High Tech High got off to a smooth start - mostly.
Monica Summers, a humanities teacher at the school, said there were some early problems with the software that is supposed to stop students from using classroom computers to visit inappropriate Web sites. She said the software did its job a little too well, even preventing students from visiting the PBS Web site.
The school, which had its first day of classes on Aug. 15, is Albuquerque's newest charter high school, and a partner with UNM. It focuses on math, science and technology.
Summers said teaching students to use technology will help them succeed after they graduate, whether they go to college or straight into the workforce.
"Offering kids access to that technology is essential," she said.
Charles Fleddermann, associate dean of the College of Engineering, said the school will also be good for UNM. He said having students take classes at the University while they are in high school will encourage them to come to UNM after they graduate.
"If we have this relationship with the high school and the students, a lot of the students who come out of there will be interested in coming to UNM," he said.
Robin Troup, director of the high school, said students had not taken any classes at UNM yet, but had spent hours touring the campus. She said the first class they will have at UNM will be a health science class in Johnson Center.
Troup said the school has a $1 million budget for this year. She said it received $700,000 for operating costs and $40,000 for startup from the state. She said the school will get $450,000 over three years from the federal government.
The school will also get $280,000 over three years from the original High Tech High in San Diego, and a $180,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation.
Located in the back of the building that houses the Rio Grande Yacht Club, the school has computers in every classroom with Internet access.
However, students had different opinions about how big a role technology played in their classes.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Student Adrian Perez, who was using a computer to calculate the relationship between the circumference and diameter of a circle, said the computers got a lot of use.
"We're using the computers every chance we get," he said. "We use them for everything."
Student Kurtis Helvie disagreed.
"There's computers here, but right now we hardly use them," he said. "It's kind of a small role."
Summers said computers will be used more in the future.
Computers are not the only gadgets available to students.
Rich Reif, a physics and math teacher, said his students would start using thermometers and other measurement tools that connect directly to computers.
Kurtis said even though he had not used a lot of high-tech instruments so far, the school still offered advantages over traditional APS high schools.
"It seems like there's a bond between teachers and students," he said. "They're not just sitting there to get paid."
Several students agreed their favorite aspect of the school was its project-based curriculum. Instead of teachers lecturing and assigning homework, they help students complete educational projects.
Adrian said he will learn more by doing projects.
"I'll be learning it and using my hands instead of just reading it," he said.
Reif said teaching with projects was one thing that attracted him to the school. He said he also liked the order in which the school taught science classes. He said high school physics is traditionally taught after biology and chemistry.
Reif said it is better to teach students physics, then chemistry and then biology, because knowing physics helps students understand chemistry, and knowing chemistry helps students understand biology. That is the order classes are taught.
Troup said the goal of the school is not necessarily to have students go into high-tech careers.
"If they want to go into drama or photojournalism, that's great," she said. "The mission of the school is to have students graduate with a strong academic background."
