The Lenape Regional High School District is piloting a nonresident, tuition-based program at Seneca High School that will open the door to more student opportunities.
The tuition-based enrollment program is for three of Seneca’s initiatives in 2022-’23: the ASE Automotive Certification Program, Air Force JROTC and Project Lead the Way.
The automotive program is a four-year series of courses designed to include curriculum and hands-on work experience that end with an ASE Entry Level Certification to start an automotive career. Half-day internships are provided at a local automotive shop during a student’s junior and senior year.
The Air Force JROTC program gives cadets an opportunity to build skills through leadership, citizenship, self discipline and community service which will further allow the students to receive instruction in air and space fundamentals, according to the district.
The third program at Seneca, Project Lead the Way offers students a chance to enhance their skills and create, design, build, discover, collaborate and solve problems while applying what they learn in math and science. Students who further complete the four-year, high-school program can earn up to nine college credits and benefit from a higher acceptance rate in college engineering programs, according to the Lenape district.
The non-resident tuition program applied to these programs at Seneca comes from establishing creative revenue to address cuts in state funding and generate new revenue streams, a process introduced to the public last spring during a public hearing on the 2021-’2022 Lenape district budget, according to Bradley Bauer, principal at Seneca.
The nonresident tuition program further involves an application process for students who are interested in enrolling in the three programs at the high school. The tuition program also stands out due to its benefits, according to Bauer.
“The nonresident tuition program stands out because of its low cost ($8,000),” Bauer explained. “Compared to other schools that offer tuition programs, our program has extreme value considering all of the benefits of the Lenape Regional High School district. The value can’t be matched elsewhere.”
So far, the nonresident tuition program is only offered at Seneca for the three programs, but could potentially reach other Lenape district schools in the future. Bauer spoke about his hopes for the new program and its impact on potential students.
“We hope nonresidents are able to know about the program and understand how much value there is in attending Seneca High School and the Lenape Regional High School District,” he noted. “I’m proud of our school and our district, and the only real way to share in that experience is to experience it for yourself through this program.”
Scheduling for the fall is open for applicants now; acceptance is determined on a case-by-case basis with rolling admission, according to the school district. If interested, visit www.lrhsd.org/tuition.
