Published: August 22, 2007 11:34 am         

High hopes at Rochester’s New Tech High School

Administrators say school positioned to set pace for education

ROCHESTER — A ninth-grade English class buzzed with discussion between students as the teacher toured the room answering questions about the assignment, a 500-word biography on a fellow student.

The freshmen typed on laptops or desktop computers. There were no desks, only tables. The students checked their school e-mail account for assignments or updates from teachers. The setting was unlike traditional high school, and according to New Tech High School administrators, it’s supposed to be.

The long hallways, narrow lockers and mosaic terrazzo floors of the school remain the same. It’s the activity inside the classrooms that has changed at Rochester High School, more recently known as New Tech.

“A lot of hard work went into this,” Principal Daniel Ronk told a group of educators, media and management from area businesses gathered to hear presentations and tour the classrooms.

New Tech is a technology-rich school design focused on graduating students who have mastered 21st century knowledge and skills. The class of 2011, today’s freshman class, is the first to enter the teaching initiative. By these students graduate, each grade level will have been phased in.

Some parents have expressed concern that the teachers are not teaching. Ronk responded that standing in front of a classroom regurgitating facts is not teaching,

“The key word we are looking for is engagement,” Ronk told the group.

Ronk remembers conducting classroom evaluations and seeing the glazed looks of bored students. At New Tech, the teacher’s role is moving toward coaching rather than direct instruction.

“Content can’t be the only thing,” Ronk said.

Students will be calculating answers to problems, giving oral presentations and doing more writing than before. Rochester is changing its culture of education and the program is for every student, not just those deemed “gifted.”

“We’re going to let the kids know they can do the work,” Ronk said. “We’re going to give the kids a chance.”

Administrators hope the new approach will increase the school’s current raduation rate of 79 percent.

Logan Hartz attends the global perspective class, a combination of English and geography. “Different” is how he describes the educational method.

He has his own e-mail account to send and receive messages from students, teachers and even experts across the country. He can e-mail homework to himself and continue the project at home. He can access a list of his classes, the assignments from each class and instructions from teachers.

The students still use pen and paper, but the curriculum has become more computer-oriented.

Hartz said his parents support the school’s effort to better prepare students for college and a competitive business environment.

“My dad said it was not how he was taught but he likes what we’re doing,” Hartz said.

The curriculum is a change for Hartz as well.

“Not only the worked stepped up with all this technology,” he said, “but the building is bigger, too.”

Students are graded on three levels: ethics grade is based on turning in completed assignments, collaboration grade is based on how well they work in groups and then there is an overall grade.

Hartz is taking engineering, Spanish and math, and he participates in band.

“Hopefully it’s a good learning experience,” Hartz said.

Ivy Tech, Purdue and other Indiana universities are partnering with the school to develop the programs.

John Staver, co-director of the Center for Research and Engagement in Science and Mathematics Education at Purdue, said the concepts of New Tech could benefit not only Rochester, but the entire state.

“The quality of public education is critical to the personal success of all students as we prepare them for today’s and tomorrow’s work force, for higher education and as informed citizens,” Staver said. “The quality of education is also critical to the economic success of Hoosier communities. Indiana and the nation face significant challenges, and the stakes are high. We need to do better as a state and as a nation. We need to do some things differently. Rochester is to be applauded for being one of the first districts to step forward and do things differently.”

Staver said Purdue had a stake in the success of Indiana students.

“Purdue is committed to using its collective and individual heads, hands and hearts to help Rochester and schools across Indiana to reach their potential in educating all students, especially in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics: the STEM disciplines,” Staver said. “Purdue wants and needs students who are well prepared. Purdue needs them in all areas of study but especially in engineering, the sciences, technology and mathematics.”

As the program progresses, students will be able to earn college credits.

New Tech is part of Indiana’s effort to restructure its education system to keep up with the rest of the country and the world.

Craig Lamb, executive director of Workforce and Economic Development at Ivy Tech in Lafayette, is part of the WIRED team. He was on hand to express how the New Tech program could be a model for transforming education in the region.

Awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2006, the WIRED grant is a three-year, $15-million program that combines business, civic and educational resources of 14 Indiana counties in the Kokomo-Lafayette region with area colleges, universities and other organizations.

Rochester received $410,000 for its New Tech High program. Roughly $4 million remains of the government’s initial $15 million.

Nancy Sutton of the University of Indianapolis was instrumental in providing support. She said the days of coasting through high school, graduating and getting a decent-paying job at a factory down the road are gone. Understanding how computers work is a must, she continued.

Sutton called Rochester a pacesetter for the rest of the country. “All eyes are on you,” she said.

Rochester Superintendent Debra Howe credited the teachers, administration, school board, students and community for getting New Tech to its current stage.

“We could not have done this without their support,” she said.

Kevin Lilly can be reached at (574) 732-5117, or via e-mail at kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com