Profile for SWPS Workforce Liaison

Formerly a Fortune 50 Corporate Executive, I am now working in the non-profit area with one of San Antonio's largest public charter schools, Southwest Preparatory Schools.  We currently have three campuses (Grades 6-12) and are looking to expand in the next two-three years in other areas of Bexar County.

What is unique about SWPS...we have been able to put together several programs that help the students prepare for a smooth transition to the workplace and college by using Real World Curriculum, Project-based learning, and in smaller classroom settings.  All of our curriculum is designed to prepare the students for college.  However, we have three distinct academies that allow us to teach the students and make the learing fun!

One of our academies, the Academy of Hospitality of Tourism & Managment, is approved by NAF, www.naf.org, and allows the students to earn nationally recognized certifications which will give them an advantage in an industry that, in San Antonio, hires 1 of 8 new workers.  Management jobs in the hospitality sector have a median range between $42,000-$92,000 a year.  Because the industry will allow younger individuals to work, we are able to secure internships for students down to 16 years of age and they can receive school credits for working and learning.

Another academy, the Academy of New Media, gives the students an advantage in one of the fastest growing job segments of graphics, social media, advertising, marketing on the web.  Colleges are ever-expanding into this new field of study and more jobs will be created out of the New Media arena than most other new fields of study in the coming years.  At SWPS, we are developing several strategic partnerships for dual credit and certicfications that will definitely give our students an edge for careers in New Media.

Finally, we have partnered with the Bexar County Police Department and formed an Academy of Law & Criminal Justice.  Students interested in becoming a lawyer, law enforcement, crime scene investigators, and other jobs in this field will participate in the classroom and the field in an Explorer Program.  OLLU has been a great partner with SWPS and is exploring ways to include us in their new college programs.  More to come...

One of the greatest programs we have established is our SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAMS for college.  We have three separate ways to help students financially prepare for the transition to college.  (1) OLLU College Conexion is a program we started this past year and more than $750,000 of scholarships were earned by our students. (2) An internal scholarship program has been established for the school year beginning in Aug 2012.  Every student, including down to the 6th grade-level is eligible to earn $300.00 per semester.  (3) We have a non-profit board that raises additional monies for merit scholarships.  (See a counselor for more details)

Because we are a public school, we have FREE tuition.  We are limited in space and it is a first-come-first-serve basis, but no student has to pay for an education at our campuses!

Best way to get more information is to call us at (210) 302-0504 or stop by the campus and ask to speak with a counselor or the Principal.