County high schools to host open houses starting Jan. 5 on specialty programs

Courses in cyber security, cabinet making, biomedical science, HVAC, nursing, environmental science, and welding are all opportunities for students at Prince William County Schools to prepare for STEM and industry careers to meet looming shortages in the workplace.

Many high school programs are open to transfer students; others are site-based; all programs listed below require an application. The application deadline is Feb. 1, 2017.

See the schedule below to learn about these and other PWCS signature programs during upcoming high school open houses. Representatives will be on hand to answer questions and provide detailed information about their respective programs. Details are in the online High School Program Opportunities brochure at https://www.pwcs.edu/UserFiles/Servers/Server_340140/File/Student%20Learning/Specialty%20Programs/HS%20Opportunities%20for%20web%203.pdf

CTE program opportunities include agriculture, automotive, biomedical science, cabinet making, cyber security, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, television production, welding, building trades, culinary arts, cosmetology, and practical nursing. Seven high schools have Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units.

• Center for Information Technology - Forest Park High School, Thursday, Jan. 5, 7-8 p.m. and Battlefield High School, Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m. IT Cyber Security is listed under Career and Technical Education

.• The Biotechnology Center, Osbourn Park High School, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

• The Cambridge Programme, Brentsville District High School, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 7-8 p.m. and Potomac High School, Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m.

• The Pre-Governor’s School @ Osbourn Park, Osbourn Park High School, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

• International Baccalaureate Programme, Stonewall Jackson High School, Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m. and Gar-Field High School, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 7-8 p.m.

• Center for International Studies and Languages, Hylton High School, Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m.

Career and Technical Education (CTE)

For students who have a strong sense of the career area they wish to pursue, Career and Technical Education programs provide an opportunity to explore their interest while gaining valuable knowledge and skills in preparation for a career or post-secondary studies.

Information sessions are open to students in grades 8–11.

Transfer Programs:  Agriculture, Auto Technology, Biomedical Science: Project Lead the Way (PTLW), Cabinetmaking, Cyber Security, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Television Production, and Welding sequences require students to transfer to the school that offers the program once they are accepted.

Agriculture, Brentsville District High School, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 7-8 p.m.

Automotive Technology, Osbourn Park High School, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Hylton High School, Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m.

Biomedical Science: Project Lead the Way, Osbourn Park High School, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Cabinetmaking, Hylton High School, Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m.

Cyber Security – Information Technology, Potomac High School, Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m.

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Potomac High School, Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m.

Television Production, Hylton High School, Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m.

Welding, Potomac High School, Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m.

Transport Programs:  Students will be transported by bus from their base school to attend classes in Building Trades, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, and Nursing.

Building Trades, Patriot High School, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 7-8 p.m.

Cosmetology, Stonewall Jackson High School, Thursday, Jan.12, 7-8 p.m.

Culinary Arts, Potomac High School, Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m. and Patriot High School, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 7-8 p.m.

Practical Nursing, Osbourn Park High School, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) PWCS offers JROTC programs for the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marines at nine high schools. Students enroll in the JROTC program of their base school or the specialty program they are attending. Students are encouraged to enter the program in the ninth grade in order to receive the full benefit of the four-year program.

Air Force JROTC, Battlefield High School,  Hylton High School and Stonewall Jackson High School, all three Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m.,

Army JROTC, Forest Park High School, Thursday, Jan. 5, 7-8 p.m.

Navy JROTC, Osbourn Park High School, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Potomac High School, Thursday, Jan. 12, 7-8 p.m.

Marine Corps JROTC, Gar-Field High School, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 7-8 p.m.

In other notes, Center for Environmental and Natural Sciences at Freedom High School and Advanced Placement Courses at Woodbridge High School, see the schools’ respective websites for more information.