| When I was in high school, I attended the | | | | more, schools are full to bursting. |
| only high school our town had. A one-high | | | | Indianapolis Public Schools administrators, |
| school town, our school was home to every | | | | teachers, and even Indianapolis Schools |
| 14-18 year old in residence. My senior year, | | | | parents are trying hard to improve the |
| there were about 250 of us graduating. I | | | | education given to high school students. And |
| thought that was a lot; but I still at least | | | | small schools, such as the ones present in |
| knew everyone's name, even if I wasn't | | | | Indianapolis Schools, are meeting this need. |
| friends with them all. Looking back, our | | | | |
| school wasn't that big compared to some; the | | | | In Indianapolis Schools, school systems are |
| name of every person in my graduating class | | | | trying very hard to personalize their |
| fit on the back of the Prom T-shirt! I never | | | | students' education, through the use of |
| thought of my school as small; it seemed big | | | | "Small Schools". A small school is typically |
| to my small-town eyes. With approximately | | | | located on a regular Indianapolis Schools |
| 1,000 students, our campus had 4 classroom | | | | campus and shares common areas with other |
| wings (a 5th one was added in my junior | | | | small schools housed on the same location. |
| year), a music building, a gym, library, | | | | Cafeteria, gymnasiums, and media centers are |
| office, cafeteria, weight room, tennis | | | | used by all students. One Indianapolis |
| courts, football fields, and baseball | | | | Schools campus may house up to four or even |
| diamonds. We even had a barn, for the FFA | | | | five different small schools. These |
| kids (Future Farmers of America) and their | | | | Indianapolis Schools offer a more intimate |
| livestock. This was my world, and one which I | | | | learning environment that is better able to |
| quite honestly wanted to get out of as soon | | | | address the needs of students, staff and |
| as possible. While the size of our school was | | | | parents. Each of these smaller Indianapolis |
| really on the small side, it was big to us; | | | | Schools has an enrollment of no more than 400 |
| but I guess it's all relative to our own | | | | students. They all offer both core classes |
| experiences. | | | | (English, math, social studies and science) |
| | | | as well as electives. The needs of all |
| These days (I only graduated about 15 years | | | | students - special education as well as |
| ago, thank you very much), Indianapolis | | | | general education - are addressed. The |
| Schools have grown. Even my old high school | | | | purpose of these small schools within |
| has grown so much that I barely recognize it. | | | | Indianapolis Schools is to improve students' |
| (It's still the only high school in town!) In | | | | academic, social and behavioral performance, |
| fact, high schools are huge! With enrollments | | | | to reduce the dropout rate, and to connect |
| at Indiana and Indianapolis Schools at low of | | | | students in a more personal way with the |
| around 1,200 students and as high as 2,000 or | | | | Indianapolis Schools they are attending. |