About Us

{we void warranties} History The work on the School of Engineering at Coppell High School began in 2006 with the support and cooperation of both SMU and TCU.   The Infinity Project and the digital signal processing materials were supported by SMU.  The TCU Departments of Education and Engineering have been assisting us with curriculum and mentoring opportunities.   In 2009, the Engineering Academy pilot began with 44 freshmen students taking engineering and an engineering related humanities course.  The humanities course covered requirements for both English 1 and World Geography.  in 2010, the name changed to the STEM Academy (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics).  The STEM Academy will incorporate all core classes and offer pathways in engineering, computer science, and the natural sciences.

Our Mission The mission of the School of Engineering at Coppell High School is to expose students to the engineering profession and prepare interested students to be successful in engineering studies beyond high school.

Goal and Objectives The CHS School of Engineering will focus on 3 main goals through the program to meet the challenges facing students: ·         Increase the number of students successfully pursuing engineering and technical degrees in college ·         Increase the number of women and minority students participating in the CHS School of Engineering ·         Increase the communications skills of students through participation in the CHS School of Engineering

About the School of Engineering and the STEM Academy Students have the opportunity to employ the engineering design process through numerous short-term and long-term design projects and to acquire skills not usually developed until the junior or senior year of college.  These skills include: ·         Advanced implantation of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint ·         Communication skill (written and oral) ·         Computer-aided drawing and design ·         Familiarity with and ability to use standard scientific and engineering instrumentation ·         Principles of data acquisition, analysis, and evaluation ·         Programming logic and principles of computer programming ·         Mathematical modeling of engineering systems ·         Familiarity with engineering ethics and engineering economics and business principles

The School of Engineering at CHS and the STEM Academy offers several opportunities to meet the needs of the students.  Courses and activities are directed at encouraging participation not only in engineering, but also in math and science.  Programs are aimed at students from elementary to high schools   Examples include: ·         Rigorous four-year Pre college programs at Coppell High School in engineering, computer science, or the natural sciences designed to provide a strong educational foundation ·         A rigorous four-year Pre college computer science program at Coppell High School designed to provide a strong educational foundation ·         Stand-alone introduction courses for students not sure about engineering or who may have decided to pursue an engineering education later in their high school career ·         Solar Car and robotics classes that put emphasis on the science areas that students need to design, build and run a solar car or participate on the robotics team ·         Summer camps for students from elementary school to high school to enrich their interest in science and engineering and strengthen their studies in a particular area ·         Mentoring programs between high school engineering students and students in lower grade levels ·         Activities and lessons for Elementary and Middle School teachers that bridge the gaps between math, science and technology

Engineering Courses Engineering relies heavily on math, science and technology.  The curriculum has been designed around these components.  The math and science courses have been chosen to provide students who will pursue engineering in college with a strong foundation.  In addition, CHS realizes the importance of English and Social Studies to the education of all students.  The EXCITE curriculum, for example, includes these courses as well.  Non engineering EXCITE courses will cover all state and local objectives as well as placing added emphasis on science, math and engineering.

Competitions The program is a unique educational experience and has a different requirement than the typical academic class.  Students are involved in many projects and outside competitions where they get to utilize the engineering skills they learn in the classroom.  Last year the students participated and successfully completed in a number of programs, including: BEST Robotics, Underwater Robotics, Rocket, Dell-Winston School Solar Challenge.

Cooperation We are continuously working on the CHS School of Engineering program with the support and cooperation of SMU and TCU.  In 2010, we began a partnership with the University of California at Berkeley in which our students work with college students on a variety of projects throughout the year.