Van Wert prepares for change to New Tech system

VAN WERT - Members of the Van Wert City Schools Board of Education, administration, and community leaders all met on Thursday morning in the First Federal Lecture Hall at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center to take part in a meeting about the school moving to a New Tech concept in 2012.

The administration first received an introduction to New Tech when members were at a Race to the Top Conference on Innovative Programs in Columbus. They said they had been searching for several years for a way to bring 21st century skills to the students in the classrooms and in the session for New Tech, they believed they found the answer. Superintendent Ken Amstutz told the group they had visited three New Tech schools in the area: Garrett-Morgan in Cleveland, Viking NewTech in Huntington, Indiana, and Wayne High School in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

"One of the things that we did find when we went there was how engaged the students were," Amstutz told the group. "Also, how committed the teachers were. What we found is what we have seen everywhere in New Tech, teachers are working harder, longer hours, and have a lot more work that they are putting into (New Tech). But, they would never go back. We have found that everywhere we have gone."

Paul Buck, the Assistant Director of Planning for New Tech Network, led the program and he said the goal for the day was to gauge the readiness with the school leadership and the staff for the 2012 start. After meeting with the first group in the morning, he was going to hold meetings with the steering committee from the school, take another tour of the high school, and then hold a discussion of the critical issues that needed to be covered.