New Tech High School Adds Second Class

SIOUX FALLS, SD - Only in its second year, the Sioux Falls School District's New Technology High School is growing and expanding.

Last year, the school started with only a freshman class. Now the school has both freshman and sophomores, and they're in the process of making more room for even more growth.

She's only a sophomore in high school, but Joee Taylor is already getting ideas of what she wants to do later in life.

"I’ve been thinking about project based learning, and becoming a teacher here," Taylor said.

That project based learning is something she's used since starting here as a freshman, just last year. She’s now sharing her knowledge with new students.

"They completed their first project with the sophomores, the sophomores showed them how to write contracts, work as a group and provide feedback, and how to present," Principal Diana Messick said.

Messick says this year the 'upper' class is able to help transition the new students into the setting which involves group projects and lots of technology. Like Taylor's geographics class, a mix of geometry and graphic design.

"It’s really fun and challenging," Taylor said.

Within two years, the school will house all four high school grade levels. By that time the student body will go from the current 200 up to a maximum of 440.

"We've added new classrooms, new computers, new space and new presentation rooms," Messick said.

To make room for the growing student population much of the building is under construction. This room here will be the new cafeteria.