Published: October 29, 2009 11:00 pm      

Parents consider new tech plan for Taylor

Taylor superintendent offers field trips to see a tech school in action.

Taylor Middle School eighth-grader Jacob Cory and his mother, Crisann, are excited about the possibility he will attend Taylor High School as a new tech high school next year.

However, Eric Schluessler and Regina McAninch, parents of eighth-grade daughters, are more skeptical of the possible conversion.

All attended a meeting this week at the school, where school officials and representatives of the Napa, Calif.-based New Tech Network presented an overview of what a new tech high school is, and answered questions about it.

They said a new tech high school is one that uses technology as a tool, and uses student-directed project-based learning to teach state content standards. It also focuses on 21st century skills like collaboration, communication skills, problem solving, work ethic, critical thinking and technological literacy.

Taylor Superintendent John Magers encouraged parents to call him to participate in one of several visits being planned to Rochester High School, which is in its third year as a new tech high school.

He said change is needed because the current way of teaching is more than 100 years old and was based on preparing students for jobs in industry, not the kinds of jobs available to students today. He said students need the 21st century skills emphasized by the new tech way of teaching to compete in a global economy.

“There was a time when the competition for your child went to Western, Eastern, Kokomo and other schools. ... Our competition today lives in India and China and probably Brazil.”

Taylor High School principal Eric Hartman said students and teachers have made progress, but have “flatlined.” He said to move to Four Star status, “we really have to look at changing how we deliver the goods. ... A lot of the kids don’t see the relevance in the way we are instructing.”

Tim Presiado, a coach with the New Tech Network, said the new tech concept started in Napa, Calif., after owners of the area’s technology businesses told school officials the students they were producing were not ready for the jobs available.

He said technology is a tool, not a goal, at a new tech high school. It requires every student to have access to a computer in every classroom, on a one-to-one ratio. Classes are taught through student-directed projects that require students to use skills included in the state standards, along with communication and teamwork skills. Projects are evaluated by a team of community members. He said this way of teaching connects the content to the outside world and makes it relevant.

His job as a coach is to provide 24-hour mentoring to teachers and administrators at a school implementing the concept, over a three-year period. Presiado said teachers also have access to a library of projects and technology tools developed by the New Tech Network and teachers.

One person questioned if special needs students would be put back in contained classrooms, rather than being mainstreamed into regular classes in a new tech school.

Presiado said students with special needs can be mainstreamed, and can be provided extra assistance in the classroom and with extra support classes. Some help given includes giving the students with special needs information about projects before their classmates receive it, to give them additional time to work on it. He said having classes and groups with diverse abilities is more reflective of the world outside the classroom.

Those attending also asked if there would still be AP classes and how students are held accountable for their part of a group project, as well as what homework will be like.

A parent also asked how much the program will cost the Taylor community.

Magers said the program will be funded with stimulus and state grant money, as well as money from other grants and business partnerships.

He said there would not be a tax increase to fund conversion.

“We will find other ways to take care of it,” he said.

Jacob Cory said he’s seen video from a new tech high school and “I think it’s a great idea.”

He likes the idea of using computers more and textbooks less, he said, and looks forward to working on projects.

His mother also favors it because the students work together and hold one another accountable. She also likes the collaboration between subject areas and opportunities for students of all abilities to work together.

Eric Schluessler, whose daughter is an eighth-grader, said he’s concerned students will be pushed into work they are not ready to do, and that the new tech concept does not prepare students for college.

He said, though, that he likes that it makes the subject matter more relevant.

Regina McAninich said she’s also concerned about how children with learning disabilities will do, and also worried Taylor will start the new tech concept and then quit in a few years.

She said, however, she likes the idea of Taylor being on the cutting edge of an idea for once.

“It’s a new way of thinking, and that may be good.”

Pat Bernotas, the school’s technology director, said he had doubts about the new tech concept until he visited the new tech school at Triton Central High School.

“It’s amazing,” he said, adding that he was surprised at how well-spoken the students were and that none were “goofing off” on the computers.

“Once you see it, it’s absolutely eye-opening,” he said.

• Danielle Rush is the Kokomo Tribune education reporter. She can be reached at 765-454-8585 or danielle.rush@kokomotribune.com.