Public Notices & Public Service Announcements
The National School Boards Association has announced that High Point Regional High School has been selected as a “Winner” in the 2010 Magna Award competition.
The Magna Awards is a national recognition program co-sponsored by American
School Board Journal, the National School Boards Association, and Sodexo School
Services that honors school board best practices and innovative programs that
advance student learning.
For the past 16 years, the Magna Awards panel of independent judges has reviewed
programs that showcase school district leadership, creativity, and commitment
to student achievement.
All Magna Winners are recognized in a special supplement published with
the April issue of American School Board Journal. The Magna Awards publication
is also published online at www.asbj.com/magna.
School Board member Walter Stumpf will be accepting the award on behalf
of High Point BOE. Magna are recognized at the School Leaders Luncheon
held during the NSBA Annual Conference on April 12, 2010.
Magna Winning programs will be added every year to the searchable Magna Awards Best Practices Database, a resource for innovative school district best practices, proven and practical solutions for big and small district problems, and new ideas. Selected programs will be available in the database for at least five years.
High Point was selected because of its submission on its Women in Engineering course This course was designed and taught by Mr. Mark Wallace, Supervisors of Technological Studies at High Point.
To determine the winners of the Magna Awards 2010, the judges will look for programs that are:- The result of appropriate school board leadership.
- Developed or actively supported by the school board.
- Successful in view of the program's primary objectives.
- Important in promoting the district's mission and advancing student learning.
- Capable of being replicated by other school boards with similar conditions and resources.
- The result of collaboration between the school board and others.
This problem parallels the problem found in industry where there is a lack of females in non traditional fields. A team of teachers and students supported by the administration and Board of Education brainstormed ways to increase female populations in the department offerings. Developing a single gender course was the chosen solution.
“With the help of local and virtual partners in engineering fields, we have developed the nations first Women in Engineering, Design & Technology course (WIEDT). Research indicates, women are under-represented in engineering/technology-related careers. High Point Regional High School found a way to recruit and retain all types of students in math, science, and technology courses”, said Wallace
The WIEDT course has allowed female students to learn without the distractions of males in the same room. The girls have been the thinkers, designers and developers of solutions to projects. In the past, the boys did the “building” and the girls did the “keyboarding”. In course surveys students have stated that the skills they have learned will help them in their future career path even if it isn’t engineering. They have realized that problem solving, systems thinking and team work are valuable in all careers. “It is our job to provide students with dynamic hands on- minds–on programs of study that teaches students about the development and application of technology and the effects technology has on individuals, society. It is important to develop the technological literacy and capability of all students so they will be better prepared for success in a highly technological, 21st Century society”, said Wallace
The Women in Engineering, Design, Technology program is offered by the Technological Studies Department and taught by a Technology Education certified teacher. This program is in its eighth year. One hundred and thirty five females have taken the course. The female enrollment in the Technological Studies Department has climbed by 40% over the past eight years. Our National Technology Student Association competitive events winners have been from this class every year for the past four years. Our past five presidents of the district Technology Student Association Chapter have been girls who have experienced the WIEDT course. Many girls from the program have received scholarships and full tuition to prestigious colleges to study engineering. Several have chosen to seek technology teaching as a career.