Cincinnati's public high schools are in marketing mode.

        Thousands of shiny, colorful brochures touting the district's new high school choices should begin arriving in homes today.

        This is the first time all Cincinnati public eighth-graders must choose the high school they'll attend. Previously, most were assigned to their nearest neighborhood school.

        Students are asked to register by May 31 to secure their choice and to guarantee transportation, said district spokeswoman Jan Leslie.

FIVE NEW PROGRAMS

Cincinnati Public Schools will offer five new high school programs for ninth-graders this fall.     • Withrow International School, Hyde Park, will focus on knowledge and skills in a global economy.     • Withrow University High School will offer an intensive college-preparatory program linked with local colleges and universities.     • Western Hills Design Technology High School, Price Hill, will focus on engineering technologies     • Western Hills University High School will offer an intensive college-preparatory program linked with local colleges and universities.     • Entrepreneurship High School, at an undetermined location downtown, will offer a strong academic program to prepare students for graduation, college and careers with a focus on small business.

        To get the news out, the district printed 36,000 brochures and fliers. Packets were mailed to 4,239 homes of eighth-graders in Cincinnati Public Schools and private and charter schools.

        “Many of our private and parochial schools end at eighth grade and we wanted to let everyone know about the choices,” Ms. Leslie said. “We know from research that when parents and students choose a school, they are more invested and (students') academic results improve.”

        Cincinnati Public also wants to attract and retain students. The graduation rate, which improved about 7 percentage points this year, is 58 percent. Enrollment is at 42,000, down from 50,000 students 10 years ago.

        The brochures showcase five new high school programs beginning this fall, bringing the district's total to 22 high schools. (Some of the larger high schools are being broken down into several smaller schools contained on one campus.)

        The new choices, such as an entrepreneurship high school opening downtown and a design technology school at Western Hills High School, are part of the district's effort to redesign its low-performing high schools.

        For instance, Western Hills High School next year will house two new school programs for incoming freshmen: the design technology school and a school with a college prep focus.

        Students in grades 9-11 will continue in their current programs and graduate from the school they now attend.

        Dee Fricker, parent of eighth-grader Shannon Moran at McKinley School in Columbia-Tusculum, said she likes the additional options. But the family settled on an existing program at Hughes Center in University Heights.

        “I think it's a good fit for my daughter,” she said, but added that the new options are “exciting. They really give kids an opportunity to go down a path that is specialized, customized and focused to fit their needs.”

        The district's marketing effort will also include radio and newspaper advertising. The cost for the marketing blitz will be paid for from about $28,000 in grants and private funding.

        A high schools of choice education fair will be held from 4-8 p.m. May 8 at the district's education center, 2651 Burnet Ave., Corryville.

        If students wish to continue in a school they already attend, they don't have to re-register. For information, call 475-7099.
       

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