The Academy for Science and Design (ASD) is a public charter school

Charter school

Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...

 located in Merrimack, New Hampshire

Merrimack, New Hampshire

Merrimack is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 25,494 at the 2010 census, making it the eighth-largest municipality in New Hampshire....

, USA

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. This is New Hampshire's first charter school to concentrate on science, math, engineering, and design and is free of tuition fees.

ASD opened in September 2007 and currently is serving students from 42 New Hampshire communities in grades 6 through 12. The academy offers a science and engineering-oriented curriculum beginning with algebra, biology/chemistry, and physics in the 7th grade.

History

The establishment of the school was approved in March 2006. Its establishment was sponsored by Daniel Webster College

Daniel Webster College

Daniel Webster College is a for-profit proprietary college in Nashua, New Hampshire with a professions focus.-History:The college was established in 1965 as the New England Aeronautical Institute and was associated with Boire Field...

. The school opened for the 2007-08 academic year.

Curriculum

ASD’s curriculum is said to exceed New Hampshire state standards, its goal is to be internationally competitive. Algebra, physics, chemistry, and biology are taught beginning in 7th Grade. Chemistry and Biology are taught as one three year course referred to as "Integrated Biology and Chemistry" or "IBC". World History and Physics are also taught as three year courses. Technology is integrated throughout the curriculum, student projects emphasize research skills and engineering, and Mandarin Chinese, Latin, French, German, and Spanish are offered as the initial foreign languages.

Demographics

For 2010-11, approximately 200 students, primarily 7th-9th graders, are attending from 42 New Hampshire communities, ranging from small rural towns to urban cities, with 25% of students from international backgrounds and approximately 40% of students female.

The school is chartered for 450 students, and the expectation is that each year the incoming 7th grade class size will increase until it reaches 75 students, along with smaller numbers of students entering in higher grades.

Achievements

In the initial year, school teams competed and were placed in two international academic competitions, placed sixth in the New Hampshire state Mathcounts competition, and won second and first place in the International Fire Fighting Home Robot Contest's Olympiad Robot competition

Robot competition

A robotic competition is an event where robots have to accomplish a given task. Usually they have to beat other robots in order to become the best one.Most competitions are for schools but as time goes by, several professional competitions are arising....

.

Summary

• Mathcounts
  MathCounts
  Mathcounts is a middle school mathematics competition held in the United States. Its founding sponsors include the CNA Foundation, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The competition is designed for sixth, seventh, and eighth...
  
  
  • First in regional competition
  • Sixth in state competition
• Future Problem Solving Program International
  • First in Massachusetts
  • Third in International Competition
• Lego League
  • Third at the Regional Competition, 2007
  • First for technical design at the Regional Competition, 2008
  • First place Research at state competition, 2009
  • Second for technical design at the Regional Competition, 2009
• Destination Imagination
  Destination ImagiNation
  Destination ImagiNation Inc. or DI is a creative problem solving organization for youth and adults. Destination ImagiNation's educational goals are to foster creative and critical thinking, to develop teamwork, collaboration and leadership skills, and to nurture research and inquiry skills...
  
  
  • Second at the State Competition
  • 52nd International
• FIRST Robotics
  • First and Second at the Trinity College International Fire Fighting Home Contest Olympiad
• FIRST Technical Challenge
  • First at The Wapack Northern New England FTC Championship, 2011
• National Science Bowl
  • Second at the middle school regional competition, 2010
  • First at the middle school regional competition, 2011
  • Top 8 at the middle school national competition, 2011
  • Second at the high school regional competition, 2011

External links

• Official site