Partnerships

Domain Summary: Partnerships

As evidenced by the letters of support submitted with our STEM Certification application, Manchester Community Schools is blessed to have the support of and access to a tremendous group of community partners. These partners open their doors to our students, share their expertise and feedback with our teachers, and support extra-curricular STEM opportunities for all students.

Manchester University

MCS works with a variety of Manchester University departments to connect students to and with post-secondary educational experiences. Walk Into My Future, an annual event hosted by Manchester University in partnership with the Community Foundation of Wabash County, exposes K-3rd-graders to college and careers while introducing 529 savings plans.

OrthoWorx

Manchester partners with OrthoWorx to introduce students to opportunities in the orthopedic industry. Together we provide students with basic skills required for a production position in orthopedics.

Boy Scout Troop 465

Eagle Scout projects often address a need in the community or school system. Two recent projects added handicappped-accessible trails and raised bed gardens to the MES Outdoor Learning area.

Equitable Education Solutions (Create2THINK)

Through an IDOE Digital Learning Community Partners grant, MCS partnered with Equitable Education Solutions for professional development and materials to increase the knowledge and instructional capacity for integrated STEM/PBL implementation for teachers and administrators.

Community Foundation of Wabash County

“In 2012, the Community Foundation of Wabash County committed one half of its unrestricted grantmaking to a set of strategic initiatives designed to help advance the educational attainment level in the county. Instead of waiting for needs to arise, the Foundation, in partnership with others, asked where it could apply grants strategically to change conditions at the source of community problems. The persistent problems of unemployment, hunger, poverty, and illiteracy repeatedly led back to low levels of education. Strategic programs to support education dovetail with the regional work of the Big Goal Collaborative, a program of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership for Economic Development. The partners of the collaborative are working to raise the number of working adults with post-secondary education or high quality industry certifications from 32% to 60% by 2025.” (copied from: https://www.cfwabash.org/grants/education-matters) The Community Foundation financially supports programs and initiatives that directly impact MCS families. Programs such as Begindergarten and The Promise Scholars equip students for learning and incentivize the pursuit of post-secondary education. The Community Foundation grant program funds a variety of school-related activities such as the elementary outdoor learning lab and high school media center upgrades.

Bayer Foundation

The Bayer Foundation provided start-up funds that supported activities surrounding the construction, use, and maintenance of our Outdoor STEM Learning Lab gardens.

Indiana Science Olympiad (INSO)

“Science Olympiad employs cross-cutting concepts in all of its standards-aligned events, building 21st century skill sets essential to today’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce. There are 23 events each in Division B (middle school) and Division C (high school), providing a platform for students to apply and display a wide variety of talents, from design and prototyping, to technical writing, to chemistry lab skills.” (copied from https://www.soinc.org/bc-events) Our long-standing partnership with Indiana Science Olympiad has provided hundreds of students the opportunity to dive deeper into areas of STEM that they are passionate about. Students visit college campuses, interact with professors and like minded peers, and often discover a career pathway through the Science Olympiad experience. #INSciOly #SquireScience #SquireSTEM

Grow Wabash County

Grow Wabash County serves as a bridge to connect MCS students with local businesses for internships and work-based learning experiences. This organization served as an advisor and also wrote a letter of support for our successful Next Level Programs of Study Implementation grant.

Ivy Tech, Fort Wayne

Ivy Tech, Fort Wayne partners with MCS to offer Dual Credit opportunities to our students. They have played an integral role in the creation of a Next Level Program of Study in Business Administration, which Manchester will serve as the pilot program for the state.

Work-Based Learning placements: Precision Medical Technology, Instrumental Machine and Development, Paragon Medical, Inc, Crossroads Bank, Parkview Hospitals, Indiana Physical Therapy

4.1 Community Partner Feedback

At least three community partners, from different sectors, provide feedback on the school's STEM program

Community Support and Feedback

Each building in Manchester Community Schools presented to a public forum their Strategic Plan regarding STEM Strategic Planning. This slide was printed on a poster and a gallery walk was conducted with members of the local community invited to provide feedback prioritizing projects they would like to see take place in the coming years.

MES STEM SP Slide - Sue Gnagy.pdf

I am very impressed by the currency and thoroughness the Manchester Community Schools (MCS) has exhibited in this MCS 5-Year STEM plan and recommend them for certification. The breadth of community partner outreach and by the dynamic choice of curriculum materials and programs that is evidenced in this plan is excellent. Clearly this collaborative effort by the MCS STEM Innovation team has been fruitful in striving toward some very high STE(A)M goals since 2018, which include well-known and up-to-date sources. I especially like the emphasis on inquiry-based learning, the choice of Vision Statement (“Never stop wondering!” by NSTA author Emily Morgan) and the characteristics chosen for the “Profile of a Graduate Attributes.” It is very appropriate that the curriculum offerings are supported with teacher training, and that ongoing teacher collaboration is part of the teaching environment. The team has done a phenomenal job of accessing grants from all possible areas to help in this effort, and for this should be commended.

Kathleen Konicek-Moran, Ed.D.

NSTA Author and Illustrator

MCS STEM Cert Review

MU STEM LoS - Sue Gnagy.pdf

Feedback MCS Stem Plan

Equitable Education Solutions

We have partnered with EES in order to help guide us in our STEM programming efforts. Dr. Mike Langevine has supported in providing STEM guidance in compliance with the STEM Certification goals. A team of his consultants has conducted regular professional development sessions with our staff in order help us focus our cross curriculum planning for two years.

4.2 STEM Career Exploration

Elementary and Middle School: At least 50 percent of STEM units have career exploration/information as a part of the curriculum

High School: At least 50 percent of students have direct experiences with STEM professionals and/or professional STEM work environments quarterly

WalkIntoMyFuture2020.mp4

Walk Into My Future is an annual career exploration event host by Manchester University and sponsored in partnership with The Community Foundation of Wabash County.

Each grade level utilizes the CREATE2THINK PBL units. Each unit embeds a different STEM career connection within it. This allows students to access 8 different STEM careers per grade level. The career connections involve visual thinking routines to support metacognition and research and exposure to the variety of careers within the field.

This is an example of a career connection lesson within one of the units. Students will begin by engaging with the career video then follow through with the activity. These embed visible thinking routines to promote metacognition.

Our smallest learners enjoy exploring STEM careers as part of the PK curriculum.

4.3 Community Engagement

Five or more established community partners are actively engaged in the STEM program

Community Letter of Support

Manchester University

MU STEM LoS - Sue Gnagy.pdf

STEM College Interns

STEM College interns painted our barn and now over 350 students have planted vegetable seeds within.

IMG_3896 - Joel Eichenauer.jpg

Teaming Up with The Boy Scouts

Our local Boy Scout Troop 465 has been actively engaged in projects at MES. They were looking for COVID friendly projects close to home and had an Eagle Scout needing to complete a community service final project. I blazed a trail through the school owned undeveloped woods out back behind the elementary school. They helped clear a wider path, lay down mulch, and the Eagle Scout Project was to build steps to access the woods from the roadway as well as build child sized benches in the area I selected to become our Outdoor Classroom. All Kindergarteners through Third graders have throughly enjoyed learning and exploring here. In our age of no field trips and increasing transportation costs paired with limited school funds, this has been a wonderful resource area that can be accessed with only a 5 minute walk out the school doors.

IMG_3744 - Joel Eichenauer.jpg

Partnership with Bayer Fund: America's Farmers Grow Rural Education

Bayer Fund Grant: America's Farmers Grow Rural Education helped us build a greenhouse to conduct real growing experiments extending the growing season for our region. Since gardens thrive in the summer and school is not in session during many of those months, this now enables us to explore longer and in more depth in the fall and spring. Currently in October, we have radishes almost ready to harvest, lettuce about 4 inches tall, pea plants over 7 inches tall and nearing blooming, and carrots sprouted and growing similar to winter wheat that will be harvested in the mid spring when gardens are usually just getting planted. Growing locally produced, fresh food is a great life skill that our students can use personally and for professional, retail employment in the future.

IMG_6448 - Joel Eichenauer.jpg

Eagle Scouts Partnership

Our raised beds were built as part of an Eagle Scout project and coordination with myself as the STEM specialist. We hired a local company to fill partially with topsoil. The group of guys were so excited to see what we were doing to foster hands on outdoor learning, they decided to donate their time and topsoil delivery. Everywhere we turn, our community is embracing our STEM Outdoor Learning Lab.

IMG_3895 - Joel Eichenauer.jpg

Manchester University Author Illustrator Engagement

In September 2019, Manchester University sponsored an author/illustrator visit for Manchester Elementary School. The author and illustrator team were Robin van Frankenhuyzen and Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen. The husband and wife duo shared stories of rehabilitating animals for over 20 years and anecdotes about their farm, Hazel Ridge, located in Michigan. Both presentations were interactive, and students who were not in session with the speakers spent time outside collecting evidence of living creatures and plants - leaves, animal cocoons, walnuts, etc. The husband and wife pair have written and illustrated several picture books together based on their own outdoor experiences with their two daughters at Hazel Ridge Farm. Manchester Elementary students, staff, and families were then invited to a special reception for Robin and Gijsbert.

MES STEM Outdoor Learning Lab

4.4 Extended Learning

STEM activities such as robotics and engineering clubs, internships, and apprenticeships are available and accessible by at least 50 percent of students in an on-going basis

Copy of Online.Reg.Jan

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Manchester Elementary School will be offering summer enrichment programs for all students. Families can choose from STEM, Book Club, Landscaping, or an Academic Focus. Click on the link to see the program pamphlet.

4.5 Equity

Provides at least three opportunities/modes to inspire and inform under-represented students about careers in STEM fields

Animal Rehabilitation

The author and illustrator team of Robin van Frankenhuyzen and Gisbert van Frankenhuyzen shared their work of rehabilitating animals at their farm and then using their real-life experiences as they inspiration for their literary pursuits.

Virtual Field Trips

Environmental educators from Fort Caswell, North Carolina, provided a look at ocean life. (See Image Carousel below). During their virtual visit, students learned about career pathways, ocean animals, beaches, and environmental impact. Students were especially excited to see the turtles and learn about Loggerhead turtles, which were featured in one of the books the class had recently read and researched. Students were given the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the field trip. This field trip is one in a series of field trips planned for our elementary classrooms.

Kindergarten Nature Walk

During the first week of the new school year, Kindergarten students carry out a Nature Walk to learn about their new school and acquaint themselves with their new surroundings for the next 4 years.

Kdg_1st Data Collection - Joel Eichenauer.pdf

Accessible Trail

An accessible trail has been built by the Boy Scouts in the wooded area near the door to Manchester Elementary School. Students on the trail can learn about the environmental impact on the land observed in the nearby ravine that was filled with metal and debris but has been since been cleaned up.

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Collaborative Planning

Teachers at Manchester Elementary collaborate together with grade level teams, specials teachers, and support staff to incorporate cross curricular materials to inspire students in a variety of fields.

Community Partners

Community Partners was started in 2016 (currently shut down because of COVID restrictions, but plans are in place to continue the program as soon as it is safe to do so). The goal of the program is to make a positive impact on students of low socioeconomic status by partnering them with a caring adult from the community. The adult mentors include but are not limited to: water/safety department employees, university professors, employees of our local retirement homes, residents of our local retirement homes, school bus drivers, homemakers, small business owners, beauticians, etc... These adults meet once weekly with students (one on one) and work on communication skills, solving puzzles, creating, building, etc...

Bulletin boards and displays around the school broadcast messages of positivity, encouragement, and career exploration. Elementary students are learning "have grit, don't quit!"

Below are some images from bulletin board and showcase displays. There are career pathways listed on the basket of each hot air balloon.

Field Trips

MES students participate in a variety of fields trips (with the exception of this year due to the pandemic) that inform them about careers in STEM fields.

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