Reflections of a First Year Academy What we learned in one very, very short year.
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Transcript of Reflections of a First Year Academy What we learned in one very, very short year.
What we learned in one very, very short year
Our Academy focus is: Alternative and Renewable Energy Solar, Wind, Biofuels, Biomass, Geothermal,
Hydro, Nuclear, Green Construction, Energy Management
Our two CTE instructors have Automotive, Construction, and Electronics teaching experience
We wrote several CPA and SSP grants for three years before success
We are in middle of our second year
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 2
Porterville is roughly halfway between Fresno and Bakersfield with a 50k population, with four other Comprehensive High Schools within PUSD
Our school size is approximately 1750 Our campus also has a Business/Finance
Academy and a Health Careers Academy. Our district is involved in the ConnectEd
Multiple Pathway Program funded by the Irvine Foundation
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 3
Keep a list or file of ideas to put ideas into. Remember you will always be learning new
ways to You have to try them to figure out what
does and doesn’t work. Here are 13 items we learned…some the
hard way.
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 4
Schedule time sessions during the day away from campus for planning
Hold regular meetings-get people into the routine of a regular meeting date
Incentivize meeting attendance In a perfect world, all academy teachers
would have two prep periods but that’s probably not going to happen
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 5
Academy students need to know right away they are part of a team for the next three years (they will realize this fact their second year, but you don’t want to lose them before that)
Have your older students mentor the newer students during field trips, combined class activities, and cross curriculum integrated projects.
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 6
Include academic teachers in your CTE projects
Plan and layout proposed projects for the CTE project. Work backwards from finished project and integrate all areas into project
Provide materials and equipment for the academic classrooms to help enforce focus of the Academy
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 7
Show that Energy Curriculum can match their respective State Standards
Include all class teachers on field trip/site visits
All teachers need to feel equal on decision making processes, yet academy focus needs to evident in these decisions
As students learn about new technologies and practices, some of these make their way into the student’s home (ex. Recycling, increased use of CFL bulbs, utility bill questions, etc). There might be questions from home. Use this to your advantage
Make parents aware of field trips, etc..they might wish to attend (perfect “family” time)
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 9
Provide rewards! (pizza always works) Try a Monthly field trip with eligibility based
on 2.0 GPA. We have had success with kids working harder to bring up their grades to be able go on trips.
The off-campus experiences are valuable as they validate what you have been teaching in the classroom
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 10
Resist the natural inclination to hand pick the middle to high kids because….
CPA’s are designed to help the at risk kid succeed
For the most part…these students may surprise you (ask us about our API score!)
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 11
YOU have to ask them how you can help and then do it
Provide time and supplies and money Prove to them being an Academy teacher is
a good thing (this is not always easy) They may need to be taught your content
just like the kids (they may not ask)
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 12
Provide in-service, training on how specific technology works. Example-Solar PV, IC Engine Theory, construction basics, etc
Technology/Materials object display in non-CTE classrooms
Provide release time for teachers to observe other classrooms in action for team-teaching opportunity
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 13
Don’t play school, do it for real! (that takes money…but spend it. That’s what its for)
Go after grants until you get what you need.. Don’t quit! After all, all the worst they can say is no
Use advisory teams to structure the focus of intended projects
Advertise these projects throughout the community and advisory teams
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 14
They are vital to the program Get yours to the CPA conference! Involve them in activities, but you might
have to ask them! Use them for leverage with students
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 15
The Energy sector is evolving very fast. Make sure all teachers are aware of new technologies
Get out in the real world and make contacts and keep yourself fresh and up to date
Remember…your school can survive one day without you. Also, what you learn will make the classroom operate more realistically to the outside world
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 16
You cannot run your academy without students…You have to be constantly marketing your program
Many CTE teachers are not good at marketing.. we are “too busy teaching”. Make sure projects and student activities are properly advertised.
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 17
Make sure students have input on how to advertise projects
Banners, brochures, activities (local fair, etc)
Use service clubs to give students presentation experiences. Also makes your community more aware of your Academy and its focus.
Community Service activities
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 18
Teachertube Youtube Slideshare GREENR EnergyKids Kidwind.org Alternative-energy-news.info
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 19
You will need help with all the details Good help can do scheduling, make
contacts, prepare newsletters Clearly communicate what needs to be
done Schedule time to where direction can be
given Remember, you really don’t have time to do
all this by yourself
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 20
Academy teachers can help each other Academy administrator team at the CPA can
help Advisory members really want more input.
Even if they say they’re busy, ask anyway Partner with other students groups on select
activities
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 21
Energy production and usage, types of renewable/alternative energies
World geography and types of energy used throughout the world
Size and scope of types of Renewable/Alternative Energies
Careers within these technologies Post-secondary education
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 22
Introduction to Automotive theory and how new technologies are integrated into current automotive trends
ICE Engine theory, new and future engine theories, fuels, etc
Hands-on projects Careers opportunities Post-secondary education
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 23
Construction Building Trades curriculum “green” construction,
residential/commercial building design, LEED certification, energy management
AERO’s “BIG” project Career/college prep Post-secondary education
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 24
On-site solar farm done with $25k grant from SCE
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related Occupations 25
Wind Power Wind turbine models in prep for AWEA show in
Anaheim in May
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related Occupations 26
Visited “factory” to see new technology
Surprised many “riders”
Great outreach for interested students
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 27
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 28
Ethanol Drag Car
Converting from gasoline to E85 Ethanol fuel
Increased power, cleaner emissions Vehicle is student-built and operated Allows increased awareness of AERO
Academy within PHS and surrounding community. Six AERO students currently on PHS Motorsports student race team)
Great Marketing Tool!
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 29
Gasoline to Electric car conversion (VW Karman Ghia)
Ethanol production (Emerald Energy, Sierra Nevada Brewery…still pending)
Bio-diesel/SVO fuel durability testing. Electric Drag Racing pickup
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 30
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 31
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 32
Please check out the PHS Motorsports/AERO Academy drag racing car display located
Outside the presentation room
Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related
Occupations 34
Alternative Energy Resources Occupations (AERO)Academy
Porterville High School 465 West Olive Avenue Porterville, CA 93257 (559)793-3437
Principal-Steve Graybehl CTE Teachers-Brad Collins & Tom Reed