The Designers of HTH - Highland Tech High - Anchorage School District Charter School

The Designers of HTH

In 2000, a group of individuals, business owners, high tech supporters and users, entrepreneurs, teachers and parents came together to discuss the possibility of a project-based charter school for middle school and high school students in Anchorage.

The group discussed many of the current issues surrounding secondary education in Anchorage and was looking for alternatives to meet the criteria they established as priorities.

	•	Small school size.
	•	Low student-teacher ratio.
	•	Technology rich.
	•	Core values of leadership, ethics and integrity.
	•	Strong communication skills – written and oral.
	•	Problem solving and team building skills through project-based education.
	•	Graduating prepared for higher education.
	•	Solid commitment to community and education.

Project-based education had been successfully incorporated in other schools across the state – especially in rural Alaska where multi-age classrooms are the norm, not the exception. In addition, the RE-Inventing Schools Coalition Model (RISC) and project-based, problem-based curriculum strongly support one another.

The group discussed ways to make this school available. As a result of their discussions, CJ Stiegele moved forward creating an innovative, tuition-free, secondary charter school within the Anchorage School District designed to develop the next generation of educators, entrepreneurs, scientists and technology leaders. HTH immerses students in a rigorous learning environment that integrates technical and academic education, and links students in the school to industry mentors in the workplace.

CJ Stiegele
Founder – Highland Tech and Executive Director – E-Tech

CJ Stiegele’s vast experience in the areas of project-based education, curriculum development, organizational leadership, grant writing and fund raising provided a foundation for the creation of Highland Tech. Former principal of Aquarian Charter School and assistant principal of Takotna Charter School, CJ also served as co-chair of the Alaska Charter School Association. CJ brings to HTH a strong commitment to community, didactic change, and desire to prepare secondary students to be thoughtful and engaged citizens.

The creation of new educational programs is not new to CJ. She began at Aquarian as Chairman of the Academic Policy Committee and worked with the Iditarod Area School District to create their Distance Learning Center. She has taught 3rd grade through 12th grade in multi-age, multi-level classrooms using the project-based model. As an adjunct professor, she has taught graduate level technology courses and business courses, as well as having worked for the Karl Eller Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Arizona.

Prior to her years in education, CJ worked in various professional fields including banking, investments, publishing, business consulting, and seminar facilitation.

CJ was born and raised in Anchorage, graduated from West Anchorage High School, has a B.A. from Pacific Lutheran University and a M.Ed. from University of Alaska, Anchorage. She enjoys time with her friends and children: Jason (age 28), Aimee (age 27), Ryan (age 18), Travis and Taylor (age 17). She also enjoys cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, kayaking, fishing, hunting, camping, gardening and traveling.