Wake NC State University STEM
Early College High School
Solving Grand Challenges Through STEM
October 3, 2011
Rob Matheson, Principal
Ryan 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 IHErelated 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 selfdirection; 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 Challenges
www.engineeringchallenges.org
•
Sustainability
make solar energy economical
provide energy from fusion
develop carbon sequestration methods
provide access to clean water
manage nitrogen cycle
•
Health
advance health informatics
engineer better medicines
reverse-engineer the brain
•
Engineering and Life Sciences
Security
restore and improve urban infrastructure
prevent nuclear terror
secure cyberspace
•
Energy Economy and Environment
Physical Infrastructure and IT
Joy of Living
enhance virtual reality
advance personalized learning
engineer the tools of scientific discovery
Personal Technologies and Education
Rigor—Curriculum
9th Grade Course of Study
Sample Course of Study for Wake NC State University STEM Early College High School
Grade 9
Integrated
English I*/
Earth Sci./
1st Semester
Math I or II Engineering
World
Geography on
Design on A/B
A/B Schedule Integrated
Schedule
2nd Semester
Math II or III
Lunch (35
min./day)
Seminar
(Study Skills)/
Seminar
(Socratic) on
A/B Schedule
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 water
Carbon dioxide sequestration
Nitrogen cycle
Making solar energy economical
Fusion energy
10th Grade Course of Study
Grade 10
1st Semester
2nd Semester
English II /
World History
on A/B
Schedule
Discrete Math
Integrated
Math III
(*Geo. and
Alg. II) or IV
Chemistry/
Engineering
Design on A/B
Schedule
Lunch 35
min./day)
9th Grade
Health, Virtual
Public Schools
(online)
USC 101 (First
Year College)
(1)
11th Grade Course of Study
Grade 11
Integrated IV
(Precalculus- ***Civics &
1st Semester
USC 102 (1)
or AFMEconomics
Biology/
based)
English III/
Engineering
**US History
GC 120
Design
General
Graphics
2nd Semester
Education
PE 100
Communicati
Course (3)
on (3)
12th Grade Course of Study
Grade 12
1st Semester
2nd Semester
English IV
General
Education (3)
Physics/
Engineering
Design
Foreign
****Internshi
Calculus or
Language 101 p/ Apply to
Statistics
(3)
College
General Ed.
Course
Foreign
Project
(Global
Language 102
Presentations
Knowledge)
(3)
(3)
5th Year Course of Study
Grade 13
1st Semester
English 101
(4)
2nd Semester
Computer
Science (3)
General Ed.
MA 231/241 High School
Requ.
(Calculus) credit course-- (Humanities
(3/4)
TBD
or Social
Science) (3)
Biology 181
Free Elective
Science--TBD
(4)
(3)
Seminar
Seminar
Contact Information
http://stemec.wcpss.net/
Rob Matheson
Principal, Wake NC State University STEM
Early College High School
1220 Varsity Drive
Raleigh, NC 27606
919-515-2308 (office)
919-986-9390 (cell)
rmatheson@wcpss.net