The Academy for Science and Design (ASD) is a public charter school located in Merrimack, New Hampshire, USA. This is New Hampshire's first charter school to concentrate on science, math, engineering, and design and is free of tuition fees.^[1]

ASD opened in September 2007 and currently is serving students from 42 New Hampshire communities in grades 6 through 12. The academy offers a science and engineering-oriented curriculum beginning with algebra, biology/chemistry, and physics in the 7th grade.^[2]

History

The establishment of the school was approved in March 2006.^[3] Its establishment was sponsored by Daniel Webster College.^[4][5] The school opened for the 2007-08 academic year.^[6] During the 2011-12 year the 6th grade was added to the school.

Curriculum

ASD s curriculum is said to exceed New Hampshire state standards, its goal is to be internationally competitive. Algebra, physics, chemistry, and biology are taught beginning in 7th Grade. Chemistry and Biology are taught as one three year course referred to as "Integrated Biology and Chemistry" or "IBC". World History and Physics are also taught as three year courses. Technology is integrated throughout the curriculum, student projects emphasize research skills and engineering, and Mandarin Chinese, Latin, French, German, and Spanish are offered as the initial foreign languages.^[7]

Demographics

For 2010-11, approximately 200 students, primarily 7th-9th graders, are attending from 42 New Hampshire communities, ranging from small rural towns to urban cities, with 25% of students from international backgrounds and approximately 40% of students female.

The school is chartered for 450 students,^[5] and the expectation is that each year the incoming 7th grade class size will increase until it reaches 75 students, along with smaller numbers of students entering in higher grades.

Achievements

In the initial year, school teams competed and were placed in two international academic competitions, placed sixth in the New Hampshire state Mathcounts competition, and won second and first place in the International Fire Fighting Home Robot Contest's Olympiad Robot competition.

Summary

• Mathcounts
  • First in regional competition^[8]
  • Sixth in state competition
• Future Problem Solving Program International
  • First in Massachusetts
  • Third in International Competition
• Lego League
  • Third at the Regional Competition, 2007
  • First for technical design at the Regional Competition, 2008
  • First place Research at state competition, 2009
  • Second for technical design at the Regional Competition, 2009
• Destination Imagination
  • Second at the State Competition
  • 52nd International
• FIRST Robotics
  • First and Second at the Trinity College International Fire Fighting Home Contest Olympiad^[9]
• FIRST Technical Challenge
  • First at The Wapack Northern New England FTC Championship, 2011^[10]
• National Science Bowl
  • Second at the middle school regional competition, 2010
  • First at the middle school regional competition, 2011
  • Top 8 at the middle school national competition, 2011
  • Second at the high school regional competition, 2011

References

External links

• Official site