2009 Innovation in Education Award Finalist

Kathy Slawson

Finalist: Innovative School Program
Early College High School
Newport Mesa Unified School District

“I have made a conscious endeavor to take the newest ideas in education and technology to support teachers in such a way that they fully understand, support, implement, and build on what has been successfully tested.  As a result, teachers are empowered to push themselves and their students to think more deeply, investigate more fully and to practice more perfectly”. —Kathy Slawson

Program Description

Ms. Slawson believes that the Project-Based Learning Program at Early College High School has been a result of a teacher task force that allowed them to become stakeholders in the design of the school. Teachers pioneered programs, particularly in math and science, that excite students to learn, and are provided with tools that can instantly measure a student’s understanding of concepts and theories.  This allows teachers to adjust the design or speed of a lesson based on their awareness of students’ grasp of the content. 

 The program recognizes the importance of technology by making sure that every classroom is equipped with a desktop and laptop computer, a document camera, an interactive white board, an LCD projector and printer.  The campus has three computer labs, and programs to support curricular and extra curricular endeavors.  Cross curricular projects are encouraged, reinforcing student learning and making technology an integral part of all projects.

While the school serves a community of students, many of whom are economically disadvantaged, first in their family to go to college, or are traditionally underserved, its biology students scored 89% on the STAR test and 100% of students passed the CAHSEE math section.