Thank you to the Howell Masons who donated flags for every instructional space in the school. Click below to read the article.
http://www.thecenterforcharters.org/modules.php?name=Documents&op=viewlive&sp_id=799
News
We are hosting a summer PBL conference sponsored by Project Foundry. If you are an educator interested in spending 2 days learning more about how to implement project-based learning into your instruction, please join us!
Click here to register: http://www.projectfoundry.org/2013-mi-pbl-unconference
Students can flex their culinary skills and explore the hospitality industry with the Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Program, new this year at FlexTech High School. Given that half of all students will be employed in a hotel or restaurant, at some point in their lives regardless of their career pursuits, this new program offers a recipe for success.
Through the program, students will get hands-on, skill-building experience in real world venues such as hotels, resorts, clubs and restaurants. The vast array of rapidly-emerging career applications in the culinary and hospitality management industry allows for a high earning potential in an exceedingly dynamic work environment.
One- and two-year programs are available and students will have the opportunity to participate in national competitions, pursue internships and earn the ProStart National Certification of Achievement, an industry-recognized certificate from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. Skills can be applied real-time through the use of a full-scale commercial kitchen and accompanying 20-seat café on the FlexTech campus.
Under the guidance of John Maxwell, a 30-year veteran of the industry, students will practice cooking skills, service skills, sanitation, management, accounting, marketing, sales and design. Maxwell is former director of food and beverage at Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island, and has served as director at the Campus Inn and Main Street Ventures in Ann Arbor.
Designed to provide a fundamental understanding of all aspects of the hospitality industry, students can explore their specific personal interests through the program, with an emphasis on both short- and long-term employability. The program’s first year focuses on the type of venue the student would aspire to own, operate or manage. In their second year, students narrow the focus with a concentration on establishing valuable connections, crafting a marketable resume and searching for an applicable summer job – all culminating in a skilled, experienced, well-qualified employable candidate for the industry.
Call 810.844.3366 or contact Maxwell at jmaxwell@flextech-hs.org today for more information about the Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Program.
Graduation…Friday June 8 6:30pm @ FlexTech HS
Seniors, it is time to order your cap and gown for graduation. To place your order, please send Mrs. Laber (mlaber@flextech-hs.org) your name, height, and weight. The cost is $30. Please make the check out to Jostens. All orders are due to Mrs. Laber by March 30.
Spring Sports
We are teaming up with Kensington Woods High School to offer Girl’s Soccer and Boy’s Baseball. Any interested students need to contact Mrs. Laber ASAP (mlaber@flextech-hs.org) and ensure they have a physical on file at school.
Spring Break
Just a reminder that spring break is Friday April 6 through Sunday April 15. Classes resume on Monday April 16.
Classroom Corner
In Economics, we are trying to take a realistic approach to how Economic principles apply to our lives. We recently completed an investigation into whether or not gas actually costs too much. In the next unit we'll be designing our own small businesses, and thinking about the different elements that business owners and nations consider when thinking about working with others.
Biology, Geometry and Graphic Design; what do they all have in common? Well, this Spring at FlexTech these three classes are uniting to design and plant the first ever FlexTech Garden. Students will be in consultant teams with members of each of the classes to design the optimal garden for FlexTech's campus. Consultant group presentations and selection will take place at the end of next month. Look for more information and come join the fun with our planting day!
More Biology
Students are working on two projects:
- Energy Saving at FlexTech! - At the beginning of February, we activated Energy Saving Settings on all of FlexTech's desktop computers. We are going to analyze the effect of our actions on FlexTech's energy bill and create formal lab reports to communicate our results!
- Create an Ecosystem! - Students will have the option to apply what they have learned about energy and ecosystems to create an ecosystem in FlexTech's very own backyard. Students will create an ecosystem through designing and building a community garden or designing and maintaining an aquarium.
Physics
We are about to begin the electrical conversion of our Nitro-powered RC car. Through this, we will be study the properties of electrical current, and learn how to design circuits and solder connections.
Mini College Fair
On Tuesday, March 20, we will be holding a Mini-College Fair from 1 – 3pm in our student union. Representatives from six different colleges will be available to speak with Juniors and Seniors about their plans for college.
Friday Drop-in Day
This is just a reminder that every Friday from 9am – 12pm we have drop-in time for students and parents. Students can get one-on-one help from teachers and parents are able to talk to teachers about student progress.
MME/ACT/Plan/Explore Testing
During the week of March 5, we will be testing the 9th, 10th, 11th, and some 12th graders with the Explore, Plan, and MME/ACT tests. This testing is important as it serves not only as state testing, and college entrance testing, but also as a way for us to assess student performance and measure progress. This testing is MANDATORY and assigned students must complete all of the required testing. Any absence during testing time can result in removal from our program.
| Mon. March 5: | 9th & 10th grade Explore/Plan | 8:30am – 12 pm |
| Tue. March 6: | 11th grade ACT | 8:15am – 1pm |
| Wed. March 7: | 11th grade WorkKeys applied math & reading | 8:15am – 12pm |
| Thurs. March 8: | 11th grade MME math, science, social studies | 8:15am – 11:30am |
| Fri. March 9: | Make-up for 9th & 10th Grade Explore/Plan | 8:30am – 12 pm |
| March 20 – 22: | Make-up days for ACT/MME test |
Due to this testing, we will be on an altered schedule. There will be no classes during this week, however, all classroom students will be assigned a project to complete during this week, and all online students can continue working on their classes at home. We will be open for drop-in lab time from 2pm – 5:30pm Monday through Thursday. The remainder of the schedule is as follows:
Snow day? How do you know if FlexTech has school?
FlexTech High School will close if Brighton and/or Howell Schools close for inclement weather. Check WHMI or your local news station for updates. We will also post our status on our facebook page.
Grading
At FlexTech, we are interested in students mastering the material they learn. To reflect this, our grading system may look a bit different than what you are used to in a 'traditional' public school. Students earn grades in each of their courses on a scale of 2.0, 3.0, or 4.0. Each of these grades reflect a different level of mastery: 2.0 is a basic level of mastery (a student earning this grade might say, "I get it."), a 3.0 is the target level of mastery ("I can explain it."), and a 4.0 is a more sophisticated level of understanding ("I can teach it, and I can tell you what I think about it.") Through evaluating students in this manner, we believe that we are communicating more than an A, B, or C would; by communicating to students their level of mastery, they can have a better understanding of their progress, and adjust their work accordingly to meet their goals. If a student does not achieve the minimum 2.0 level, their grade will be an 'I', representing 'In Progress'. As soon as the minimum standards are attained, the grade will be changed.
Fundraiser
We are currently running a Little Caesar Pizza Kit Fundraiser. The funds will go toward yearbook and prom. Brochures were sent home last week in advisory and are also available in the office. Please help support our students!
Hello FlexTech Parents,
We are excited to announce our upcoming Financial Aid Night!
This is a wonderful opportunity for Juniors, Seniors, and their parents to learn more about the Financial Aid process for colleges and universities.
Senior Parents: Deadlines are fast approaching and financial aid applications need to be turned in soon in order to receive any federal grants or loans to help you and and your student pay for college next year.
Junior Parents: Be prepared and know what to expect next year when it comes to navigating the sometimes confusing financial aid process.
We will have a college representative on hand to answer your questions.
Please join us next Thursday, February 16th @ 6:30 p.m.
Hope to see you there!
Just as many high school students start thinking about graduation and plans for the future, there are those wondering how or if they’ll ever get there. Fortunately, for those students who don’t fit the mold for the traditional educational model, Livingston County’s newest charter school — FlexTech High School — offers another option.
Prospective students, parents and the community are invited to attend an informational presentation about this new high school at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, in the commons area at Kensington Woods High School, 3700 Cleary Drive in Howell. The event is open to the public, and there is no charge to attend.
FlexTech High School, serving grades 9-12, is set to open this fall; enrollment begins in June. The school will be housed in the former Genoa Woods Executive Conference & Banquet Center facility, near Grand River Avenue and I-96 in Brighton.
The school offers students flexible scheduling options; self-paced, computer-based classes; project-based learning applications to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills; projects designed to foster and develop creativity and innovation; and extensive guidance and mentorship programs. Technology is also central to the school’s learning model, with the most current equipment such as iPads or Google Chromebooks replacing conventional text books and note taking.
“FlexTech offers an environment that’s more in line with the way many students live and learn today, from both an educational and practical standpoint,” according to Jim Perry, director of school leadership for CS Partners, the managing organization behind the creation of FlexTech High School.
“Geared toward those who are encountering unique challenges in navigating through high school, FlexTech is well suited for students who feel their current high school experience lacks relevance with the real world and their plans for the future. Students who are struggling academically or who would benefit from flexible scheduling, like elite athletes and students who have work or family obligations, may also find the FlexTech model to be the right fit for them.”
According to Perry, at FlexTech the educational platform integrates research on best practices for reaching students whose learning styles are not met in the traditional system. This strategy takes into consideration how students learn best and provides various avenues to fit those needs.
“FlexTech is an innovative approach to high school, where the students define their experience,” Perry explained. “Students are provided the tools to discover their strengths and realize their potential. We help students understand how to make high school work for them, as well as how to set goals and achieve them. FlexTech can help connect the dots for students with how to make a plan for their future.”
At the presentation on May 24, the mission and vision of the school will be outlined as well as differences FlexTech offers that distinguish it from other high school programs throughout Livingston County. Participants will hear directly from the school’s development team about the research behind the project, and how the school was specifically developed to meet the needs of many different student groups and who may benefit from such a program. The school’s approach to instructional technology and its educational platform will also be explained. Administrators will be on hand for a question-and-answer session, including Melanie Laber, the new school leader for FlexTech.
For more information about FlexTech High School or the informational program on May 24, contact Jim Perry at (517) 861-9746.
ABOUT CS PARTNERS:
CS Partners is an educational service provider serving Michigan charter schools. Based in Hartland, the company is composed of experienced educators who have been working with charter schools since 1996. The CS Partners staff has been intimately involved with the formation and ongoing operation of Charyl Stockwell Academy in Hartland and Kensington Woods High School in Howell. Set to launch in fall 2011, the organization has also led the charge in the creation of FlexTech High School in Brighton.
LivingstonTalk, www.livingstontalk.com
A group of local educators and school administrators are creating a new charter high school in Livingston County for the coming school year. FlexTech High School is scheduled to open this fall in the former building of the Genoa Woods Conference Center. It has grown from the FlexTrac program currently offered at Kensington Woods High School. Like FlexTrac, the new high school will be focused on technology-based learning. It will include both classroom and internet classes, allowing a teaching staff of six teachers to maintain small class sizes despite an estimated body of 200 students this fall. Subjects will not be divided into set courses, but divided into a number of core concepts which will allow students to learn them progressively. The school will not provide technology packages for students to take home on the presumption that the internet is publicly available. Information on how to sign up for FlexTech High School is available at Kensington Woods High School.
WHMI, www.whmi.com