STEM Academy

Dear Parents and STEM Students,

          As the NEISD confronts the reality of the ongoing financial crisis that is gripping most of the country a consequence is the changing of the high school schedule. As certainly most of you are aware, NEISD will return to a 7 period a day schedule beginning in the fall of 2010. This decision was carefully thought out and represented a departure of our superintendent’s commitment to the A/B schedule, but in the end it was due to an impending financial shortfall facing all school districts throughout the state.
         As we go forward it is essential for parents and students to understand their part in ensuring success of the completion of the ambitious 4 year plan for a STEM graduate within a “smaller” window of opportunity. As with any change there are tradeoffs that occur that parents and students need to know.
          Included within these tradeoffs is the reduction of the total number of classes a student takes each year but each class affords over 17 hours of increased instruction time over a school year. This fact is vital as we move towards End Of Course (EOC) exams in place of the TAKS test as the state assessment; the increased instruction time will improve student success on these assessments.
          The decrease in courses available during the traditional school day requires a vigilance and responsibility to accrue credits in timely succession and will likely require STEM students to take summer school courses. Over a student’s academic high school career a total of 26 credits need to be earned for graduation. In the new 7 period schedule a student has the opportunity to achieve 28 credits over 4 years. This does not leave a lot of room to fulfill the ambitious STEM graduate requirements without achieving credit in summer school or forthcoming virtual online courses.
            This will ensure STEM students to stay on track for their distinguished graduation requirements and allow them to stay committed to the 360 degree experience that is a hallmark of NEISD. Achieving credit outside of the traditional school day will give students flexibility in their schedules so that during their junior and senior years they can concentrate on the Internship and Capstone projects while taking AP and Dual Credit courses.
          STEM is absolutely committed to ensuring that students will be able to participate in extra-curricular activities commensurate to their aspirations and potential. This will most likely require students to achieve credits beyond the traditional school day, in summer school or through forthcoming online virtual courses.
          Creative scheduling and deferring of required courses such as Healthy Lifestyles until the summer of 2011 or their sophomore year can help, but to be successful a STEM graduate must be committed to probably achieving credit outside the boundaries of the traditional school day.
          Please contact the STEM office at 210 442 0328 or 210 442 0570 or via email kboeck@neisd.net for Lee High School or jgabba@neisd.net for Nimitz Middle School for any questions or concerns about scheduling. You may also contact me at dborde@neisd.net or my assistant director Melody Crabb at mcrabb@neisd.net for additional assistance.

David Bordelon
Director STEM RAM Academy

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