Understanding STEM Education

• STEM has a positive impact on African American student achievement.
• Increase student, parent and most importantly teacher/staff awareness of and purpose STEM education- NCDPI resources /GCS Strategic Plan
• Toured successful STEM program in Charlotte
• An administrator with a science & math background was hired in 2012 who currently serves on the GCS-STEM strategic team and GCS- AG Advisory committee.
• NCDPI resources utilized - Surveys
• Local resources- colleges
• STEMology Night created- Principal

Use 2012-13

• Increase the use of Epson
• Utilizing technology more to decrease the use of worksheets
• Using technology for assessments
• Purchased additional technology
• Morning broadcast show
• Sharepoint
• Web pages
• The class dojo program is used to reinforce positive behavior by using ClassDojo school-wide as part of our PBIS program. Class Dojo has (1)helped us with the decrease of paper used for the recognition of our students, (2) helped with school plans with the integration of technology (3) helped improve the communication between teachers and parents (4) helped with decrease the number of  students in OS

Instructional - Technology Use vs. Integration

Teachers use a variety of technology, including virtual and online resources, to meet student needs.

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• Integration 2013 - present day

• All of the above continued from the integration perspective.
• 2:1 model and teachers also utilize Airwatch and Mobi's to facilitate instruction.  

• NearPod, Edmodo, Reading A-Z, Sumdog, LearnZillion, Spelling City, Reflex Math, Gynzy, Gizmo (Explorelearning), Discovery Education,  National Geographic, etc. to enhance the instructional and student learning experiences.  
• Newly-  use of Achieve3000, Front Row, and Readtheory
• Class dojo - continues to use school-wide to address PBIS as well as another to communicate with parents via messaging and, most recently, using class story.  

Instructional - STEM, Common Core, and Essential Standards

• The transition to the common core was in line with the instructional rigor needed for students to be successful beyond K-5 in the STEM fields.
• The purpose is not only to increase the number of STEM-related professionals but also to provide students with the STEM backgrounds needed to increase their ability to demonstrate mastery of higher-level science and math content at the secondary level.
• Informational text and STEM

Instructional - Magnet Positions

• A full-time technology & engineering specialist and magnet coordinator who not only teaches grades K-5 but provides the school with technology support.  

• A full-time technology& engineering specialist addresses the E in STEM through our Technology/Engineering lab.  We have integrated the use of LEGO Robotics and introduced students to the five E’s of engineering.   

• In the Technology/Engineering lab, our Bluford STEMologist creates products using LEGO Robotics to solve real-world issues.  

• Full-time science specialist who not only teaches grades K-5 science but provides the teachers with science support.

• All students (K-5) who attend Bluford STEM Academy interact and participate in both courses (science lab and engineering/tech lab) weekly.
• The Science Specialist implements Engineering is the Elementary curriculum. As students learn science content, they must use the engineering design process to design projects that solve problems.
• Teachers use a variety of technology, including virtual and online resources, to meet student needs.