PreEngineering Program

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Specialty School Definition

• A specialty school is a school within another
  school designed around a specific theme, talent,
  or skill.

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Specialty Schools vs. Magnet Schools Three
Differences

• Specialty Schools
• Theme schools targeted to specific talents and
  interests.

• Magnet Schools
• Theme schools targeted to specific interests set
  up for integrated environments.

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• Specialty Schools
• Locally funded.

• Magnet Schools
• Funded by feds
• ( sometimes with state support).

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• Specialty Schools
• Student entry dependent upon skill/knowledge.

• Magnet Schools
• Student entry often controlled by racial/ethnic
  quotas.

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Why Set Up?

• General expenditures for gifted vs. special
  education
• Entry interviews
• Student Comments
• Our goal, philosophy Learning For All Whatever
  It Takes

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• Specialty Center Schools concentrate on special
  interests or talents of students. They offer
  students choices to focus their learning
  experiences and offer rigorous courses to
  students who have specific interests and career
  goals.

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• Committee of parents, teachers and administrators
  decided on the focus

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• Advisory Councils made of community, parents,
  teachers and administrators
• Give advice
• Oversee curriculum

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Specialty centers have been established in all
of the Roanoke County high schools, as well as at
the Arnold R. Burton Technology Center.

• The list is as follows
• Arnold R. Burton Technology Center, Center for
  Engineering
• Cave Spring High School, Center for Visual Arts
• Glenvar High School, Center for Performing Arts
• Hidden Valley High, Center for Mass Communication
  Studies
• Northside High School, Center for Global Studies
• William Byrd High School, Center for Business and
  Marketing

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• All eighth graders are eligible to apply to the
  specialty centers. Each center has an
  application process that needs to be completed in
  order for a student to be considered for that
  center.

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• The application process for the specialty centers
  is competitive. Only the top students who meet
  the minimum criteria for acceptance in that
  center are accepted. The Center for Business and
  Marketing at William Byrd High School has an open
  application process.

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• Students accepted into specialty centers are
  enrolled full-time in the school where the
  specialty center resides. There is one
  exception. Students enrolled in the Center for
  Engineering at Arnold R. Burton Technology Center
  remain full-time students at their home school.

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• Parents must transport their students to the
  specific specialty center in the morning.
  Classes begin at 730 a.m. Bus transportation is
  provided from the specialty center school back to
  the home school during seventh period so that
  students arrive in time to take their regular
  school bus home. The exception is the Center for
  Engineering.

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• According to the Virginia High School League
  (VHSL) rules, the superintendent can allow a
  student to play for a school not in their home
  zone. In the case of the specialty centers, the
  superintendent allows students enrolled in the
  specialty centers to participate in athletics at
  their specialty center school without penalty.
  If a student returns to their home school, VHSL
  rules apply.

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• Students may drop out of a specialty center
  within the first nine weeks or until the first
  report card is sent home. If that occurs,
  students return to their home school. Counselors
  assist students in realigning their course
  schedule.

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• If a student transfers to Roanoke County during
  the summer prior to their ninth grade year, they
  may submit an application to a specialty center.
  Students who transfer into Roanoke County Public
  Schools from similar specialty centers in other
  school districts may submit an application to the
  corresponding center.

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• Certain classes in grades tenth through twelfth
  will be weighted.

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Roanoke County Public Schools
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Roanoke County Schools Center for
EngineeringLaying the foundation for
future engineers.
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Mission Statement

• The Roanoke County Public Schools' Center for
  Engineering offers an advanced curriculum
  integrating math, science and technology as a
  study of the profession of engineering. The
  Centers curriculum focuses on the develop-ment
  of the theoretical understandings of the
  engineering discipline and on the practical
  skills and understandings necessary for any
  engineer.

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Integrated Studies
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Program Goals

• The Center for Engineering will
• Establish a foundation for the understanding of
  engineering as a profession
• Introduce and cultivate the development of
  engineering analysis, problem solving, and design
  skills
• Integrate mathematical and scientific concepts
  into practical engineering applications
• Provide individual and group hands-on learning
  experience
• Offer real-world engineering experiences through
  mentoring/internships in a professional setting 

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Real Life Applications
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Engineering Center Facts

• 4 year program developed by engineers
  educators.
• 60 classroom and 40 lab taught by accredited
  teachers who are also engineers.
• Team teaching with integrated math using block
  scheduling.
• Curriculum covers broad array of engineering
  while allowing students to focus on particular
  area(s) of interest.

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Engineering Center Facts

• Offered at A. R. Burton Technology Center -
  students transported to high schools.
• Center classes start at 730 a.m.
• Students are able to take 5-6 subjects at their
  base schools and participate in extracurricular
  activities as time permits.

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Students Served

• Prospective students must have completed Algebra
  I by eighth grade.
• Extensive screening (similar to gov. school)
• 22 accepted for first year in 2002-03 with 20
  returning for second year
• 30 accepted for first year in 2003-04
• Future applicants will have completed higher
  level of math due to accelerated math program.

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Diverse Student Population
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Recommended Course of Study
Dual Enrollment Class Optimum suggested
course of study would include programming as an
elective in 9th and 10th grade where possible.
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60/40 Lecture/Lab
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SCOPE SEQUENCEYear One

• Introduction to Engineering I 
• Students will, through applications in civil/
  mechanical, electrical/computer, and biomedical/
  technical engineering, explore the qualitative
  and fundamental quantitative aspects of
  engineering. Students will use fundamental math,
  science, and computer knowledge and skills to
  gain exposure to the analytical and
  problem-solving processes associated with
  engineering, and will develop an interest in the
  discipline in general.

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Premium on Problem-Solving
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SCOPE SEQUENCEYear Two

• Introduction to Engineering II
• Students will continue to explore the three
  selected strands of engineering in greater depth
  and complexity to understand foundational math,
  science, and engineering concepts and their
  applications in various fields, using
  intermediate math, science and computer literacy.
  Greater emphasis will be placed on system
  analysis and complexity. Specific areas of study
  during the course include units in Engineering
  Mechanics, Analog and Digital Electronics and
  Biomechanics

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SCOPE SEQUENCEYear Three

• Engineering Methods
•  Students will spend 3 days a week studying
  formal engineering design and problem solving
  methods, including advanced problem solving
  algorithm development, engineering design,
  project development, project and process
  evaluation, and teamwork skills, using more
  advanced math, science, and computer knowledge
  and skills. On the other two days, students will
  have the opportunity to focus on a single strand
  of engineering through projects associated with
  that strand.

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SCOPE SEQUENCEYear Four

• Engineering Research
•   Students will, under the supervision of a
  mentor in the industry, develop and complete a
  research project in a field of engineering and/or
  complete an internship with an engineering firm.

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BLACKBOARD Online Course Supplement
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Partnering

• Link to science, engineering and education
  contacts through advisory committee.
• Working with VWCC, ODU, UVA, VT, and more
• Major grant through Cooper Industries of 10,000
  minimum per year for three years.
• Advisory Committee composed of representatives of
  engineering firms.

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Partnering (Continued)

• Recruiting, including non-traditional students.
• Mentoring.
• Summer programs scholarships.
• Staff development.
• College credit and articulation.

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Thank you for listening

• QUESTIONS?
• Linda Weber lweber_at_rcs.k12.va.us
• Lorraine Lange llange_at_rcs.k12.va.us
• Roger Johnson rjohnson_at_rcs.k12.va.us
• Web address http//www.rcs.k12.va.us/Engineer

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