General Enrollment Information
Lighthouse Public Schools is a public charter with a long history of success that is experiencing growth and renewal as a place for students to find academic success coupled with care and support. The school is growing, and the leadership team is committed to a positive and welcoming environment that places the students’ social and emotional needs at the forefront of their education. Lighthouse Public Schools is accepting applications for enrollment for the current school year in grades pre-K3 through 12. We have put together a guide to help you learn more about Lighthouse Public Schools and take steps to enroll your children. Come be a part of the rich legacy of student empowerment and success. We can and we will!
The board and leadership of Lighthouse Public Schools are in the process of expanding their mission. The school has a new motto, "Enlightening hearts and minds," that reflects the culture they are working to create. The handbook sets out the goals of student achievement, school improvement, and a safe environment.
Superintendent Donald Mills joined Lighthouse Public Schools in 2019. In a prior interview, he spoke about wanting to create an environment for students that is, "safe, secure, and warm." He described the leadership team as "committed"; they have high expectations of themselves, and that attitude spills into the students, too.
Lighthouse is a place where students who may have struggled in a different academic environment (whether because of class sizes or other reasons) can come and be successful. Mills described the campus as having a family feeling. Some students come from non-traditional family structures—being raised by grandparents or living in foster care—but they can come to school and find a safe, secure, and welcoming place.
In recent years, the school has served grades PK3–8; during the current school year, the school is serving high school students in grades 9–12. The expansion to high school came about because parents of former Lighthouse students asked the school leaders to accommodate their high school students, and they found a way. With older students on campus, the school is adding more elective courses and career and technical education (CTE).
Lighthouse has a partnership with McMurry University to offer dual credit courses to every high school student. Students will be dually enrolled, meaning that they will be a Lighthouse Public Schools student and a McMurry student, and enjoy all the benefits of being a college student. The dual credit program at LPS is completely free for the students and families who participate. Enrollment in dual credit courses can begin as a freshman. All middle school students also have access to take high school courses in 7th and 8th grade in order to promote and create opportunities for the high school students to engage in dual credits with McMurry University. The goal is to make access to college more equitable; this partnership allows Lighthouse to help level the playing field. The school is also forging a new relationship in 2023-2024 with the Alamo Community College District for more workforce-based courses such as cosmetology, culinary and auto mechanics.
The school has added a number of electives, student-based groups and sports to the programs. Soccer, Flag football, art, student council, cheerleading, newspaper, yearbook, basketball (male and female), volleyball and possibly baseball and choir in 2024.
The school colors are maroon and gray, and the school mascot is the Seahawks. This next school year, the goal is to allow each campus to create their own school colors and mascot while maintaining their heritage of maroon as a foundational color. In keeping with the avian theme, there is a space on campus called the Nest where students can find emotional support. This support also supports the academic program of the school with embedded SEL lessons to provide character education, self-esteem, and support for one another. The school focuses on 3 R’s-Respect education, Respect everyone, and Respect environment. We do this through the lens of restorative practices as part of our school culture. The school leaders work to create a safe and secure atmosphere where students are encouraged to share information freely.
LPS implements a Pre-Kindergarten program that focuses on curiosity and exploration. Along with this, students focus on oral language literacy by engaging with robust read-alouds twice daily to hear and engage with rich and expressing language. Each grade level has a “Day in the Life” page that describes the focus, curriculum, assessment systems, and amount of time in each area. [insert link to Day in the Life}]
Lighthouse Public Schools is supported by the Imagine Educational Foundation.
