Don Estridge High Tech Middle School

Don Estridge High Tech Middle School
Established	2004
Type	Public
Principal	Karen Whetsell
Asst. Principal	Mr. Mcurdy, Ms. Trejo, Mr Poorman, Mr. Peavler
Students	1223 [1]
6-8
Location	1798 NW Spanish River Boulevard, Boca Raton, Florida, USA[1]
District	The School District of Palm Beach County
Colors	Red, Black, and Silver/Gray
Nickname	The Don
Mascot	Dragon
School hours	9:30 A.M. - 4:05 P.M.
School Grade	A[1]
Website	Edline
The front entrance of the Don Estridge High Tech Middle School.

Don Estridge High Tech Middle School is a technology-infused public middle school in Boca Raton, Florida that opened in 2004. Integrating technology into all aspects of education, using SMARTBoards (in some classrooms) , Classroom Performance Systems (often abbreviated as CPS), mobile laptop labs, and in-ceiling sound systems in every classroom, the school is able to infuse technology into every subject.

Courses

Don Estridge offers a range of courses including:

Core Classes

• Language Arts
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies (World Cultures, Civics, and US History)

Courses

High School Credit Core Classes

• Algebra I: Regular and Honors
• Geometry: Honors
• Integrated Science I: Honors

High School Credit Elective Classes

• Computer Programming I (C++)
• Computing for College and Careers (formerly Business Systems and Technology)
• Spanish I
• Culinary Arts

Electives

• Band (Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and Beginner Band. Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band are both advanced classes, a student must be enrolled in either one to participate in the Jazz Band unless they play keyboard or guitar.)
• Beginning Spanish
• Broadcast Communications
• Computer Hardware
• Computer Programming (Pascal & C++)
• Culinary Arts
• Drama/Musical Theatre
• Exploring Technology (Required one semester elective for 6th graders)
• Foundations of Technology (Required one semester elective for 6th graders)
• Intensive classes
• Music Theory and Keyboarding
• Physical Education
• Spanish 1
• Teen Challenges (Home Economics)
• Visual Art

Extra Curricular activities

Sports

• Baseball
• Basketball (boys and girls teams)
• Cheerleading
• Flag Football
• Soccer (boys and girls teams)/Intermurals
• Softball
• Swim Team
• Tennis
• Volleyball (boys and girls teams)/Intermurals
• Track (boys and girls teams yet they practice together and have same season)

Other

• Academic Games
• Debate Team
• German
• Robotics
• National Junior Honor Society
• Odyssey of the Mind
• Safe School Ambassadors
• Band President and Representatives
• SECME

Buildings

The main school building was formerly called "Building 051," south of IBM's main complex (now T-REX Corporate Center). After IBM abandoned most of their operations in Palm Beach County, it was left vacant until being gutted into the academic building of the new school. Other buildings on the school's campus were built new, including a cafeteria, gymnasium, and other small utility buildings. Also on the school's campus is the Safe Schools Institute, a branch of The School District of Palm Beach County that is used for district training and can be rented out as a conference center. The Safe Schools Institute works with the school and on testing student management strategies such as CHAMPS, which is used as part of the "Single School Culture" program at Don Estridge.

Architecture

All of the original IBM buildings, including the main school building, were designed by architect Marcel Breuer. The other buildings on the school campus, which were constructed specifically for the school, are designed to incorporate elements of the modern architecture of the original IBM buildings. These buildings were designed by the West Palm Beach division of BRPH Architects,^[2] and built by Boynton Beach-based Catalfumo Construction and Development, Inc.

School Dedication

The school's mascot, the dragon, was chosen via an online poll prior to the school's opening. This cartoon version, sketched by the school's first band director, Mickey Gautney, has been abandoned in favor of the new "crest" logo. Although it is used in the logo for the band, the dragon is carrying an euphonium instead of a flag.

The school was officially dedicated to Don Estridge (known as the "father of the IBM PC") at the school dedication ceremony on May 11, 2005. This event, which was attended by over 300 people, was simulcast to every classroom by the Broadcast Communications class. A video known as "The Dedication Video" was produced by the same class and shown at the event to promote some of the technology that used at the school. A central event at the dedication ceremony was the presentation of Don Estridge's own original IBM PC, which was previously in the possession of his family. Plans to showcase the PC in the school office are currently underway.

School Rating

Each year the school is rated by the students performance on the FCAT.

^[3]

Year	School Grade
2005	A
2006	A
2007	A
2008	A
2009	A
2010	A

External links

• The official school website
• [http://www.brph.com/flash.htm BRPH Architects Portfolio

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Boca Raton Area Middle (98-GG)". http://www.palmbeachschools.org/Schools/DonEstridge.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-20. 
2. ^ "http://www.brph.com/flash.htm". Archived from the original on 2008-02-29. http://web.archive.org/web/20080229044455/http://www.brph.com/flash.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-20. 
3. ^ "Search 2009 FCAT Results for Florida Schools". 2009. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/education/sfl-db-school-grades-2008,0,2305644,results.formprofile?Lib=turbine_cdb_lib%3Aresult_doc_id+result_doc_rank+document_id+cdb_num+cdb_01_txt+cdb_02_txt+cdb_03_txt+cdb_04_txt+cdb_05_txt+cdb_06_txt+cdb_07_txt+cdb_08_txt+cdb_09_txt+cdb_10_txt+cdb_11_txt+cdb_12_txt+cdb_13_txt+cdb_14_txt+cdb_15_txt+cdb_16_txt+cdb_17_txt+cdb_18_txt+cdb_19_txt+cdb_20_txt+cdb_21_txt+cdb_22_txt+cdb_23_txt+cdb_24_txt+cdb_25_txt+cdb_26_txt&SortBy=COMPOSITE_RANK+asc%2Ccdb_03_txt&PageSize=50&Page=1&MinCoarseRank=500&QueryType=CONCEPT&turbine_cdb_lib__cdb_03_txt=Don+Estridge&turbine_cdb_lib__cdb_17_txt=2&turbine_cdb_lib__cdb_02_txt=Palm+Beach. Retrieved 2009-06-29. 

Coordinates: 26°23′07″N 80°07′11″W / 26.38518°N 80.11977°W / 26.38518; -80.11977