New Tech High School students, officials show off school

t was a grown-up version of show-and-tell at Holland’s New Tech High School on Friday.

Officials and students showed off the new school to about 50 board members, superintendents and educators from around the state, explaining how the New Tech program operates and detailing their work in launching the school this past fall.

“This is hard work, but it is exciting and necessary work,” said the school’s principal, Bryan Voss, as he wrapped up a presentation Friday.

At New Tech, students learn through project-based work with extensive access to technology. The model is designed on the business workplace and is supposed to curb absenteeism and discipline issues and boost test scores.

Holland New Tech was one of the first five New Tech Network schools in Michigan to open in the fall and is the only one nationally to serve students in grades eight through 12.