PHS Connect, the official app for Patapsco
High School & Center for the Arts, provides
a way to share information among teachers,
staff, current students, prospective students,
parents, and the community.
The goal in Patriot Dash is to dodge as many falling
enemy objects, including rival high school mascots,
school-related objects, and art magnet program objects, as possible without getting bonked on the head.
The object in Hall Sweep, Patapsco’s most recent game, is to move the school
mascot, the Patriot, through the hallways of school without getting caught in one
of the frequent “hall sweeps” that occur when the bell rings. Armed with a jetpack,
the Patriot has to avoid various obstacles, including the principal, the school
resource officer, a bully, and a paper ball.
Teach Real-World Skills
We introduce students to software development using the programs and programming languages that professional
game and app developers use. Programming reinforces concepts they learn
in math, particularly when they use
algebraic concepts to place objects on
the screen and move them around. The
app development field is so new that
students are not only doing cutting-edge work for a school, they are doing
cutting-edge programming, period.
But app development is so much
more than programming. It sup-
ports several components of the ISTE
Standards, such as creativity and
innovation; communication and col-
laboration; critical thinking, problem
solving, and decision making; and
technology operations and concepts.
The process introduces students to
many skills, concepts, and activities
that are directly applicable to the
real world, including:
Design. Students learn the concepts
and principles of basic design. This
includes how to design for select audiences, concepts, and platforms (iOS
or Android).
Marketing. App building exposes students to basic market research, social
media as a communication tool, and
planning a promotional strategy.
Video production. App development
serves as an introduction to filming,
editing video, and storyboarding.
Project management. Students engage
in task and time organization. During app development, students have
built-in roles, including technology
director, media director, and project
manager, and they must make sure
that they assign and complete all tasks
