Reflections of a First Year Academy What we learned in one very, very short year.

What we learned in one very, very short year

Our Academy focus is: Alternative and Renewable Energy Solar, Wind, Biofuels, Biomass, Geothermal,

Hydro, Nuclear, Green Construction, Energy Management

Our two CTE instructors have Automotive, Construction, and Electronics teaching experience

We wrote several CPA and SSP grants for three years before success

We are in middle of our second year

Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related

Occupations 2

Porterville is roughly halfway between Fresno and Bakersfield with a 50k population, with four other Comprehensive High Schools within PUSD

Our school size is approximately 1750 Our campus also has a Business/Finance

Academy and a Health Careers Academy. Our district is involved in the ConnectEd

Multiple Pathway Program funded by the Irvine Foundation


Occupations 3

Keep a list or file of ideas to put ideas into. Remember you will always be learning new

ways to You have to try them to figure out what

does and doesn’t work. Here are 13 items we learned…some the

hard way.


Occupations 4

Schedule time sessions during the day away from campus for planning

Hold regular meetings-get people into the routine of a regular meeting date

Incentivize meeting attendance In a perfect world, all academy teachers

would have two prep periods but that’s probably not going to happen


Occupations 5

Academy students need to know right away they are part of a team for the next three years (they will realize this fact their second year, but you don’t want to lose them before that)

Have your older students mentor the newer students during field trips, combined class activities, and cross curriculum integrated projects.


Occupations 6

Include academic teachers in your CTE projects

Plan and layout proposed projects for the CTE project. Work backwards from finished project and integrate all areas into project

Provide materials and equipment for the academic classrooms to help enforce focus of the Academy


Occupations 7

Show that Energy Curriculum can match their respective State Standards

Include all class teachers on field trip/site visits

All teachers need to feel equal on decision making processes, yet academy focus needs to evident in these decisions

As students learn about new technologies and practices, some of these make their way into the student’s home (ex. Recycling, increased use of CFL bulbs, utility bill questions, etc). There might be questions from home. Use this to your advantage

Make parents aware of field trips, etc..they might wish to attend (perfect “family” time)


Occupations 9

Provide rewards! (pizza always works) Try a Monthly field trip with eligibility based

on 2.0 GPA. We have had success with kids working harder to bring up their grades to be able go on trips.

The off-campus experiences are valuable as they validate what you have been teaching in the classroom


Occupations 10

Resist the natural inclination to hand pick the middle to high kids because….

CPA’s are designed to help the at risk kid succeed

For the most part…these students may surprise you (ask us about our API score!)


Occupations 11

YOU have to ask them how you can help and then do it

Provide time and supplies and money Prove to them being an Academy teacher is

a good thing (this is not always easy) They may need to be taught your content

just like the kids (they may not ask)


Occupations 12

Provide in-service, training on how specific technology works. Example-Solar PV, IC Engine Theory, construction basics, etc

Technology/Materials object display in non-CTE classrooms

Provide release time for teachers to observe other classrooms in action for team-teaching opportunity


Occupations 13

Don’t play school, do it for real! (that takes money…but spend it. That’s what its for)

Go after grants until you get what you need.. Don’t quit! After all, all the worst they can say is no

Use advisory teams to structure the focus of intended projects

Advertise these projects throughout the community and advisory teams


Occupations 14

They are vital to the program Get yours to the CPA conference! Involve them in activities, but you might

have to ask them! Use them for leverage with students


Occupations 15

The Energy sector is evolving very fast. Make sure all teachers are aware of new technologies

Get out in the real world and make contacts and keep yourself fresh and up to date

Remember…your school can survive one day without you. Also, what you learn will make the classroom operate more realistically to the outside world


Occupations 16

You cannot run your academy without students…You have to be constantly marketing your program

Many CTE teachers are not good at marketing.. we are “too busy teaching”. Make sure projects and student activities are properly advertised.


Occupations 17

Make sure students have input on how to advertise projects

Banners, brochures, activities (local fair, etc)

Use service clubs to give students presentation experiences. Also makes your community more aware of your Academy and its focus.

Community Service activities


Occupations 18

Teachertube Youtube Slideshare GREENR EnergyKids Kidwind.org Alternative-energy-news.info


Occupations 19

You will need help with all the details Good help can do scheduling, make

contacts, prepare newsletters Clearly communicate what needs to be

done Schedule time to where direction can be

given Remember, you really don’t have time to do

all this by yourself


Occupations 20

Academy teachers can help each other Academy administrator team at the CPA can

help Advisory members really want more input.

Even if they say they’re busy, ask anyway Partner with other students groups on select

activities


Occupations 21

Energy production and usage, types of renewable/alternative energies

World geography and types of energy used throughout the world

Size and scope of types of Renewable/Alternative Energies

Careers within these technologies Post-secondary education


Occupations 22

Introduction to Automotive theory and how new technologies are integrated into current automotive trends

ICE Engine theory, new and future engine theories, fuels, etc

Hands-on projects Careers opportunities Post-secondary education


Occupations 23

Construction Building Trades curriculum “green” construction,

residential/commercial building design, LEED certification, energy management

AERO’s “BIG” project Career/college prep Post-secondary education


Occupations 24

On-site solar farm done with $25k grant from SCE

Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related Occupations 25

Wind Power Wind turbine models in prep for AWEA show in

Anaheim in May

Porterville High School AERO Alternative Energy Related Occupations 26

Visited “factory” to see new technology

Surprised many “riders”

Great outreach for interested students


Occupations 27


Occupations 28

Ethanol Drag Car

Converting from gasoline to E85 Ethanol fuel

Increased power, cleaner emissions Vehicle is student-built and operated Allows increased awareness of AERO

Academy within PHS and surrounding community. Six AERO students currently on PHS Motorsports student race team)

Great Marketing Tool!


Occupations 29

Gasoline to Electric car conversion (VW Karman Ghia)

Ethanol production (Emerald Energy, Sierra Nevada Brewery…still pending)

Bio-diesel/SVO fuel durability testing. Electric Drag Racing pickup


Occupations 30


Occupations 31


Occupations 32

Please check out the PHS Motorsports/AERO Academy drag racing car display located

Outside the presentation room


Occupations 34

Alternative Energy Resources Occupations (AERO)Academy

Porterville High School 465 West Olive Avenue Porterville, CA 93257 (559)793-3437

Principal-Steve Graybehl CTE Teachers-Brad Collins & Tom Reed

[email protected] [email protected]

[email protected]

Reflections of a First Year Academy What we learned in one very, very short year.

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