Districts opt to send more than one student each year to TVHS
02.09.10
Historically, schools have sent just one student per grade level to Tech Valley High School. But in the three years of TVHS' existence, some schools have demanded more.
In response to the demand and in recognition of the space afforded by the school's new location at the University at Albany East Campus, TVHS has formally opened its doors to schools across the two BOCES to send as many students as they would like.
"As a result of our exciting new location at the University at Albany East Campus, the space constraints that previously limited the amount of students we could accommodate have been addressed. We can now accommodate many more students than in the past and we are encouraging schools to consider more than one eighth grade student to be a part of our freshman class this fall," Principal Dan Liebert said in a letter to school superintendents last week.
Some districts have already taken advantage of this option. For example, the Catskill School District is sending three freshman this year - Tim Noeth, Lucas Dowd and Tyler Griffen. The Berlin School District also sends three freshman - Thomas Crawford, Ashley Moon and Meghan Powers, while Green Island schools sends two freshman - Jesse Fawcett and Andrea Thuber. The Lansingburgh School District sends two juniors - Cheyenne Jaquish and Austin Pelland while the Hudson City School District sends two sophomores - Casey Proper and Jacquelyn Hall. The Cohoes City Schools also sends a pair of sophomores - Laura Behan and Lawrence Greene.
Altogether, Tech Valley High School has 101 students in grades 9 through 11 from 39 school districts in the Capital Region and Questar III BOCES. Because it is operated by BOCES, some of the cost to school districts of sending students to TVHS is defrayed by state aid reimbursements.
The regional public high school, which teaches 21st Century Skills through project-based learning, has received local and national acclaim and is an East Coast Demonstration Site for the New Tech Network. For more on this, click here.
New York State Education Commissioner David Steiner recently praised TVHS, stating "The students are clearly enjoying (TVHS). They're learning. Their results are good. And at the same time there is a sense of purpose, sense of understanding why you're doing what you're doing and why you're learning what you're learning."
