#new tech network

[teachmoments]

NTAC Conference in Chicago this week

My new school district is sending me to participate in the New Tech Annual Conference in Chicago all this week. Let me know; I have free copies of my “Teaching with My Friend Dahmer” comic for all!

Any readers or #education folks going to be at the NTAC in Chicago this week (or perhaps just hanging out in Chicago)? 

[brettanomycroft]

Attention to teachers/students/educate-y types:

If you are involved in, or know some stuff about, personalized learning path programs (especially those that might be part of the New Tech Network system) and project based learning programs, please send me a message! My school was selected to start a program in 2016, and as one of the two lead teachers on the design team, I’d love to know any and everything about the way it actually works currently in schools. My understanding is that most of these schools are in California and Texas, and that Vermont has recently switched to the personalized learning path model.

Please spread the word to anyone you think might have some knowledge/background!

Thanks!

Teal

[wordswilling]

Just sent an e-mail to eight hundred and eleven accounts with instructions for saving information from the accounts we will lose at the end of June. Feels like an appropriate way to start saying good-bye...

[notdistrictdialogue]

New Tech High School does OK on first state tests

Judging by this DOE spreadsheet, New Technology High School in Sioux Falls is one of the worst schools in the state -- 140th of 148.

It’s not.

The trouble is, the school is only three years old and hasn’t had a chance to graduate anyone. They also have no ACT test data.

That means the school was judged solely on its Dakota STEP math and reading test proficiency. Schools perform better on the state’s high school completion metric than they do on the test proficiency, so that’s a serious disadvantage for New Tech.

The bigger problem is the spreadsheet is just wrong. It doesn’t reflect that the math and reading proficiency number was doubled to make up for the absence of HS completion and ACT data. The school’s SPI actually is 71.9, as shown here.

New Tech’s 71.9 on Dakota STEP proficiency compares reasonably well to the 71.12 at Lincoln, 74.40 at Washington and 74.66 at Roosevelt.

The district’s other high school, Joe Foss alternative, got a 17.78 on Dakota STEP proficiency.

Spring 2013 was the first time New Tech had 11th graders, so it was the first time the school had anyone take the Dakota STEP. The school operates on project-based learning and will accept just about anyone who wants to go there.

It's probably reassuring for the school, parents and the school district that kids at the project-based school performed fairly well on the standardized tests. Their math scores were noticeably worse than the state average, but their reading scores were better.

[ourdigitaldojo]

We're honored and proud to be hosting President Obama this week!

[ourdigitaldojo]

by Mr. Les Simpson

The personal stories students bring to our campus are insightful and inspiring. I made this short video to capture just a few of their voices to share with the world.

[ourdigitaldojo]

"Building Bridges" Video Challenge

by Mr. Les Simpson

For the second year in a row, the New Tech Network has a video challenge for students enrolled in one of its schools.

This time around, the focus is on "building bridges", and the next few posts will be Manor New Tech's Introduction to Digital Media Literacy students' take on exactly what that means.

[tedfujimoto]

Incredible and very engaging and inspiring video!