The off-campus experience

    It is 8:50 a.m. Students are filing into their second class of the day, but not academy students. They are in the jock lobby eagerly waiting for a 9 a.m. bus to arrive to take them to their designated academy school. These students leave AHS to take classes in other schools in the area. There are a total of 110 AHS students that are currently enrolled in an academy class. Thirty-three of those students attend classes at Edison High School, 27 at Falls Church HS, 20 at West Potomac HS, 14 at Springfield Mall, 13 at Chantilly HS, two at Fairfax HS and one student at Holmes Middle School.
    “Annandale started offering academy classes to students about eight or nine years ago,” said Steve Sengstack, Director of Student Services. Before Fairfax County began offering academy classes, only certain programs were available at schools. It is not practical for a school to have every course because some classes need specific materials and lab space, so it would be expensive, and other electives would have to be removed. “Not all students would have the same opportunity, but now students can access courses all over the county,” said Sengstack.
    Students can choose from over 40 different academy classes. Some available classes are Marketing, Animal Science, Construction Tech and Air Force JROTC. The most popular classes year after year are usually Criminal Justice and Cosmetology.  AHS is fortunate to have Auto Tech and Culinary Arts programs, so students do not have to leave school to attend such classes.
    Many juniors and seniors decide to take academy classes since they no longer have to take Physical Education. Given that academy courses have limited space, students must provide an application.
    “The academy counselors at other schools are looking for hardworking students, good attendance, and grades in certain subjects,” said guidance counselor Kazue Watlington.  It is necessary in some courses, such as Practical Nursing and Engineering Systems to have strong math and science skills, so the academy school will review the applicant’s transcript.
    There are also other factors to consider when applying for an academy course. Students must consider if they have sufficient time in their schedules. Academy classes require three open periods to go off campus every day. On red days academy classes take up third and fifth periods and on white days they take up flex and sixth period. This time is required to allow for transportation, the class session and lunch. The actual class time remains 90 minutes.
    “We recommend that students who are struggling in their core classes not take academy classes since they could really use the time here in flex,” said Watlington. “For many students academy is not an option because their core classes are too demanding.”
    Many teachers feel that students are missing an important part of class time during flex by going to Academy and know that it may be hard for them to make up that time.
    “It harms students who miss flex. And you don’t want to miss an Algebra 2 class with Ms. Furlong,” said Math teacher Cathy Furlong. In contrast, others feel that there is a lot to be gained by the students who participate in  Academy.     
    “You only lose a period of time here at school. If you are really interested in pursuing the course then it is worth it,” said Sengstack.
    Academy courses supply students with many advantages. It gives students insight into careers that they are interested in by providing hands on experience. These classes prepare them to receive further training in a chosen field. “There is a direct connection for students in getting a real job,” said Watlington.
    This is because for several courses, such as Cosmetology, students can take professional exams that will license them to practice. Students receive in depth knowledge from the class that can help them later with career decisions. Most importantly, these academy classes open doors for students in the future.