North Salem High School Recognized by Project Lead The Way for its Pre-Engineering Program

OIT recognized the district’s commitment to teacher and counselor ongoing training during the school year.

North Salem High School Photo by: Kevin Hays

(SALEM) - Oregon Institute of Technology, the Affiliate University for Project Lead The Way in Oregon, has recognized North Salem High School by certifying that its Project Lead The Way Pre-Engineering and Engineering Technology Program has met the stringent standards of quality set by the college.

Dr. Tim Brower, Director for PLTW in Oregon and OIT professor of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering and Technology, said that North Salem High School has demonstrated its commitment to the quality standards of the PLTW program by having teachers of pre-engineering trained during the summer and by teaching the PLTW courses using the latest computer software.

“A crucial element to the success of the program is regularly updating teacher skills and promoting counselor awareness of the latest PLTW initiatives for their students,” Brower said.

The certification process included a self-assessment of the PLTW program and a one-day site visit by Brower. The site visit included meeting with teachers, administrators, counselors, students, and community members, and reviewing students’ course portfolios.

“The district also provides an invaluable opportunity to its students through the certification process. Students may now apply for transcripted college credit or other forms of recognition at OIT and other national affiliate colleges and universities, if they demonstrate exemplary work in their pre-engineering courses and pass the appropriate PLTW End-of-Course examination,” said Brower.

Funded by Charitable Venture Foundation, Project Lead The Way, a not-for-profit organization, is a national program which is offered in over 42 states in over 1300 schools from New York to California and Michigan to Florida. It was begun to address the national shortage of engineers and engineering technologists