Gateway Institute of Technology
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Gateway Institute of Technology High School is a high school serving grades 9 to 12 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
The school opened in August 1992 at 5101 McRee Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110 in response to a court order mandating the establishment of a high technology magnet school. The school integrates a strong academic curriculum emphasizing mathematics and science with career preparation in highly technical fields. Accelerated and advanced placement courses are available for students. Inquiry, innovation, creativity and exploration are encouraged throughout the school.
Gateway was one of ten schools recognized as a New American High School by the United States Department of Education in 1996. Gateway serves as a model school and is visited regularly by educators from the U.S. and elsewhere.
The school has 1600 students, who are accepted on a lottery basis, Approximately 200 of the students have disabilities, including severe orthopedic disabilities, learning disabilities, and behavior challenges. It also accepts resource students and gifted students.
At the ninth and tenth grade level students are in 'houses' of 85 to 100 students supported by four teachers (covering English, social studies, math, and science, respectively) and a counselor. The school is designed to integrate academic and technological education in career clusters that require students to have a strong background in mathematics and science. All the students take a broad mathematics curriculum, biology, chemistry, and physics. Going into their junior year they pick a career strand, or 'major', within one of four specialty areas:
- Agricultural, Biological, and Health Sciences.
- Applied Physical Sciences.
- Computer Science and Mathematics.
- Engineering Technology, which can include an Aviation Maintenance Program that lasts five years and is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Students with disabilities are integrated into the class-within-a-class structure, where special education teachers are in the classroom with the regular education teachers.
The school has partnerships with local businesses. Monsanto and two medical schools in St. Louis provide assistance and internships in the area of agricultural, health and biological sciences; Mallinckrodt Chemical, in physical sciences; McDonnell-Douglas, in engineering technology; and Lucent Technologies Bell Labs, as well as the computer divisions of Monsanto, Mallinckrodt Chemical, and McDonnell-Douglas, in computer science and mathematics. Lucent Technologies staff also help the students. In 1997, for example, Bell Labs facilitated email conversations between ten students and a Nobel physicist.
Gateway High School also has a FIRST Robotics team; 931 Perpetual Chaos. Last year, 931 had won the Charimans award in the St. Charles regional and went to the nations, coming in at 112th place.
The principal for the 2003 - 2004 school year was Dan Edwards. For two years, 2004 - 2005 and 2005 - 2006, the principal was Shepard Pitman. The current principal is Ms. Pillar.
