Bishop Noll Institute has expanded its curriculum for the 2016-17 school year by adding elective courses in engineering, computer technology, STEM and theology.
New courses also will increase the number of dual credit courses offered at BNI, a Catholic college preparatory high school in Hammond that was recently recognized as a Four Star School by the Indiana Department of Education. College professors from Purdue University Northwest and Calumet College of St. Joseph will come to the Bishop Noll campus to instruct most of the new electives.
“We are very excited to be expanding our curriculum offerings next year,” said Craig Stafford, BNI principal. “It is important to continue to offer new and innovative opportunities to all of our students.
“As colleges increase their entrance requirements and employers look for 21st century skills, it is our job at Bishop Noll Institute to prepare our students for life outside the walls of our building. We will continue to find ways to make Bishop Noll a leader in unique learning experiences,” Stafford said.
Donald Gray, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering at Purdue University Northwest. A 1982 Bishop Noll graduate, Gray will teach “Principles of Engineering,” in which students will learn various engineering and electrical circuitry concepts, plus MATLAB functions to control programs remotely.
Following completion of this one-semester course, successful students will be eligible to register for an additional elective taught by Gray that will delve deeper into engineering principles.
Kurt Jordan, an associate professor of computer information systems at Calumet College of St. Joseph, will teach dual credit computer programming, a visual C++.NET class, that introduces students to the fundamentals of programming applications. They will learn to design, write, test and debug software applications.
An elective called “STEM Explorations” will be open to sophomores who successfully completed their required “Introduction to STEM” class freshman year. This class will focus on various team projects and hands-on learning to sharpen students’ STEM skills. Many of the projects also will hold social significance as project goals will be aimed at improving the world around us and providing lessons of social significance.
These courses will all meet an increasing demand for STEM in the classroom, which is a focus in the BNI curriculum. Bishop Noll will be entering its third year as the only high school in northern Indiana working under the guidance of Dr. Carla Johnson, a published and noted STEM education expert from Purdue University in West Lafayette.
While STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Stafford points out there is much more to the concept.
“STEM courses allow Bishop Noll students to participate in their learning much differently than in a traditional classroom setting,” Stafford said. “Students are required to work in groups, find common solutions to problems, participate in hands on activities, and explore topics that tie their high school experience to our global society.
“Our students are receiving knowledge and skills that will set them apart from other students.”
Also in the coming year, the STEM program at Noll will expand to incorporate Religion (“R”) and the Arts (“A”), fully integrating two of BNI’s curricular hallmarks into the STEM process as BNI will boast northwest Indiana’s only high school STREAM program.
A new dual credit theology course for seniors titled “Biblical Literature” will be taught by the Rev. Kevin Scalf, C.PP.S., Bishop Noll’s chaplain who is director of the Theology program at Calumet College of St. Joseph. Three college-level credits will be issued upon successful completion of this one-semester course.
Dual credit programs are established through a formal agreement between a high school and postsecondary institution.
Bishop Noll Institute will be starting its 96th school year in August. Families seeking information on applying for admission can learn more at www.bishopnoll.org or call (219) 932-9058.