Advancing the Vision: What is the Ankeny Innovative Hub?
For most adults, high school is a formative experience shaped by the people they meet, the activities they engage in, and the academic challenges they face. As students prepare to walk across the graduation stage, they are expected to chart their path, whether that means attending college, enrolling in trade school, entering the workforce, or serving in the military. Comprehensive high schools are designed to offer a wide range of courses and specializations, all aimed at preparing students for life beyond the classroom.
Ankeny’s innovative hub is rooted in the mission to equip students with the skills needed to thrive in an ever-changing world. This initiative is more than just a collection of programs and courses. It represents a reimagined learning experience that connects students, businesses, and industries in unique and meaningful ways. Whether a student plans to pursue higher education or jump straight into a career, the hub is structured to support teaching and learning that fully develops the 21st-century skills necessary for success.
The vision for this student experience is guided by a set of design principles that focus on expanding experiential and exploratory learning. The hub will integrate core disciplines and offer a groundbreaking curriculum that extends beyond the traditional college prep programs and Career and Technical Education (CTE) centers. This comprehensive approach is designed to prepare students for the dynamic demands of the modern workforce, with courses and experiences that are adaptive and responsive to local, regional, and national industry trends.
A key aspect of the hub is its seamless integration of business and industry into the curriculum. By staying aligned with current and future industry trends, the hub ensures that educational programs remain relevant and effective, preparing students for the real-world challenges they will face. The hub will also emphasize inquiry-based and active learning, providing both students and staff with opportunities to expand their approaches to education and work. For teachers, the hub fosters immersion in project-based teaching and design thinking, offering broader and more enriching opportunities for students to authentically explore various career pathways. For students, learning extends beyond the traditional classroom, offering entrepreneurial and networked opportunities that balance academic knowledge with the 21st-century skills needed to thrive.
Inclusivity and connectivity are central to the hub, ensuring that all students, from early education through high school, have access to its programs and opportunities. By expanding existing programs and developing new ones, the Innovative Campus creates a pipeline that promotes continuous exposure and engagement throughout a student’s educational journey. Ultimately, the hub aims to create a joyful and engaging learning experience for all students, whether they aspire to attend college, work in the trades, serve in the military, or join the workforce immediately after graduation. The innovative hub represents a bold step forward in preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
Stay up-to-date on the latest developments with the hub on our website here, or submit a question in the FAQ for the core planning team. We look forward to continuing this work in Ankeny!