Advanced Technologies Academy

Advanced Technologies Academy (A-TECH/ATA) is a magnet public high school in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It focuses on integrating technology with academics for students in grades 9–12. The magnet school program was founded in 1994 and is part of the Clark County School District. The first year included only 9th and 10th grade, adding a grade each year. The first graduating class was 1997, and the first graduating class with all four years of attendance was 1998. The magnet school focuses on computer and technology related study fields.

Advanced Technologies Academy
Address
1411 Robin Street

Las Vegas, Nevada 89106
United States
Information
TypeMagnet public high school
MottoAcademics Plus Technology
Established1994
PrincipalDr. Anthony Marentic
Faculty54 (on FTE basis)[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment1,165 (2018-19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio21.57[1]
CampusSmall (12.8 acres/ 0.626 miles2)
Color(s)   Teal and purple
MascotMaverick
RivalsNorthwest CTA and Veteran's Tribute and The Davidson Academy of Nevada
Websiteatech.org

As of 2022, A-TECH is ranked #1 in the state of Nevada and #82 nationally by U.S. News & World Report.[2]

Historical events

Unlike traditional high schools, A-TECH has no team sports. Students wishing to play team sports participate at their zoned high school. Games of flag football and basketball had been held between A-TECH and Las Vegas Academy (another local magnet school with no sports teams) since the school's opening, though have been discontinued since 2008. Games of flag football and soccer are held annually between A-TECH and Northwest Career and Technical Academy, a magnet school that was opened in 2008. Since 2021 the school had hosted a flag football game against rival Veteran's Tribute for the annual homecoming. The game is in a 7v7 format with teams being made up of students interested in playing.

The gymnasium building began construction during the 1998–1999 school year, and opened in 2000.

Efforts to increase the student population at the school began in the early 2000s. Construction of the school's east wing (including additional classrooms, offices, and a lecture hall) and expansion of the existing cafeteria began in 2002, and were completed in time for the start of the 2003–2004 school year. The expansion increased enrollment from approximately 750 students to just over 1000.

Students can study Architectural Design, Biomedical, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, Graphic Design, Business, Information Technologies, and Legal Studies. Starting in fall 2022, A-TECH will offer Biomedical as a program of study to replace Legal Studies.

In contrast to other school's, whose largest event during the year is prom, A-Tech's Board Game Marathon has consistently attracted more students than more traditional highschool events. Board Game Marathon is hosted by the A-Tech Board Game Club and is usually help in March or April. The event goes from the end of school at around 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the evening. The Marathon has both physical board game and video game to choose from.

Awards and recognition

Notable visitors

Since its opening in 1994, A-TECH has received several notable visitors. In 1996, Al Gore visited A-TECH to spotlight it as an example of how computer technology can enhance education.[13]

After receiving the Blue Ribbon School award, Laura Bush visited the school in 2004 and had a round table discussion with many members of the staff and student body.[14]

The school has also been visited by R. Kelly in 2002.

In recognition to the school's recent nomination as one of the top five magnet schools in the United States, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush visited the school in 2014.

Former President Bill Clinton spoke at the school on January 21, 2016, to bolster support in Nevada for his wife, Hillary Clinton, who was angling for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Olympic gold medalist Connor Fields spoke at the school's public speaking class during the week of December 10, 2018 to December 14, 2018.

Notable faculty members

Notable A-TECH faculty have included:

Water Feature
A photo showing the vibrant plant life of lake A-Tech

Since 2021, A-Tech has had a small pond on campus that has been affectionally named "Lake A-Tech" by the students. This has given rise to a nickname of the school being "Lake-Tech" playing on A and Lake sounding similar. The pond is a result of major water leakage from the air conditioning units located between the main school building and the gymnasium. The water congregates in the dirt area between the gymnasium and the portable classrooms and often makes the entire area very muddy. The pond is home to many different types of semi-aquatic plants, which have not been identified. The pond does often cause problems for students try to enter the two southern most portables as the standing water creates large puddles at the entrances to these classrooms. The water level of the lake varies from day to day, but is usually about 1 to 2 inches deep.

Nicknames
  • "Lake-Tech" owing to the long-standing puddles outside of the Portable classrooms.
  • "Chung-Tech" owing to the fact that many member's of the Chung family have attended and taught at the school.
  • "Mayo-Tech" owing to the fact that many member's of the Mayo family have attended and taught at the school.
  • "Best-Tech" owing to the school being ranked #1 in the Las Vegas Valley for many years in a row.

References
  1. "Advanced Technologies Academy". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  2. U.S. News & World Report
  3. "BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL Academy recognized by education secretary", Las Vegas Review-Journal, September 17, 2003. Accessed November 6, 2007. " The Advanced Technologies Academy was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School on Tuesday by U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige. The Clark County School District magnet high school is one of 220 outstanding schools to receive national recognition for efforts to raise student achievement. It is the only Nevada school to receive the award."
  4. U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 2003 through 2006 (PDF), United States Department of Education. Accessed May 11, 2006.
  5. CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department Archived 2007-08-19 at the Wayback Machine, Journal Inquirer, November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve."
  6. Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; The Washington Post. September 29, 2005 "For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."
  7. Technology Excellence: Advanced Technologies Academy, Intel and Scholastic Schools of Distinction Awards. Accessed November 6, 2007.
  8. Advanced Technologies Academy Official Website. Accessed March 9, 2008.
  9. Magnet Schools of America, Schools of Distinction. Accessed 2008. Archived March 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  10. U.S. News & World Report 2008 Best High Schools. Accessed 2008.
  11. Advanced Technologies Academy achieves Blue Ribbon status again, Las Vegas Review-Journal. Accessed October 20, 2011.
  12. "3 Nevada schools recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools". Fox 5 Las Vegas. Archived from the original on 2019-09-28. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  13. "O.K., Schools Are Wired. Now What?". Kairos.technorhetoric.net. 2000-01-07. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
  14. "Mrs. Bush's Remarks at Media Availability in Las Vegas". Georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
  15. "Milken Educator John Snyder (NV '92)".
  16. "Dollymania: The Online Dolly Parton Newsmagazine. Your premier resource for Dolly Parton news and information". www.dollymania.net.
  17. "Inductees". National Teachers Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on July 23, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  18. "John Snyder". National Teachers Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  19. "Clark County School District Achievements". Archived from the original on August 7, 2007.
  20. "Clark Milken Educator". Mff.org. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
  21. Michor, Max (April 26, 2019). "Former first lady praises CCSD teachers at Heart of Education awards". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  22. Pak-Harvey, Amelia (October 29, 2018). "Las Vegas architecture instructor is Nevada Teacher of the Year". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  23. Pak-Harvey, Amelia (March 20, 2019). "Las Vegas instructor lands National Teachers Hall of Fame honor". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  24. "Richard Knoeppel". National Teachers Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfQHzJcipC4
  26. https://theheartofeducation.org/winners

36.1862°N 115.1769°W / 36.1862; -115.1769

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