North Point High School for Science, Technology and Industry in Waldorf Teaches Innovation
At North Point High School, technology is king. Its students are learning cutting-edge technology, as it applies to their everyday lives and future careers. Oh, and they also study English, history and mathematics.
Sound daunting? According to Jim Richmond, Charles County superintendent of schools, it’s just a day in the life of a Charles County high school student.
Richmond describes North Point as a “combination” school. He says half of its enrollment consists of students who are zoned to attend there, and they study a traditional high school curriculum. The other 1,100 students are enrolled in one of its science, technology and industry (STI) programs.
These science-focused programs are divided among four “schools” at North Point, and each school has its own concentration, such as construction development or computer repair.
“Within all four schools is the latest and greatest in technology for every occupation,” Richmond says, recalling the planning stages for the school, which opened in 2005. “I brought in the teachers in each of those areas, and I said, ‘If you could build a school for the future for your kids, what would it be?’ And they came back with the design we currently have.”
Providing education for both traditional and STI students in the same school is important, says Principal Kim Hill.
“We wanted to make sure that no student felt different than any other student,” she explains.
To that end, North Point provides the same extracurricular activities as other schools.
“The science and tech programs don’t interfere with [extracurricular activities] at all,” she says, adding that since North Point opened in 2005, Eagle athletics have claimed three state championships.
North Point also hosts a Cisco Networking Academy, and it’s the only high school in the country to offer Cisco’s second level of certification to its students, Hill says.
The key to maintaining the school’s high level of achievement and education is to remain relevant, current and even local, Richmond says.
He explains that the STI programs partner with local businesses and organizations to ensure North Point’s education remains innovative and unique to Charles County.
In addition, every program has an advisory council that visits the school at least once a year to review curriculum and equipment and suggest improvements.
North Point has been commended by Maryland’s governor, visited by the first lady of West Virginia and noticed internationally, too, according to Richmond.
“Several Latin American countries want us to work with them on establishing the same kind of programs in their countries. The Chinese have visited as a delegation,” he says. “We have a waiting list on the programs now, whereas before we couldn’t get kids in the programs.”
