ADVANCED TECH ACADEMY NEWS
* PARENTS! Check back regularly for updates and important announcements*

Advanced Technology Academy
Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act Notification

Pursuant to the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), the Advanced Technology Academy buildings have been subject to an extensive asbestos survey of all facilities conducted in January of 2005 and Academy continues to monitor all remaining asbestos material. This is accomplished through periodic surveillance and reinspection every three years. Based upon the findings of these surveys and inspections, a management plan was drafted and is available for public view at the main office of the Advanced Technology Academy, 7265 Calhoun Street, Dearborn, Michigan during normal business hours.

 

Events

School Calendar 2007-2008

Calendar of Board Meetings 2007-2008

Pest Control Notice

Enrollment Application

High School Newsletter

Middle School Newsletter

Elementary School Newsletter

Board Meeting Notice

Middle School Meap Preparation Strategies

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY 
KINDERGARTEN ROUND-UP

Please join us on Monday, June 9 for our
annual Kindergarten Round-Up!
We would like the opportunity to meet with
you and our future Kindergartener.
Please call
Jaclyn Otwell @ 313-582-4500
to schedule your session.

First Session:  9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Second Session :  12:30 PM to 2:00 PM

See you soon!
Mrs. Divetta and Ms. Deborah

Press Releases

February 1, 2008
Advanced Technology Academy To Open New Site In Dearborn

Dearborn, Mich., February 1, 2008 — Advanced Technology Academy (ATA) Board President Richard Schneider, Ph.D., announced that the Academy entered into a purchase agreement with Davenport University for their Dearborn location located at 4800/1 Oakman Blvd. at Miller in East Dearborn. The 15-acre site comprises a
130,000-square-foot academic building and a 15,000-square-foot administration building. “This turn-key facility acquisition allows the Academy to significantly upgrade its educational offerings including the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (PAS) program,” said Dr. Schneider. The Ford Motor Company was recently honored by the National Governors Association (NGA) as its first recipient of the NGA Public-Private Partnership Award for its sponsorship of the Ford PAS program. Advanced Technology Academy is the only school in the nation to fully implement the Ford PAS program as the cornerstone of its high school curriculum. This high tech facility will help us assure that every student leaves high school with the career pathway skills needed to succeed in college and the work place.”
ATA Executive Director Barry Hawthorne, who serves on the National Ford PAS Innovations Group, said, “The new site will enable the development of a highly innovative and effective approach to early college education demonstrating that business-government partnerships do indeed work. For example, the academy will use
its smart-boards, digital projectors, distance learning classroom, fiber optic network, and the Ranger closed circuit digital television system to give dual enrolled students connection to Ford operations and suppliers for coordinated learning experiences as well as direct access to the Lake Superior State University (LSSU)
campus in Sault Ste. Marie and University of Detroit Mercy.”

Hawthorne further commented, “We are pleased to have worked with Davenport University to continue educational use of this important facility. ATA’s long-term commitment to Dearborn will help ensure the economic vitality of the East Dearborn business district and expand employment opportunities.” The academy
currently provides employment to over 140 faculty and staff.

Hawthorne said immediate plans call for relocation of high school operations and administration from its current location at Warren and Schaefer. “This relocation will provide needed space for our elementary school operations as well as to enhance our middle and high school programs in science, mathematics and technology, including the addition of a health careers pathway.” Board President Schneider said “the best way to ensure that Michigan’s students will succeed in the face of global economic change is to provide a quality education for every child. This facility provides a world class setting for the acquisition of 21st century job skills.”
Advanced Technology Academy is an award-winning public charter school academy serving nearly 1,000 students in grades K-12. Authorized by LSSU, ATA is accredited by North Central Association and offers a rigorous curriculum designed to prepare students for success in college and professional careers in business,
engineering, health and technology. With a motto of “High Standards for High Achievement” ATA has a strong model code of student conduct that is geared to developing strong personal relationships to help students reach high expectations. Students attending ATA have the opportunity to obtain over 36 college credits through its dual enrollment program with LSSU and Henry Ford Community College, as well as an ACT Career Readiness certificate. ATA is a past recipient of the National CASE Circle of Excellence Award for innovative high school and college partnerships. ATA is currently accepting applications for the 2008-2009 school year. As a public charter school, ATA is tuition-free and open to any Michigan resident of age. Applications for enrollment can be obtained by calling the Enrollment office at 313-582-4500. Additional information can be found on ATA’s website at www.atafordpas.org. Davenport University will open a new facility this fall at 19499 Victor Parkway in Livonia, near 7 Mile Road at I-275. For information on Davenport University, visit: www.Davenport.edu

February 6, 2006
US Congressman McCotter Visits ATA

On Monday, February 6, Michigan US Representative Thaddeus McCotter conducted a site visit at ATA. ATA Board President Emeritus and current BEAC member Harry Greenleaf arranged the event. Congressman McCotter received a presentation on Ford PAS curriculum, LSSU dual enrollment and the REACH program before taking a walk through of the entire building. Ford PAS students from the Modules 4,5,6 class presented their recent project, “The American Dream”, directly to the Congressman. The visit ended with a photo opportunity for members of the National Honor Society as well as the Senior Class Officers.
Mr. Greenleaf later reported to the Academy that Congressman McCotter was impressed with both the educational opportunities available at the school and the management of the school's programs.

December 12, 2005
ATA's Ford PAS Engineering Students Tour Ford Product and Value Benchmarking Center

All 52 students from the Advanced Technology Academy's Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (PAS) Module 10 class, Reverse Engineering , visited the Ford Motor Company's Product and Value Benchmarking Center in Lincoln Park, MI. The Coordinated Learning Experience (CLE) was hosted by ATA's own Business Education Advisory Council member, Praful Patel. Mr. Patel is the engineering manager of MCR Cluster Operations at the Center.
The ATA Engineering students were given a tour of the facility and then had an exclusive question and answer period with some of the Ford engineers on site. At the conclusion of the CLE, the ATA students were given real Ford automotive parts to use in classroom exercises.
The one-semester Reverse Engineering course is a dual enrollment class. While studying the reverse engineering curriculum they are also fulfilling the requirements for a Lake Superior State engineering course, EN 102 Concepts and History of Engineering . Upon successful completion of the course students will have earned 2 college credits.
The dual enrollment program meshes well with the school's Ford PAS curriculum. Ford PAS is a series of modules that was created by the Ford Motor Company in order to give students a project-based curriculum that would synthesize classroom pedagogical concepts with business, marketing and engineering applications. As part of the curriculum, students participate in CLEs which allow them to more closely examine real-world issues and environments.

November 7, 2005
Ford PAS-ATA Students and Administrators Attend Higher Education Roundtable at the Detroit Economic Club

Students and Administrators from the Advanced Technology Academy attended a special meeting of the Detroit Economic Club which focused on the various challenges facing Michigan and its colleges in the 21 st century. The featured contributors to the roundtable were Michigan Lt. Governor John D. Cherry, former Mayor of Detroit, Dennis Archer, Detroit businessman Dave Bing, Dr. Mary Sue Coleman, President of the University of Michigan , and Nolan Finley, editorial page editor for the Detroit News. All the participants in the roundtable stressed that in this new economy, which is based upon workers' abilities to think and adapt, that it is more important than ever to obtain a college degree. Michigan currently is nationally ranked 49 th in per capita college degrees, a statistic that must change if the state is to remain a national leader and world focus of industry, innovation and commerce.
The Advanced Technology Academy is formed around the assumption that every student will prepare to succeed at the highest academic levels and that every student will matriculate to a college following graduation. Furthermore, the ATA group was delighted to realize that many of the proposals put forward by the roundtable participants have already been instituted at the Advanced Technology Academy , including dual-enrolling students in college classes while still in high school.

October 19, 2005
Dearborn Councilwoman Sareini Appointed Trustee of Michigan Charter Public School

Lake Superior State University announced that it has appointed Suzanne Sareini as a Trustee of the Board of Directors for the Advanced Technology Academy Charter Public School in Dearborn . Suzanne Sareini will also serve on the ATA Ford Partnership - Business and Education Advisory Council.
Suzanne Sareini will take her oath of office at the Wednesday, October 19, 2005 meeting of the ATA Board of Directors. The public school academy is located on the former site of the St. Alphonsus Schools in East Dearborn and serves nearly 900 students in grades K-12.
Suzanne Sareini is a long time Dearborn resident who has been an active leader in the Dearborn business community as well as civic affairs. Currently she is serving in her sixteenth year on the Dearborn City Councill. She was appointed to a term on the Michigan Women's Commission by Governor John Engler. She also served on the Wayne County Private Industry Council. Ms. Sareini continues her public service by being active in several charitable and public service organizations including the Dearborn Optimist Club.
Advanced Technology Academy Board President Dr. Richard Schneider said, “The Board of Directors is delighted with the appointment of Suzanne Sareini. Her wealth of public policy experience will be a great benefit to the Board of Directors.”
Barry Hawthorne, Executive Director of the Advanced Technology Academy said, “Suzanne's depth of knowledge concerning Dearborn issues will help guide the academy board in decision making. Her long term leadership in the local community will keep the educational program of the academy current with municipal and economic development in Dearborn .”
Lila Malmborg, Director of Public School Operations for Lake Superior State University, said, “Susan Sareini has the necessary leadership skills to assume the tremendous responsibility of a public servant, not only to the students of Advanced Technology Academy, but to public education in Michigan.”
The Advanced Technology Academy received the 2002 CASE Silver Medal Award for school and college partnerships. Last year the school was chosen to implement the Platinum Model of the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies curriculum. Developed by the Ford Motor Company, Ford PAS provides students with high-quality interdisciplinary learning experiences that challenge them academically and develop their problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication skills.
This year, ATA is launching a unique college dual enrollment program with Lake Superior State University through which students begin an Associate Business Degree in high school. Ford PAS students earn college credit with class schedules that are filled with college courses taught by adjunct faculty from LSSU. College courses include Business, English, Math, Computer Science and Engineering.
The Academy's Ford PAS Business and Education Advisory Council works closely with the University of Detroit Mercy and Henry Ford Community College -Michigan Technology Education Center (MTEC) to bring the resources of locally based engineering, high technology and information processing companies such as the Ford Motor Company, Lear Corporation, Siemens Automotive, Young and Rubicam Brands and Great Lakes Service Group.

October 3, 2005
Ford PAS-ATA Students Meet with Peter Karmanos at the Detroit Economic Club

Students from Dearborn 's Advanced Technology Academy attended Peter Karmanos' address before the Detroit Economic Club at the Masonic Temple on Monday, October 3, 2005. Mr. Karmanos is the founder, Chairman and CEO of the Detroit-based technology giant, CompuServe Corporation. The ATA students, all members of the Ford PAS 789 class, had an exclusive 20-minute question and answer session with Mr. Kaman before attending his luncheon speech. The students were given the opportunity to ask Mr. Kaman' questions about the development of his firm and the challenges of entrepreneurship. The Ford PAS curriculum encourages students to explore their interests in business and technology fields. The curriculum is composed of 15 separate modules which are divided into five, one-semester classes. The Ford PAS 789 class focuses on planning for business success, ensuring quality, and transforming data to knowledge.

 

 

August 17, 2004:
Technology Academy, LSSU hold summer science camp

MY, ROBOT – Rose Bart of Detroit, Michigan, shows her kid sister Tina a robot she programmed. Looking on from the right is Brittany Boyd, also from Detroit. Bart was at a Lake Superior State University technology camp in Sault Step. Marie that was presented to students from the Advanced Technology Academy, a charter school from Dearborn, Michigan. The weeklong camp concluded with robot demos for visiting parents and family. (LSSU photo by John Shirley)

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mitch. – For the second year running, Lake Superior State University has teamed up with Dearborn’s Advanced Technology Academy to offer its students a week-long technology camp. This year the camp had ATA students from Dearborn, Detroit, Redford, and Trenton.

The Academy is one of seven institutions sponsored by LSSU as a charter school. ATA received its charter-school status from Lake State in 1996.

LSSU/ATA technology camp gives campers hands-on experience with engineering topics such as computer programming, industrial robots, automation, data acquisition, computer animation, and electronics. Campers also study topics in Web page development. When students were’t working on projects, they enjoy recreations like ice-skating, basketball, and conducting a GPS-guided scavenger hunt. A Friday-afternoon final project demonstration for friends and family in LSSU’s Automated Systems Lab caps the weeklong camp. This year’s session was held July 26 – 30.

The ATA technology camp was one of other three technology-related camps that LSSU’s Engineering department offered this summer. An annual Women in Technology camp encourages girls to consider fields in the applied sciences. Two co-educational “Robot Camps” stressed training on the department’s robots in LSSU’s Automated Systems Lab. All told, more than 50 students from all over the world enrolled in the four camps, which also lasted a week.