New Tech High School at Coppell
| New Tech High School at Coppell | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
113 Samuel Boulevard , 75019 | |
| Coordinates | 32°58′19″N 96°58′23″W / 32.971941°N 96.973115°W |
| Information | |
| Established | 2008 |
| Director | Steffany Batik |
| Enrollment | 385+ (2015) |
| Color(s) | Red, Black, and Silver |
| Mascot | Falcon (unofficial) |
| Team name | Fighting Falcons (unofficial) |
| Website | Official Website |
New Tech High @ Coppell is a secondary high school located in Coppell, Texas, United States, a suburb of Dallas. It is the second high school in the Coppell Independent School District. It is part of the New Tech Network which nationwide has 86 "New Tech" schools. The school had its first senior class in 2011 and has a current enrollment of 486 students with 27 staff members. The school is also toured often by school districts and politicians interested in New Tech. It also has the shortest elapsed time in between when it starts and ends.
Campus
New Tech High School @ Coppell is located at the former Lee Elementary School, which closed in June 2008. The school district plans to build a new campus for the high school near North Lake.[1] As of mid-October 2008, Coppell ISD has signed closing documents on 82 acres (33 ha), with plans to buy an additional 40 acres (160,000 m2) and build at least three new schools on the land.[2]
Curriculum
The school uses the New Tech curriculum pioneered by New Technology High School in California. Each school day consists of 21 20-minute modules (plus a 22nd, 5-minute mod for announcements), divided into either three- or four-module-long classes, a one-module lunch period and typically a one-module independent research period. Students are issued a macbook to use during class. Students are permitted to use a cell phone for school-related purposes.
New Tech runs using the PBL system, a process of learning standing for: "Project Based Learning". PBL differs from a traditional school in that students complete projects as a way to learn the material throughout a unit rather than a way to test their knowledge at the end of a unit. Along with PBL styled learning, New Tech in Coppell still teaches the state curriculum while still maintaining a unique learning environment.
Networking
On Wednesdays, students arrive at 10:00 instead of the usual arrival time of 8:40. This gives the facilitators time for professional development and other staff activities. The modules are 10 minutes each instead of the usual 20, and the remaining time is filled with networking, a class with students from each grade level and led by a single facilitator. In this time, the students participate in school-wide events and competitions, work with the charity partner for the year, and play team-building games. Networking allows the students to bond as a whole campus.
Extracurricular activities
Students can participate in facilitator-led clubs, which meet before or after school weekly. In the 2014-2015 school year, these include Tabletop Game Club, Art Club, Community Service Club, and Red Cross Club. Students also have the ability to participate in various leadership courses such as NTC (Networking Team Captain ) and LLC (Learner Leadership Council.) NewTech also offers clubs predominately run by the students such as DECA (a marketing and Entrepreneurship club).
However, New Tech High @ Coppell does not field UIL-sponsored extra-curricular activity teams; students wishing to participate in such teams do so as part of Coppell High School (the students spend part of the day at New Tech and the remainder at CHS).
References
- ^ Chavez, Stella M. (2007-08-24). "Parents concerned by Coppell ISD plan to close Lee Elementary". Dallas Morning News.
- ^ Formby, Brandon (2008-10-10). "Reporter's Notebook; City, school officials say lake land deal advances". Dallas Morning News.