Starting in the fall of 2005 Poolesville High School will be offering an Advanced Engineering Academy.  The curriculum is provided by The National Alliance for Pre-Engineering Programs, a not-for-profit corporation, through a program entitled Project Lead the Way.  Rochester Institute of Technology is affiliated with the program. For more information about the curriculum you can visit the web-site at (www.PLTW.org).  Some common questions and answers are posed below.

Why do we need an Engineering Academy?

There are currently over a million engineering/engineering technology jobs in the U.S. without trained people to fill them.

How will being in the Engineering Academy help me?

The Academy will prepare you to be successful in a college engineering or technology engineering program.

You can receive college transcript credits through Rochester Institute of Technology by completing the course with at least an eighty five percent average and passing the college final taken at the end of the course with a “C” or better.  There are also eighteen other Universities which are affiliates including UMBC.  Other Universities are currently in negotiation to accept the credits.

How many courses would I have to take?

The program consists of five courses.  There are three foundation courses; Principles of Engineering will be taken during your freshman year, Introduction to Engineering Design will be taken your sophomore year, and Digital Electronics will be taken your junior year.  There is also a specialty course called Computer Integrated Manufacturing which is also taken your junior year, and a capstone course called Engineering Design and Development which will be taken in your senior year. 

How do I qualify to be in the Academy?

For the 2005-2006 school year, you must have completed Algebra I with at least a “B” on your final grade and be enrolled in Geometry or above.

How do I apply for the Academy?

You must complete and submit the application along with the admissions agreement (Click HERE for forms).  You must also have two teacher recommendation forms completed.  One must be from your current math teacher and another by any other former or current teacher.  The forms will be sent by the teachers directly to Poolesville High School in care of Mark Estep.

If accepted, are there any minimum requirements for staying in the Academy?

Yes, you must continue to follow your college track math classes and earn a “B” or better in each class.  This means you must take Geometry your freshman year, Algebra II your sophomore year, Pre-calculus your junior year, and Calculus your senior year.  In addition you must earn at least a “B” in each of the engineering courses and maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.0 for each year.

Can I be in the Global Ecology Studies Program as well as the Engineering Academy?

Yes, it is possible as long as there is not a scheduling conflict between the required global and engineering courses.  You would need to take health class during summer school before your sophomore year in order to make room in the schedule for the engineering course.

What if I am not a freshman, would I be allowed to apply to the engineering Academy?

Yes, however, priority will be given to a freshman who meets the qualifying standards.  Any additional space will be filled by non-academy students.  You must still follow the application process and if accepted will be given priority in future courses over other non-academy students.

How do I get answers to more specific questions?

Please contact Mark Estep at Mark_R_Estep@mcpsmd.org with any questions you have concerning the program.