Palmetto High School
- Janice Garcia
- Mar 3, 2022
- 3 min read
The nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court only adds to the impressive list of alumni from Miami Palmetto Senior High School, whose graduates includes Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos and Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, the US Surgeon General. This list of elite grads, got me wondering, is this a coincidence or has Palmetto High School got the secret sauce?
Located in the Village of Pinecrest, an upscale suburb of Miami, Palmetto Senior
High School is a community high school with an impressive list of awards and accolades. Niche.com, a reputable source of school reviews, ranked Palmetto High School one of the Best College Prep Public High Schools in Florida (#34 of 596) Best Public High School in Florida (#91 of 693) and Best College Prep Public High Schools in America (#699 of 17,219) and U.S. News ranks Miami Palmetto Senior High School #98 in Florida High Schools.
Palmetto High School is has a 91% graduation rate, and a whopping 63% Advanced Placement (AP) course enrollment rate. The high AP participation rate can be attributed to the robust magnet programs which offers students a wide range to choose from: Capstone, Forensic Investigation Academy and iPrep. The magnet program is contained within the community school and requires acceptance through an application. Click here for information on the magnet school application process. You can also click here for a breakdown of Miami-Dade school types.
AP Capstone is a college prep program created by the College Board which offers students the opportunity to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses in an environment that fosters the ability to think independently, solve challenging problems, write effectively, research and work collaboratively; skills that are important to a student’s future success in college and beyond. Students who graduate from the Capstone program receive a Capstone diploma, thus differentiating themselves from other college applicants.
Within the Capstone program is the Forensic Investigation Academy (FIA). The FIA program at Palmetto High School offers students the opportunity to explore potential careers paths in criminal and forensic investigation including forensic finance and accounting, legal professions, information technology, cyber security, federal agency and more.
Both the Capstone and FIA curriculum require students to take Advanced Placement Seminar and Advanced Placement Research. However, at Palmetto, these students are held to a higher standard and are also required to take Advanced Placement Human Geography their freshman year. Similarly, to successfully graduate as a Palmetto AP Capstone student, three additional AP courses are required.
iPrep is a hands-on, technology and leadership-based program, which allows students to explore different types of computer programs. Students take a mix of traditional classes along with Florida Virtual School (FVS) specialized courses. Students can choose from a wide range of courses like Foundations of Web Design, an 11th grade elective course or Leadership Skill Development, a 9th grade elective.
Palmetto High School also offers students over 50 clubs and activities and 17 sports including badminton, football, lacrosse, and water polo. There is something for every student.
Not surprisingly, homes located near this impressive school are amongst the highest prices in Miami-Dade County, with the median house price hitting just over $1.2 million and most homes selling in under 60 days. However, many homeowners find themselves willing to pay higher home prices to be within the school district as an alternative to paying the high tuition rates for private schools, with most nearby private high schools charging between $30,000-$40,000 per year.
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