Computer Science

Technology is a central tenet of modern business and society and the focus of our charter. But more important, being able to create with technology is an invaluable skill that students need for their future. Creating through coding teaches students important concepts like problem solving, logic and reasoning, attention to detail, concentration, troubleshooting, algorithmic thinking, entrepreneurship, decision making, and decomposition of complex tasks. In addition, coding is a safe environment for students to learn essential soft skills like critical thinking, creativity, communication,collaboration, abstract thinking, perseverance, safe risk taking, computational thinking, how to cope with frustration, and how to be a creator of technology instead of a consumer only.

Studies show that students who learn to code have greater academic success, develop better strategic thinking skills, express their creativity in more ways, and enjoy the process of learning to higher levels than students who have not learned to code or only receive an introduction. Programs that most schools provide such as “Hour of Code” or gamified code lessons once in a while is better than nothing, but the real benefits come from diving deep into code and learning one language thoroughly. That type of practice teaches the concepts behind why code works, cements all the skills listed above, and allows students to apply what they have learned to many different areas including any number of future code languages they might learn. That is why all our students learn to code, starting in kindergarten all the way through 9th grade, and create an app and/or a game from the ground up before they finish 8th grade as well as many other smaller coding projects along the way.

In addition, students also experience robotics, build physical computing systems, 3D printing, network management basics, and other physical computing skills that will serve them well in future careers. 

Students learn how to be good digital citizens, how to avoid falling for scams, how to have a clean cyber footprint, how to prevent cyber bullying, and how to protect their sensitive personal information from attack. 

We also have a cyber security club that competes on a national level, learning the critical steps of securing an operating system and how to protect their information online. Our CyberPatriots cyber security club has taken first place in state for 5 years in a row with the exception of one year that we did not compete because of Covid 19 restrictions. 

Additionally, the school sponsors a Service Through Technology Club in which students use the technology skills they are learning in classes to solve real-world problems for real people and help charities. Some of the community outreach projects our students have completed include planting trees to preserve a wetlands area, building apps to help with empathy, raising money to help build a modern high school in South Sudan, and creating a website to help preserve the oral traditions of culturally endangered African tribes.