By MICHAEL NUNES
Staff Writer
EAST BRUNSWICK — Graduating seniors could have the opportunity to receive more than a high school diploma when they leave East Brunswick High School.
“We are in the process right now of negotiating with Middlesex County College (MCC) to provide opportunities for East Brunswick Public School students to earn credits towards an associate’s degree. … For some students, they will have the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree and a high school diploma at the same time,” Superintendent of Schools Victor Valeski said during his second State of the District address on May 17 at Hammarskjold Middle School.
Valeski spoke to a crowd of incoming middle school students and parents in Hammarskjold Middle School auditorium.
For the next school year, according to Valeski, the district is seeking to increase the amount of dual-credit courses offered by the district.
“Our students would be able to accrue credit towards an associate’s degree, and MCC would actually have our students graduate in their program. What we found is historically students would take a couple of classes, get courses and transfer them to a four-year institution,” Valeski said. “What we are saying is, this is an opportunity for a lot of our students to get an associate’s degree at MCC, graduate with that associate’s degree and take that degree on to a four-year institution and you have two more years to finish up.”
For Valeski the move provides students with an opportunity to experience college while still in high school.
“This actually gives students the opportunity to see and feel what college looks like,” he said, continuing to say that there is a residency requirement for students to take some classes at the college. The district is working on plans to release students from the high school so they could take classes on the college campus.
The plan still needs approval from the Board of Education, according to Valeski.
Among other initiatives Valski mentioned during his address was a reintroduction of foreign language at the elementary school level, which had been cut in 2010 due to a lack of funds, as well as plans to increase security at the district schools.
Contact Michael Nunes at [email protected].