North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
Encyclopedia
The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) is a two-year, public residential high school located in Durham, North Carolina
, that focuses on the intensive study of science, mathematics and technology. The school accepts rising juniors from across North Carolina
and enrolls them through senior year. Though NCSSM is a public school, enrollment is limited, and applicants undergo a highly competitive review process prior to admission. NCSSM is a founding member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology
(NCSSSMST) and a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system
.
Since its inception, NCSSM has been fully funded by the state, meaning no student is required to pay any tuition, room, board, or other student fees. This funding is supplemented by the NCSSM Foundation's private funding, which supports NCSSM's academic, residential, and outreach programs as well as providing funds for some capital improvements. In the past 25 years, the Foundation has raised in excess of $25 million in private support from corporations, foundations, alumni, parents and friends of NCSSM. A tuition fee was considered for the 2002–03 school year in the midst of a state budgetary crisis, but it was never implemented. In 2003, the NC Legislature
approved a bill granting tuition costs for any university in the University of North Carolina System to all graduates of NCSSM, starting with the class of 2004, as an incentive to encourage NCSSM's talented students to stay in North Carolina. That bill was amended in 2005 to allow students to use additional tuition monies awarded to cover “costs of attendance.” However, the tuition waiver is in the process of being phased out in the Appropriations Act of 2009 in the North Carolina Senate
in order to balance the budget. The bill states that "No new recipients shall be funded after June 30, 2009."
NCSSM has served as a model for 18 similar schools, many of which are now members of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology
(NCSSSMST).
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NCSSM students are not given a class rank and are encouraged to strive for their best rather than competing against other students. Although students previously were not given grade point averages (GPAs), the school currently provides GPAs on transcripts to simplify the college application process. NCSSM students have consistently done extremely well in national academic competitions, and NCSSM's SAT
scores are among the highest in the state of North Carolina. In 2008, the average score was 1975.
, 35% are Asian American
, 10% are African American, 3% are Hispanic
, and 1% are Native American
. The student population of NCSSM is designed to be a demographic reflection of the population of North Carolina as a whole; additionally, a certain number of slots are reserved for each congressional district.
'83, President of Williams College
Maya Ajmera
'85, Founder and President of The Global Fund for Children
Matt Welsh (computer scientist)
'92, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science at Harvard University and author of several books
Rhiannon Giddens '95, member of the Grammy winning Carolina Chocolate Drops
B. Scott
'99, Internet Celebrity, TV personality and blogger
Jud Bowman '99, President/CEO of PocketGear, Chief Technology Officer of Motricity
, and the students on the team got to meet Michelle Obama
.
In 2011, for the first time in the school's history, all of the NCSSM Varsity Sports (fall) won Regional Championships. Men's Cross Country and Men's Soccer were state champions, while Women's Tennis and Women's Volleyball were state runner-ups. Two girls from the Women's Golf team were also sent to the state championships match.
. This generated heated discussion about what an appropriate payscale is for a high-school administrator.
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, that focuses on the intensive study of science, mathematics and technology. The school accepts rising juniors from across North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and enrolls them through senior year. Though NCSSM is a public school, enrollment is limited, and applicants undergo a highly competitive review process prior to admission. NCSSM is a founding 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 a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
.
History
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
approved a bill granting tuition costs for any university in the University of North Carolina System to all graduates of NCSSM, starting with the class of 2004, as an incentive to encourage NCSSM's talented students to stay in North Carolina. That bill was amended in 2005 to allow students to use additional tuition monies awarded to cover “costs of attendance.” However, the tuition waiver is in the process of being phased out in the Appropriations Act of 2009 in the North Carolina Senate
North Carolina Senate
The North Carolina Senate is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly.Its prerogatives and powers are similar to those of the other house, the House of Representatives. Its members do, however, represent districts that are larger than those of their colleagues in the House. The...
in order to balance the budget. The bill states that "No new recipients shall be funded after June 30, 2009."
NCSSM has served as a model for 18 similar schools, many of which are now members 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).
Academics
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
scores are among the highest in the state of North Carolina. In 2008, the average score was 1975.
Demographics
NCSSM houses approximately 660 students, currently with more females than males due to the larger number of female dormitory spaces. About 50% are CaucasianCaucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
, 35% are Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 10% are African American, 3% are Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
, and 1% are Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
. The student population of NCSSM is designed to be a demographic reflection of the population of North Carolina as a whole; additionally, a certain number of slots are reserved for each congressional district.
Notable alumni
Adam FalkAdam Falk
Adam Falk is the 17th president of Williams College. He is a theoretical physicist by training and previously served as the James B. Knapp Dean at the Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins University.-External links:*...
'83, President of Williams College
Maya Ajmera
Maya Ajmera
Maya Ajmera is the founder of The Global Fund for Children, a nonprofit organization that seeks to advance the dignity of children and youth by making small grants to innovative community-based organizations working with some of the world’s most vulnerable young people.Ajmera is also the author of...
'85, Founder and President of The Global Fund for Children
The Global Fund for Children
The mission of The Global Fund for Children is to advance the dignity of children and youth around the world. GFC pursues its mission by making small grants to innovative community-based organizations working with some of the world’s most vulnerable children and youth, complemented by a dynamic...
Matt Welsh (computer scientist)
Matt Welsh (computer scientist)
Matt Welsh was the Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science at Harvard University and author of several books about the Linux operating system, several Linux HOWTOs, and articles in the Linux Journal....
'92, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science at Harvard University and author of several books
Rhiannon Giddens '95, member of the Grammy winning Carolina Chocolate Drops
Carolina Chocolate Drops
The Carolina Chocolate Drops is an old-time string band from Durham, North Carolina, United States. Its 2010 album, Genuine Negro Jig, won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, and was number 9 in FRoots magazine's top 10 albums of 2010.The Drops are one...
B. Scott
B. Scott
B. Scott, is an American television personality, radio show host and internet celebrity who is best known for his YouTube videoblogs and website lovebscott.com....
'99, Internet Celebrity, TV personality and blogger
Jud Bowman '99, President/CEO of PocketGear, Chief Technology Officer of Motricity
Motricity
Motricity was formed in 2001 by Ryan Wuerch to provide integrated mobile content solutions for handheld and mobile devices. Originally formed as PowerByHand, the company changed its name to Motricity in October 2004 after its merger with Pinpoint Networks...
External Programs
NCSSM also offers a variety of external programs focused on educating teachers and students outside of the school across North Carolina. The school offers workshops for strengthening K-12 math and science education. The programs focus on "teaching the teacher." These workshops focus particularly in science and mathematics education.Extracurricular Activities
In 2010, NCSSM won first place at the 2010 National DOE Science Bowl CompetitionScience Bowl
Science Bowl is a high school and middle school academic competition, similar to Quiz Bowl, held in the United States. Two teams of four students each compete to answer various science-related questions. In order to determine which student has the right to answer the question, a buzzer system is...
, and the students on the team got to meet Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the 44th and incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States...
.
In 2011, for the first time in the school's history, all of the NCSSM Varsity Sports (fall) won Regional Championships. Men's Cross Country and Men's Soccer were state champions, while Women's Tennis and Women's Volleyball were state runner-ups. Two girls from the Women's Golf team were also sent to the state championships match.
Controversy
Although NCSSM has been lauded for its academic programs, it has also been the source of significant controversy; disputes over residential, hiring, and academic policies have garnered media attention over time. In 2006, it was revealed that administrator Gerald Boarman had a yearly salary of $198,000. This generated heated discussion about what an appropriate payscale is for a high-school administrator.
See also
- Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the ArtsArkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the ArtsThe Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts is a two-year, public residential high school located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is a part of the University of Arkansas administrative system and a member of the NCSSSMST...
- Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and HumanitiesIndiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and HumanitiesThe Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities is a two-year residential public high school located on the campus of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, although it operates as a separate entity...
- Illinois Mathematics and Science AcademyIllinois Mathematics and Science AcademyThe Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, or IMSA, is a three-year residential public high school located in Aurora, Illinois, USA, with an enrollment of approximately 650 students...
- Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the ArtsLouisiana School for Math, Science, and the ArtsThe Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts is located in Natchitoches, Louisiana on the campus of Northwestern State University . It is a member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology .- Background :LSMSA is the brainchild of...
- South Carolina Governor's School for Science and MathematicsSouth Carolina Governor's School for Science and MathematicsThe South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics provides advanced educational opportunities for highly successful high school students who demonstrate interest and talent in pursuit of science and mathematics...
External links
- North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
- National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology
- Oral History from NCSSM
- Barry Yeoman, Bad Chemistry, The Independent
- Siemens-Westinghouse winners in 2004
- Images of the former Watts Hospital
- NCSSM Online
- Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics