Page 16 - Paduan Summer 2017

SchoolNEWS
New MyTrack Program Launched — Guiding Students into Their Futures
Helping students forge strong academic
skills while
also iden-
tifying and developing
their God-given gi s
has always been the hallmark of a Padua education. Rooted in the Franciscan value of embracing the dignity of every individual and celebrating each person’s unique set of talents, Padua is one of the few private schools that o ers a full range of curric-
ular options; in fact, there is a four-year program in every discipline. Even though Padua cook- ies are renowned, Padua is certainly not a cookie-cutter
school. Each student can choose the area in which he or she wants to develop. It is for these reasons that our newest initiative, My- Track, is such a natural extension of what we already provide.
Taking its lead from
our very successful MedTrack® program, MyTrack endeavors
to provide students
with hands-on ex-
periences and explo- ration-focused opportunities
to discover and develop their interests. Beginning in the fall
of 2017, Padua will start three MyTrack programs: MyTrack Business, MyTrack Computer Science, and MyTrack Studio Art. Each MyTrack program will be championed by a teacher from the speci ed discipline. Guidance in course selection, an academic club, an expert alumni speaker series, and junior shadowing experiences with current profes- sionals will be at the core of each MyTrack program.
Beyond providing a premier academic foundation, the goal of MyTrack is to help students deepen their passion and ne-tune their career options.
For example, “In preparation
for college business school and a career development journey, a Padua MyTrack Business student will customize his or her business
education path and receive personalized guidance along the way. MyTrack business students will also have opportunities to strengthen interpersonal
and leadership skills,” said business teacher and head of the
MyTrack business program Tony Shuman ’91.
e new MyTrack initiative
will truly help our students stand out from their peers and enter the college decision process with greater con dence.
In preparation for this initiative, Padua has added several new courses to ensure high level academic support including Introduction to Computer Science, AP Computer Science Principles, Digital Media, and AP Statistics.
In the near future, the plan is to unveil other MyTrack programs possibly including Engineering, Environmental Science, Law, and Music. “ e experience of MyTrack will most certainly provide our
students with a
competitive
advantage as
they prepare
for college and
their future,”
said Principal David Stec ’86.
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14 Summer Paduan
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