive free passes to the Duluth Aquarium.
Mission
Harbor City International School is a college preparatory, public high school. We are a small community whose mission is to nurture a sense of belonging, insist upon academic excellence, and graduate global citizens who eagerly pursue knowledge and enrich their communities.
Philosophy
Successful education requires an investment by the teacher and the learner. Teachers must be experts in their discipline, they must be invested in their students’ success, and they most be organized, passionate, and committed to their profession. Students must develop the mind-set of a learner. They must be curious, they must invest in their academic growth, they must be persistent, they must work hard, and they must ask questions.
Committed teachers and students create a thriving educational community where the future is created in the experiences of the present.
Program
- Small School - 220 students
- Small Class Size - Average class size - 18
- Small Advising Groups - 8 to 10 students
- Individual Academic Growth Goals
- Advanced Placement Courses
- Comprehensive Arts Program - music, art, & theater
- Full Service Guidance Program
- Strong Academic Support - Tutoring, Mentoring, Skills Classes
The curriculum is created in such a way (aligned) to help students master the skills they need to succeed in college level work. Content and skills are balanced so that students learn the general knowledge they need with the problem solving, critical thinking, and analytical skills they must develop to become an independent learner. Teachers play a central role in modeling these educational attributes for their students, and helping them develop the mind-set to succeed academically.
The model for the curriculum is the Advanced Placement Program, AP, nationally recognized for quality and college preparation. HCIS offers many classes to serve its students. These classes include Advanced Placement (AP) classes, Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), special education, honors, and fundamental classes. On Wednesday and Thursday blocks students take an elective course and at the end of each semester HCIS offers symposium classes.
The educational community at Harbor City International School is accountable for academic success. Each year the school reports to their authorizer, Volunteers of America, the number of students who achieved their academic growth goals, the number of students who went on to college, and the students’ performance on a variety of objective academic measures.
2011 Spring Symposium Courses
- Game Design
- Nature Writing
- Genealogy/Family History
- Photography
- Camp Miller
- Quilting
- Superior Hiking Trail
- Rube Goldberg Machines
- Haiku to Hip Hop
- Sailing
- Team Sports
- Volunteering in Duluth
- African Music Ensamble
- Women's Health
- Animal Science
- The Basics of Cooking and Baking
- Historic Battles
Clubs and Activities
- Intramurals at the YMCA
- International Club
- Student Senate
- Student Forum
- Coffee House
- Movie Making Club
- Tech Club
- Chess Club
- String Band
- Climbing Club
- Outdoor Pursuits Club
- HCIS Service Club,ʺThe Locksley Bandʺ
- Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)
- Mock Trial
- Science Olympiad
- Knowledge Bowl
- Scott Andersen Leadership Team (SALT)
- Science Club
- Studio Nights
- Theater Plays
- Choir (Drama)
- Music Ensembles
- Ghanaian Drum Ensemble
- Jazz Ensemble
- Yearbook
- International Trips to Europe
The Building
Harbor City International School is located in the historic downtown Duluth Plumbing Supply Building that welcomes with warm colors, exposed timbers, tall windows, and expansive open areas. Within walking distance of at least three coffee shops, a transit hub, the public library, arts and history centers, City Hall, Bayfront Park, and the YMCA. Close enough to read the names of ore boats passing to and from Duluth-Superior Harbor.
The school is a remodeled warehouse, but now it feels like a Scandinavian office space, thoughtfully designed for creativity and academic work. Classrooms are built with light and space to encourage optimism and a sense of belonging.
Directors
- Paul McGlynn (2014-)
- Ted Buck and Anne Wise (2013-2014)
- John Haire (2008-2013)
- Chris Hazleton (2002-2008)
External links
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