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Mr. Michael Coyner

  • Teaching Background

    I have been teaching at KIHS since 2004. I hold a teaching certificate in Computer Science (CS), Business Education, and Tech Ed. I teach all of the CS courses: CS Discoveries and the three CS Pathway courses:
     
    • Computer Science I
    • AP Computer Science Principles
    • AP Computer Science A

     

    Bio

    I completed undergrad at James Madison University in Finance and Business Law.  I went to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, while my wife was stationed at Ft. Wainwright, for graduate school where I earned a master's in Computer Science. My graduate research project was Distributed Speech Recognition Services (DSRS), circa 2000, when speech engine technology was still raw.


    I, along with my family, relocated to Kent Island in 2004 for a coaching position with the Naval Academy rugby team. Prior to that, I coached rugby at the Air Force Academy in CO and then the USA Rugby national team. At that time, rugby was a club sport at USNA. Therefore, all the coaching positions were part-time. Full-time commitment but part-time employment. Teaching enabled me to continue coaching as the school day ends at 3, practice starts at 4, perfect fit. I stepped back from coaching post-pandemic. All told, I coached rugby for 20 years, from which I've learned a lot of key life lessons.

    I was hired on a provisional certificate because I had a degree in Computer Science (CS). Special thanks to Dr. Hammond (RIP) for taking a chance on me. CS was a fledgling program when I was hired, but it has since grown into a full pathway. In addition to writing the curriculum for the four CS courses, I've been able to add components to the CS pathway to heighten the student experience. Such as developing a competitive coding team, establishing local internships, and implementing the middle school coding club.

    Each year, a majority of the graduating CS pathway students pursue CS as a college major. Many of whom had no idea what CS was prior to taking their first course in it. I've found that teaching isn't as much about content as it is about positively impacting the lives of our students. I heard that many times over the years but it never struck a cord until it did.  Helping my students find their way and/or identify a career path is, I find, the most rewarding part of being a teacher.

    When I graduated from HS, I had no idea what rugby was, what computer science was, and had never heard of Kent Island. All three ended up being a big part of my life. Life/work is a winding road with lots of twists and turns. You don't know where you'll end up when it's all said and done. I consider myself very fortunate to have coached at two of the Service Academies and to have landed at KIHS.

    My wife, Corinne, and I have two children, Catrina and Alec. I'm proud to say that my kids are products of the QACPS school system. My daughter studied Aerospace Engineering at Purdue and is now working for LockHeed Martin as an aeronautical engineer in their Black Hawk program. My son is currently majoring in CS at Ga Tech.

     

     

    Computer Science Pathway

    The idea that CS can improve the quality of my students’ lives long after they’ve sat in my classroom is my motivation. In an increasingly computer-centric world, the skills students acquire along the pathway are designed to prepare them for the next level. The curriculum work develops their academic, technical, and soft skills. The breadth and depth of skills acquired prepare our students to pursue higher education or, in some cases, enter the workforce.

     

    CS Alumni Page

    The Computer Science Alumni page is a list of the CS pathway students who have or are pursuing a CS degree at the undergraduate level.
     

    CS Coding Club

    The Coding Club is open to all students, no experience is necessary. The club typically meets on the last Wednesday of each month from 2:30-3:30pm in room 206.

     

    Contact

    The best way to reach me is via email: michael.coyner@qacps.org