Napa County School First K-8 In U.S. To Sign On To New Tech Prep Program

By Duane Cronk

One of the smallest elementary schools in Napa County announced a historic decision this week in Angwin.

The Howell Mountain Elementary School reported that it has signed on to an innovative educational program sponsored by New Tech Network, a national educational organization headquartered in Napa.

NapaLearns, a local non-profit is supporting this effort by providing funding for teacher professional development. New Tech reports that the Howell Mountain School, which serves just 101 students, is the first K-8 school in one building in the nation to enroll in its educational program.

The New Tech Network program is based on preparing students for the 21st century, giving them four basic skills – in collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity.

“We believe that if students are given these four skills, they will be successful in whatever they undertake in life,” explained Dr. Cheryl Lynn de Werff, superintendent of the Angwin school. “This belief is emerging as the educational philosophy of the future.”

The Collaboration component will teach students at every grade level, starting in kindergarten, that they can exchange ideas and learn from each other as well as from textbooks.

The Communication component will teach skills in speaking and writing, which are basic leadership skills.

The Critical thinking component will teach students how to govern their lives and adult lifework on facts not fantasies.

The Creativity component will encourage students to think outside the box, bringing new ideas to the broader society.

New Tech believes that these skills can be best learned through individual projects. At the Howell Mountain school, for example, the 3rd and 4th grade students are pioneering that approach with the study of climate change and how it is affecting the earth.

The New Tech program has won its most converts at the high school level, but the enrollment of the Angwin school represents a breakthrough into the elementary school level. Here, even the youngest students will begin to experiment with the four C components of the program

New Tech has assigned one of its coaches to give continuous support in its program to the HMESD.

The enrollment of the school was announced at a meeting of the Angwin Community Council Oct. 21. Principals of two other Angwin schools, Pacific Union College Elementary and Pacific Union College Prep, attended to learn more about the New Tech program.