Welcome to Cali...

Coming to Cali…

The first stage of my journey takes me to a HighTech Charter School campus (also known as HTSCV) located in Chula Vista, CA. The campus is divided into three schools: High Tech High School (Gr 9-12) - HTHSCV; High Tech Middle School- HTMCV (Gr 6-8): and High Tech Elementary School - HTeCV (Gr K-5). The following summary provides a “snapshot” of campus life.

“The High Tech education program is a San Diego, California-based school-development organization that includes a network of charter schools, a teacher certification program, and a graduate school of education. Students are admitted to the public elementary, middle, and high schools through a zip-code based lottery system in an effort to admit a demographically-diverse representative sample of San Diego County.

At the HTSCV complex, the curriculum is based on the HTH design principles of common intellectual mission, adult world connection, and personalization. Teachers, as curriculum designers, strive to create innovative project-based learning experiences that will engage a diverse group of students in complex, adult-world projects through which they will develop and apply skills and knowledge. Our classrooms are fully inclusive, as we want to help all students to reach their potential. Students also take exploratory classes in Performing Arts, Engineering, and Visual Arts throughout the school year. All of our students participate in multiple Exhibition Nights across the year, where they demonstrate their learning to the community.” (source: HTHS website)

I selected this campus because of its creative and innovative instructional/curricular design that integrates liberal arts and hands-on technical learning in an interdisciplinary organizational design. Specific student learning competencies include:

• Master core academic content

• Think critically and solve complex problems

• Work collaboratively

• Communicate effectively

• Learn how to learn

• Develop academic mindsets

HTCV provides an extraordinary opportunity to be engaged with students, faculty and staff in a dynamic educational environment. My next steps include being immersed into various classes and projects that will provide further insight and knowledge of the HTCV learning community.