Rose Park Math and Science Magnet opened as Metro’s newest magnet school in the fall of 2003. In March 2007, the school board approved an automatic feeder to Martin Luther King, Junior Academic Magnet High School. All eighth grade students at Rose Park who meet the academic entrance requirements for MLK are automatically granted a position there as freshmen without having to go through the lottery process.

With a focus on math and science, Rose Park offers an educational setting in which each and every student is able to achieve their potential by relying on their own individual strengths.

As the school’s mission statement suggests, teachers work to provide hands-on experiences in the classroom, particularly in the areas of math and science. Students are also engaged through the use of interdisciplinary projects.

Through a collaborative with Vanderbilt University, math and science teachers receive on-going training and staff development in teaching math and science a “new way”, a way which raises expectations and allows students to use their creativity and problem-solving skills to investigate the fields of math and science.

Teachers at Rose Park Magnet also rely heavily on the 4MAT teaching method. Using these strategies, all types of student learning styles and strengths are addressed in each unit of study in each subject. This allows students to utilize their individual strengths as well as improve skills which are not their strengths. By the 2005-6 school year all Rose Park teachers will complete training in the 4MAT method and use it on a continuing basis in the classroom.

In addition to the core subjects of Language Arts, Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies, Rose Park students also take Computer and the related arts courses of art, physical education, and creative writing or spanish. Advanced math, language arts, and reading are offered in the 5th and 6th grades for higher achieving students. 7th grade students have the opportunity to take pre-algebra and Spanish I. 8th grade students are able to enroll in four high school credit courses — Algebra I, Geometry, Spanish I, and Physical Science. Band is also offered as an elective.

An excellent cadre of teachers deliver the instructional program and their commitment to the school’s mission and vision make Rose Park Magnet one of the treasures of the Metro Nashville Public School System.