Exit133

May 26, 2015 · Exit133

2 New Innovative Schools Proposals for Tacoma

Tacoma students could have a couple new and innovative options if the school district adopts two proposals.

The two proposals have a different focus: one would focus on teaching active, healthy lifestyles for students in middle and high school, while the other would be similar to how SAMI and SOTA function, but with a specific focus on industrial design, design engineering, and computer science.

Healthy, Nurturing, Training Minds (HNT) Academy

According to the proposal:

HNT Academy is a school that will focus on academics while offering a wide variety of physical fitness and health classes, reflecting research results that the more active the body is the more active the mind becomes, the vision of the academy: Active Bodies, Active Minds.

HNT will keep middle and high school students active several times a day with traditional and alternative sports, as well as cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility and relaxation activities. The school would develop partnerships in the community to support its goals. Locations being considered include the now closed Hunt, Gray, Foss, or Gault and McKinley schools.

More details here.

Industrial Design, Engineering, & Art (IDEA)

From the proposal:

The mission of School of Industrial Design Engineering and Art (iDEA) is to activate local community resources to expand public education. We pave a creative path of learning for every student that emphasizes human understanding and expression. Through the incorporation and integration of the arts with science and technology, we educate the whole person through our core values of thinking, empathy, community, and balance.

The proposed new high school would operate much like SAMI and SOTA, and like the HNT proposal, touts partnerships with the community. The proposal is to build a new school on Park Avenue. 

More details here.

Innovation Zone

It's part of Tacoma Schools' Innovation Zone, created in 2012. It's the first and only district-wide Innovation Zone in Washington State. The Innovation Zone means more flexibility for schools in how they educate students. For students it means more choices in their learning environment. Read more on the Tacoma Schools website.

The School Board will take public comment on the new proposals at this week's meeting or by email, and public meetings will be planned to take comment between now and the School Board's June 25 meeting, at which it will make a decision on whether to move forward with either of the proposals. Read more on the Tacoma Public Schools website, or from The News Tribune.

We've enjoyed seeing Tacoma students take advantage of the opportunities at SAMI and SOTA, and at the Lincoln Center. If these two new schools happen, it sounds like there will be even more opportunities. 

Are you ready to sign your kids up?

Filed under: Tacoma Schools

5 comments

  • Engineer May 26, 2015

    Absolutely not ready to sign my kids up. The government, through its school lunch program and USDA conflict-of-interest dietary guidelines have demonstrated to me effectively enough that no government entity can be trusted to teach my children health education. If this weren't the case, schools would not be offering grease- salt- and sugar-filled lunch options, in combination with a complete lack of fresh fruits and vegetables. Moreover, I don't believe that such rigorous specialization is a good thing as early as high school. A well-rounded education requires students to study things that they simply aren't good at. I'm great at math and downright lousy with words. But through a lot of hard work in both high school and college I was able to improve on my weaknesses (English, foreign language) and shine in my strong suits (math, chemistry). What, exactly, is wrong with a traditional high school education that involves math, science, English, foreign language, art, music, physical education, and the social sciences for ALL students? By allowing our children to "opt out" of the subjects that they don't excel in through dumbed-down courses that meet bare minimum standards, we are failing our children. They all need to take rigorous classes that they aren't good at. Struggling in a high school course is a great life lesson that pays dividends in college and the workforce. I suppose that these specialized "innovative schools" are the easy way out for a state that doesn't have the political will to fund basic K-12 education. As a side note, the idea of placing the word "engineering" on a high school has just devalued the profession of engineer which generally requires a bachelor degree - not a high school diploma - to practice. I'd love to meet a high school senior who can pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam! Maybe Tacoma should create a High School of Medicine and Institute of Law for those high school students who want to become make-believe doctors and lawyers.

    • Ashley Kopetzky July 22, 2015

      I completely agree with you. I think there should be implementation of classes that allow students to "dabble" in these kinds of fundamentals in design and engineering. That is the only way I went down the path I did as an architecture student and am now finishing my Masters. I found my passion in this design field because of a engineering technical class offered in High School and I think we need more STEM based classes offered. But an entire school certainly gives students the "blue sky" idea that just anyone can do it, but once you get to a university, it is a rude awakening and dreams are crushed.

  • ApitbullnamedPlug May 27, 2015

    These are great ideas worth pursuing. As a former teacher I'm always surprised at how many people out there whose opinions run far past their expertise. How many people who are quick to say what education should be, have ever actually read a book about pedagogy or taught a class? To correct some things that were said in Engineer's comments- these are not schools of "rigorous specialization." These types of school models are set up around a theme, but they don't exclude core subjects. Anyone who has gone to SAMI or SOTA or knows people who have, knows that they still study math and science, history and language there. Self-righteous engineers aside, there is no problem with naming the school in terms of what they'll study. Progress in education depends on research and experimentation. I fully support these innovative school models and many more like them, even if it means occasional failure, as long as we learn something from the experience. Both SAMI and SOTA seem to be successful, vibrant places (I know staff and students at both). These new proposals would try to carry forward that success with new experiments.

  • Terry May 27, 2015

    I think SAMI and SOTA are great because they turn a whole lot of kids down. It's easy to do great stuff with the top end kids. I think Lincoln is the best High School in town because takes the lowest ranking students, (immigrants, low income, single parent) and still do moderately well by them. Any school that has a vision that makes the parents get involved has a way better chance of success. Innovative schools can at least do this.

  • Altered Chords July 22, 2015

    disagree w/ engineer. If we don't look outside of the traditional model in place, Tacoma will continue to suffer from high drop out rates. The traditional model is not working. It worked for you...great. Tacoma is putting forth effort to educate its children. That's a major step in the right direction for our city.