In a few short weeks, hundreds of students will start filling the halls of Southwest Early College Campus, 6512 Wornall Road.

The school, which opens its doors Aug. 25, will be unlike other schools in the Kansas City area.

Southwest will draw students with heavy interests in math and science, beginning this year with students in sixth and ninth grades. The school will add one class per year until it is filled by summer 2011.

Through a partnership with the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the school will offer dual credit courses.

“Our goal is for students to leave with at least 20 college credits,” Vicki Murillo, assistant superintendent, said.

With 20 college credits, students could enter college as sophomores.

“One of the biggest ovations we’ve gotten from our parents is the fact they won’t have to pay on the college side,” Murillo said. “The dual credit will come on the high school side. And dual credit is much cheaper than on the college side.”

Southwest is open to all students residing in Kansas City School District boundaries. The process will start with 120 students in sixth and ninth grades. Murillo said coursework will be somewhat different from typical high school courses. The curriculum has gone over review in conjunction with UMKC and will test students.

“Some creative work is being done with the curriculum, where we are still meeting state standards and preparing for end-of-course exams, but also looking to bring a more rigorous pace and the hands-on learning will be really strong,” Murillo said.

Southwest will be a popular destination for students and teachers, Murillo said

“I think we will have a waiting list every year,” she said. “We had more than enough applications. We had a number of applications from outside the district of teachers who specifically wanted to work at Southwest.”

Three other partners will give resources to the school: Life Sciences, Prep-KC and Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. Murillo said Life Sciences will help with science curriculum, Prep-KC will work to help foster the relationship between all partners and Woodrow Wilson will give structure to college-style learning.

“It will be such a diverse school. There will be many different ethnic groups,” Murillo said. “The draw is for students who are really interested in math in science. You have the labs and you have the planetarium sitting right there. It really opens up the school.”

Murillo said the early college concept has a foothold in some parts of the country and has gained popularity in North Carolina with support from the state.

Murillo said Southwest has the ability to challenge other high schools in the Kansas City School District, as well as the private schools.

“We need to redesign how high schools work,” Murillo said. “Students need to graduate our high schools with the skill set for post-secondary experiences. That could be a four- or two-year college, a trade school or technical school. Whichever they choose, we’ve got to figure out how to change our schools so they meet the need of workforce demand.”

Murillo said the school has undergone renovations to prepare for hosting students. The building features a new roof, new carpeting and a clean air-conditioning and heating system. With community help, the school also will receive cosmetic painting and landscape work.

The school’s success will be measured by how students and parents feel when they leave, Murillo said.

“Have they got what they believed their school would be about? How do parents and students feel we serviced them? When a student graduates in four years,” Murillo said, “we want them to say ‘This was a great educational experience.’”

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