The Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts was created to offer an enriched arts

education for students with a demonstrated talent in music, drama, dance or the visual arts. The program is

designed to develop both the academic and artistic skills of talented students interested in artistic careers, as

well as an appreciation of the arts for those who may choose other fields.

The Harrison Center is located adjacent to Lakeland High School. Students in the arts program are

mainstreamed into Lakeland High School setting for their academic classes. They are afforded the benefits

of a wide range of both standard and honors courses, with opportunities for advanced placement credit in a

variety of classes. Satellite classes in the visual arts are offered at the Polk Museum of Art with additional

music instruction provided through Florida Southern College.

A. A minimum cumulative weighted grade point average of 2.3 on a 4.0 is required at time of entry.

B. A demonstrated talent as evidenced by an audition and/or portfolio with a favorable recommendation

from the panel of expert judges.

C. An interview process to determine a level of commitment to the arts program.

D. Two favorable written recommendations.

E. Final admission into the arts program is determined by the Principal of the Harrison Arts Center.

A. Students whose GPA as defined above is less than a 2.3 are admitted and/or placed on academic

probation as determined by the Principal of the Harrison Arts Center. A 2.3 GPA for all students must

be maintained in their course work attempted while enrolled in the arts program.

B. Consideration for continued enrollment at the Harrison Arts Center is reviewed at the end of each nine

weeks. If, at this review, a student is not maintaining sufficient progress toward a 2.3 grade point

average the student may be placed on academic probation for the following nine weeks. If at the end of

the probation period the student does not have a 2.3 grade point average the student will be dismissed

from the Harrison Arts Center. Final determination of enrollment at Harrison Arts Center will be at the

discretion of the principal.

C. Failing a Harrison Arts Center course can b e grounds for dismissal from Harrison Arts Center .

Dismissal will occur only at the end of a term.

A. Each student in the arts program must be scheduled as a full-time student with four classes each 9-week

quarter. The student schedule each 18-week term should include at least one one-credit arts program

course. The final determination of a senior student's schedule at the Harrison Arts Center is that of the

Principal of the Harrison Arts Center.

B. Three academic plans are available to accommodate student needs:

1. General Performance – Basic graduation requirements and 13 Harrison credits.

2. College Preparatory – Graduation requirements, two credits in foreign language. Up to two

Harrison credits may be waived for students who enroll in Advanced Placement academic

courses. The principal of Harrison will give final approval for this.

3. Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program – Prescribed Curriculum requirements.

All of the above meet the graduation requirements as specified in the current Florida Course Code

Directory for grades 9-12, inclusive.

C. For the purpose of academics, students will be considered as dual-enrollment students.

D. Freshmen students entering the Harrison Arts Center will be able to earn 32 credits under the academic

plans listed in section B above. Students entering the Harrison Arts Center after their freshmen year

may need to attend summer school in order to satisfy the arts curriculum requirements.

E. Students who are graduated from the Harrison Arts Center will receive a high school diploma from The

Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts and will graduate and march only at

the Harrison Arts Center. All academic honors, including Valedictorian and Salutatorian, will be

designated and awarded through the Harrison Arts Center.

F. Graduation exercises for the Harrison Arts Center will be held at a time not conflicting with Lakeland

Senior High School graduation because of the dual responsibilities of Harrison Arts Center's staff and

Lakeland High School's staff.

G. A student seeking early admissions status at the college and/or university level, who wishes to be

considered as a graduate from the Harrison Arts Center, must demonstrate through appropriate school

records that he/she is continuing to pursue a field of artistic study. The student must provide

verification from the school that an artistic curriculum is being pursued. A course of study should

reflect full-time enrollment in the arts department of the college, university or arts school.

H. The prescribed arts curriculum at Harrison will include the following minimum contacts for Harrison

students in the various arts disciplines over a four year period: Dance 13 credits, Music 13 credits,

Theatre 13 credits, Visual Arts 13 credits. All seniors should take four art courses during their senior

year.

I. Because of the special commitment that is made in attending the Harrison Arts Center, parents or

guardians, and students are required to sign a contract that serves as an agreement and commitment to

follow the policies that are a part of the Pupil Progression Plan and also the Harrison Arts Center

student handbook.

J. Appeals regarding the policies established by the Harrison Arts Center must be directed to the Principal

of the Harrison Arts Center. If the outcome of the appeal is not satisfactorily addressed by the

Principal, the appeal may come before an appeals committee that will include the Principal of the

Harrison Arts Center, the Director of Fine Arts and Magnet Schools, the Director of Secondary

Education and the Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services. Any additional appeals must be

brought to the Polk County School Board. It is assumed that students and parents will abide by the

policies of the Harrison Arts Center as a part of the contractual arrangement with the school.

M77A 45

K. Harrison Arts Center students that desire to participate in marching band activities are eligible to do so

only through participation at their home school. The intent of the curriculum at the Harrison Arts

Center is to provide a course of study that is uniquely different from other schools in the district. This

affords students the opportunity to devote additional time to the study of their instrument that might

not be available if they are involved in marching activities.

The priority for students that elect to participate in marching band at the home school must be with

Harrison activities. Conflicts will be the responsibility of the student with the priority give to

Harrison.

A. Students at the Harrison Arts Center are only eligible for extracurricular activities at Lakeland Senior

High School since they attend Lakeland High School for their required courses. They are not eligible at

their home zoned school. (FHSAA By-laws 19-9-3, NOTE).

B. Students who elect to attend Harrison beginning in the 9th grade are eligible for athletics at Lakeland

High School as long as they are enrolled at Harrison.

The Pre International (Pre-IB) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs were created to offer an

internationally competitive curriculum to challenge those students with a demonstrated talent in academics

and need for an advanced curriculum to match their high motivation. The program is designed to develop

both the academic and social skills of academically talented students interested in curricular and extracurricular

experiences not offered through the regular high school curriculum.

The Pre-IB/IB Program is provided on the campus of Bartow Senior High School. Students in the program

pursue a rigorous academic sequence of courses in six subject areas: Language Arts; Foreign Language; the

Individual and Society; Experimental Sciences; and a choice of a sixth subject area such as another

Experimental Science, Music, Computer Studies, Psychology, Art and Design, or Classical Languages

(Latin and Greek). Course content is established by the International Baccalaureate Program and exceeds

minimum graduation requirements of Polk County schools and the state of Florida.

In addition to these program requirements, the Pre-IB student must complete at least 20 hours of cultural

and community awareness activities. The IB student must complete a minimum of 150 hours in Creativity,

Action, and Service (C.A.S.) during their 11th and 12th grades.

In these C.A.S. activities, students earn hours of service for time spent in after school approved activities

such as: organized sports, volunteer work in hospitals; Very Special Arts; Special Olympics; tutoring; and

musical or dramatic performances.

If a student receives an International Baccalaureate diploma from the International Baccalaureate office, the

student is eligible for the Florida Undergraduate Scholars Fund. Students who complete the International

Baccalaureate diploma curriculum will satisfy district and state graduation requirements. Completion of the

Polk County International Baccalaureate diploma curriculum means that a student does not have to take

Personal Fitness, Life Management Skills, Practical Arts/Vocational Exploratory/Performing Arts, and

Health II or Family Dynamics (Human Growth and Development) in order to satisfy state and local

graduation requirements. All other state and local requirements are included in the International

Baccalaureate diploma curriculum. If a student withdraws from the International Baccalaureate program

he/she will be required to complete all district and state requirements for graduation and requirements for the

Florida Academic Scholars Program.

Admission to the IB program is determined in two phases. Preliminary acceptance to the IB program is

established by admission to the Pre-IB program for two years, beginning in grade nine. Admission is

granted, based on available spaces, by the evaluation of a student's academic portfolio demonstrating

academic achievement and motivation. Items considered in the portfolio include: unyle=htocumPA of 3.0

or higher for academic classes through the second semester of the 8th grade; evaluation of ITED sub-test

scores; and a student essay with a minimum score of 1.50 on a 4.0 scale.

A. A minimum 2.5 weighted cumulative GPA must be achieved by the end of the 10th grade in order for a

student to enter the International Baccalaureate Program.

B. During the second semester of the tenth grade, Pre-IB student's performance and motivation will be

reviewed by the IB Program Director, guidance counselor and faculty to recommend continuation in the

IB Program or return to the student's home school.

Each student in the Pre-IB program must be scheduled for seven classes each day. In addition to the five

academic classes, ninth graders must take the Inquiry Skills course.

A. Students are required to register for seven classes a day each year during the IB program. Students

must declare a minimum of three higher level courses (areas of specialty) and three subsidiary level

courses (areas of generality) beginning in their junior year.

B. In addition to the six subject areas, students must also participate in a minimum of 150 hours of

Creativity, Action, Service extra-curricular activities before May of their senior year, submit the

Extended Essay, and complete the Theory of Knowledge course.

C. Students who are graduated from the IB Program will receive a Polk County high school diploma from

Bartow High School. Students will not be ranked wibr> artow High School Students. All academic

honors will be designated and awarded through the IB program.

D. Awarding of the International Baccalaureate Diploma is dependent upon the student meeting

requirements set forth by the International Baccalaureate organization.

The following Pre-IB courses will have a 0.5 weighting: Pre-IB English I and II, Pre-IB Biology I, Pre-IB

Chemistry I, Pre-IB Physics, Pre-IB Spanish II, Pre-IB Spanish III, Pre-IB French II, and Pre-IB French III.

Other Pre-IB courses will receive no additional weighting.

All courses designated International Baccalaureate in the Course Code Directory will carry a 1.0 weighting.

A. Students in the Bartow High School International Baccalaureate Program are only eligible for

extracurricular activities at Bartow Senior High School since they attend Bartow High School for their

required courses. They are not eligible at their home zoned school. (FHSAA By-laws 19-9-3, NOTE).

B. Students who elect to attend the International Baccalaureate Program being in 9th grade are eligible for

athletics at Bartow High School as long as they are enrolled at the International Baccalaureate Program.

Due to the importance of a solid foundation in the rigorous and sequential IB curriculum, the academic

progress of each 9th grade student will be evaluated at the end of each nine weeks. Any student with two or

more D's and/or F's will be given an academic plan for improving student grades.

Student progress will again be evaluated at the end of the semester. Those s widnts still necessitating an

academic plan will receive a recommendation to return to their home school.

Academic plan students electing to remain in the 2nd semester of Pre-IB as well as those receiving academic

plans during 2nd semester, will be advised that they will be dismissed, at the recommendation of the 9th

grade academic review committee, at the end of the 2nd semester of the 9th grade if there is not significant

progress in their academic success.

The academic review committee will consist of: all Pre-IB 9th grade teachers, the IB Principal, and the IB Counselor.