HIGH SCHOOL rentwood Borough SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
Brentwood Borough School District
Steel Center for Career and Technical Education Makes Changes in Computer Technology for 2018-2019 Mr. Jason Olexa, High School Principal
Steel Center for CTE has always taken pride in reviewing and revising their programs to offer the best courses for our students and to keep up with the industry standards and cutting-edge technology that students will use when they enter the work force. This year is another example to their commitment to continuous improvement. In the spring Steel Center for CTE conducted a complete review and revised curriculum offered in Computer Technology. They gathered an Occupational Advisory Committee comprised of experts in the field and current employers in the Pittsburgh area to review their program and equipment and to make recommendations that meet the needs of the current job market. Steel Center for CTE also conducted a Market Research Study where they examined the job market and the skills needed for openings in this field. They discovered that the demand for computer technicians, computer specialists and information technology have grown exponentially in our area. They decided to tailor their program to meet the recommendations of the Occupational Advisory Committee and the market needs in the area. The program offered thirteen industry certifications that the students could earn during their enrollment in the course. They have now increased this to thirty-three industry certifications that students can earn which includes repair, hardware and networking.
The Brentwood Borough School District has benefited from this program also. This past school year Matthew Boone-Arrigo and Mark Janovec,
Students at Brentwood Middle / High School will have additional opportunities in the area of Computer Science beginning with the 2018-2019 school year. Last year, an A. P. Computer Science class was added as an elective for interested high school juniors and seniors. This year, an additional course,“ Introduction to Computer Science”, will be available for freshman and sophomores. The introductory course will“ empower students to create authentic artifacts and engage in Computer Science as a medium for creativity, communication, problem-solving, and fun.” Students will learn about the basics of computer science through problem-based learning, web development, animation, games, the design process, data and society, and physical computing. The Computer
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MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
Computer Science at Brentwood Middle / High School Mr. David Radcliffe, Middle School Principal
who are both seniors in the Computer Technology program at Steel Center for CTE, performed internships within the district. They continued this work experience through the summer months. Through this partnership between Steel Center for CTE and the Brentwood borough School District, these students are learning the trade and getting hand-on learning experience within the industry that they will be working in the future. Both young men have excelled in their course work and are now applying that knowledge to real life work experiences. It is these opportunities and cooperative efforts that help to make our students career and college ready.
Science courses are linked to the district’ s attempt to provide additional STEM( Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) opportunities to our students with the goal to prepare them for post-secondary and career exploration.
Mr. Chris Pierce, who formerly served as the 8th grade Social Studies teacher at Brentwood Middle School, will lead the Computer Science initiative. Mr. Pierce’ s interest in Computer Science was spurred by the many elements of technology that he included in his 8th grade American History course( including virtual reality and augmented reality) that helped to deeply engage the students in learning. We wish Mr. Pierce and the students all the best as they embark on a new adventure.