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<p><strong>From staff reports</strong></p>
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<p>Along with May River High School, Robert Smalls International Academy has been authorized to offer students prestigious international academic programming that prepares them for the rigor of college. Part of the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, the Cambridge International Secondary Program is offered for students ages 11 to 19. Battery Creek High School will be kicking off its second year of the curriculum this fall.</p>
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<p>Cambridge International secondary programming has three stages, Lower Secondary, Upper Secondary and Advanced, each providing students with a clear path for educational success via world-class curriculum, high-quality support for teachers, and integrated assessment.</p>
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<p>Robert Smalls International Academy will participate in the Cambridge Lower Secondary stage and May River High School will initially participate in the Cambridge Upper Secondary stage and transition to Cambridge Advanced.</p>
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<p>High school students will be able to choose advanced level courses that allow them to earn college credit for qualifying scores on Cambridge exams at no cost to them, and students who pass enough of those courses can earn the prestigious Cambridge International diploma in addition to a traditional South Carolina high school diploma.</p>
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<p>Former Robert Smalls International Academy Principal and current district Executive Director, Celestine LaVan, Ed.D., praises the relevance of the Cambridge International Program for Lowcountry students.</p>
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<p>“Cambridge curriculum emphasizes critical elements comprising the profile of the South Carolina Graduate. The courses allow students to exercise the intellectual challenges and rigor they will find in their high school and college careers,” LaVan said in a release. “The innovative and active learning experiences cultivate the types of thinking and collaboration needed to compete and be successful in a global society, truly supporting the ‘international’ aspect of Robert Smalls International Academy.”</p>
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<p>Nearly a million students from 10,000 schools in 160 countries prepare for their futures with Cambridge programs and qualifications. Success with Cambridge can give students admission to universities in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and other countries.</p>
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<p>“This Cambridge International authorization is just the latest example of the great things happening at May River High School and Robert Smalls International Academy,” District Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said, noting the curriculum’s capacity to increase academic achievement. “These are very exciting days for our students and families as Cambridge International Programming offers them a clear path for educational success.”</p>
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<p>Interested May River High School and Robert Smalls International Academy students and families can contact their school’s guidance counselors for more information.</p>
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