Wake NC State University STEMEarly College High School

Solving Grand Challenges Through STEMOctober 3, 2011

Rob Matheson, PrincipalRyan Haymore, Dean of Students

Partnerships and Student Academic Goals• STEM ECHS is a collaboration between the Wake

County Public School System (WCPSS) and NC State University (NC State) as part of the NC Early College High School initiative

• Additional partnerships between the WCPSS and the NC JOBS Commission, and NC New Schools Project (NCNSP)

• Students attend for five years and graduate with a NC high school diploma (21 credits) and up to two years of course credit from NC State

Innovative Education Initiatives Act (IEIA)

• Passed by the NC General Assembly in 2003• Encourage cooperative efforts between

secondary schools and institutes of higher education (IHE) to reduce dropout rates, increase graduation rates, decrease need for remediation in IHE, and raise IHE completion rates

• Act also created Cooperative Innovative High School Programs, which led to the creation of Early College High Schools (ECHS)

Funding

• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Institutes of Higher Education (IHE) and NC school systems

• IHE responsible for facility and some staffing costs• School systems responsible for personnel and

operating costs• School systems receive extra funding for IHE-

related costs such as tuition, fees, and textbooks

Mission Statement

The mission of the Wake NC State University STEM Early College High School is to provide a highly supportive and academically challenging learning environment for students underserved in a traditional high school setting and underrepresented in the STEM disciplines, including first generation college going students, who will graduate prepared to compete globally in careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Targeted Students

• Underserved students—those who do not maximize their potential in traditional, comprehensive high schools

• Under-represented students—those who are not represented in the STEM disciplines (by gender, ethnicity, etc.)

• First-time college going students in a family• Willing to accept the challenges of an

accelerated high school and college education

Application, Selection, and Demographics • 312 students applied. 302 “screened” in through

paper application due in January 2011—EOG scores, course grades, two essays, three recommendations

• Online application in February 2011• Pool of 302 students forwarded to the WCPSS

Magnet School Office. Standard magnet selection process in March 2011

• 55 students selected• 43% first-time college goers, 50:50 male/female

ratio, over 70% non-white

Relationships, Relevance, and Rigor

Relationships

• Empowering/supporting teaching staff to create pedagogy, curriculum and personal development plans

• Focus on the new NC Teacher Evaluation Process instrument with an emphasis on 21st Century skills development and assessment

• STEM summer camp—Students Expanding Minds Together

• Student—Parent/Guardian—Teacher dynamic

Relationships—Student Values

RESPECT• Respect people, property, and the environment• Ethical decision-making• Scholastic integrity• Pride in yourself and school• Express yourself with confidence• Come to school ready to learn• Treat others the way you want to be treated

Relationships--Seminar

• Seminar with two major foci• ”Whole child” to explore issues related to

adolescent development, college environment, university resources, career exploration, etc.

• Learning how to participate in thoughtful and democratic discussion through Socratic seminar—economic, ethical, legal, political, social, and sustainability issues related to the Grand Challenges

Relationships—Advisory Council and Business Advisory Board

Advisory Council• 12-15 Members • Overall governance of the school

Business Advisory Board• 18-20 members, mostly from the business

community• Provide support and assistance for career

exploration, internships,

Relevance—Pedagogy

• Learning is the constant, time is the variable• Every student reads, writes, thinks and talks in

every classroom every day.• Project-based Learning• Technology—appropriate and meaningful use• Socratic seminar and Paideia Principles

(“upbringing of the child”)

Relevance—21st Century Learning Outcomes

• Mastery of 21st Century interdisciplinary core content and themes

• Mastery of learning and innovation skills related to creativity and innovation; critical thinking and problem-solving; and communication and collaboration

21st Century Learning Outcomes—cont.

• Development of life and career skills such as flexibility and adaptability; initiative and self-direction; social and cross-cultural skills; productivity and accountability; and leadership and responsibility

• Mastery of information, media, and technology skills

• www.21stcenturyskills.org

Rigor—Academic and Vocational Goals

• Completion of NC Future Ready Core curriculum that leads to a high school diploma

• All courses (if currently available) taught at the Honors level

• Up to two years of NC State course credit• Prepared to be productive and effective

citizens, and ready for the world of work• Grand Challenges for Engineering

Grand Challengeswww.engineeringchallenges.org

• Sustainabilitymake solar energy economicalprovide energy from fusiondevelop carbon sequestration methods Energy Economy and Environmentprovide access to clean watermanage nitrogen cycle

• Healthadvance health informaticsengineer better medicines Engineering and Life Sciencesreverse-engineer the brain

• Securityrestore and improve urban infrastructureprevent nuclear terror Physical Infrastructure and ITsecure cyberspace

• Joy of Livingenhance virtual realityadvance personalized learning Personal Technologies and Educationengineer the tools of scientific discovery

Rigor—Curriculum9th Grade Course of StudySample Course of Study for Wake NC State University STEM Early College High School

Grade 9

1st Semester English I*/ World

Geography on A/B Schedule

Integrated Math I or II

Earth Sci./ Engineering

Design on A/B Schedule

Lunch (35 min./day)

Seminar (Study Skills)/

Seminar (Socratic) on A/B Schedule2nd Semester Integrated

Math II or III

Use of the five “Sustainability” challenges related to Global Issues of Earth Science course as the framework or “backbone” for the first year. Access to clean waterCarbon dioxide sequestrationNitrogen cycleMaking solar energy economicalFusion energy

10th Grade Course of Study

Grade 10

1st Semester English II / World History

on A/B Schedule

Discrete Math Chemistry/ Engineering

Design on A/B Schedule

Lunch 35 min./day)

9th Grade Health, Virtual Public Schools

(online)

2nd SemesterIntegrated

Math III (*Geo. and Alg. II) or IV

USC 101 (First Year College)

(1)

11th Grade Course of Study

Grade 11

1st Semester

English III/ **US History

Biology/ Engineering

Design

Integrated IV (Precalculus-

or AFM-based)

***Civics & Economics USC 102 (1)

2nd SemesterGeneral

Education Course (3)

GC 120 Graphics

Communication (3)

PE 100

12th Grade Course of Study

Grade 12

1st Semester English IV

Physics/ Engineering

Design

Calculus or Statistics

Foreign Language 101

(3)

****Internship/ Apply to

College

2nd Semester General Education (3)

General Ed. Course (Global

Knowledge) (3)

Foreign Language 102

(3)Project

Presentations

5th Year Course of Study

Grade 13

1st Semester English 101 (4)

MA 231/241 (Calculus)

(3/4)

High School credit course--

TBD

General Ed. Requ.

(Humanities or Social

Science) (3)

Seminar

2nd Semester Computer Science (3)

Biology 181 (4) Science--TBD Free Elective

(3) Seminar

Contact Informationhttp://stemec.wcpss.net/

Rob MathesonPrincipal, Wake NC State University STEM Early College High School1220 Varsity DriveRaleigh, NC 27606919-515-2308 (office)919-986-9390 (cell)rmatheson@wcpss.net