Guilford County Schools hosts annual fair highlighting school choice programs

Guilford County Schools held its annual choice showcase on Wednesday night highlighting more than 60 school-choice programs available to students.

Typically, students in Guilford County are assigned to a school based on where they live, but families can apply to different "choice" programs through a district lottery.

Choice programs can be geared toward a specific discipline such as the arts or sciences, or they sometimes provide hands-on training in a specific field.

For instance, Western Guilford High School has a program teaching students how to fly and operate drones.

"We're relentless champions for student success, offering some of the most innovative, in-demand and interesting Schools and Programs in the nation," the school districts website reads.

At the elementary school level however, there are some key changes to programs this year. Specifically changes with the expressive arts programs offered at Morehead Elementary, Parkview Elementary, and the new Visual Performing Arts School set to open in the fall of 2025.

On Oct. 8, the school board unanimously approved new feeder zones for the three art-magnet elementary schools with students being typically limited to the school within the zone where they reside.

Previously, parents could apply to send their child to any of the art magnet elementaries in the district.

District spokesperson Gabrielle Brown said parents could apply for their child to attend an art magnet outside their feeder zone, but their application would likely be denied.

She said this was because capacity for the three schools is limited and applications for children within the feeder zone for the school would have priority over applications from parents with children outside the intended feeder zone.

Additionally for the 2025-26 school year International Baccalaureate (IB) courses will no longer be offered at Falkener Elementary, Northwood Elementary, Hairston Middle and Ferndale Middle.

For Falkener and Northwood Elementary they will now offer a new choice program instead called World of Discovery: Career Exploration and Language.

According to the school districts website "The World of Discovery theme ignites curiosity through the exploration of global languages and careers, ..." and "Students will develop skills including critical thinking, cultural competence and an understanding of global STEM careers, ...".

Despite Hairston Middle dropping its IB magnet program next year it will continue to offer its Innovative Sciences magnet program, while Ferndale Middle School in High Point will not offer any magnet program next year.

IB magnet programs will continue to be offered at the High School level and are available at Smith, Grimsley, Page and High Point Central High Schools.

The window to apply for Middle and High School magnet programs opened on Oct. 9 and will close on Nov. 22 at 5p.m.

The window to apply for Elementary magnet programs will open on Oct. 23 and close on Nov.27 at 5p.m.

More information on individual magnet programs being offered within the county can be found online.