Science. Technology. Engineering. Mathematics.
Not so long ago, our school community decided that a STEM-focused education was important, and began to take a closer look at what direction we wanted to go as a school. We did not want to lose any of the wonderful and beautiful things that were already great about our school, but we do not strive to be a good school, not even a great school. We strive to be the best we can possibly be.
What makes our school a STEM school? For starters, we use Project Lead the Way (PLTW) for every grade from Children’s House (CH) to Elementary II(E2). In PLTW, students learn and use critical thinking, problem-solving, engineering, and robotics. Additionally, students in E2 have the opportunity to learn basic level computer science and programming using scratch or code.org! Our school also collaborates with a variety of professionals in STEM fields – whether by bringing them into the classroom or going on STEM outings.
In the Adolescent Program (AP), we have an even greater focus on STEM. Our math and science curriculum is roughly 25% blended to focus on broader STEM topics and show the connections between those fields. Students in AP also have a variety of opportunities to explore computer science in a variety of different ways. We do not use PLTW at the adolescent level, but we are working on starting our very own robotics team here at LMSS! We have interim classes which are deep-dives into one specific subject for 1-3 weeks. This year, students were able to take STEM classes such as STEM-focused archery, videogame design, drone piloting, and Bioethics. The adolescent program is all about offering choice, which is why we have so many different opportunities for students to earn their STEM and computer science credits.
A good STEM education is important to our school because it helps students to grow and develop into young adults with an array of problem-solving and critical thinking skills and a passion to make a positive impact on the world around them.