1. MAXA A MATH AND COMPUTER SCIENCE ACADEMY FOR ARANSAS COUNTY ISD

2. RATIONALE WE LIVE IN A DIGITAL WORLD WITH A HIGH DEMAND FOR QUALIFIED TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS!

3.  This technology-oriented era requires a new approach to learning.  The traditional K-12 curriculum has been slow to adapt to this.

4.  The demand for qualified technology professionals and engineers is at its highest peak ever and will continue to increase!

5.  We must start now and start young in preparing our students to meet this demand.

6.  Many technology leaders, including Microsoft’s Bill Gates in a recent pep talk to UT computer science majors, urge schools to step up the technology learning process.

7.  Waiting until college is too late!  The learning must begin earlier, and Aransas County is already leading the way in South Texas and statewide.

8.  It’s time to take the next bold step and start younger with the brightest minds in the 5 th through 8 th grades who are hungry and ready to learn at this high level.

9. WHY MATH AND COMPUTER SCIENCE?

10.  Because these two disciplines are the foundation of the IT world.  One cannot succeed without the other.

11.  Engineers in all areas must be fluent in both in order to be productive and effective in today’s demanding world.

12. WHAT WILL BE TAUGHT?

13.  MAXA will span a variety of learning threads, including math fundamentals, programming, robotics, and computer ethics.

14.  MAXA will also teach and develop new calculator skills, reinforce proper keyboarding techniques, and sharpen quick-thinking mental math and number sense skills.

15.  MAXA will teach both individual learning and team-based cooperative work, including research projects using the scientific method.

16.  MAXA will teach advanced problem-solving, higher level thinking skills, and most of all, teach logical thinking, a topic largely ignored in the K-12 curriculum.

17. HOW WILL IT BE FUNDED?

18.  A grant proposal has been submitted to The Education Foundation to help with startup and maintenance costs.

19.  As a backup, all three involved campuses, Rockport Fulton High School, Rockport Fulton Middle School, and Fulton Learning Center, have committed a significant portion of their CAP money to support this effort.

20. HOW WILL MAXA WORK?

21.  The MAXA class of the top 5 th through 8 th grade students in ACISD will meet for one hour each school day morning, before the regular class schedule.

22.  MAXA students will work to achieve ranks or levels, very similar to how scouting works.  Each student will advance at his/her own pace.

23.  Qualified high school students will serve as MAXA mentors and work with the primary instructor to teach and guide the MAXA students.

24.  These high school MAXA Mentors will be able to use this experience as an advanced measure, applied towards the Distinguished High School diploma.

25. MAXA RANK #1

26.  The first rank will possibly include the following items: Computer Programming – write a simple output program using the language QBasic Engineering – Build a 9-piece Lego Dacta Robot and make it perform simple tasks.

27. Keyboarding – Baseline test, minimum 35 wpm, 60% accuracy Calculator - Learn the basics of using an RPN engineering calculator

28. Math Fundamentals – memorize multiplication tables from 1 X 1 to 12 X 12 Number Systems – Be able to count to 32 in base 2 (0, 1, 10, 11, 100, 101, etc.)

29. Ethics – Recite by memory the first 5 commandments of Ethical Computer Use Computer Basics – Be able to identify the external and internal parts of a computer

30. Networking - Learn how to terminate a CAT5 network cable with an RJ45 jack. Logic - Solve a simple logic problem.

31. Research - In a team setting, conduct a simple research project using the scientific method.

32. HOW ARE STUDENTS SELECTED?

33.  We are currently at the end of a process in selecting students from the elementary and middle school ranks to be the charter members of MAXA.

34.  Earlier this semester, teachers at Fulton and RFMS nominated over 60 children for MAXA.  A screening process was implemented, looking at grades, test scores, attendance, and discipline records.

35.  59 Students who passed the first step were sent application packets.  38 completed packets were submitted.

36.  A final interview process is currently underway to finalize the selection process and choose the final 20 MAXA students, a limit dictated by available lab space.

37.  Invitations to join MAXA will be sent by the end of this month.  MAXA begins on the first day of school in August.

38. MAXA It’s going to be a great adventure!