Clark Montessori High School
Encyclopedia
Peter H. Clark Montessori Junior High and High School, usually referred to as Clark Montessori, is a junior
and senior high school
in Cincinnati, Ohio
, United States
.
The school has around 700 students as of August 2009. Its location was in the Hyde Park
–area woods, on the former estate of Ohio Governor Myers Y. Cooper
(1929–1931), with trails in its "backyard". Recently completed in these woods is a small, ancient-Greek–style amphitheatre
. However the school has been located in its temporary home in Winton Terrace since the 2007/2008 school year. Clark is supposed to move back into its permanent home on Erie Avenue, pending the new building's completion, for the 2011/2012 school year.
Clark is a part of the Cincinnati Public Schools. Founded in 1994 as a seventh-grade
extension of existing district Montessori elementary schools, Clark expanded with its first class to become a full junior and senior high school by the 1999–2000 school year, making it the first public Montessori high school in the United States.
Despite having no entrance exam, 99.5% of Clark seniors have graduated and 96.5% of graduates attended post-secondary education. Additionally, Clark is racially and socio-economically diverse—30-51% of students are in their family’s first generation to attend college, and 33% receive free/reduced lunch.
Each student must complete over 200 community service hours in order to receive a Clark diploma. These house may be completed with any government recognized non-profit organization and previous stewardship projects include working with the Ohio State School for the Blind and Habitat for Humanity.
Four years of core classes at the honors level are required. Each student also must complete a 30-40 page thesis during their senior year. This project, known as the senior project, allows students to develop time-management skills, research a topic of choice with a qualified mentor, and utilize a university library. Many seniors take advantage of Saturday morning and after school help sessions hosted by senior team teachers in order to complete their senior project and stay caught up in other classes. All of the core teachers at Clark are expected to host at least one "help night" a week where struggling students can get one one one attention and improve their understanding of the subject.
In the four years of high school, students participate in eight extensive, academically rigorous two week (ten day) field studies referred to as intersessions. All freshman must complete an introduction to high school intersession in the fall of their ninth grade year, while all sophomores complete community service, juniors look at post secondary options, and seniors go on job internships. In the spring all students choice an intersession. Choices for the spring intersession include: Appalachian trail, travels to Morocco, Spain, Costa Rica, and the Philippines, community service with Habitat for Humanity, Cincinnati History, film production, life on a farm, improvements to school's environment, and meditation. Each year the spring intersession options change and financial aid is offered.
Students and families, carefully guided through the college process, also receive individual support with the financial aid process. There is a college mentor for each the junior and senior class, of about one hundred students.
Overall, student-led education unites parents, students, and teachers into an extraordinary support system. We learn, achieve, and thrive together.
The school has been given a rating of "effective" by Cincinnati Public Schools, but has been given many higher honors by education magazines and was in the top three school selected in Barack Obama's 2010 Race to the Top.
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
and senior high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The school has around 700 students as of August 2009. Its location was in the Hyde Park
Hyde Park, Ohio
Hyde Park is a neighborhood on the east side of Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1998, the average home sales price was $248,512.Hyde Park is an eclectic neighborhood in eastern Cincinnati...
–area woods, on the former estate of Ohio Governor Myers Y. Cooper
Myers Y. Cooper
Myers Young Cooper was a Republican politician from Ohio. Cooper was the 51st Governor of Ohio.Born In St. Louisville, Ohio, the youngest of eleven children, Cooper had a public school education, and attended the National Normal University in Lebanon, Ohio for three years...
(1929–1931), with trails in its "backyard". Recently completed in these woods is a small, ancient-Greek–style amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
. However the school has been located in its temporary home in Winton Terrace since the 2007/2008 school year. Clark is supposed to move back into its permanent home on Erie Avenue, pending the new building's completion, for the 2011/2012 school year.
Clark is a part of the Cincinnati Public Schools. Founded in 1994 as a seventh-grade
Seventh grade
Seventh grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The seventh grade is the seventh school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 12–13 years old. Traditionally, seventh grade was the next-to-last year of elementary school...
extension of existing district Montessori elementary schools, Clark expanded with its first class to become a full junior and senior high school by the 1999–2000 school year, making it the first public Montessori high school in the United States.
Despite having no entrance exam, 99.5% of Clark seniors have graduated and 96.5% of graduates attended post-secondary education. Additionally, Clark is racially and socio-economically diverse—30-51% of students are in their family’s first generation to attend college, and 33% receive free/reduced lunch.
Each student must complete over 200 community service hours in order to receive a Clark diploma. These house may be completed with any government recognized non-profit organization and previous stewardship projects include working with the Ohio State School for the Blind and Habitat for Humanity.
Four years of core classes at the honors level are required. Each student also must complete a 30-40 page thesis during their senior year. This project, known as the senior project, allows students to develop time-management skills, research a topic of choice with a qualified mentor, and utilize a university library. Many seniors take advantage of Saturday morning and after school help sessions hosted by senior team teachers in order to complete their senior project and stay caught up in other classes. All of the core teachers at Clark are expected to host at least one "help night" a week where struggling students can get one one one attention and improve their understanding of the subject.
In the four years of high school, students participate in eight extensive, academically rigorous two week (ten day) field studies referred to as intersessions. All freshman must complete an introduction to high school intersession in the fall of their ninth grade year, while all sophomores complete community service, juniors look at post secondary options, and seniors go on job internships. In the spring all students choice an intersession. Choices for the spring intersession include: Appalachian trail, travels to Morocco, Spain, Costa Rica, and the Philippines, community service with Habitat for Humanity, Cincinnati History, film production, life on a farm, improvements to school's environment, and meditation. Each year the spring intersession options change and financial aid is offered.
Students and families, carefully guided through the college process, also receive individual support with the financial aid process. There is a college mentor for each the junior and senior class, of about one hundred students.
Overall, student-led education unites parents, students, and teachers into an extraordinary support system. We learn, achieve, and thrive together.
The school has been given a rating of "effective" by Cincinnati Public Schools, but has been given many higher honors by education magazines and was in the top three school selected in Barack Obama's 2010 Race to the Top.