Serenity High School is the oldest substance-abuse recovery public high school in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

.Piloto, Connie, "Serenity may be model for other schools Fate of financially shaky campus unclear despite national attention."

Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885 by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ''Galvesto ...

. 2002-10-16
Google News
/ref>"Serenity High State funding should build support for McKinney school."

. 2003-11-2
Google News
/ref> It was founded in 1999 as a partnership between the

McKinney Independent School District McKinney Independent School District is a public school district in McKinney, Texas, United States. In addition to McKinney, the district serves the town of New Hope and parts of Allen, Fairview, Weston, Princeton, and Lowry Crossing. The ...

and the Avenues Counseling Center in McKinney, Texas, and serves several

school districts A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations. North America United States In the U.S, most K–12 public schools function as units of local school districts, whic ...

in and around

Collin County, Texas Collin County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth- Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and a small portion of the city of Dallas is in the county. At the 2020 United States census, the county's populat ...

. As of November 2008, it has served over 150 graduates from over 25 high schools. The school was rated Academically Acceptable in the 2009 TEA accountability rating.

Academics

Serenity High offers traditional instruction, self-paced studies, online instruction, and dual-credit instruction in conjunction with

Collin College Collin College is a public community college district in Texas. Founded in 1985, the district has grown as the county has grown from around 5,000 students in 1986 to more than 58,000 credit and noncredit students. Formerly known as the Coll ...

.Serenity High School - Curriculum and Academics
retrieved 2008-11-30 It has a student-teacher ratio of 10 to 1.Mission of Serenity High
retrieved 2008-11-30

Funding

Serenity High School is funded through the McKinney ISD, state funding, and private fundraising.Save Serenity: Alternative school cannot survive without other districts' support."

. 2004-11-04
Google News
/ref> Out-of-district students pay tuition or have their local school districts pay tuition on their behalf. In 2002 and 2003, the school district considered closing the school due to costs. Private funds kept it open."Serenity High is at financial low: Program for recovering teen addicts given ultimatum."

. 2002-07-05
Google News
/ref>Price, Lori, "For now, Serenity's halls stay open District to run school through spring - if $30,000 is paid."

. 2003-01-2
Google News
/ref>Price, Lori, "McKinney trustees approve cuts: Board rejects axing alternative schools, block scheduling."

. 2003-05-2
Google News
/ref> In the fall of 2003, the school received a $160,000 grant from the

Texas Education Agency The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States.

. As of November 2008, private fundraising efforts included an annual golf tournament.Serenity High Golf Classic fundraising letter
, 2008-10-03.

Affiliations and accreditations

The school is in the McKinney Independent School District and is affiliated with the Association of Recovery Schools. In addition, students from the Anna ISD, Blue Ridge ISD,

Community ISD Community Independent School District is a public school district based in Nevada, Texas, USA. The district serves students in southeastern Collin County and includes the towns of Copeville, Josephine, and Lavon. A small portion of Hunt Coun ...

, Farmersville ISD, Frisco ISD, Gunter ISD, Melissa ISD,

Plano ISD Plano Independent School District (PISD or Plano ISD) is an independent school district in southwestern Collin County, Texas, Collin County, Texas, based in Plano, Texas, Plano. Plano ISD serves about of land, with of it within the City of Plan ...

Rockwall ISD Rockwall Independent School District is a public school district based in Rockwall, Texas (USA). In addition to Rockwall, the district serves the cities of Heath, McLendon-Chisholm, Mobile City, most of Fate, and small portions of Rowlett, ...

, and Wylie ISD may attend without paying out-of-district tuition. The school is accredited by the

State of Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by bo ...

but did not receive a rating for the 2007-2008 school yearMISD Campus Ratings 2007-2008 School Year
retrieved 2008-11-30

National attention

In 2002, federal officials considering creating similar schools in the United States said the school could serve as a national model.

References

External links

Association of Recovery SchoolsAvenues Counseling CenterInterview

KNTU-FM KNTU (88.1 FM) is the campus radio station of the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. The signal of the station covers much of the Dallas and Fort Worth Metroplex of North Texas with an alternative rock format. Any University of Nor ...

radio interviews Principal Juli Ferraro and two students. Also: Interview with Traci Bowermaster, the chair of the Association of Recovery Schools, Interview with Mandy Baker of the Center for the Study of Addictions at

Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...

.
Serenity High School demographic information
{{authority control Educational institutions established in 1999 McKinney Independent School District high schools 1999 establishments in Texas