STEM K12 15: School/program engages in a continuous improvement process for STEM.

Impact Narrative:

A focus area in our ongoing STEM certification journey is to reflect on our continuous improvement process. Through the 5E process, we recognize that our strengths lie in planning and implementing STEM activities. In 2018, our staff completed a STEAM survey to evaluate teachers' comfort in implementing STEAM activities within their classrooms. Leadership used the data to drive professional development for the remainder of the year and following school years. During the 2021-2022 school year, we gave a follow-up survey to determine the effectiveness of our professional development and growth since we took the initial survey.

Kelly Mill staff pride themselves on instilling the love of STEM in our students. We evaluate our success in student outcomes, both short and long-term. We have many students who have gone on to our district's technology, humanities, and STEM pathway programs at the high school level. We also have students from these programs return and invest current learning with our students and share experiences developed from the knowledge gained at Kelly Mill and beyond. One example is when Grace Humphries, a Colt Alumni, came to teach 5th graders about bacteria and microorganisms during their microorganisms science unit this 2021-2022 school year. Additionally, our KME Colt Alumni, Hannah Testa, began her work with science and the environment as a young girl at Kelly Mill and is globally recognized for her work as detailed at Hannah4Change.org. She has returned to Kelly Mill several times to share her learning with our students and staff.

We feel that part of our continuous improvement reflection for STEM hinges on our ability to impact our students K-12 and into their future. This big picture, longitudinal work that we seek to do continues to be an area of focus. We humbly admit this cycle is continually evolving and a part of the greater journey into more profound levels of STEM work. We also plan to improve on areas of data collection, both generalized in STEM and specifically around students and staff feedback.

Initiatives/Actions/Artifacts:

• STEM ARCHIVES 2022-2023

• PLC Process Feedback Data

• Activities from Quarantine

• 5th Grade Olympics Activity

• Teacher Steam Survey

• Teacher STEAM Survey Results

• Former KME Students Returning to Share STEM with Students

• Hannah 4 Change Website