Watchung Hills Regional High School Revenue and Competitors

Watchung Hills Regional High School has been focused on the theme of "learning beyond the classroom walls." The technology program has facilitated this theme. Our student network services over 400 computers that are located in classrooms, computer labs and the media center. In addition to these desktop computers, we have four banks of wireless mobile laptops that service our Science, Math and English departments. These mobile laptops bring the Internet directly to the classroom and have allowed students to download and manipulate real-time data from CBL's (calculator based labs) that they collect through probe devices in Chemistry and Physics. In the Science and Math departments, a Linux server provides large data bases for student study. One such program exists in Astrophysics in which students download archival Hubble telescope data and research distant celestial phenomena. Another program in AP Computer Science allows students to look directly at source code of programs in many computer languages. A core group of teachers at Watchung Hills are enrolled in Web assign, a platform that gives students the ability to submit their homework electronically. Teachers also issue on-line quizzes, tests, and review packets through this program. Web Assign is diagnostic and can provide the teacher with valuable assessment statistics on student performance. In the World Language Department a 30 station state-of art Language Laboratory has replaced the old one in Room 46. This laboratory is used for the development of speaking and listening skills and will play an integral part in the Advanced Placement Testing in May. Technology is just not about computers. Several of our technology efforts have been focused on engineering projects. The Robotics program at Watchung Hills has achieved great success over the past four years. In this program students build a functioning robot capable of competing against other school's robots in a designated task (throwing a ball into an elevated cage while fending off competitors, for example). If a team qualifies regionally, it then moves onto the Epcot Center in Orlando to compete nationally. In 2001, Watchung Hills placed in the top ten nationally. In the Arts Department, CAD study and MOUSE certification are currently offered and plans for a CISCO Academy are being studied.