Standard 1- HA

 

School/program provides equitable opportunities for students to engage in high-quality STEM learning.

 

Heritage Academy believes that no matter students' academic level they should have the opportunity to utilize their creativity to solve real world problems, Project /Problem Based Learning Units lend a way for students to engage in high quality STEM learning. Each grade level implements three to four standards based units each school year. Through the PBLs, students are introduced to problems or projects that require them to utilize creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. Students are in groups of four or less to ensure that all students are heard and can participate in the daily tasks throughout the six weeks that the units occur. Being a one-to-one device school, students are able to utilize technology as they move through the Engineering Design Process (EDP). The EDP is the framework that the students and teachers use to complete the units.

 

To ensure that all students are engaged in high quality STEM Learning, our special needs students are included in the regular education classrooms and supported by educators trained to meet their needs. These educators are not only there to support the special education students, but also to support the class to ensure all students have a voice with their projects.

 

Once a week, our Gifted and Talented students are also engaged with STEM activities during their classes. They have completed challenges and PBLs as a part of our STEM culture.

 

Our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program is integrated in STEM as way for students to practice working together, listening to other's ideas putting it all together to solve real world problems.

 

 

• Weekly collaborative STEM planning time
• Monthly professional development sessions
• STEM occurs in the morning for grades third through fifth grade
• STEM occurs in the afternoon for pre-kindergarten through second grade
• Administrators are assigned to a grade level which allows them to experience the entire PBL
• STEM "Look Fors" were developed and shared with the staff
• The vision of STEM @ Heritage is shared with the staff throughout the year
• Wings Afterschool Program partnered with Heritage Academy
• Include parents with information about the PBLs
• Utilize a co-teaching model to make sure that STEM is integrated throughout the curriculum

 

Stakeholders

• Leaders
• Educators
• Learners