STANDARD 5
LEADERSHIP: Leaders ensure that all stakeholders have ongoing opportunities to access information and learn about STEM implementation.
INITIATIVES/ACTIONS:
- SIC STEM Involvement
- Increasing community awareness of STEM
Beaufort Elementary realizes the importance of training faculty for the implementation of STEM. There are many in-house professional developments scheduled to help teachers effectively implement STEM learning. There are members of the STEM Leadership team that are available to consult and team-teach in classrooms during STEM activities. Several of our staff members had the opportunity to attend the National NSTA (National Science Teaching Association) Conference. Several teachers were involved in PLO's (professional learning opportunities) provided by the SC State Department of Education on 3-D printing which incorporated other technologies to teach STEM. We have teachers that are and have been involved in graduate classes and training from various universities that have a focus on STEM learning.
Each year as we plan for the Title I budget expenditures, we gather input from SIC (School Improvement Council), administration, and teachers. This group has allotted a large portion of funding to support STEM Iearning in our building. The SIC has helped select STEM-based field trips for each grade level in order to ensure that students have exposure to STEM experiences across the state at no cost to the students. This means that if a child attends BES for their entire elementary career, they will attend seven major field trips that expose them to experiences, vocabulary, and background knowledge that will help them be more successful in all learning including STEM. Another sizeable portion of our budget is set aside for the purchase of STEM materials for the entire school including parental activities. It is very important that teachers have the necessary materials to execute their lessons. Additionally, money is allocated for salaries for our after school STEM programs.
As we plan for STEM we also keep in mind our students and their families. We ensure that all students have ample opportunities to participate in activities that would enhance our STEM program as it grows deeper within the curriculum. Beaufort Elementary provides STEM learning opportunities both during and after school throughout the year. For several years now, students have participated in the "Hour of Code" program. STEM night occurs yearly. It is an evening of sharing information about STEM with parents and explains ways that they can create STEM experiences at home. At this event, we have an engineering challenge that allows families to communicate and work together to solve a problem. Additionally, we have had Joe Ryan, from the SC Division of Internet Crimes Against Children & Cybersafety come to speak with families about cyber safety during school Community Nights.
Beaufort Elementary School also incorporates community outreach when possible. They host an annual Career Day where community stakeholders provide real-world learning opportunities to share STEM careers and experiences with students. During the Christmas parade, our school's float showcased STEM learning. We keep our community stakeholders informed about STEM events and highlight lessons taking place in classrooms through our Facebook page and the school newsletter.
At Beaufort Elementary School we include as many of our shareholders as possible in our planning and implementation of STEM. We would welcome the opportunity to grow our community members and parent participation.