Maritime high school leaders to meet at Maritime Academy of Toledo

School leaders from several maritime-themed high schools throughout the U.S. will gather at the Maritime Academy of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, for two days this week as part of a national project to develop a maritime curriculum that would be available to all high schools across the country, says the academy’s superintdendent, Renee Marazon.

The academy is one of Northwest Ohio’s newest and most innovative tuition-free public schools using nautical themes to educate students in grades 5-12. All students, referred to as “cadets,” are challenged to achieve academic excellence and leadership skills in preparation for college and the world of work.

Ms. Marazon called it “an incredible honor” for the academy to host the gathering of school leaders.

The Maritime Institute of Technology and Advanced Graduate Studies (MITAGS) located in Baltimore, Md., and the Baltimore Maritime Industries Academy High School Foundation, proposed the event which will be held Thursday and Friday, April 12 – 13.

“This is our first meeting to discuss a proposal where MITAGS would fund a national project to integrate maritime themes across the National Core Curriculum standards for use by high schools across the country,” said Ms. Marazon. “The Maritime Academy of Toledo is considered to be the lead school on this project.”

Ms. Marazon says the focus of the initial meeting will be to set goals and timelines, and for each participating school to head-up one core subject area they feel most qualified to lead. All participating schools will nominate one or two of their teachers to work in a core area as part of the team. By the end of the two-day sessions, each school leader will be tasked with submitting the names of one or two teachers from their schools to serve on the various teams.

On June 13-14, 2012 the participating high school principals will meet at State University of New York Maritime College (SUNY Maritime). At the second meeting they will finalize common core initiatives and set the summer meeting schedule. They will also listen to a new maritime high school leadership and outreach program that will be unveiled by the President of SUNY Maritime, RADM Wendi Carpenter USN-Ret.

The entire project, including travel, room and board, and stipends for participating teachers is being funded by Maritime Institute of Technology and Advanced Graduate Studies (MITAGS) and the Baltimore Maritime Industries High School Foundation.

April 9, 2012