High Tech High International

Narratives

Architect Narrative

This high school is part of an innovative charter school organization with a specific focus on international studies. By completely renovating a former Navy building built in 1952, the project team created a collaborative learning space that reinforces the school’s emphasis on team teaching, integration of technology, and assessment through presentation and exhibition.

Design of the school began with an intensive and collaborative workshop to gather ideas and information. Participants included the design team, school administrators and planners, contractor, board members, facility manager, teachers, and students. The workshop defined the goals and vision for the new school and, at its conclusion, the team had clearly defined the program, plan, and preferred image. The building’s historic nature was a significant contributor to the development of the overall project design vision.

The design solution takes full advantage of the building’s large volume and abundant windows to create an open and natural light-filled environment. The result is a series of spaces that allow for both structured and informal interaction between students and faculty — from classrooms and studios, to informal seating areas and multi-purpose function spaces. Varying wall setbacks, heights, textures, along with an abundance of internal windows and natural light, recalls an urban streetscape.

The school’s entrance opens on to the Commons, a grand double-height space that includes the school’s main reception, a performance stage, and flexible seating groups. This light-filled room is the main circulation space and is used for entire school gatherings and as an alternative teaching venue. It also serves as a performance space and display gallery for student art work. Administrative offices and conference rooms are located off this space with windows for close monitoring of student activity.

Rising from the Commons floor and wrapped by the main staircase is a cylindrical form that houses the “UN Theater.” This classroom in-the-round is a focal point for the internationally-focused school curriculum and includes integrated technology that allows for dynamic teaching and presentation methods.

Classrooms are clustered into grade-specific neighborhoods centered around a studio area. The studios allow for both entire-grade gatherings and additional teaching space. Teacher offices are located adjacent to their corresponding classrooms — a plan that decentralizes the faculty in order to create strong teacher-student connections. Windows from the teacher offices allow for observation of not only classrooms and studios, but also the circulation spaces. This visual connection carries through to the rest of the rooms, and together with the clustering, creates a sense of ownership over the immediate area. Operable partitions that separate classrooms can be opened to accommodate team teaching. These 25-foot wide doors also incorporate marker board writing surfaces and projection screens. Additional media display is introduced with the use of homasote and multi-colored cork tackable surfaces.

Throughout the project, unconventional and environmentally responsible interior finishes are implemented to further reinforce the urban streetscape feeling of the interior space.

Educator Narrative

Launched in September 2004 by an industry and educator coalition, this high school is a partner school to other schools within the city. A small, diverse learning community, the school is founded on three design principles:

Personalization — the structure allows teachers to know their students well

Adult World Connection — through community service and projects, students develop an awareness of the world beyond their school walls and a practical understanding of both local and international issues

Common Intellectual Mission — school leadership expects all students to graduate well prepared for post-secondary work, education, and world citizenship.

The curriculum at this particular school is designed to provide students with a critical awareness of international issues. Instead of organizing curriculum around the different world regions, students learn about issues that are shared around the globe, such as world trade, environmental concerns, health care, war, poverty, population growth, immigration and border issues, human rights, political systems, globalization, nuclear proliferation, etc. By looking at these and other international issues from multiple perspectives, students obtain a global awareness that leads to responsible and involved citizenship in the international community.

Each faculty member serves as an advisor to approximately twelve students. Working in teams of varying size, teachers are responsible for the academic achievement of the 50-60 students in their group. Overall, the faculty represents a diverse mix of master teachers, newly trained teachers, and individuals from industry with strong content knowledge. The team approach helps teachers make the most of their varied talents, knowledge, and experience.

Innovative features of the academic program include performance-based assessment, daily shared planning time for staff, an emphasis on project-based learning, availability of technology in all classrooms, distance learning partnerships with schools both nationally and internationally, community-based internship experiences for all students, and opportunities for international travel and exchange.

Specifically, the goals of the school are as follows:

– To help students develop global awareness through rigorous academics and relevant workplace skills in preparation for rewarding lives in our increasingly technological and interconnected world.

– To increase the number of students from diverse backgrounds in math, engineering, and communications, who succeed in high school, post-secondary education, and international business and technology industries. The student body includes Hispanic, African-American, Native American and Pacific Islander students. The process provides equal educational opportunities for both female and male students in math, science, foreign language, music, and global studies.

– To provide all students with an extraordinary education that will encourage them to be thoughtful, engaged citizens prepared to take on the difficult challenges of our global economy.

The curriculum is organized for independence, flexibility, and links to the local and international communities. It is a public charter school, operated as a non-profit corporation by a five-member board of directors. A larger community advisory board includes corporate partners, public agencies, neighborhood organizations, higher education institutions, parents, international “sister” schools, and other constituencies. Another non-profit corporation is responsible for all fund-raising for the school.