Center for Advanced Technologies
Encyclopedia
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
program in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, attached to Lakewood High School and part of the Pinellas County Schools
Pinellas County Schools
Pinellas County Schools is a school district serving Pinellas County, Florida, USA and based in Largo.-Organization:Pinellas County Schools has about 102,000 students and more than 13,000 employees. Dixie M. Hollins was the county's first superintendent of schools...
district. Its primary focus is mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, and technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
. It is a member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology
National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology
National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology is an alliance of specialized high schools in the United States whose focus is advanced preparatory studies in mathematics, science and technology....
(NCSSSMST) and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
. In its May 28th issue, Newsweek magazine ranked CAT at 24 in its 2007 list of the top 100 high schools in the nation.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18757087/site/newsweek/ In 2010, CAT moved up to #15 in Newsweek magazine's list of top 100 high schools.http://www.newsweek.com/feature/2010/americas-best-high-schools/list.html
It opened in 1990 with both freshman and sophomore students. In 1991, its own building was completed on the west side of campus on the site of the previous bus circle. In 1993, the initial sophomore class of seven students graduated. In 1994, first four-year class graduated with forty-three members.
Every year, students must apply to enter the CAT program. Approximately 150 students enter into the program each year. The entrance requirements include A's and B's in all math and science related courses, and no less than a C in any other class, as well as stanine and FCAT score requirements.
The focus of the CAT program is science and technology and thus all math and science classes are taught by CAT faculty. The rest of the students honors curriculum is provided by the traditional high school. This results in integration with traditional honors students. However, there are separate valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
s and salutatorian
Salutatorian
Salutatorian is an academic title given, in the United States and Canada, to the second highest graduate of the entire graduating class of a specific discipline. Only the valedictorian is ranked higher. This honor is traditionally based on grade point average and number of credits taken, but...
s.
Since the county schools are soon requiring the middle school students to choose their majors by Freshman year, CAT's major would be Math, Science and Technology.
For the first time ever, 2007-2008 CAT is going to have an Algebra I class. It has been added to the curriculum to make up for the inadequate schooling in the math/science department prior to high school.
Network Assistants
The CAT network assistants help the network administrator, Louis Zulli Jr. in upgrading and repairing all technology aspects of the CAT program. They also maintain the internal and external web sites (Catnip & External CAT).CATNIP
CATNIP, the Center for Advanced Technologies News and Information Project, is the internal website for CAT. As of June 19, 2008, CATNIP 8 was launched, making use of new technologies in Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS). In addition to the traditional student and teacher portals, a brand new parent portal was released and then brought off-linehttp://www.cat.pinellas.k12.fl.us/legacy/ParentPortal.aspx in February 2009, allowing parents to view student's classes, ask questions, and gain other information.Heatwave 312 Robotics
The CAT program is also home to Heatwave, the school's robotics team. Heatwave participates in the FIRSTFirst
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one.First or 1st may also refer to:* First , minor summit below the Schwarzhorn in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland* First , mountain in Bernese Alps in Switzerland...
robotics competitions, and has ranked in the top 3 in the nation. Heatwave is primarily sponsored by Baxter Healthcare. Students build the robot in Baxter
Baxter International
Baxter International Inc. , is an American health care company with headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois. The company primarily focuses on products to treat hemophilia, kidney disease, immune disorders and other chronic and acute medical conditions...
's machine shop. Mr. Paul Dickman supervises Heatwave.
History of Heatwave:
- 1996 (then U.S.FIRST) Lakewood was paired with Raytheon E-Systems. They finished 2nd, losing by inches, at the Nationals.
- 1997 Heatwave finished 2nd to the eventual National Champs, Beatty, at the Chicago Regional.
- 1998 Heatwave finished 6th at the Nationals as well as 6th at the Motorola Regional.
- 1999 At FIRST, Heatwave is at Kennedy Space Center Regional, Heatwave is in 4th Place
CATCOM Studios
The Center for Advanced Technologies Communications, CATCOM, a video production class and club a part of the program, produces a daily in-house 25 minute news program known as "Fast Forward". They also produce award winning segments, known as "Fox ThirTEENWTVT
WTVT, channel 13, is a television station in Tampa, Florida. It is an owned and operated station of the Fox Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of the News Corporation...
Magazine," for the local Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate. CATCOM has won numerous Student Emmys for its work.http://www.nationalstudent.tv/2004-2005_student_winners_regional.asp. Mark Granning, the former head and creator of CATCOM Studios retired in 2008. In dedication of Mark Granning's work, CATCOM studios name was changed to Mark W. Granning Studios.