Flexible School Schedules Give Students a Career Jump-start
How high school students at Barnstable Academy benefit from a flexible academic day.
Oakland, NJ, December 12, 2013 – High school senior Sam Zitomer from Westwood, New Jersey doesn’t attend school on Thursdays. Instead he takes part in a prestigious internship program with the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department, allowing him to begin pursuing his career goals while still a high school student.
This isn’t something new for Barnstable. Throughout its 35-year history, the school has prioritized an individual approach to education, tailoring academic programs and offering flexible schedules where needed so that students can pursue outside passions. Many students have benefited from this approach, pursuing musical, athletic, and acting careers while working toward their high school diploma.
In Sam’s case, Barnstable has created an academic program whereby he can spend every Thursday at his internship while still meeting New Jersey state core curriculum requirements and “seat time.” As Zitomer explains, “I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement and I’m very grateful to the administration at Barnstable for helping make this happen. Given the timing, I’m not sure I would have been able to do this if I were in public school.”
As part of this internship program, Sam is gaining valuable real-world experience in law enforcement with Bergen County’s largest law enforcement agency. Successful completion of this program will likely put him ahead of other applicants when applying for college law enforcement programs and further career opportunities.
“Barnstable provided my son with this unique opportunity because of their flexible scheduling,” stated Elyse Zitomer, Sam’s mother. “I’m really lucky,” added Zitomer.
Barnstable’s Executive Director Lizanne Coyne is very pleased that the school has been able to support and further Sam’s career ambitions. “Our goal is always to foster the personal growth of our students and help them achieve their maximum potential. Creating individualized academic schedules to accommodate the goals of a student like Sam is part of what makes Barnstable Academy such a unique school,” says Coyne.
Barnstable Academy is located at 8 Wright Way in Oakland, New Jersey and provides an alternative college preparatory education to students in grades 5 through 12. For more information about Barnstable’s unique approach to middle school and high school education, please call (201) 651-0200 or visit www.barnstableacademy.com.