MASE students benefit from longer school days, technology integration, curriculum

Memphis Business Journal
July 6, 2007
By Jamie Appling

Tommie Henderson never thought he would be a school principal, much less the principal of the first charter school in Tennessee.

Henderson had an idea for a curriculum for a new charter school while he was chairman and instructor of the engineering department at East High School, so he joined forces with Steve Bares, president of Memphis Bioworks Foundation, in 2002 to petition to open a charter school. And Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering opened in 2003, making it the first in the state, with 148 seventh graders.

The school now includes middle school and high school students from grades six through 11.

Crystal Hayes, a 16-year-old 11th grader at MASE, was among the school's first seventh graders. The transition was difficult at first for Hayes, but her grades have greatly improved as she has adapted to the school.

"I like the way technology is integrated into the curriculum," she says. "Before attending MASE I was hesitant to use a computer, but now I am very comfortable and have even been able to help others who don't attend MASE."

By the fall of 2008, 900 students will be attending the school, and in 2009, Hayes will be a member of the school's first graduating class.

In 2005, Memphis City Schools recognized MASE academically as the No. 1 performing middle school in the district, despite having students who failed to meet state testing requirements in previous schools.

Henderson says students who struggled in traditional classrooms are now excelling at MASE because they are in an intense learning environment. For example, MASE holds an extended school day -- 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. -- for middle school students, and some teachers are experts in their fields, Henderson says. Also, the parents of MASE children are required to sign a contract called the Commitment of Excellence stating that they will stay involved and support their child's education.

Hayes says the rigorous schedule and long hours helped her focus more on school and bring her grades up.

The school's relationship with Bioworks is key to the success of the school, Henderson says.

Bioworks is working to ensure that Memphis has an educated work force for the city's growing biotech industry. It helped the school get started by providing three floors of its building on Dudley for the school's use, so students could be closer to the work the organization is doing.

Bioworks also aided in finding another location for the school. The high schoolers moved to the Mississippi Boulevard Church on Jefferson last year, and more students will move there once renovations are finished.

In addition to sponsoring MASE, Bioworks, established in 2001, has a joint grant with Southwest Tennessee Community College for InternNet, a program that helps students find internships.

Deborah Gentry, director of human resources services at Bioworks, has been working with Southwest's biotechnology certification program for a year and a half.

"We do a survey every week of biotech companies around the Memphis area to update the positions available," Gentry says. "For example, students who are looking for jobs in manufacturing or as lab assistants could use our system and may find a job more easily."

The program is still being developed, but right now Gentry uses an Excel spreadsheet to list job opportunities. She hopes that eventually Bioworks will have a portal with its own Web site for Memphis students to access.

Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering

The first charter school in Tennessee
Principal: Tommie Henderson
Address: 20 Dudley
Phone: (901) 448-8800
Web site: www.discovermase.org

jappling@bizjournals.com | 259-1730