School of Science and Engineering

Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, which houses this school

The School of Science and Engineering Magnet (known as the School of Science and Engineering or SEM) is a magnet college preparatory high school located in the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, home of six magnet high schools in the Dallas Independent School District. SEM's mascot is an eagle, and its school colors are maroon and white. Its current principal is Tiffany Huitt following Jovan Carisa Wells who was promoted to DISD Executive Director of Division 4 Office. Wells had served as principal following Richard White, the school's original principal, who retired suddenly for health reasons.

Academics

On admission, each student is placed into one of three math and science "tracks" based on their performance in previous mathematics courses and a special placement test—a Regular Track, a Fast Track, and a Super Fast Track. Each track is paced differently and completes a different number and difficulty of math and science courses.

SEM stresses a philosophy of hands-on science education, and specializes in offering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. Its mathematics courses range in complexity from Pre-AP Algebra II (the lowest-level course offered) to AP Calculus BC and its own unique Advanced Topics of the Theory of Applied Mathematics (A. T. T. A. M.) course. Science courses range from basic-level courses such as Pre-AP Biology to higher-level courses such as AP Physics C and AP Chemistry. Of special note is SEM's unique "SuperLab" class, a laboratory-based course which combines the material of both AP Physics C and AP Chemistry. Tech courses that instruct students in Computer Science concepts and the Java programming language are also available in the form of Pre-AP Computer Science A and AP Computer Science AB.

Recognition

•2012 - SEM wins the Intel School of Distinction Award for the Best High School Math Program in the Country.

•2012 - SEM Ranked #2 (out of 1900 public high schools) -Washington Post High School Challenge

•2012 - SEM Ranked #4 (out of 1000 public high schools) -Newsweek.com [1]

In 2011, SEM was ranked the number 1 high school in America by the Washington Post.[1] The school was also ranked number 1 in the Newsweek list of America's Best High Schools.[2] In 2012, it was ranked the number one high school in the North Texas area by Children at Risk, a research and advocacy institute dedicated to helping children.

In both 2005[3] & 2011,[4] SEM has received the Blue Ribbon School award by the U.S. Department of Education.

SEM was ranked as second best high school in the United States in 2007 according to the survey "The 1200 Best Public High Schools in the USA", it was eighth in 2006 and sixth in 2005. In 2007, SEM was ranked as the 18th best public high school in America by U.S. News & World Report.[5]

The College Board announced that SEM is number 1 in the world for passing minorities in Calculus AB and number one in the United States for passing Hispanics in Computer Science. In 2006, SEM was visited by President George W. Bush for excellence in education and the school's philosophy of emphasising math and science,[6][7] something he stressed in his 2006 State of the Union address. The school consistently ranks number one in D Magazine's Best Public High Schools in Dallas and has been named the Academic UIL District Champion for District 9-5A and 11-5A in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

Extracurricular activities

Due to rules and regulations involving magnet schools, SEM has no sports teams (although students may participate in those of their home schools). However, it does provide a wide variety of extracurricular activities and UIL teams:

Aerospace Club Orchestra UIL Calculator Team UIL Journalism Team
Academic Decathlon "Big D" Marching Band UIL Number Sense Team Basketball Club
Italian Club Choir UIL Current Issues & Events Team Intergirls
French Club Environmental Science/Volunteering Club Chess Club
Latin Club Robotics UIL Literary Criticism
National Honor Society National Latin Honor Society UIL Math Team
Yearbook Staff UIL Accounting UIL One Act Play
PTW - Paint the World UIL Spelling Team UIL Science Team
Debate UIL Social Studies UIL Computer Science Team

SEM won the AAAAA individual UIL Computer Science event at the UIL State competition in Austin, Texas in 2001, and also won the AAAAA team UIL Computer Science competition in both 2000 and 2001.

SEM also won the 2012 and 2013 Academic UIL Region 2 5A competition.

At the 2015 UIL State competition in Austin, SEM put up the highest team score in UIL Calculator Applications in all of Texas.

References

  1. ↑ http://apps.washingtonpost.com/highschoolchallenge
  2. ↑ http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/06/19/the-best-high-schools-in-america.html
  3. ↑ http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-2003.pdf
  4. ↑ http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2011/high-schools.pdf
  5. ↑ http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/high-schools/2007/11/29/gold-medal-schools.html
  6. ↑ http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/02/20060203-13.html
  7. ↑ http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_story_033180351.html President Bush Heads To North Texas School

Coordinates: 32°45′08″N 96°48′24″W / 32.752177°N 96.806722°W / 32.752177; -96.806722

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