• OVERVIEW

    The Education Pathways Academy is a four-year program that introduces interested students to the education profession with 45 hours of state training, 240 hours of coursework in the classroom, the completion of a work-ready portfolio, weekly hands-on opportunities to use in the field, volunteer experiences in the field, 240 hours in an educational setting and a national industry credentialing certification.

    ELIGIBILITY

    • Minimum of a "C" overall GPA
    • Disciplinary records must reflect no more than a minimum of minor occurrences.
    • Upon acceptance, students must maintain at least an annual 3.0 GPA in the core academy course requirements (courses that make up the core of the non-academic offerings for the academy focus) or achieve at least an overall 2.0 GPA. Failure to maintain the appropriate GPA at the end of the school year will result in the student being withdrawn from the academy and re-scheduled into non-academy classes for the following school year (for students whose residential school is the location of the academy), or the student being withdrawn from Tate High School and re-assigned to the high school in the appropriate residential zone.

    HOW TO APPLY

    Application forms are available at your current school. Ask for the School Choice bubble sheet application. Any student may apply to attend the Game, Simulation and Animation Academy (regardless of whether or not they live within Tate's attendance zoning district). Deadline for applications varies each year. For more information refer to the Escambia County School District's School website or contact your school guidance department.

    COURSES

    Education Pathways 1: 

    You must complete and hand in an application for your 10th or 11th grade year. When you are accepted into the program, you will spend a year in the classroom learning about children, preparing bulletin boards, making art projects, learning from guest speakers and planning nutritious parties for children.

    Education Pathways 2: 

    Each day you are transported to a preschool or elementary school to be a teachers assistant. At the end of this year, you receive your Children and Family Services 40-hour certificate, a Certificate of Completion, and you qualify as a candidate for the Gold Seal Scholarship.

    Education Pathways 3: 

    This program provides learning and hands-on activities that will prepare students with a range of management, supervisory, and teaching skills used by preschool teachers. Students will acquire competence in child development history, classroom management, developmentally appropriate practices and curriculum, current trends and issues, and universal infection control.

    Education Pathways 4: 

    This program provides learning and hands-on activities that will prepare students with a range of management, supervisory, and teaching skills used by preschool teachers. Students will acquire competence in child development history, classroom management, developmentally appropriate practices and curriculum, current trends and issues, and universal infection control.

     OJT: 

    You earn credit toward graduation and have a paying job in child care. What a great way to learn new skills, meet new people, work toward a scholarship, and possibly land a job working with children!

    INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS

    Available Industry Certifications:

    • Child Development Associate (Nationally recognized)

    Program Completers also receive:

    • DCF - 40 required training hours.
    • Early Literacy (5 hours)
    • CPR certified in infant, toddler & adult CPR

    STUDENT ORGANIZATION

    National Technical Honor Society

    ACADEMY INSTRUCTOR

    Nikki Gill
    (850) 937-5475
    Email: ngill@ecsdfl.us