Applied Technology

District 207 has a long and rich tradition of providing a comprehensive education for Maine Township students. Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes and laboratories challenge students to apply knowledge gained in academic classes to situations they will encounter in life and employment. These classes are a valuable part of a well-rounded education that provide opportunities for career exploration, skill development and preparation for further education.

Students enrolled in CTE may take courses in the Applied Technology, Business Education or Family and Consumer Sciences departments. These classes prepare students for well-paying, satisfying careers in fields such as: architecture, engineering, computer information systems, building trades, automotive technology, graphic arts, accounting, finance, marketing, education, health care, hotel and restaurant management, culinary arts, fashion and interior design.

Great effort is made to provide programs that are state-of-the-art and current with industry standards and employment expectations. For example, several courses prepare students to take industry standard certification exams. These efforts are supported by frequent curriculum revision and realignment and staff development opportunities to learn the best methods to deliver technical instruction.

CTE courses provide a myriad of opportunities and experiences for our students. Thanks to the efforts of the Maine Township community our students are well served now and in the future.

Project Lead The Way

We are pleased to announce that the Kern Family Foundation Grant was awarded to Maine Township High School District 207 for the implementation of a model Project Lead the Way Program. The Kern Family Foundation’s mission includes the objectives of improving lives by promoting educational excellence as well as high quality, innovative engineering talent. Established by entrepreneurial engineer and businessman Robert Kern and his wife, Patricia, the Kern Family Foundation serves as a catalyst for change with a focus on productive citizenship.

The three Maine high schools will implement the Project Lead the Way program beginning in the fall of 2008. During the 2008-09 and subsequent school years, the first foundation course, Introduction to Engineering Design, will be offered as an Applied Arts & Technology elective. During the second year, Principles of Engineering Design will be offered as a science elective. Future specialization courses may include: Digital Electronics, Biotechnical Engineering, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, or Aerospace Engineering.

Introduction to Engineering Design, IED, the first course in the PLTW curriculum, emphasizes the development of a design. Students use computer software to produce, analyze and evaluate models of project solutions. They study the design concepts of form and function, and then use state-of-the-art technology to translate conceptual design into reproducible products.