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Innovation
‘We, the people…’ takes on
new meaning at TVHS
TVHS students are designing their new school, both literally
and figuratively.
On the literal side,
they have been working with the school’s consulting architects, Architecture +
of Troy, to help design the permanent home of TVHS. As part of their January
term, nine students researched their ideas and presented a series of
recommendations, many which will be taken into account as the school is
designed.
While several students thought
it should have a library large enough to hold every imaginable book and
resource, others thought it should be green and eco-friendly. Still others
advocated for a 100-mile cafeteria, where everything offered for lunch would
be purchased within 100 miles of the school.
The students and faculty will
continue working with the architects and builders once the site is identified
and construction or renovation begins.
On the figurative side, a group
of students, as part of their Global History and English Language Arts course,
held a constitutional convention and are offering considerable input into how
they are educated.
The entire class of 2011 spent
five weeks detailing their “community without walls.” Teams of four used the
teachings of Plato, Aristotle, Sir Thomas More and others to learn about what
it means to be a citizen and about government. They researched other schools’
constitutions and in teams drafted a preamble and constitution that represent
the uniqueness of Tech Valley High.
Using the model of America’s
founding fathers when they created the U.S. constitution, students held a
constitutional convention where they debated different aspects of their
constitution. Parents joined in these discussions, adding credence to the
proposed articles. NYS Assemblyman Robert Reilly also met with the students to
discuss ethical dilemmas involved in creating laws.
While the students will
complete the constitution when they return to school in the fall, they did
finalize a preamble:
“We the students, as members
of the educational community at Tech Valley High School, establish this
constitution in order to structure the means of communication between the
students and the faculty/administration so that the students have the ability
to propose change, and voice their thoughts and opinions. This constitution
shall be the guiding force used to create and uphold all of the rules and
regulations of the Student Union for the present and future classes. This
constitution is aimed to create and maintain a learning environment in which
the students can innovate, collaborate and promote trust, respect and
responsibility within the school and community in order to uphold an
appropriate, peaceful, safe, unbiased, enthusiastic and fair school culture.”
As one observer noted, “Our
constitution has lasted for centuries. I hope the TVHS constitution has the
same future.”
TVHS
'Buzz'
There is a buzz
about Tech Valley High School these days. Here’s what parents, students,
teachers, and other leaders in the region are saying about the school:
Students
"My favorite project was 'J-term.' I liked the freedom to choose my topic and
final product. Plus I got to meet professionals in the field that interests
me. I was able to work with professionals at the United States Geological
Survey to see real-world projects they were working on. It was very
interesting to see how professional ornithologists - scientists who study
birds - actually work; I was very engaged in the project." – Joey Chase,
TVHS student (Greenville Central School District)
“The field trips have been AMAZING this year! I love being able to work
outside of the school area. It’s like our own little break from the school
atmosphere. Although we get a ‘little break,’ we still learn things at the
same time! In my previous school we NEVER did anything like this.” –
Chelsea Naylor, TVHS student (Brunswick Central School District)
“You don’t really learn unless you can apply your learning. I’ve also learned
there’s always more then one way to solve a problem, and that goes for more
then just math. Once you know that, it keeps your hopes up and you don’t give
up.” – Mike Celello, TVHS student (Schodack Central School District)
“It’s actually exceeding my expectations. I expected it to be rigorous, and it
is. But there’s that ‘fun factor’… a lot of work, yet there’s always something
fun.” – TVHS student Alyssa Pettit, (Duanesburg Central High School)
Parents
“They (TVHS faculty, board, staff, partners) want to make this experiment
work. They did their homework to get this school off the ground.” – Darlene
Pettit, parent of TVHS student Alyssa Pettit (Duanesburg Central High School)
“As a teacher in another district, I am learning a lot from the integrated
curriculum strategies that my daughter (Micaela Quinn) is benefiting from.” –
Amber Quinn, parent of TVHS student Micaela Quinn (Niskayuna Central School
District)
“There’s more technology, more hands-on with different experiences from what
you would get in a ‘normal’ high school.” – Adrienne Neal, parent of TVHS
student Brionna Neal (Schenectady City School District)
Government officials
“Students at Tech Valley High are currently monitoring the river. It is
important that the next generation of leadership already understands the
river.” – Governor David Paterson (at a press conference announcing plans
for a multi-million dollar research facility for the Beacon Institute)
Educators
“This (TVHS) is a wonderful model of what a small high school could be. The
atmosphere is rigorous and intellectual, but relaxed…. Students appear to take
responsibility for their own education.” – New York State Education
Commissioner Richard Mills (during his first visit to the school)
"Learning that has meaning for children is active, not passive. It is applied,
not abstract. It exercises and builds thinking and analytical skills. It
encourages students to connect what they are learning to their own life
experiences. This is what Tech Valley High is all about." – Douglas Hamlin,
superintendent, Schodack School District
Partners
“This is one great newsletter! The principals in our New Tech Network of
schools should use this as an exemplar.” – Bob Pearlman, director of
strategic planning at the New Technology Foundation, Napa, Calif. (upon
receiving TVHS’s first eNewsletter)
“Everyone says that we need to change our educational system. We need
graduates who can immediately swing into work with technology. Tech Valley
High seems to be in vanguard of the region, state, U.S. and world.” – Dale
Thuillez, of counsel, Thuillez, Ford, Gold, Butler & Young, LLP, Albany;
director of the Tech Valley School Foundation.
“Tech Valley High is a 21st century school. This model is challenging a lot of
conventions. This is future of public education.” – Amy Johnson, president,
of Capstone Inc., Latham, and co-chair of the Business Alliance for Tech
Valley High School
“This (TVHS) is mind-boggling. I hope one day we (IBM) can hire all these
students.” – Dr. John Kelly III, senior vice president and director of IBM
Research, IBM Corporation (during his recent visit to the school)
“From a business standpoint, this is a total ‘win-win.’ All the kids are smart
in their own ways, normal kids looking for an engaging way to learn. They are
seeing how much more fun and interesting learning can be.” – Carolyn Jones,
publisher, Business Review
"I admire each of you, the students of TVHS… You will have a huge advantage.
You will be much more competent and competitive in the world – (you are)
working in teams, learning self- and team-reliance, problem-solving. There's
nothing I have done at IBM that has been without a team. You have a tremendous
advocate in me.” – Dr. John Kelly III, senior vice president and director
of IBM Research, IBM Corporation (during his recent visit to the school)
"From the standpoint of the New Technology Foundation, I think Tech Valley
High School has the potential to be the best school we've been associated
with. Nothing like this is going on in Silicon Valley, in Austin, Texas, in
the Research Triangle – in the communities you are competing with. This is the
only school that I'm dealing with that has this kind of community support." –
Bob Pearlman, director of strategic planning, New Technology Foundation,
Napa, Calif.
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