If you’re an eighth grader at Ottoson Middle School, you’re probably thinking about which high school to attend. For students in Arlington planning to go to a public high school, there are two main options: Minuteman or Arlington High School (AHS). Making this important decision can feel stressful, but having all the information will make it much easier.
To be accepted into Minuteman, students must have an interview with a staff member at the school. Additionally, their grade average must be a C or higher, and they need a good disciplinary record. From there, one of the teachers from Ottoson must write a recommendation letter to Minuteman. In contrast, students don’t have to do anything special to get into AHS, as it is an Arlington Public School.
At Minuteman, school starts at 7:30 AM and ends at 2:30 PM. The school year begins in late August and ends in early June. AHS, on the other hand, has the same school days as the public middle school and elementary schools in Arlington.
If it isn’t possible for a student to make it to Minuteman on their own, there are three or four school buses that travel around Arlington. The buses pick up at different times for every stop, but most pickups are before 7:00 AM. For AHS, many students take public transportation, walk, or bike. After interviewing Oliver, a student at AHS, we learned that the town is adding an extension to the bike path so that students can travel more easily.
What makes Minuteman unique from other high schools is their “shops.” These are similar to clubs, except you have them during the school day. Every other week, students spend the entire day in these shops. Students choose from nineteen options, such as environmental science, carpentry, and animal science. While students can switch shops during the school year, they are encouraged not to. Each shop also organizes different field trips. These shops allow students to try different things in order to figure out what they might want to do for their jobs. Once students are halfway through their junior year, they can decide to work instead of being in the shops, something that differs greatly from AHS.
Aurora, a student at Minuteman, believes that the food there is better than at Arlington public schools. Like Arlington, Minuteman offers free breakfast and lunch. Students can also buy ice cream with their lunch, and salad and cheese pizza are always options. At AHS, however, the food is similar to the food at the middle schools and elementary schools, but with a few more options. Finally, upperclassmen are permitted to leave campus to get food elsewhere.
Both schools have their pros and cons, depending on what you are looking for in your high school. Minuteman offers a hands-on, trade-focused education, while Arlington High School provides a more traditional academic experience. Good luck in making your decision and going to high school!
