Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School’s Magnet School Showcase will take place at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds this Saturday. For more information visit the Choice & Magnet Schools website
Magnet schools offer students the opportunity to venture outside their residential district and join programs that allow them to focus their curriculum on subjects that interest them, such as engineering, health sciences, visual or performing arts, and the International Baccalaureate.
Joining a magnet school requires a long-term application process, but the Magnet School Showcase is an early opportunity for interested families to see what magnet schools can offer them. Principal Robert Ash from Speas Global Elementary School says that visitors to the showcase appreciate the chance to speak with PTA members and ask clarifying questions about what they can expect from the school’s IB/Dual-Language Immersion program, as well as the campus culture that curriculum helps create.
“Especially for kindergarten parents, it can be a little bit of a leap of faith,” Ash said. “We cover a lot of the same points when they come on magnet tours, but it makes a big difference when they’re able to come out and see us at the showcase.”
Speas will put on traditional dance performances from their Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, Konnoak Middle School will show off some of the projects they highlighted at their recent Hootenanny expo, and North Forsyth High School will have advanced medical equipment from their health sciences wing on display. All 23 of the district’s magnet schools will have something to present, and seeing it in person makes a big impact on students who are deciding what they’re passionate enough about to pursue a career in.
“We bring our equipment so that students can see what it’s like working in this field and they can start getting excited,” said North Forsyth Magnet Coordinator Meighan Milleson. “It’s more than just bookwork. We’re all about hands-on learning.”
Student-guided exhibitions are a key factor in making the Magnet School Showcase special. Prospective students get a sense of what they’ll actually be doing if they attend a magnet school, and they’re able to witness project-based learning in action. When they see unique opportunities to practice skills they’re interested in, they’re more likely to take initiative in their own educational journeys.
“The beauty of working at a magnet school is the intentionality behind everything that we do,” said Konnoak Principal Franchesca Gantt. “Our scholars are given a lot of choice in the projects that they do.”
Whether a student is interested in masonry, culinary arts, mathematics, robotics, veterinary medicine, musical theatre, or anything else in between, they’ll be able to find something at the Magnet School Showcase that piques their interests. Director of Student Choice Magan Wiggins hopes that as many WS/FCS families as possible will visit the showcase and start thinking more about what magnet schools can offer them.
“We encourage all families to come out and enjoy a day of hands-on activities, art displays, performances, and lots of fun,” Wiggins said. “We hope to see you there!”
The Magnet Showcase will be held in the Education Building at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds on Saturday, November 2 from 10 am to 1 pm. Please enter at Gate 7.