Specialty Programs
Each high school houses a specialty high school program available to all high schools students regardless of their school zone. Ask your guidance counselor about eligibility, middle school preparation, and the application process. Transportation is provided.
Students apply for the four-year program during the first semester of their 8th-grade year. Open to students in all three attendance zones, transportation is provided.
*Please note - some programs require a foreign language and/or Algebra 1 as a prerequisite. Please see the specific program for further information.
Center for Production and Performing Arts (Lakeland High)
Students gain hands-on experience to work in the arts industry in both performance and production for music, theatre, and visual arts, preparing them to be in the business of the arts. Opening Fall of 2022, the first programs offered will be pathways into Music Performance (instrumental & vocal) and Music Technology. Students will be given field experience to enable them to become creators, working in real world situations, preparing them for collegiate studies or careers in the arts industry. Successful completion of 8th grade required.
Project Lead the Way (PLTW) - Engineering (Nansemond River High)
This program empowers students to step into the role of an engineer, adopt a problem-solving mindset, and make the leap from dreamers to doers. Courses engage students in compelling, real-world challenges that help them become better collaborators and thinkers. From launching space explorations to delivering safe, clean water to communities, engineers find solutions to pressing problems and turn their ideas into reality.
Courses include Introduction to Engineering Design (Grade 9), Principles of Engineering (Grade 10), Digital Electronics (Grade 11), Civil Engineering and Architecture (Grade 11), and Engineering Design & Development (Grade 12).
Students must have Algebra I and have plans for an advanced diploma for this program. GPA and other requirements must be met to be considered. Program is cohorted and capped at 24 students each year. Entry only in 9th grade.
Project Lead the Way (PLTW) - Biomedical Science (Lakeland High)
This program empowers students to explore and find solutions to some of today’s most pressing medical challenges. Through scaffolded activities that connect learning to life, students step into the roles of biomedical science professionals and investigate topics including human medicine, physiology, genetics, microbiology, and public health. Students work together in teams to find unique solutions, and in the process, learn in-demand, transferable skills to include critical thinking and communication.
Courses include Principles of the Biomedical Sciences (Grade 9), Human Body Systems (Grade 10), Medical Interventions (Grade 11), and Biomedical Innovation (Grade 12).
Students must have Algebra I and have plans for an advanced diploma for this program. GPA and other requirements must be met to be considered. Program is cohorted and capped at 20 students each year. Entry only in 9th grade.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (King's Fork High)
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is an advanced, comprehensive program of study, offering an integrated approach to learning across the disciplines. Many colleges and universities view the IB Diploma program as the most compelling course of study a student can pursue. Such universities have offered extensive credit and/or preferential admissions consideration to IB diploma candidates. Recognized worldwide, the IB Diploma Program’s in-depth approach to academic disciplines fosters skills that will remain with students for their lifetime.
The IB offers six subject groups -- Studies in Language & Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals & Societies, Experimental Sciences, Mathematics, and The Arts. Students are able to explore some subjects in depth and others more broadly. Active citizenship and global perspectives are encouraged in each area of the curriculum. Upon completion of the course work, students take an external IB exam in each subject. In addition to courses and exams, students must also complete the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, and Community Activity Service requirements in order to earn the IB Diploma.
The College and Career Academy at Pruden (Suffolk, VA)
The College and Career Academy at Pruden is a Governor’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) academy and career and technical education center that serves high school students in the City of Suffolk. FIRST: Fostering Innovations & Relevance Through STEM and Trades Students attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. In addition, students who are accepted as Governor’s Academy cadets will attend STEM sessions throughout the school year. Grades are based on the student’s mastery of competencies from a state-approved competency list. Programs include such pathways as Cybersecurity Systems Technology, Early Childhood Development, Game Design and Development, Welding, Utility/Heavy Construction, and many more. Please check with the school counseling department at your child’s school for more information.
Gifted & Talented Education
What is a gifted student?
The gifted student is one who possesses exceptional talents and abilities that require enrichment beyond the regular curriculum to meet his or her educational needs. Suffolk Public Schools has a commitment of excellence in education, equality of educational opportunity, and the recognition of each student's individuality, and therefore, is committed to identifying, developing and challenging the gifted student.
Elementary through Middle School Programs:
The elementary school program begins with enrichment for kindergarten through grade 2. It offers creative activities and lessons based on the advanced needs and the maturity of students. Students receive differentiated instruction from the gifted resource teacher and the general education teacher during the school year. Emphasis is placed upon critical thinking, creative problem solving, developing independent research skills, and stimulating creativity.
Kindergarten Talent Pool: Kindergarten Talent Pool: The Kindergarten Talent Pool is the program for potentially gifted students who demonstrate high achieving abilities in grades K-2. The placement decision is made according to student performance as documented on the eligibility matrix. To meet their academic needs, students receive differentiated instruction from the gifted resource teacher and general education teacher. Those students are formally evaluated during the second grade year to determine gifted identification and placement.
QUEST: Quality Utilization Enrichment of Students' Talents, known as QUEST is the program for academically gifted students in grades 3-8. Students receive differentiated instruction from the gifted resource teacher and general education teacher throughout the year. Assignments are provided to stimulate and foster critical thinking and independent research skills. Students work both individually and in small groups to develop independent learning skills, creative potential, and higher level thinking abilities.
Tidewater Governor's Summer School for Science and Technology: This regional summer program is provided for a limited number of identified gifted students in grades 3-6. Students from Suffolk, Franklin, Isle of Wight County and Southampton County attend classes four days a week for three weeks. Classes are designed to provide students with hands-on experiences with state-of-the-art technology. Students work in cooperative groups to explore topics of their choice and to share their discoveries and findings with peers, parents, and the community.
High School Programs:
High school students who have been identified as gifted have the opportunity to enroll in a variety of advanced courses, including ten (10) Advanced Placement (A.P.) classes, nineteen (19) Honors classes, and eleven (11) Dual-Credit classes. Dual-credit courses allow the student to simultaneously earn both high school credit and community college credit. All dual-credit, advanced placement, and honors courses are weighted. Guidance counselors at each school can provide additional information.
Governor's Summer Residential Programs: This residential summer program is designed to provide artistically and/or intellectually challenging and enriching experiences for a limited number of selected rising eleventh- and twelfth-graders. Governor's School is offered in the following areas: agriculture, humanities, science, mentorships and the arts (instrumental music, vocal music, drama, dance and visual arts.) All selected participants are enrolled in elective courses, seminars and discussion groups at the sites. Schools are held around the state at college campuses, NASA-Langley, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and the Medical College of Virginia. Classes meet for one month in the summer.
Governor's School for the Arts: Rising ninth- through twelfth-grade students may apply for acceptance to the Governor's School for the Arts. Classes are offered in dance, music, theater, performing arts, and visual arts. Students are selected based on indicated ability, interest, and potential for artistic growth. Interviews, auditions, portfolio reviews, and application materials are used in the selection process. Students are transported to Norfolk each afternoon for instruction in their chosen area of interest.
Paul D. Camp Community College Degree/Certificate Program
Paul D. Camp Community College Certificate
PDCCC General Education Certificate
VCCS PDCCC Application Tutorial
Paul D. Camp Community College in collaboration with Suffolk Public Schools offers a General Education Certificate and Diploma Program. This program is composed of high school credits required for an Advanced Studies Diploma and thirty-three (33) college credits needed for the General Education Certificate or sixty-one (61) college credits needed for the General Studies Associate Degree. Students pursing these programs must earn credits in the following disciplines: English, Humanities, Social Science, Science, Mathematics, Health and Physical Education, and Electives. This program is open to all students who meet the course pre-requisites listed in the course descriptions in the academic section of this document.
Students are eligible to participate in this program if the following items are completed:
● Student is a high school junior or senior. Exceptions for freshman and sophomores must be approved by the College president.
● Approved by the high school principal or school counselor director for course registration;
● Complete Paul D. Camp Community College Application;
● Accepted for admission by the college;
● Qualified, i.e. amply prepared for the demands of a college level course by successfully completing the college placement test or providing acceptable scores from the PSAT, SAT ACT, or SOL Math exam.
This program is tuition based and subject to the community college pricing scale. Although there is a cost associated with the course work, the rate is usually considerably lower than the four-year college/university cost. In addition to giving students college level course experience and college credit, parents may save money.
Community college courses are transferable to four (4) year institutions (check with the four-year college/university for their transfer policy). As with all college courses, the course availability will be contingent on student enrollment and credentialed instructor. In addition, Suffolk Public Schools students also need to complete the second part of specified courses to receive dual credit.
Virginia’s community colleges offer students more than the opportunity to earn a degree or certificate. They provide a gateway to the commonwealth’s four-year colleges and universities. Through system-wide agreements, students who graduate from one of Virginia's 23 community colleges with an associate's degree and a minimum grade point average may obtain GUARANTEED admission to more than 20 of the commonwealth's colleges and universities. See the VCCS website for more information.
In addition, individual colleges have even more transfer agreement to choose from, so check with your college admissions office, or check them out on the Virginia Education Wizard.
Parents and students planning to purse this program are highly encouraged to set up a session with the school counselor to discuss the specifics of this program. The school counselor will be able to share information related to the requirements of the four-year college/university that the student plans to attend after high school and develop a Four-Year Plan of Study that is specific to the student’s goals. During this session, the counselor can also share information concerning scholarship opportunities available once the student graduates from high school. Some colleges may accept for Guaranteed Admission students with completed associate degrees while in high school. Since the student will have multiple college credits prior to graduation, some colleges/universities will classify the student as an upperclassman; therefore, the student may not be eligible for some freshmen level scholarships.