In The News: NHS adds computer programming courses

Written by: Seth Gordon, Newberg Graphic  

Class at the high school will be the third to utilize Project Lead the Way curriculum

Newberg High School will increase its offering of STEM classes this fall with the addition of a computer programming course.

The school district board of directors voted unanimously at its Jan. 26 meeting to add Project Lead the Way computer science and software engineering course to the curriculum for the 2016-2017 school year.

It is the third PLTW class funded by a $500,000 grant the district received in 2014 and will support the two-course engineering pathway already created by the grant and installed over the past two years.

“Our goal is to eventually have a full computer science pathway at the high school, so we’re starting with this first course,” said director of teaching and learning Stafford Boyd, who presented to the board.

The grant led the formation of a community advisory committee, as PLTW pathways conclude with a capstone course in which students partner with local industries and businesses.

The original intent was to create a capstone course for the engineering pathway, which currently consists of introduction to engineering design and principles of engineering, but Boyd said it made more sense to begin the computer science pathway now.

One reason is that the district needs more time to work with its community partners to shape what the capstone class will look like. The plan is to add a second computer science class for the 2017-2018 school year before addressing the capstone class.

“It’s really finding that right fit,” Boyd said. “Models that work really well either have the students go into the businesses and internship-type of projects or have real-world 21st century tools on site at the high school and those business partners come and help kids do projects. We lack tools, so we need to find that right fit. It’s just going to take more time and conversations with our advisory team.”

Boyd added that computer programming was an easy choice when it came to adding a second STEM pathway, thanks to the community advisory team.

“Computer science really rose quickly to the top of what our regional and local businesses were saying was a skill that kids need and is a deficit right now in kids getting out of high school and even college,” Boyd said. “There’s a really high demand for that skill set.”

The class will be taught by math instructor Colin Schaeffer, who teaches the principles of engineering course and worked as software designer prior to becoming a teacher.

“I want to feed these kids into different specialty areas they’re interested in, maybe even more than one,” Schaeffer said. “I think the foundation we’ve built is going to allow us to do that. Computer science is one avenue. We have to do one piece at a time and that was the next one that we chose and I fit into that well because I have that background.”

Students will have to demonstrate they are qualified to enroll in the computer programming course, which can be done by taking the introductory engineering course, but Boyd said he also hopes to add some introductory computer science courses as electives at the middle school level in the future.

Just two years into the process, Boyd believes the grant and the Project Lead the Way curriculum are beginning to deliver on their promise.

“The 21st century skill set has been practiced over and over in ways that are really engaging,” Boyd said. “Project Lead the Way has huge corporate and business supporters across the nation, so it’s really cutting edge.”