Bloomington High School North, Nikean, 2009, Page 43

Description:	NEW+ A one to eight student to staff ratio; anideal and uncommon proportion for mostpublic schools, but for MCCSCs newestaddition, New Tech High School, this istheir foundation.Its all about trust and mutual respect.This is a family, Ann Burke, current NewTech biology teacher and former Northmath teacher said.New Tech is a world without cell phone and iPod restrictions,run without passes or even bells, where the goal of each day isto solve a presented problem through group work and computer-heavy research.New Tech is prided on their project-based learning, training anddevelopment of 21st century skills, and environmentally-friendlyfacilities that require an immense amount of student participationand teacher flexibility.Instead of first learning how to complete a project, studentsare presented the project at the beginning of the term and areexpected to realize what tools and lessons they need in order tosolve each step of the project - like a murder mystery assignedin Burkes class.Ive always been project oriented, and now I can emphasizeskills beyond simply doing the work, taking the test, and gettingthe grade, Burke said.Smaller learning communities are not just valued by the staff atNew Tech but also by its students.Its so much easier to talk to people and your teachers, NewTech freshman Jessica Richardson said.schoollearning methodsTech High SchoolBeing the pioneer class for New TechHigh School can also come with its disadvantages. Currently, all the students takethe same six courses, excluding physicaleducation which is taken as an independent study.This schedule leaves no room for anyelective courses to explore individual interests in various fields.There is also a lackluster number of clubs offered at New Tech,while sports and theatrical involvement have to be arrangedthrough the individual students home school district if they wishto participate at the high school level. Richardson said there arehopes for more clubs and elective next year but nothing has beendecided as of yet.New Tech student Cory Wellman explains that the teachersrarely give out homework assignments and if he wasnt enrolledat New Tech then he would be missing homework assignmentsleft and right.Still, some New Tech students, like freshman Josh Carrithers, arehoping to transfer next year to their original public schools to getback to a world of homework and testing.Im transferring back to South, Carrithers said. Im reallybored on weekdays and would really like some homework.However, with a library that barely covers a three-shelf bookcase and a few classrooms left unfinished more than halfwaythrough the school year, what is Wellmans biggest complaint?There arent any hot girls here.by JamieKamen(above) On New Techs first floor, students use the cafeteria space to work asteam for group projects. Working in groups is one of the primary principles of thschools learning method.(left) New Tech freshman Kelsey Hawk recycles the schools plastic waste. Though.» they usually recycle on Fridays, they occasionally do so midweek to demonstratef. their procedures for visitors.□ new tech high school a 43 a
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloomnorth/id/6819
Collection:	Bloomington High School North

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