Things To Know: d.Tech High School Meeting Dec. 19th

Hello everyone,

Just a reminder that we have our final info session of the year this Thursday night at the Burlingame library.  

DETAILS :  Thursday, Dec. 19th, 7:00pm-8:45pm  Burlingame Main Library, 480 Primrose Rd. enter via the door on Bellevue Ave - our session will be held in the  Lane Room

PURPOSE:  Learn more about what makes d.tech different and why it might be a great option for your student.

AUDIENCE:  Parents & Students - currently in the 8th grade and interested in future years.
If you can't make the info session this Thursday (we know it's a busy time of year!), we will be holding more information sessions in January and February (emails will be sent out soon with those dates and locations). 

Thanks for all your support!the d.tech team

In case you are helping spread the word about d.tech (which we greatly appreciate), here's a short synopsis of d.tech that you can pass on (and attached docs, also):

Design Tech High School, is a new, free, public charter high school that is partnering with the Stanford design school to personalize education and create innovators. Primarily serving students in the San Mateo Union High School district, d.tech will open in August of 2014 with a class of 150 ninth graders (at full capacity, our school will serve approximately 500 students). The SMUHSD is working with us to find an appropriate location for d.tech. We are hoping it will be centrally located within the district. 

To learn more, come to our next information session, for parents and students:Thursday, Dec. 19th, 7:00pm-8:45pm Burlingame Main Library, 480 Primrose Rd. enter via the door on Bellevue Ave - our session will be held in the Lane Room

Applications will be available January 2nd and will be due by February 28th. We will be holding more information sessions in January and February. To receive updates, please sign up for our distribution list, by emailing Christy Knott at cknott@designtechhighschool.org and check out our website at www.designtechhighschool.org. 

Design Tech High School will be a public school of approximately 520 students that will serve grades 9-12 in the San Mateo Union High School District.  Our educational model emphasizes knowledge in action and extreme personalization.  We will use technology to implement this model by placing cutting edge tools in the hands of students and giving teachers the tools to customize student learning.  We will also teach students a problem-solving process called design thinking, which has gained notoriety through the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University (the d.school).  Design Tech High School will provide students in the San Mateo Union High School District another quality school option and compliment the efforts of the District.  This charter describes the rationale, operational details and financial strategy for building a successful and sustainable new public school for SMUHSD.

Education at all levels needs to adopt 21st century methods and tools to develop the appropriate learning environment for encouraging creativity, innovation and the ability to think outside the box to solve problems.  Embedding entrepreneurship and innovation, cross-disciplinary approaches and interactive teaching methods all require new models, frameworks, and paradigms.  It is time to rethink the old systems and fundamentally “reboot” the educational process. -World Economic Forum 2011  

Mission and Vision

Technology has changed the way we interact with the world, making it increasingly customizable and personalized.   We can listen to our music of choice whenever we want; we can go online, custom design a shirt and have it delivered to our doorstep; there are apps available to create personalized fitness plans; and with the advent of 3-D printing, individuals can now design and manufacture clocks, motors, furniture and more in their own homes. 

It’s time for schools to start reflecting these changes.  Schools must utilize technological breakthroughs to give students the opportunity to have active, personalized educational experiences, redefining what it means to be a teacher and a student.  We are now in the midst of a revolution in education, with a great opportunity for SMUHSD to play a key role in shaping the education system.

In addition to implementing new structures and practices for educating students, Design Tech High School will have an intense focus on adult learning.   Design Tech High School will provide teachers with an intense clinical experience, and ultimately move the teacher credentialing process from the university to the schoolhouse door by functioning as a graduate school of education.

Who Does Design Tech Serve?

Design Tech will serve families in the San Mateo Union High School District.  We will strive to ensure that our student body is representative of the general population residing in the district. 

How is Design Tech Different from Other Schools?

Design Tech meets students where they are and allows them to progress through the content at their own pace.  We will also teach students design thinking with the expectation that students will apply what they learn to solving real problems.  Highlights of the school include:

An online curriculum and assessment system that allows students to move through a class at their own pace and gives teachers the information they need to decide how best to help students reach their goals. 

A flexible daily schedule based on student need.  Each week teachers will meet to create schedules for students based on student need.  In some cases teachers will schedule small group work or individual tutoring sessions for students to receive extra help.  At other times students will be given additional time to work on projects about which they are passionate. 

A design advisory for every student.  All students will be enrolled in a four-year design advisory class.  During this class, students will learn the fundamentals of the design process which include: empathizing, prototyping and testing.  It is through the design process that students will be expected to solve real problems and pursue their passions.  Design Tech will be part of the Stanford d.school’s K12 network which will give students access to all of the newest design techniques.

Access to low-tech and high-tech tools.  Not only will every student have access to a personal computing device, but they will also have access to a digital fabrication lab filled with tools ranging from hammers and nails to laser cutters and 3-D printers.  Design Tech students will be expected to build their ideas and turn their knowledge into action. 

Design Tech will also be a graduate school of education.  As part of its long-term strategy, Design Tech will begin implementing plans to become a teacher preparation program.  Design Tech staff are committed to continually learning the most effective methods for educating students and will only hire teachers who share this attitude.