Post from Community: Tenor High School, a program of Seeds of Health, Inc., is expanding to N Vel Phillips Avenue for the 2021/2022 school year | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service Seeds of Health schools March 29, 2021 Editor’s note: Posts from the Community is the place for community announcements and event postings. If you have a community-oriented event you feel our readers would be interested in, please submit here. More Milwaukee area high school students will have the opportunity to go to college, thanks to the forward thinking and innovative solutions of Seeds of Health Executive Director Marcia Spector. Tenor High School, a program of Seeds of Health will expand its program to 918-922 N Vel Phillips Avenue, the former home of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel which Seeds of Health purchased from J. Jeffers & Co. Whether it’s preparing the family of Seeds of Health schools (comprised of Seeds of Health Elementary, Grandview High School, Veritas High School, and Tenor High School) for online learning a month before last March’s shutdown, or having a tight safety plan in place for the students’ return to the classroom, Spector always has her eye on the future, and she won’t stop until her need-based plans are put into action. This time, Spector is focusing on giving more Milwaukee area high school students the chance to get a head start on their future when Seeds of Health expands the Tenor High School program. New Use for an Old Building Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing! David Hase, Seeds of Health Board President, sees this “as the latest progressive-minded move that will give new life to one of Milwaukee’s most treasured and historic buildings as Seeds of Health expands Tenor High School in the former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel building for the 2021/2022 school year.” Seeds of Health Executive Board Member Jane Trenchard Backes says, “We are thrilled to announce the expansion of Tenor High School and the opportunity to serve more children in Milwaukee. As a top-performing Charter High School, Tenor High School/Seeds of Health is dedicated to providing excellence in education and preparing our students for high-demand careers within our region.” Tenor High School opened 15 years ago when Spector was approached by Dennis Conta with the idea to create a school that would help urban children prepare for successful futures. Spector explains, “It’s the only high school program of its kind in the state of Wisconsin. Nobody else has a program like this dual certification school. Tenor students take three years of high school classes and then go to Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) their 4 year, free of charge. Upon graduation, students can leave with their high school diploma, an MATC certificate in an area of trade, continue their studies at MATC and earn an associate degree, or take the credits earned at MATC to a 4-year university.” Whatever option students take, they’re on the road to be successful and workforce ready. According to Tenor High School Principal Tyson Tlachac, “Since Tenor’s beginning, over 500 students have participated in this unique program, experiencing their 4th year at MATC. That has led to students continuing at MATC to receive a certificate, working toward an associate degree, entering a 4-year degree program, or entering the workforce directly after high school.” Tenor High School: the “Magical School” Tenor’s model is so successful that it’s referred to as a “Magical School” because it makes post-secondary education and solid employment possible for students who may have not considered it before. During their time at Tenor, students are able to touch and feel college. They’re exposed to potential careers and possibilities. It’s magical because it opens students up to what they can do and shows them that there’s a world outside of their current circumstances. And while the school is indeed magical, the positive results are achieved through detailed planning, hard work, and dedication of both students and staff. The Search for the Perfect Location Brian Parrish, President and CEO of PARADIGM Real Estate, is very familiar with Spector’s vision for Tenor and the expansion of the Tenor High School program has been his primary focus for the past 5 years. Parrish said that finding a building that is both physically and economically suitable for a school conversion was challenging. The goal was to find a space that would allow Tenor to continue to grow and attract more students well into the future. As Spector and Parrish searched for the new school, they had a list of specific “must haves” that would have the potential to accommodate over 500 students over the next four years.