Teachers to Receive Assessment System Logins 

On Monday, October 17, 2011, all high school teachers will be emailed their 2011-12 login credentials for the Assessment System. However, the Assessment System will remain offline until November 1, 2011.

If you don't receive a login or have any questions about our End of Course assessments, please contact our Assessment Team.

Green Architecture Unit Available for GTT Program

The Green Architecture (GA) unit of the Gateway To Technology (GTT) middle school program is available to schools for the 2012-13 academic year. A Specialization Unit of GTT, GA is designed as a nine-week independent unit, assuming a 45-minute class period.

The unit is currently being field tested and teacher training will be available next summer. The cost to implement GA will be available in December.

GA gives students an introduction to architectural sustainability.

Unit Description
In a world of reduced resources and environmental challenges, it is important to present the concept of "being green" to the next generation of designers and builders. In this unit, students are introduced to architectural plans, construction styles, alternative materials and processes, dimensioning, measuring and architectural sustainability. Students use a 3D architectural software program to create an environmentally friendly home using shipping containers.

Feel free to use this description in your presentations and other materials that promote the program.

As a reminder GTT schools, implement both Foundation Units (Design & Modeling and Automation & Robotics) and may add any combination of the Specialization Units.

If you have any questions about GA, contact Joanne Donnan or Sam Cox.

Using PLTW Promotional Language 

• Who We Are 
• Our History 
• PLTW Overview (PDF) 
• Pathway To Engineering 
• Gateway To Technology 
• Biomedical Sciences 

Also, the Marketing Materials Web page provides additional resources for student recruitment. 

Reminders: Counselor Conferences, Extranet Updates, Software Orders and Program Registration 

Counselor Conferences 

A PLTW Counselor Conference is a professional development opportunity designed to inform school counselors, post-secondary advisors, principals, teachers and school administrators about PLTW's STEM Education program and provide information to help encourage students to enroll in PLTW courses.

Schools that have implemented a PLTW program are required to send at least one advisor/counselor to a Counselor Conference every year. We highly recommend that schools send all of their advisors/counselors to at least one conference.

Visit the Counselor Conference page for dates and locations. Registration is handled by the host institution.

Additional dates and locations will be added as they become available. For more information, contact the host institution or Laura Greenaway.

PLTW Extranet Updates
Your assistance in maintaining accurate school and district information in the PLTW Extranet is important and greatly appreciated.

Delegates

• Check your district's and schools' information in the PLTW Extranet.
• Make any necessary school deactivation requests, teacher removal requests and contact information updates for the district and all registered schools.

Teachers

• Update your email address and phone number (if necessary).
• Indicate the courses you will be instructing during the 2011-12 academic year.

If you have any questions or need assistance, contact the School Support Team.

Software Orders If you haven't ordered the software needed for your PLTW courses, we recommend you do so as soon as possible. 

• Schools offering Pathway To Engineering courses should contact their Authorized Autodesk Reseller to order the required Autodesk software for the 2011-12 school year. More information on the required software for the courses you're offering is available in the Additional Resources section of the PLTW Purchasing Manual page. 
• Schools offering POE, CIM, AE and/or the AR unit of GTT with the VEX Robotics platform should place their order for the ROBOTC software licenses as soon as possible by using the form on the ROBOTC tab of either the ENGR Vendor Workbook or GTT Vendor Workbook on the PLTW Purchasing Manual Web page. ROBOTC orders should not be placed on any purchase orders. Download and installation instructions will be emailed to the designated contact(s). Please allow three weeks to complete this process.

New School and Program Registration 

New school and program registration for the 2012-13 school year opened last month.

District Delegates

• District Delegates now may login to the Delegate Console of the PLTW Extranet to add new schools or new curricular programs (Pathway To Engineering, Biomedical Sciences, or Gateway To Technology) to their districts.
• The deadline for adding new schools and programs from within the PLTW Extranet is June 30, 2012.
• However, it is recommended that new schools and programs are added by March 15, 2012 when Core Training registration opens so that teachers may reserve seats at the training sessions of their choice.

Schools

• If you do not know your District Delegate, use the PLTW School Locator to obtain your delegate's contact information.
• If you know of districts or schools that wish to implement a PLTW program for the 2012-13 school year:
• Refer them to the online registration process for new school districts and the Getting Started page for resources and information.
• Provide the contact information for their Regional Director who can answer questions and coordinate support through the State Leadership Team.

A New School Press Release Template is available for schools implementing a new PLTW program. By completing this template with school information, schools have a ready-made tool to promote their programs to local media outlets.