On Friday, CAST Schools convened teachers and a team of community, industry, higher education, K12, and civic leaders to design a new middle school experience at the existing CAST Med High School campus. All CAST Schools are co-created in partnership with business and education leaders, plus engaging students and families in the design process. The team’s role is to provide feedback on the overview of the school, its mission, vision, and goals and engage in a naming protocol. In partnership with San Antonio ISD, CAST Schools will open the middle school at CAST Med in August 2024.
CAST’s mission is to reinvent schooling to maximize opportunities for students while preparing them for college AND careers. The network began as a high school concept, opening CAST Tech in 2017 inSan Antonio ISD. Today, the network operates six schools in partnership with four different public school districts:
- San Antonio ISD:
- High Schools: CAST Tech and CAST Med (2019)
- Pre-K-12 Advanced Learning Academy, which joined the network in 2019
- Southwest ISD: CAST STEM High School, now located at Palo Alto College
- East Central ISD: CAST Lead (2021), which serves grades 8th – 12th
- Northside ISD: CAST Teach High School (2022)
Opening in August 2024 with a cohort of 6th and 8th-grade students, CAST Middle School, the first in the network, will prepare all students for rigorous STEAM high schools by providing opportunities to discover their passions, identify their strengths, and explore multiple colleges and career opportunities.
[CAST Med’s middle school is] an opportunity for students who want to enter rigorous high schools more prepared, to experiment in a hands-on setting, and to be exposed to high-demand careers at a younger age. This year [2024], we will open to rising 6th and 8th graders and add 7th grade next year,” shared Jeanne Russell, CAST Schools’ Executive Director.
We invite the community, middle school students, and parents to help us design the middle school experience. Share what’s important to you in middle school by taking this survey. For more information or to apply to the middle school, click here and select CAST Med.
