Developing and implementing a high school simulation course to provide rigor and relevance to the curriculum

This paper discusses the chronology of events leading to the development of one of the nation's first high school simulation courses using Arena (R) software. Through the efforts of a partnership between Cuyahoga Valley Career Center (CVCC), North Royalton High School (NRHS) and Rockwell Automation, specialists in mathematics, career-technical education and simulation collaborated to develop and implement a high school course in alignment with academic and career-technical standards, containing the rigor and relevance required of a 21(st) century high school. Included in the discussion is the need for high school reform, the rationale for the course, philosophical barriers, curriculum development and related standards. Examples are given of class projects, including student culminating projects used for assessment and grading.