METSA

It is encouraged for students to take college level courses throughout their time in METSA. R.L. Turner offers a wide variety of college level courses through AP, UT OnRamps, and Dallas College. For some of these courses, you may not have a METSA facilitator leading the course, but we want students to have that experience as much as the project-based learning experience.

We have had students complete 3 different career pathways while attending METSA. As long as there is room to complete all graduation requirements in your schedule and multiple STEM electives, we encourage the learning.

Yes. You are required to complete a career pathway in the program, so if you have room in your schedule to do so, you can join.

Absolutely! METSA students are involved in every sport from baseball to swimming. Members of fine arts programs such as band and choir are also a part of our program. Some students take AVID the entire time they attend METSA.

Remote learners also participate in projects and attend team meetings through WebEx calls. They work with teammates online to create finished products in the same manner that traditional learners would. They take pictures, upload audiovisual recordings, and submit the same assignments needed to meet the learning outcomes.

Typically, students are not advanced enough in math and science to move up to the next course in a METSA sequence due to the prerequisites needed. There are some cases in which the student and parent can prove they are advanced enough for the coursework, but this must be approved by the program director and backed with a transcript showing completion of advanced coursework.

METSA accepts applicants year-round, but if the student does not have a background in their pathway, the student often will not be placed into a METSA elective after the first semester has ended so that they will not fall behind in coursework. The student will be scheduled into available STEM-based core classes to get them acclimated to the project-based learning process.

Students do not usually exit the program, but it is possible. If a student no longer wants to be a part of the program, we encourage the student to do this between the last grading period of their freshman year and the first grading period of their sophomore year so that they have the opportunity to complete a program of study in a different career pathway. The process for exiting the program requires a parent-director-student meeting in which we review the student’s commitment agreement, discuss their reasons for releasing themselves from commitments made, and an explanation of next steps.

This course is worth 2 credits and students have the option to participate in a self-selected capstone project or an internship with a professional in their career field. The course is self-paced and students have the opportunity to mimic what they would do in college or a career. They will reflect on their experience in STEM with a digital portfolio that can be placed on college applications or work  resumes and a senior exhibition in which they will present to a panel that will include higher education and industry partners from across the nation.

Unfortunately a student cannot be a part of multiple academies, but they are allowed to complete multiple endorsements.