Profile: Coral Reef Senior High School

Coral Reef Senior High School, Miami's Mega-Magnet, opened its doors in 1997 as a $32.3 million facility. Coral Reef is located in the Southwest of Miami-Dade County adjacent to the Richmond Heights community on 59 beautifully landscaped acres. Two open courtyards enhance the ambiance of the school environment. The campus includes a seven-acre community park, four outdoor basketball courts, six tennis courts, a quarter-mile track, football and soccer practice fields, and softball and baseball fields. In additional, there is an agriscience land-laboratory containing a greenhouse, garden, and aquatic and small animal areas. Large gatherings of students, parents and community members can be comfortably accommodated in the state-of-the-art school auditorium, which seats 804, and the gymnasium, which can accommodate over 2,000 people. The building itself measures 306,000 square feet excluding the courtyard, which measures over one acre. The initial budget was projected at $64.5 million, but when completed on June 19, 1997 the project required less money.

The media center is also home to the Cudavision television broadcasting studio, and the information technology center, as well as a braille computer training station for students, and faculty.

Coral Reef Senior High School is a unique four-year mega-magnet high school comprised of six academics: International Studies/International Baccalaureate; Business/Finance; Agriscience/Engineering Technology; Leisure Medicine/Health Sciences; Visual/Performing Arts; and Legal/Public Affairs. In additional to the academic, a comprehensive program of activities and athletics is available to all students. Coral Reef maintains close ties with numerous community professionals, business, and agencies. Since the students have all applied to attend (and subsequently been selected by lottery) and parents/community totally support school programs, and environment exists which promotes: high levels of academic commitment to the school and outside community, and preparation for future success in the students, approximately 24 percent of whom are white, non-hispanic students, 24 percent are African-American students, 45 percent are Hispanic students, and eight percent are autistic, emotionally handicapped, as well as other health impaired. Approximately 31 percent of the total student body is currently receiving free or reduced priced meals. All of the members of the Class of 2004 in the standard curriculum group received a high school diploma, and 92 percent of the seniors in the International Baccalaureate/International Studies (IB/IS) Program received the prestigious IB Diploma.

In addition, there are five administrators, nine counselors, including a TRUST counselor, and a College Assistance Program (CAP) Advisor, six lead teachers, an Athletic Director, and Activities Director, a Technology Coordinator, 24 language arts teachers, 17 mathematics teachers, 15 science teachers, 15 social studies teachers, nine foreign language teachers, 12 fine arts teachers, 13 vocational teachers, 6 Exceptional Student Educational (ESE) teachers, and seven physical educational teachers. Of the 114 members if the instructional staff, five percent hold doctoral degrees, and 44 percent have a bachelors degree. Currently, 21 percent of the instructional staff are African-American, 28 percent are Hispanic, and 51 percent are white, none-Hispanic.

Even though Coral Reef Senior High School is the only full-service high school in Miami-Dade County to receive an "A" in the Governor's A+ Plan, and has enjoyed that designation for the past three years, there is always room for improvement. ESE and Limited English Proficient (LEP) students have been actively recruited and have applied to the school, although most have not been chosen by the lottery to attend. Also there, are other academy-based schools opening in the area which will provide competition for the most motivated students. Coral Reef accepts that challenge and will continue to provide a quality, world-class education for all members of its diverse student body.