| 
|
Message from the Dean
Dear Students: Nestled in the beautiful hills above Sierra Highway, College of the Canyons' new Canyon Country Campus opened its doors on Aug. 27, 2007. Located on 70 pristine acres, the campus consists of 24,000 square feet of space across 23 classrooms and five laboratories. More than a collection of classrooms and labs, however, the new Canyon Country Campus is a place where student dreams, community vision and the college's commitment have joined to create a very special place for student learning and community development. You will sense the unique character of the Canyon Country Campus the moment you step on the campus. At the campus, you will find the William S. Hart Union High School District's Early College High School, funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Early college high schools are small, autonomous schools that are designed so a student can achieve up to two years of college credit while earning a high school diploma, essentially providing students the opportunity to complete six years of education in five years. Eighty-six ninth-grade students, seeking a unique high school experience, were accepted into the new Early College High School, symbolizing the creative, innovative spirit of the new campus. Coupled with the Early College High School, other unique programs abound at the new campus. Students can take general-education classes or specialized classes in the arts, science and geology. An Early Childhood Education Program, coupled with a Child Development Center laboratory for pre-school-age children, will be online by fall 2008. Other future programs include recreation leadership, landscape architecture, construction trades training and possibly advanced technology degree programs that will produce highly skilled technician graduates. These specialized programs, not available on the Valencia campus, speak to the unique and innovative culture at the Canyon Country Campus. The new campus provides a great learning venue for concurrently enrolled students from the William S. Hart Union High School District, traditional students who have recently completed high school, re-entry students who have decided to resume their college-level studies, working professionals who need to keep up with the latest technology and community members seeking life-long learning opportunities. Local businesses will find the new campus a great resource for customized job training, small business assistance and connecting with students to fill employment demands on the eastern side of the valley. The campus will be a place of continued growth and change as the college embarks on a construction program to complete the permanent campus. At buildout, the campus will house six permanent buildings and accommodate up to 10,000 students. Faculty, staff, students and the community will all play a key role in shaping the new campus' programs and buildings in the future. The new campus provides the opportunity to get involved, be part of something new, and to build a lasting treasure within the valley that will impact generations to come. Most importantly, our students will be challenged and inspired through their experiences at the Canyon Country Campus. As Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, "Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions." The Canyon Country Campus is a place to explore new ideas, discover different ways of seeing the world, tackle new challenges, accomplish more that you thought possible and achieve your dreams. Enjoy the journey. Sincerely, Dena P. Maloney, Ed.D.
Founding Dean August 2007 |
|
Dena P. Maloney, Ed.D.
Founding Dean
Canyon Country Campus
'The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done; men and women who are creative, inventive and discoverers, who can be critical and verify, and not accept, everything they are offered.' -- Jean Piaget
|
|
