Program Summary 

At the end of the school year of 2014-2015 at South Effingham Middle School, it was announced by the administration that we were beginning the journey of becoming a STEA2M classified school.  The administration provided each teacher with information about the expectations that would be required as an STEA2M teacher including the application for consideration followed by an interview.  During the 2015-2016 school year, SEMS implemented a STEA2M team for each grade level, for the first time, where students applied to be on the STEA2M team.  There were 163 students enrolled in this program, which was 17% of our school population.  There were 56 students in 6th grade, 54 in 7th grade, and 53 in 8th grade.  Teachers had a PBL training from Buck Institute to provide support for the STEA2M program and the parents of the participating students were invited to an informational STEA2M night at the beginning of the year.  We offered Physical Science and Spanish to our 8th-grade students as high school credit classes.  Physical Science had 34 students and Spanish had 54 students.  This same school year South Effingham Middle started a Science Enrichment Connection, STEA2M club, and created Makerspace, which was the first step in turning our library into a STEA2M friendly environment. 

In the school year, 2016-2017 students and teachers reapplied and there were 291 students in the program which was 27% of our population.  There were 121 STEM students in 6th grade, 84 in 7th grade, and 86 in 8th grade.  The 6th grade interest increased creating two teams to accommodate the numbers.  We also changed the focus from STEA2M to STEM.  We joined with GSU to assist with our program and teachers hosted a STEM Night for students to present their projects at the end of the year.  

In 2017-2018 the teachers and students remained in the program and open slots for teachers were assigned.  There were 229 students in the STEM program, which was 20% of our population.  There were 60 STEM students in 6th grade, 85 in 7th grade, and 84 in 8th grade.  We went back to one team per grade lowering the numbers and using a higher standard for the criteria for enrollment.  

We continued the process the same for 2018-2019 and there were 236 students in the STEM program which was 23% of our population.  There were 79 STEM students in 6th grade, 77 in 7th grade, and 80 in 8th grade.  Physical Science had 109 students and we added two more high school credited classes, Algebra and French.  The Algebra class had 24 students.  We also added two Project Lead The Way Classes Design and Modeling and Robotics.  During the spring of this year, teachers voted for STEM vs STEA2M and a program within a school or whole school.  We also polled the parents for their opinions about the program or changing to a whole school program. To prepare for the next step of a whole school STEA2M program we had professional development with Sally Creel and created a partnership with our Honey Ridge Coordinator, Todd Wall.  Teachers were introduced to Honey Ridge with a field trip that included a hayride to familiarize themselves with the farm and the possibilities to make classroom connections. 

For the 2019-2020 school year, SEMS implemented full-school STEA2M and added the double-A to include art and agriculture.  A logo was created and voted on by the staff that incorporated all aspects of STEA2M, and the schedule was changed to incorporate a weekly schedule for STEA2M extension every Friday from 8:30 - 9:20 am. The STEA2M extension on Friday started with four weeks of introducing the foundation for future lessons.  We added an STEA2M Coach to assist with planning, modeling, and supporting teachers and continued professional development for the teachers with Sally Creel to transition to full school STEA2M. The students attended Honey Ridge Agricenter at least 3 times a year for outdoor STEA2M learning and we added one more high school credited class, Agriculture Science that had 28 students. The Algebra class had 48 students and the Physical Science class had 138 students.  A Project Lead the Way Class was added App Creators and a STEA2M lab that teachers could sign up to utilize.

In the year 2020-2021, we partnered with Discovery Education for professional development and added weekly PLC STEA2M time.  The administration received training from Discovery Education with the discussion of the 4Cs (Creativity, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Collaboration) through classroom visits. Teachers also developed how each of the 4Cs would look in our school.  Input was given by all teachers and we developed the Learner Profile for SEMS to describe what a learner at SEMS should be.  A group of 25 teachers had professional development with Discovery Education throughout the year and the Core 4, four teachers from each subject area, received one-on-one coaching with Discovery Education.  The Core Four developed lessons and advocated the use of the 4Cs in the Design Process.  The Core 4 would redeliver these lessons during PLCs which started the process of other teachers sharing lessons to receive feedback.

During the 2021-2022 school year, South Effingham Middle School sustained its commitment to a whole-school STEA2M approach, maintaining crucial partnerships with Honey Ridge Agricenter and Discovery Education. The STEA2M  block continued every Friday, featuring foundational lessons for students. The school secured a grant from the Whole Foods Foundation to establish a pumpkin patch area at Honey Ridge Agricenter. New teachers engaged in professional development through Discovery Education during pre-planning in August 2021. The CORE 4 teachers continued to receive one-on-one coaching from Discovery Education to further develop and advocate for the use of the 4 C’s (Creativity, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Collaboration) and the 5 Essential Elements of Units. The Media Center transformed a Learning Commons to create a more dynamic and interactive space aligned with modern teaching and learning practices. The school also attained Cognia STEM Certification and participated in various activities, including professional development with Georgia Southern University on Content Integration and attendance at the GA STEM Forum. The year concluded with a group of teachers signing up to attend PBL Works Training that summer.

In the 2022-2023 school year, South Effingham Middle School anticipated an addition in Fall 2023, featuring an 8th-grade wing, a larger Learning Commons, and an STEA2M Lab. Teachers attended the GA STEM Forum and formed PBL documentation for each grade level, submitted a sampling of artifacts for the GA STEM certification, and created an action plan based on the artifacts submitted.  Administration and teachers visited GA STEM Certified Schools, including Richmond Hill Middle, St. Mary’s Middle School, and Tybee Maritime, and provided valuable insights. The year also included Journal Training and PBL Training with Allyson Morgan from GA STEM to support our action plan.

The 2023-2024 school year, South Effingham Middle School remains active in professional development, attending the GA STEM Forum and dedicating workdays to planning for projects and updating the STEA2M website. Additionally, SEMS presented at the Cognia Conference, showcasing our STEA2M  goals and achievements. Notably, South Effingham Middle School was awarded 3rd place in the state in the Extension Vegetable Research and Education Award. As we strive for 1st place next year, the UGA Extension office also received a $5000 grant for an irrigation system to put in place at the SEMS pumpkin patch area at Honey Ridge Agricenter. Continuing to increase our competitions, we have a group of students who participated in the Lego League for the 1st time, acquiring three Spike Primes through a purchase from our Color Me Krazy STEA2M fundraiser. The school's commitment to STEA2M education and engagement continues to flourish in the pursuit of excellence.

Looking ahead to the current 2024-2025 school year, South Effingham Middle School has introduced a new journal protocol to ensure consistency and clarity in student work. This protocol will help maintain uniformity across all journals, providing clear evidence of each grade level’s focus on the updated Project-Based Learning (PBLs). These PBLs are meticulously designed to align with academic standards and address driving questions, aimed at deepening students' understanding and enhancing their problem-solving skills. Additionally, our teachers and students will attend and present at the GA STEM Forum, where we will showcase our STEA2M initiatives and student projects. This participation will offer us a valuable opportunity to share our achievements and gain insights from other STEA2M programs. We are also actively pursuing GA STEM Certification, a significant step that will further validate our commitment to excellence in STEA2M education and underscore our dedication to providing high-quality, innovative learning experiences for our students.

As we reflect on the STEA2M history over the past few years we have grown drastically from a small number of students participating in STEA2M to the whole school participating in the classroom and during the STEA2M extension weekly.  The focus of our STEA2M identity involves our mission of making every moment count because every student matters.  Offering the STEA2M curriculum to every student provides all of them an opportunity to expand their education to prepare them for a successful future.  Our students have a connection with the Design Process during the STEA2M extension and in the classroom. Our brand includes a collection of STEA2M opportunities that students can participate in during and after the school day at South Effingham Middle School. We provide high school math, science, Spanish, French, and Agriculture Classes.  Connections offer a variety of opportunities for our students to connect our STEA2M program such as art, agriculture, science enrichment, media arts, theater, band, and chorus.  We also have Project Lead the Way Courses that include Robotics, Design, and Modeling and added App Creators. Our transformation from a Media Center into a Learning Commons hosting multiple classes and a makerspace provides a broader educational shift towards more interactive, technology-driven, and collaborative learning environments that better prepare students for the challenges of the modern world.  After school, we provide Science Olympiad, STEA2M Club, CTAE Clubs known as TSA and FFA, Future City, Chess Club, Art Club, Interactive Club, Writing Club, Math Club, FFA, Reading Club, Effingham Future Teachers and Student Council where students can participate in activities that pertain to their interest. We believe with these things in mind, we fulfill our vision of Engaging Learners for Future Success.