About Me

Mr. Aurand -

Engineering & Technology Department

Email: saurand@jeffco.k12.co.us

Hello!

I am one of two teachers in the Engineering & Technology Department here at

Golden High School.

Mr. Chris Plakorus teaches Metals Technology I, II & III and

Woods Technology I and II.

There are more engineering classes offered at Golden High School than any other high school in Jefferson County Public Schools.

I teach six engineering classes and four engineering graphics technology classes.

Those classes are: Aerospace Engineering, Biotechnical Engineering, Engineering Design, Engineering Principles, Digital Electronics/Robotics Engineering, Civil Engineering / Architecture, Drafting I (“General Drafting” board drafting and computer-aided drafting), Drafting II (“Technical / Mechanical Drafting” & CAD) and Drafting III (“CAD Design and Software” 3D Solid-modeling), Drafting Architectural.

I have been at Golden High School since 1999. My wife, Rosanna, is a registered nurse with a Bachelors and Masters in classical piano. We have two boys, Gian, and Luc. My father is a retired Aeronautical Engineer, who worked at Rockwell International, Lockheed Martin, and Hughes Aerospace. I enjoy biking, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, inline skating, mountain climbing, reading, movies, designing and building things, and going to Outlaw's and Rockies games with my family.

I received my first degree, a Bachelor of Arts, from Kent State University in Interior Design/Commercial Space Planning, where I had many Architecture, Interior Design, Economics and Business classes. My second degree, a Bachelor of Science is from Metropolitan State College of Denver where I graduated Cum Laude in Industrial Technology. In 2003, I completed my Masters of Arts Degree in Education, Summa Cum Laude from Grand Canyon University. I have also worked in Building Trades, which I have done in the summers, and have helped teach Building Trades at Evergreen HS. I am vocationally certified through the State of Colorado to teach General Drafting, Architectural Drafting, CAD Drafting, and STEM Engineering, and am considered highly qualified by the State of Colorado to teach both Science and Technology. I have been trained by both Project Lead the Way and STEM Academy. For more information please visit the PLTW website: www.pltw.org and the STEM Academy website www.stem101.org. Due to budgeting concerns, we will not be able to afford to remain affiliated with PLTW at sometime in the future.

I have done many different jobs in my life, but none compares in importance or enjoyment with teaching! I am very committed to this career profession. My mission as a teacher is this: 1) to teach useful, relevant, helpful knowledge and skills, 2) to help students to enjoy learning for its own sake, 3) to teach students to respect themselves and others, 4) to help students develop goals for the class and for their life, 5) for students to have fun and learn to enjoy learning.

I challenge students to do the best that they can and I will do my best to provide a learning environment where students can do their best, and I expect effort, cooperation and respect in return. I anticipate an enjoyable and productive semester, and look forward to speaking with you in the future, as you are the person who has the most importance to my student, your child. Your support and involvement are very important to me. If you are interested in volunteering with a class as a speaker or resource, or with the Technology Engineering Club (TEC TEAM), please feel free to contact me. Also, if there is equipment or materials that you would like to donate to the department to enhance students learning, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Scott Aurand

Engineering and Technology Instructor

Engineering and Technology Department

Golden High School

701 24th Street Golden, CO 80401

saurand@jeffco.k12.co.us

BEST Robotics (Boosting Engineering Science and Technology) Advisor www.bestinc.org www.rockymountainbest.org

TSA Technology Student Association: Advisor www.cotsa.cccs.edu www.tsaweb.org

SO Science Olympiad Advisor www.soinc.org

MESA Math Engineering Science Achievement Advisor

BOTBALL Educational Robotics advisor

“ … the people who understand these issues the best and are closest to them have the same message: Because it takes fifteen years to create a scientist or advanced engineer, starting from when that young man or woman first gets hooked on science and math in elementary school, we should be embarking on an all hands on deck, no holds barred, no budget too large crash program for science and engineering education immediately. The fact that we are not doing so is our quiet crisis. Scientists and engineers don’t grow on trees. They have to be educated through a long process, because, ladies and gentlemen, this really is rocket science.” (From Tom Friedman’s The World Is Flat chapter seven – titled “The Quiet Crisis” ) (Tom Friedman is Foreign Affairs Columnist for the NY Times) http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/266/