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School/program engages in a continuous improvement process for STEM.
School/program engages in a continuous improvement process for STEM.
Concept 1 - School/program engages in a researchbased process for continuous improvement that involves establishing strategic vision and STEM goals, as well as planning for, implementing, monitoring and adjusting STEM initiatives.
Concept 1 - School/program engages in a researchbased process for continuous improvement that involves establishing strategic vision and STEM goals, as well as planning for, implementing, monitoring and adjusting STEM initiatives.
The continuous improvement plan at FWE has been led jointly by the teacher leadership of the School Improvement Lead Team (SILT) and the Math and STEAM PLTs. The SILT, STEAM PLT, and Math PLT reflect on the student and adult learning, recommend needed new learning, and design the next steps for Fairhope West Elementary. The research-based process includes the AdvancEd ACIP plan, the Science Foundation of Arizona’s STEM Immersion Guide, and the COGNIA STEM certification process.
STEM Implementation Guide introductory.pdfSTEAM Immersion Guide Checklist
Untitled.pdfIndividual Self-Assessment of STEM Implementation/Readiness
Mission Statement Vote.pdfAs part of the planning stage, every faculty member wrote the vision and mission statement to express the belief in a daily, collaborative, challenging, learning environment where students were empowered to take responsibility for their own learning. This belief has not changed. STEAM became the initiative to bring the vision and mission to life.
Plans to accomplish the mission are directed by the SILT, STEAM and Math PLTs. Yearly, SILT writes the AdvancEd ACIP goals. Along with math and reading improvement goals, the ACIP has included plans for increased collaboration, student ownership through Leader in Me, and improved use of technology. The PLTs meet quarterly to learn in order to adjust the STEAM plan based on new knowledge. Professional Learning Plans have also included creating a collaborative student-centered culture, implementing quarterly project-based learning units, and improving formative and summative assessments learning through STEAM.
RIVENBARK_PLP_Goals_1&2_-_Teacher_2020-11-30.pdfThe implementation of the STEM Plan is three-prong in nature: professional development, student-centered activities, and leadership actions. Examples of professional development and student-centered activities include:
STEAM
Math Talk Moves
High Speed of Trust
Robotics PD including a Sphero Robotics Challenge
Engineering Design Process
SAMR
Math mastery on Khan Academy
Leader in Me
Ruby Payne
Technology - Google Suites, Seesaw
eMINTS
STEAM Lab Enrichments
Technology Incorporation in Learning
Participation in Hour of Code
AMSTI
Pelican’s Nest Experiences
Career Days
Robotics Team Competition
Girls in STEAM
Student Lighthouse Team
Code.org
Increased Literacy Skills and Reading of Non-Fiction
Pelican's Nest.movLeadership actions to implement the STEAM plan include the addition of two STEAM coaches, purchase of STEAM materials, sharing leadership with the SILT team, the Math and STEAM PLTs, and creation of a schedule to promote STEAM enrichment and coaching. Finally, to promote relevance, leadership partners with community stakeholders, such as FEEF, for inquiry-based experiences on Mobile Bay, the area’s most important natural resource. Leadership also partners with Ricky Trione and Fairhope’s love for art in a study of the interaction of oil and water. Together the community stakeholders help to provide one of the student’s most relevant and loved STEAM activities - using robots to clean up oil-based products in Mobile Bay.
Mackenzie Russell from the DISL Alabama Marine Mammal Sighting Network spoke to third-graders! Students learned about the impacts of the DWH oil spill on dolphins. The CARMMHA research shared will help our future citizens protect our Marine mammals.
Monitoring of the implementation of the STEM plan is conducted by the STEAM PLT, the SILT team, coaches and administration through the use of data, surveys, walkthroughs, observations, and participation data. For example, STEAM coaches keep track of the number of classes whose students participate in the Hour of Code, Sphero Robotics Challenge, and PNSL extension activities as well as professional development activities, both required and voluntary after-school like Ozobots and Scratch. Standardized math test scores and Reflex are used to monitor math progress. FEEF presentation reports on the progress made towards the Master Plan Grant. Adjustments are made based on accomplishments of CIP goals, the STEM Immersion Guide, COGNIA STEM certification standards, STEAM PLT feedback, and instructional coach observations.
IMG_2307.MOV
The STEAM PLT guides the continuous improvement process through the planning, implementation, monitoring, and adjusting of the STEAM strategies to meet the goals of the STEAM plan to enhance student learning. Examples of adjustments through the years include:
Need to create a culture of digital literacy - Google Suite to accommodate moving the PNSL lessons to the Google platforms like Google Drive, Google Classroom, and Google Documents
Creation of STEAM PLT for preK and first grade
Continued focus on growth mindset
Adding more student self-assessments
Creation of a K/1 Technology Academy
Focus on rigor and relevance through SAMR, Rigor Divide, and establishing essential questions tied to learning standards
Implement the Buck Institute model for two to four project-based learning units per year
Seek STEAM Certification through COGNIA
Creation of high-quality PNSL lessons for grades four through six
Creation of the EDP Checklist for data collection
Learning how to measure student learning through performance-based assessments and rubrics
Concept 2 - School/program engages in a process for strategic resource management to ensure that there are adequate resources and supports for the full implementation of the STEM program.
Concept 2 - School/program engages in a process for strategic resource management to ensure that there are adequate resources and supports for the full implementation of the STEM program.
To fully implement STEAM in a non-title funded school, resource management is key. Funding is provided from a variety of sources. The STEAM coaching staff, Math and STEAM PLT, and the classroom teachers collaborate to determine how to best utilize funds for professional development and materials for upcoming PBL units.
FEEF began the commitment in 1997 by building a house for the Pelican’s Nest Science Lab and all of the materials and supplies in the PNSL. Aquariums, fishing equipment, science tables and chairs, etc have all been purchased. In addition to the PNSL, FEEF provides $25,000 each year through a Master Grant Plan. This money is used to support the FWE STEAM Lab with instructional materials and supplies like robots, art lessons connected with the PNSL field experiences, makerspace kits, Lego Education - WeDo Robots and Simple Machines, More to Math Classroom Packs, Sphero Classroom Packs, Engineering is Elementary Engineering Design/Process curriculum, and artists, Cheryl Bowen and Susan Haines, who connect art with the PNSL labs and field experiences.
Pelican's Nest
FEEF also provides money for classroom grants. Examples of classroom grants include Breakout Boxes, a plethora of informational books, Clear Touch Interactive Touch Boards, National Geographic Magazines, Ozobots, Sphero robots, Beebots, Gigglebots, and Yahboom Robots.
State Foundation units were and are being used to hire teachers to coach other teachers and teach students.
A four-year commitment of $100,000 to the Leader in Me program was made using fundraisers and a $36,000 grant from Senator Tripp Pittman.
The BCBE continues to hire the PNSL educator. The PNSL now serves all kindergarten through sixth grade students in the Fairhope feeder pattern as well as students from other Baldwin County schools.
Teachers vote on using State Technology funds to purchase technology that supports STEAM education: Mystery Science, Reflex, IXL, Core Clicks, and other nonfiction text supports. Teachers utilize other free sites: Alabama Virtual Library, Seesaw, Adobe Spark, Scratch Jr., Flip Grid, and Padlet.
The future of STEAM funding is even more promising! Residents of Fairhope passed a 3-mill property tax assessment to go directly to the Fairhope Schools for instruction. It is estimated that FWE will receive over $350,000 per year for 30 years to support instruction like STEAM.
Finally, FEEF and Watershed have joined together to envision and plan for a STEAM Center to provide long-term and consistent educational contributions to all Baldwin County students year-round! STEAM Center. The sky's the limit for our schools in STEAM education!
Sustaining Current Practices
Sustaining Current Practices
Teacher leadership through SILT, Math PLT, and STEAM PLT lead the continuous learning plan for the school.
PNSL and STEAM coaches provide effective coaching and STEAM experiences for teachers moving the STEAM program to deeper and more effective implementation for student learning.
Community, state, and district stakeholders partner with Fairhope West Elementary to provide STEAM resources, including personnel.
Third grade student leaders were instructing teachers on how to calibrate and control robots during the STEAM PLT. The students have become teachers! What a great way to empower their genius!
Next Steps
Next Steps
The school year 20-21, Fairhope Elementary School had a reconfiguration from grades kindergarten to third grade to kindergarten through sixth grade. Our new name is Fairhope West Elementary. To prepare for the needs of the upper elementary student, teachers will continue to assess STEAM resource needs for the students in grades four through six.
Engage more teachers in eMINTS training.
FWE teachers will continue to create more performance work assessments and rubrics that reflect mastery of standards.
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