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HTHL Internship and College Advising Institute HTH and HTHI Annual MANPOWER Academic Internship Showcase
October 15, 2005
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HTHL Network NewsIn Issue #1, March 5, 2004 
1. Inaugural Issue
WelcomeWelcome to the inaugural issue of the HTH Learning Newsletter. We at HTH Learning (HTHL) have come a long way in the last few years, and this newsletter will serve to track and share our developments with you. As of this writing, we are about to fill the first fifteen sites in our replication network, which is generously funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. There are schools presently open in San Diego, Los Angeles, Harrisburg, New Bedford, San Carlos, Chicago, and Portland. We place great value on our relationships with these partner members of our network, and look forward to learning along with them about how to incubate and develop strong small schools based upon our design principles. We invite our partner schools to contribute to this newsletter's future issues with comments, questions, and examples of things that have worked for them in building their schools. Those of us who first created this network do not approach this work "as if we have all of the answers". While there are many things that we feel we have figured out, and which we have and will continue to share, this newsletter is a collective endeavor for all of our benefit.. So please contribute! Much as we value your visits to our home school in San Diego, with your questions and observations, it is our sincere wish that this newsletter serve us all as a helpful forum for the complex, yet rewarding, work that we all do. In partnership, Larry Rosenstock 
2. San Carlos Grand
OpeningThe High Tech High Learning Network was on hand to help San Carlos High School celebrate their recently held Grand Opening. The event marked the completion of more than five years of work by parents and school organizers to get San Carlos High off the ground in the Bay Area community of San Carlos, just south of San Francisco. Held on Wednesday, January 28, 2004, the Grand Opening included presentations of student work that demonstrated to community members and parents the kind of project- based, multi-disciplinary learning that is occurring at San Carlos. In attendance were many local dignitaries from the San Carlos City Council, the sponsoring District Board, San Carlos Elementary District, the local High School Board, Sequoia High School District, and the San Mateo County Office of Education. During the event, Jed Wallace, Director of High Tech High Learning, congratulated San Carlos High School on being formally admitted to the High Tech High Learning Network and presented Linda Frost, Principal of San Carlos High, with a check representing the first disbursement of funds that are provided to replication sites through support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 
3. HTH Holds First
Winter InstituteThirty teachers and administrators from nine High Tech High affiliates convened in San Diego for the first HTH Winter Institute, February 2-4. The event was structured as a reflective residency, with lots of one-to-one observation and conversation between network and HTH practitioners. In addition, participants attended workshops focused on the Institute themes of project-based learning and meeting the needs of diverse learners. Day One (Monday, February 2) After attending a combined HTH-HTM faculty meeting, Institute participants shadowed HTH and HTM teachers for much of the day. At 3 p.m., HTH science teacher Theresa Gilly led a workshop, focusing on a project in which her students designed, built, and tested a human-powered submarine. Finally, at the end of the day, HTH/HTM teachers and participants met in pairs and small groups to debrief the earlier classroom visits and observations. Day Two (Tuesday) The day began with visiting practitioners sitting in on HTH teacher team meetings. Then teachers visited classrooms again, while school leaders attended a session with Larry Rosenstock, CEO, followed by individual and small-group meetings with other HTH administrators to discuss aspects of leadership and program development. Afternoon activities included concurrent workshops on advisory and meeting the needs of diverse students, as well as an end-of-day debriefing with HTH teacher partners. On Tuesday evening, all participants gathered at a popular local restaurant, Buca di Beppo, for family style food and drink. Throughout the first two days, other activities arose as HTH and HTM teachers thought of ways that the visitors could contribute to their ongoing classes, advisories, and conversations with students. David Bussone, a sixth grade teacher at HTM, invited visitors to serve as panelists on student presentations in his class. Erin Cicalo and Janel Spilker at HTH organized a student panel during advising group and/or lunch each day, and Mark Aguirre invited participants to attend a student debate in his classroom. Day Three (Wednesday) On the final morning, after a session on team and professional development at HTH, the visiting teams met on their own to reflect and plan next steps in anticipation of their return home. Institute evaluations, overwhelmingly positive, indicated that participants particularly appreciated the chance to observe and talk with teachers, to hear teachers discuss nuts and bolts of project-based learning at HTH, and to talk with students. The thirty Institute participants represented nine HTH affiliate schools, including six from the HTH national network- HTH Los Angelesand three non-network affiliates from the Gates-supported Connecting Schools and Communities (CSAC) project in Washington state: QuilceneOn the HTH/M side, over 30 teachers and administrators participated as hosts, presenters, and consultants. Thanks to all-hosts and visitors alike-for making the Institute a success! 
4. New School Admissions
to the HTH Learning NetworkHigh Tech High Learning is pleased to announce that five schools have completed the process of being admitted to the High Tech High Learning Network: San Carlos High School in San Carlos, CA, Mirta Ramirez Computer Science Charter School in Chicago, IL, New Urban High School in Clackamas, OR, City High School in Tucson, AZ, and High Tech High Los Angeles. In addition, the New Bedford Global Learning Charter School has been re-admitted to the network after recommitting to open a 9-12 high school that adheres to the essential design elements of High Tech High. Each of these schools is in the process of establishing strong academic programs for their students, and we at HTH Learning celebrate their inclusion within the network. We are also pleased to announce that we anticipate additional schools being admitted to the network this spring: Sci-Tech High in Harrisburg, PA, Camino Nuevo High School in Los Angeles, CA, MAST Charter School in Albuquerque, NM and High Tech International and High Tech Media Arts in San Diego, CA. These schools will bring to 12 the number of HTHL replication sites that will be operational as of September 2004. As our three additional slots are already reserved for schools scheduled to open in September 2005, HTH Learning has now identified all of the replication sites that will be founded through the first round of support provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. School developers wishing to partner with HTH Learning to establish new small high schools should check the HTH Learning website or contact HTH Learning staff to stay abreast of any developments that may lead to an expansion of the number of replication sites to be supported by HTH Learning. 5. HTH Learning Network Site Updates City High School, Tuscon, AZ CHS has moved into its facility and nears the end of its open enrollment period, which closes mid-March. Architectural plans are being developed for building renovation, scheduled to take place in three phases over the next three years. On February 6, over 500 people attended CHS's Gala Open House to celebrate their new building and their partnership with Voices, Inc. High Tech High Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA The spectacular HTHLA facility nears completion. John Morgridge, the Chairman of Cisco Systems, recently toured the site and talked with students about opportunities that will be made available at the site through Cisco support. Mirta Ramirez Computer Science Charter School, Chicago, IL MRCS2 is working to refine integrated curriculum units that cut across core subject areas. They are in the process of adapting their exemplary Aspira Leadership Program to the development of their advising program New Bedford Global Learning Charter School, New Bedford, MA NBGLCS is planning the curriculum for its 9th grade program, slated to begin September, 2004. The school's Facility Committee is undertaking a feasibility study to explore possible sites for a new facility to house its middle and high school programs. New Urban High School, Clakamas, OR NUHS has instituted a student court for dealing with discipline and community issues. They continue to make progress on acquiring and developing a district owned property for their long-term facility. San Carlos High School, San Carlos, CA SCHS celebrated its grand opening on January 28, 2004 (see above article). A large cross section of people attended the event, including the city's deputy mayor and other local dignitaries. Scitech High, Harrisburg, PA Scitech is in the process of renovating their dynamic new facility in downtown Harrisburg. The building is directly across from a new arts facility, museum, and other community resources. High Tech High, San Diego, CA The HTH charter was recently unanimously renewed by the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education. Staff and students are preparing for a school-wide exhibition scheduled for April 1, 2004. High Tech Media Arts, San Diego, CA The charter for HTMA was approved by the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education in February, 2004. The school has been identified as a finalist to make use of district facilities and will hear definitively as of the middle of March. High Tech International, San Diego, CA Final renovation documents are being prepared for HTI's spectacular new facility, which will be housed in a former foundry building located adjacent to HTH in Point Loma. A committee composed of HTH teachers and community professionals is working to develop the HTI program. |
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