Some high school students already know what they’re going to do in life and what career they want to pursue. That’s why SMSD has Signature Programs – soon to be located at the Center for Academic Achievement – that lets students explore different, centralized subjects that revolve around the career they are interested in.

According to counselor Mike Heil, the prerequisites to attend the Center are called Explorations classes. South already has culinary and engineering prerequisites, but starting next year, students will be able to take all the prerequisites for any signature program. They will be a part of the enrollment process just like any other class.

“I think the benefit is that if a student is interested in a specific area that they wanted to pursue then that gives them a jumpstart, and an introduction to classes that might be associated with their career path,” Heil said.

After the prerequisite class – which can be taken by sophomores and up – students are allowed to take three hours out of their school day to attend the Center for Academic Achievement.

“Students could have a first and second hour block, with an in-transit third, then four hours at South,” Heil said.

Alternatively, students could also do an afternoon session at the center, which would have an in-transit fifth hour, and then a block of sixth and seventh hour. Juniors and seniors are the only ones who are allowed to attend the center. Juniors have the option of taking both the prerequisite and the class at the Center for Academic Achievement at the same time next year because they did not get the opportunity this year to take the prerequisite before the next level.

Signature programs include International Baccalaureate, Animation and Interactive Media, Project Lead the Way, Legal Studies, Medical Health Science, Biotechnology and Culinary Arts.

The Center for Academic Achievement will be located on 8200 W 71st St, Overland Park, KS.