Grow, learn, succeed. These three steps outline the Seeds of Health program at Tenor High School, a charter school of UW-Milwaukee. The program allows students to condense four years of high school into three, opening their final year to enrollment in Milwaukee Area Technical College courses.
Seeds of Health was founded in 1987 by Executive Director Marcia Spector. Under the program’s umbrella are four Milwaukee high schools, an elementary school, and a clinic program called WIC: Women, Infants and Children. Tenor is known for having the most unique background, part due to it being a charter of UWM.
“They have been our charter and authority since the beginning,” said Tyson Tlachac, Tenor High School’s Principal. Tlachac also mentioned that Tenor recently renewed their contract with UWM for the maximum of five years. This renewal process involved UWM officials visiting Tenor’s staff and touring school grounds.
Despite being chartered by UWM for over 10 years, the school is widely unknown to the public, including UWM students.
“I think it is important for everyone to start knowing of our school. It is such a wonderful opportunity for people,” Tlachac said regarding the benefits of Tenor students.
During their fourth year, and after obtaining all necessary high school credit, students can enroll in Milwaukee Area Technical College courses for free. Tlachac calls this year “college with training wheels.” Credits from these classes can be transferred to universities in the UW System via MATC’s Panther Tracks program.
Students also have the benefit of not only receiving help from their college professors, but high school teachers as well.
“They are a college student, but they are still getting that support from Tenor,” Tlachac said.
Tenor is a small school. Tlachac says that most parents may not care for small high schools, but he feels that a small size is usually better for students in the long run.
“The students get to know the students, and the teachers get to know the students. It is a real safe environment,” Tlachac said. “Those are all benefits that any parent would like their children in.”
With larger schools such as Rufus King, Ronald Reagan, and Mesmer, local students might feel lost in the shuffle. But with Tenor being a smaller school, students can make better connections, receive additional help, and work closely with other students. Students also bond with their teachers by calling them by their first names.
Tenor has been going strong for the past 10 years. Tlachac points out that students can spread the word about the school through social media, and talking with friends and classmates at MATC, UWM, or anywhere in Wisconsin.
Tenor has been a charter of UWM since 2005.
For more information, please visit: http://tenor.seedsofhealth.org/.