Dr. Robert Denn, dean of school relations and university articulation at ChattState, addresses the crowd on Collegiate High points. Looking on from left are Dr. James L. Catanzaro, president of Chattanooga State, Dr. Sonja Rich, Collegiate High principal, and Mr. Rick Smith, superintendent, Hamilton County Schools.
Middle College High School has been renamed Hamilton County Collegiate High at Chattanooga State.
Officials said, "This change heralds exciting news for students who enjoy an academic challenge and for parents who want their child to excel in the accelerated environment that Chattanooga State provides. The biggest difference between Middle College and Collegiate High is more than just a name change: Collegiate High will welcome ninth graders to the program and serve students in grades nine-12 beginning Fall 2014.
Embracing the new academic cohort structure, Collegiate High students will attend classes during the day between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. A monitored Collegiate High Commons area is being developed specifically for students to use for study and socializing. Open during normal business hours, a student ID will be required to enter.
Collegiate High has set a goal to accept a minimum of 35 ninth graders in its premiere cohort class, with an overall goal of 400 in the entire program, grades 9-12. Students wishing to enroll must have an ACT composite score of 19 or better.
The rising cost of education has encouraged creative ways to accomplish more with less. In the case of Collegiate High this will mean huge savings to parents who opt to enroll their child in this accelerated program where he or she can not only earn a high school diploma, but their Associate degree for $5,000 or less, simultaneously. Additionally, Chattanooga State employees whose children meet Collegiate High qualifications will enjoy an internal savings of 50 percent on the cost of this program.
Collegiate High remains a partnership between the Hamilton County Department of Education and Chattanooga State whose goal is to support student achievement by providing students with the knowledge and skills necessary for postsecondary success. Graduates of the program continue their education in colleges and universities across the nation as more than 90 percent transfer to a four-year college or university. ACT composite scores continue to rank above the state and national average.
In 2013, Collegiate High (formerly Middle College High School) was identified as an Award Performance school. Reward schools are in the top five percent of Tennessee schools for performance and the top five percent of Tennessee schools for progress as measured by a one-year success rate or growth measured by a one-year Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) school composite.
Students enrolled in Hamilton County Collegiate High at ChattState enjoy full access to clubs, organizations, intramurals sports and student government. College support services that include mentoring, counseling and tutoring are available along with access to state-of-the-art computer labs and opportunities to explore a variety of career options.
For more information, contact Dr. Sonja Rich, Collegiate High principal at 423 697-4492 or visit http://www.chattanoogastate.edu/high-school/collegiate-high.