Plano ISD Academy High School

Plano ISD Academy High School, commonly referred to as Academy High School, is a STEAM, interdisciplinary and project-based learning high school.[1] The school serves students from grades 9-12. This school is not a regular secondary school because this school uses a selection process to draw eighth graders from various middle schools in Plano ISD. The school is an alternative to the regular high school experience by offering collaborative team projects, more STEAM classes and the ability to attend classes without structured class periods. This school is one of the three Academy Programs in Plano ISD. The others are the Plano ISD Health Sciences Academy and The IB World School at Plano East.

Plano ISD Academy High School
The logo of the school, depicting a helmet worn by Greek warriors
Location
1701 Alma Drive

Plano
,
Collin County
,
Texas

United States
Coordinates33.022714°N 96.719444°W / 33.022714; -96.719444
Information
TypeSTEAM, Interdisciplinary, and Project-Based Learning Public High School
Established2013
School districtPlano ISD
SuperintendentSara Bonser
PrincipalLynn Ojeda
Grades9-12
Enrollment419
Color(s)      Blue and Silver and Green
MascotTitan
NewspaperThe Titan Weekly News
Feeder schoolsPlano ISD Middle Schools
Websiteacademyhs.pisd.edu

Campus

The building is a three-story, former office building that belonged to Bell South,[2] and later, AT&T.[3]

In the summer of 2013, the PISD renovated the building and turned the building into a creative learning school. The school is an open floor plan school with classrooms that are dubbed Learning Spaces. There are three science labs, a fabrication lab, three presentation rooms, library, and conference rooms.[4] The school also contains two dedicated soundproof rooms for student and club use.

Curriculum

The Plano Academy was designed for experimental project learning and advanced studies. Students graduating by senior year will have at least two endorsements. As part of the curriculum, all students graduate with the same coursework. There is 1:1 technology at the Academy. Some notable projects include developing and zoning a plan for the city of Plano, creating a fruit-juice company and planning the production and development, designing school curriculum, and launching projectiles. Students are able to work independently with their group with less teacher interference. Junior and seniors will also take courses offered by Collin College, that is college credit and high school credit, similar to Advanced Placement. Beginning in senior year students will be required to make an in-depth and wide-reaching capstone project.

Academics

The school offers the basic classes required to graduate in the state of Texas. It also offers optional classes; calculus, Spanish, French, and digital media. Beginning in senior year students have the option to not take an art-credit to put more time towards their capstone. Unique types of classes called "project-time" or "capstone-time" are used to give students independent work times with teacher facilitation.

Unique Terminology

The Academy has over the years adopted and begun traditions of using unique terms to describe parts and places in the school. Grade levels, rather than being called; "freshman, sophomores, etc." are referred to as "first-years, second-years, etc.". Class periods are referred to as schedule blocks called "mods". Due to the unique space of the Academy, rather than calling each divided space a classroom, they are called "learning spaces".

History

The Academy Visioning Committee started designing the plan for the school in 2010. Texas Instruments, Huawei, and other companies,[5] endowed the new school. In 2013, PISD held a lottery to determine which students are able to attend. In the first year of Academy's opening, students were learning multiple classes combined into a single project. Student-led organizations and PTSA also hosted several fundraising and school events such as the Winter Social, and the paintball tournament. The Academy has also allowed visitors from around the Dallas community to see the school's learning environment.[6] The Academy's first graduating class graduated in the spring of 2016.

Clubs

The Academy offers over 20 clubs. Most clubs meet during school time. NHS and student council meet after school each week as well. Clubs include journalism, film, solar car, and many other interests.

Robotics Club

The Titan Robotics Club won the Rookie All-Star Award at the 2015 Dallas Regional FRC Competition. Team 5431 went on to Nationals in St. Louis, Missouri (from April 22–25, 2015) and made to Carver Field Quarterfinals.

Titan Robotics entered in the Lone Star and Dallas Regional FRC competition in 2016. Team 5431 went on to Nationals in St. Louis, Missouri (from April 22–25, 2016) and made to Carver Field Quarterfinals.

In 2017, Titan Robotics competed in the FIRST Steamworks competition, going to the Dallas and Brazos Valley regionals. They were wild-carded and went on to Nationals in Houston and made it to the Hopper field playoffs.

See also

Notes
  1. "Plano Academy High School About US". Archived from the original on 2013-03-24. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
  2. "1701 Alma Dr. official property records". Loopnet.net. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  3. Ayala, Eva-Marie. "New Plano ISD Academy High School taking shape" (Archive). The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved on June 2, 2015.
  4. "Academies of Plano". Archived from the original on 2013-08-11. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
  5. "Community". Archived from the original on 2013-03-24. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
  6. "Academy Tours". Archived from the original on 2013-12-22. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
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