District Administration - October 2012 - (Page 72)

Not Your Grandparents’ vocAtionAl School The lab consults with and shares the STEM curriculum with schools nationwide. The program is based, says Chinosi, largely on reusing existing materials and imparting “a cradle-to-cradle engineering process where everything you design has a second and third life designed into it as well.” “It’s a huge global movement in design and engineering,” Chinosi adds. To illustrate the point, the Greengineering students build a biodiesel machine and acquire used grease from a local seafood chain to convert into fuel. Also, through an arrangement with local branches of national food retailer Whole Foods, students convert those wreusable, plasticized grocery tote bags into a line of iPad covers, umbrellas, snowboard covers and grill covers. “it’s a huge global movement in design and engineering.” —Stefano Chinosi, director, Newton (Mass.) Public Schools, Innovation Lab Since the program is set in one of Newton’s comprehensive high schools, students divide their time between the Greengineering program and regular high school classes— including AP science courses—in the afternoon. Chinosi says by way of example that his students need to understand mechanical engineering to manufacture the biodiesel machine as well as Greengineering students paint to celebrate an engineering project they finished involving designing and building a new wheelchair for a famous street artist in Newton. The chair enables the artist to paint comfortably. study thermodynamics and fluid dynamics to process the grease and move the liquid fuel that the machine produces. Laguna Creek High School’s Green Energy Technology Academy in California, which has so far graduated two classes, is also set in a comprehensive high school. Among other accomplishments, its students create “solar suitcases” that they send to rural medical clinics around the world. The 34-pound suitcases include student-constructed solar panels, a 12-volt battery, and student-built devices for converting energy for use as electricity. What’s more, says the academy’s co-coordinator Erik Johnson, more than half of those in the program were considered at risk of not graduating high school before they enrolled. “All of our grads have gone on to postsecondary education,” Johnson reports. “We really pushed that.” A Green Wave Those involved with the green initiatives in technical education insist that these approaches are the beginning of something big and that they are here to stay. “The construction of today demands green energy,” says Worcester Tech’s Brenner, “whether it’s solar and photovoltaic, installing superinsulation, or using high-efficiency burners. We have a responsibility to the community, and that responsibility resides in an environment that hasn’t been treated so well.” ACTE’s Jan Bray predicts that green technology programs will proliferate. “I think they’re going to increase because it’s going to come from the students,” she says. “They’ll want to infuse sustainability into their projects. Eventually they’ll become the decision makers.” DA A plumbing student at Worcester Technical High School in the Worcester Public Schools installs a High-Efficiency Buderus Boiler with a “smart” pump in a LEED certified energy efficient home for low-income families. 72 October 2012 Ron Schachter is a contributing writer to District Administration. District Administration

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - October 2012

District Administration - October 2012
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Facilities
The Democrats and Republicans’ National Education Platforms
District Profile
Administrator Profile
The Challenge of Assessing Project-Based Learning
Why Teaching Civic Engagement Is Essential
Superintendents’ Frustration Grows, but Intangible Rewards Remain High
Not Your Grandparents’ Vocational School
CIO News
Keeping Pace with Technology Innovation
Managing BYOD Effectively
New Products
Noteworthy Books
Professional Opinion
Professional Opinion
Problem Solution
Going Mobile

District Administration - October 2012