Normal high schools in the Virginia Beach School System include Bayside, Frank W. Cox, First Colonial, Kellam, Kempville, Landstown, Salem and Tallwood. These schools offer the regular curriculum of sports and other courses necessary to qualify for graduation in the state of Virginia. Population shifts and rezoning have changed the student population of these schools. These Virginia Beach high schools enjoy a high attendance rate of 85 percent which is more than 10 percent over the state average. The schools include baseball, basketball, field hockey and even cross country as a part of their sports curriculum along with optional advance placement tracks. You can find out more about these schools at the Virginia Beach City Public Schools website listed in the Resources.
Virginia Public Schools offer many different specialty courses for those students seeking advanced placement or specialized programs for gifted or talented students. Princess Anne High School offers an International Bacculaureate Program for those students seeking education abroad after high school. Ocean Lakes High School offers a Mathematics and Science Academy which functions as a magnet for the entire Virginia Beach School District. Opened in September 1979, Green Run High School is the largest high school in all of Virginia with 247,000 square feet of space and offers a specialty SAT prepratory program including online courses, Critical Reading workshops and programs that focus on SAT success. Green Run High School is a good choice for those students wanting to pursue higher education that involve an SAT.
Virginia Beach City Public Schools offer several options for students seeking technical education. Advanced technical courses are offered through the Advanced Technology Center located within the campus of Tidewater Community College and across the street from Bayside High School. This is a specialized education center that works in conjunction with Tidewater Community College technical programs and allows students to seamlessly transfer their studies to community college. The Technical and Educational Center offers a wide array of technical education including HVAC, auto body, cosmetology, landscape, legal systems administration, practical nursing and public safety. Turf management and welding are offered as well.
Specialized education is a top priority for the Virginia Beach City Public School system. At Renaissance Academy, students who have disabilities learn to become independent citizens in a safe and nurturing school environment. Classrooms constructed to simulate real-world situations for students needing to learn how to care for themselves are available in this state-of-the-art facility. Students who have special behavioral needs are offered courses at the Virginia Beach City Juvenile Correctional Facility.
Students seeking to enter into retail management can attend their classes at the mall. The Virginia Beach City School system has classes on loss prevention, retail management, advertising and other retail-related courses at the local mall. Also offered are courses in astronomy and computer technology at the Virginia Beach City School's Planetarium which has been operating since 1969.
In 1998, the Virginia Beach school district dreamed of creating an alternative educational center to accommodate the many learning styles of their high school students and to offer them an environment where they could flourish. In 2005, this dream was realized in the Renaissance Academy. This new facility was built to accommodate both the Center for Effective Learning, the Open Campus and the Princess Anne Center. The Renaissance Academy strives to give its students relevant instruction to promote self-determination and integrity in a safe learning environment that allows for the individual student to feel a sense of self-esteem.