Our CSE Cohort leadership team started in 2019, with a grade level teacher representative from kindergarten, first, second, and third grade at Richardson. It also included the Richardson librarian, the Richardson principal, our Director of Student Services, and the district instructional and elementary data coaches. This formed our Elementary Computer Science Cohort. The cohort met weekly. These meetings included: a deep dive into the CS Standards, a book study on computational thinking, selected and piloted the CSinSF Curriculum, chose and ordered materials to support the curriculum, planning for a community presentation about what would be done in computer science by grade level.

During the next phase in 2020, a teacher representative from each grade level at Lincoln, and their librarian were added to the cohort. A half-time Computer Science Integration Coach was also added.

In 2021, the Computer Science Integration Coach position transitioned to a full time position. A preschool teacher representative, and a special education teacher representative were added to the cohort. Leaders met bi-weekly as the Computer Science Cohort. During this phase, teachers looked at their priority standards in reading and math and looked for ways that computer science could be integrated to support these standards. These teacher leaders also provided computer science support to their grade level teams. Their interest and excitement for computer science spread to their fellow teachers. As a result of the hard work of this cohort, ALL Fort Madison kindergarten through third grade students are receiving direct computer science instruction and computer science integration.