Harmony Magnet Academy of Engineering and Performing Arts in Strathmore may have only opened its doors Aug. 18, but the school has already drawn attention from all around, including those in Sacramento.

State Superintendent of Public Education Jack OíConnell paid a special visit to the high school Sept. 30 to catch a glance at the future of technical education.

Part of Porterville Unified School District (PUSD), Harmony Magnet is unlike any of school in the area.

The $19 million facility that will teach high tech engineering and design courses to Tulare County public school students. Harmony Magnet Academy is a public college preparatory facility that enrolls students in either the school of engineering or the school of performing arts. The good news for Tulare County students: the school is free and is open to any student in the county school system. There will be no GPA or prerequisite requirements for enrollment.

PUSD began looking at the idea of building another small high school in the district in 2005 and a mere three years later Harmony Magnet Academy has arrived. Everything began after Strathmore joined PUSD in the 2004-2005 school year.

In 2006, the district submitted its construction plans and quickly broke ground on the project.

The new school opened this year with 155 freshmen made up of 22 students from Sequoia Middle School, 22 from Strathmore Middle School, 26 from Sunnyside, 14 from Terra Bella and 13 from St. Anneís.

The first order of business for OíConnell: meet with school administration, PUSD board members and administration and community members to talk about the importance of technical education.

ìYour academy has already established a great reputation,î said OíConnell. ìIím a big believer in technical education and so is the governor.î

OíConnell said that there are now over 600 technical education classes now accepted by UC and CSU schools, which is double what it was six years ago.

ìThe days of vocational education are gone,î said OíConnell. ìAnd you get it. When I heard about your program here I knew it was a great model that is going to benefit our kids.î

OíConnell was given a tour of the campus by Harmony Principal Michael Henson and then spoke at a special assembly with students.

ìIn this new economy youíre going to need a higher level of skills,î said OíConnell to students. We are trying to prepare you for jobs that donít even exist yet.î

OíConnell congratulated the students on deciding to attend Harmony and was given a honorary staff shirt.

Students will be required to maintain a 2.0 GPA and keep their attendance at 90% to remain enrolled in the school.

Each year, Harmony Magnet will introduce a new freshman class and will eventually cater to 500 students. Enrollment is open to any students residing in Tulare County. If more students apply than the school can accommodate, all applicants will be entered in a lottery to become enrolled.

The $19 million campus was Californiaís first school to be built with a Small High School Construction Pilot Program grant. Financial support for the engineering program was also providing by the National Academy Foundation, Project Lead The Way and the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering.

Harmony Magnet students will join Strathmore in its sports, music and extracurricular programs. The charter school will have a softball and a baseball field located on its campus at 19429 Road 228. There is also a proposal to install a competition pool.

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