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In selecting Appalachian State University as a "College
of the Year" in 2001, TIME Magazine noted that "every
student feels nurtured and challenged." That's quite an
accomplishment for an institution with a 2006 on-campus enrollment
of 15,200 students.
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"Getting
off to a good start in college can make the difference
between getting a degree and giving up," TIME editors
said. "Helping new students survive has, in our judgment,
become an essential responsibility of every college."
Campus research supports what faculty and administrators
believed early on: Appalachian freshmen who participate
in programs that ease the transition from high school
to college have a 5 to 7 percent better chance of returning
for their sophomore year than students who don't participate.
They are also more likely to graduate.
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Appalachian has been recognized by various publications such as US News and World Report,
Princeton Review, and Consumer's Digest as an outstanding comprehensive university and a good value.
With a student-faculty ratio of 17 to 1, Appalachian is noted
for its small classes, emphasis on undergraduate education and
its international programs. Learning, as well as teaching, is
central to every program and activity at Appalachian. With students
as the primary focus, the university is evolving as a "model
learning community" indicative of a premier comprehensive
university.
Appalachian offers 95 undergraduate majors and 81 graduate degree
programs with a doctorate in educational leadership. Thirty-four
percent of students at Appalachian are majoring in arts and
sciences, 24 percent in fine and applied arts, 21 percent in
business, 17 percent in education and 4 percent in music. The
average freshman SAT score exceeds 1100.
Founded in Boone in 1899 as Watauga Academy, the university
became part of the University of North Carolina system in 1971.
Of Appalachian's 592 full-time faculty members, approximately
89 percent hold doctoral or first professional degrees (highest
in the UNC system).
Appalachian is also committed to employing computer and communications
technology and new teaching methods that promote distance learning
and life-long learning, involving as many students, faculty
and others as possible in order to meet North Carolina's growing
higher education needs. Through the Appalachian Learning Alliance,
a collaborative effort between the university and 10 community
colleges in the region, more residents of northwestern North
Carolina are gaining access to higher education.
The university community is committed to good stewardship of
the environment and preserving the character and mountain heritage
of the area. The Appalachian Nature Preserve on the main campus
will become a learning laboratory for university and public
school systems that will foster attitudes and values about the
relationship between humans and the natural environment.
Because of the close-knit relationship between the university
and the Town of Boone, the community provides a comfortable
and secure training ground for good citizenship, a living laboratory
for civic involvement.
Parents also like the fact that Appalachian is ranked as a "best
value" in Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine's 100 Best Values in Public
Education.
The ASU football team won the NCAA Division 1 - FCS National Championship in 2005 and 2006.
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Lees-McRae College, located in the nearby village of Banner
Elk, seeks to extend its ministry of education and service to
a diverse student population. The picturesque 400-acre campus
features 30 buildings, most constructed of the native river
rock.
Affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), Lees-McRae was
founded in 1900. Now more than 100 years old, the private, baccalaureate
college provides a coeducational liberal arts education based
in the Christian tradition. Lees-McRae has an on-campus enrollment
of more than 600 students. Lees-McRae offers 26 majors leading
to both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees.
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The Watauga Campus of Caldwell Community College & Technical
Institute (CCC & TI) is well-positioned to serve the needs
of the community with a variety of educational opportunities
affordable to nearly everyone.
CCC & TI offers quality instruction leading to the completion
of certificates, diplomas and degrees as well as continuing
education courses. Both day and evening classes are available
and some offerings are available on weekends. Classes are held
in several locations around Watauga County, including an almost-new
24,000-square-foot instructional building in Boone.
The mission of CCC & TI is to "provide accessible,
quality instruction; support economic development through comprehensive
resources to business, industry and agencies; and to offer diverse
services and opportunities, which improve the quality of life."
Administration and faculty work hand-in-hand with area employers
to provide workforce training that addresses current and future
employment and technology needs, and the Continuing Education
Department is especially responsive to the requirements of the
private sector for specialized training and instruction. CCC
& TI is a partner in the local JobLink Career Center network
and offers extensive career planning, academic and personal
counseling assistance to area residents.
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The mission of the Watauga County Schools is "to educate
for productive citizenship and life-long learning." Consistently
ranking among the top public school systems in North Carolina,
Watauga County Schools enjoy broad-based community support for
the eight K-8 elementary schools.
On the ABCs of Public Education, all eight K-8 schools are exceeding
academic growth standards, with six earning designation as a
"School of Excellence," where at least 90 percent
of the students are at or above grade level in reading, math,
writing, computer skills and algebra I. The two remaining schools
were awarded "School of Distinction" status, where
at least 80 percent of the students are at or above grade level
on the same measurements.
Valle Crucis Elementary School |
Superintendent Dick Jones reads to a class |
A comprehensive child-centered curriculum
emphasizes content knowledge through developmentally appropriate
activities. Teachers and staff members plan programs to develop
learning skills and enhance student self-esteem. An instructional
philosophy that invites success for all students and recognizes
the importance of providing for individual needs is what guides
curriculum decisions across the district.
Each elementary school provides middle level educational opportunities
through a "school-within-a-school" concept. Students
in grades 6-8 have both academic and exploratory blocks each
day. The exploratory courses supplement the core curriculum
and afford opportunities for students to broaden their interests
and define future goals. This unique, transitional middle
school program includes many components and characteristics
of traditional middle schools.
Watauga High School is fully accredited by the state and the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and has traditions
of excellence in academics, the arts, student activities and
athletics. As one measure of success, students' SAT scores
rank well above state and national averages.
Two Rivers Community School is a NC Public Charter
school established in 2005. It utilizes a curriculum of project-based Expeditionary Learning. 1018
Archie Carroll Road (828.262.5411).
Appalachian Christian School is a fully accredited school through the
association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). It is the only
ACSI certified school in Watauga, Ashe, Avery, and Caldwell counties, and provides a curriculum
with a Bible-centered perspective. 1033 NC Hwy 105 Bypass (828.265.0018).
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