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Advanced Career Education Center at Highland Springs

September 4, 2026

Explore specialty centers at HCPS middle and high schools!

A young man adjusting a camera on a tripod while looking at a young woman in a studio setting.

Open houses are available at all sites throughout the fall.

Discover your next passion and build life-ready skills at our middle and high school specialty centers!

Specialty center applications are right around the corner, and HCPS is hosting open houses at all of these programs — plus the ACE Centers and regional programs such as Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School and CodeRVA — for students and families to learn about all of the options and opportunities available!

Applications for middle school specialty centers open Sept. 10 and close on Oct. 5, while applications for high school specialty centers open Sept. 28 and close on Nov. 13.

Check out a full list of open houses and information sessions below, and find this information and everything you need to know about the specialty center application process at Specialty Centers.

Middle school specialty center open house schedule:

  • Sept. 10: Fairfield Middle School IB (duplicate sessions: 4:30-5:30 p.m. and 5:30-6:30 p.m.)
  • Sept. 15: John Rolfe Middle School Center for Innovation (6-7 p.m.)
  • Sept. 15: Tuckahoe Middle School IB (duplicate sessions: 4:30-5:30 p.m. and 5:30-6:30 p.m.)
  • Sept. 16: Wilder Middle School Gifted Young Scholars Academy (5:30-6:30 p.m.)
  • Sept. 17: Moody Middle School IB (duplicate sessions: 4:30-5:30 p.m. and 6-7 p.m.)
  • Sept. 23: Quioccasin Middle School Center for Innovation (6-7 p.m.)

High school specialty center open house schedule (events begin at 6:30 p.m. at school sites, unless otherwise listed):

  • Sept. 12: Information session at Highland Springs H.S. (11 a.m.-2 p.m.)
  • Sept. 24: Information session at J.R. Tucker H.S. (6-8:30 p.m.)
  • Sept. 29: Virtual information session via Bridge Builders Academy (6 p.m. at hcps.info/BBA)
  • Sept. 29: Allied Health and Human Services at Hermitage H.S. (6 p.m., ACE Center at Hermitage)
  • Sept. 30: International Baccalaureate at J.R. Tucker H.S.
  • Oct. 1: ACA-Business Administration at Highland Springs H.S. (6 p.m.)
  • Oct. 6: Communications & Media Relations and Environmental Studies & Sustainability at Varina H.S.
  • Oct. 7: ACA-Social Sciences at J.R. Tucker H.S.
  • Oct. 8: Center for the Arts at Henrico H.S.
  • Oct. 13: Engineering at Highland Springs H.S. (6 p.m.)
  • Oct. 13 and Dec. 8: CodeRVA (6 p.m., in-person and virtual)
  • Oct. 14: Information Technology at Deep Run H.S.
  • Oct. 15: Spanish Language & Global Citizenship at J.R. Tucker H.S.
  • Oct. 17: Maggie Walker Governor’s School (1 p.m.)
  • Oct. 20: Leadership, Govt., Global Economics at Freeman H.S.
  • Oct. 21: Education & Human Development at Glen Allen H.S.
  • Oct. 22: International Baccalaureate at Henrico H.S.
  • Oct. 27: Cybersecurity at Henrico H.S.
  • Oct. 29: Todd A. Phillips Center for Medical Sciences at Godwin H.S. (6 p.m.)
  • Nov. 4: Humanities & Civic Engagement at Hermitage H.S. (6 p.m.)
  • Nov. 5: ACE Centers at Hermitage, Virginia Randolph and Highland Springs (6:30-8 p.m. at Hermitage H.S.)