Embedded Files
Domain 1 – Culture
The Museum of Science and Industry’s (MSI) STEM team at Lake Hills STEM Magnet School consists of a representative from each grade level, two parents, the STEM coordinator, and principal. This decision-making team meets the 3 rd Monday of the month to plan and implement our school’s STEM plan. Our school has been working with the MSI Science Leadership team for three years to look critically at our Science/STEM program. Essential elements we examined and improved upon were values, collaboration and planning, curriculum and instruction, professional learning, communication, technology, partners, and money (see ratings in evidence section). During this 4 th year of our partnership, MSI staff are providing Lake Hills staff with professional development on-site.
Our staff focuses on a different area of Science each trimester starting with Life Science, Physical Science, and then Earth and Space Science. Engineering and Computer Sciencestandards are incorporated into each of these topics. Grade level teams teach at least one module of Project Lead the Way during the year based on their curriculum map.
Study trips and speakers are based on grade level standards. We have found multiple community partners to provide background knowledge on the topics being studied, so each grade has their own unique list of opportunities. No experience is duplicated.
Lake Hills STEM Magnet School is within walking distance to Lake Michigan which provides us with a unique place-based outdoor learning environment. This natural resource, in our backyard, is used by classes for study trips with community exerts to help them learn about topics such as water quality, pollution, climate change, weather, etc. On-site we have a rain garden, butterfly gardens, raised bed gardens, bird and squirrel houses, and an Outdoor STEM Learning Lab for additional exploration about the natural world.
When you enter Lake Hills STEM Magnet School you are immersed in STEM; displays of student work, family STEM projects that were created at home, and students engaged in a variety of hands-on activities. TV monitors in common areas display photos of students on study trips, working with community experts, and immersed in learning in their classrooms.
A district technology initiative has provided students in grades 3-6 with individual Chrome Books that are used in the classroom and taken home on e-learning days. Additional grade levels will be receiving chrome books in the future. Interactive Promethean Boards are used in each of the K-2 classrooms. Technology is integrated into many areas of the curriculum and during instruction. The LaPorte County Public Library has provided professional development and classroom kits to help us teach computer science standards.
In the classrooms, desks are arranged in small groups to facilitate collaboration. Grades 1-6 have a common pod area that the classrooms are adjacent to, which helps facilitate small group instruction and group work.
The school schedule provides grade level teams with the opportunity to have common special (art, music, physical education) periods. During this three hour block of time, teams plan for science integration into the rest of the curriculum and review data. Trade books related to the topic are used for guided reading and read-alouds.
1.1 Decision-Making
1.1 Decision-Making
Lake Hills’ decision making MSI (Museum of Science and Industry) team consists of a representative from each grade level and related arts, the principal, STEM Coordinator, and two parents. The team meets the third Monday of each month. Museum staff visited Lake Hills in January, 2020 as part of the new alumni partnership program. They shared the attached slide show to help inform new staff members of the program and to remind seasoned staff of our journey with MSI. Additional slides have been added to the presentation to share the roster of team members, meeting agendas, ratings of our progress in improving science instruction, and the action plan for the future.
1.1 culture Copy of Lake Hills ASPC - 01.23.19.pptx1.2 School Schedules
1.2 School Schedules
Classroom teachers plan with resource teachers to develop a daily/weekly schedule. The staff integrates science/STEM concepts into ELA instruction. Community experts provide background information and hands-on lessons, on-site in the STEM Lab or during study trips (on and off campus). Students participate in problem-based learning in an integrated STEM curriculum based on IN State Standards and College and Career Readiness Standards.
1.2 culture Schedules.docx1.3 Common Work Time
1.3 Common Work Time
The school’s related arts schedule provides K-6 grade level teams with opportunities to have common special (art, music, physical education) periods. During this three hour block of time each week, grade level teams, special education teachers, curriculum coaches and the STEM Coordinator plan for STEM integration. Grade level teams have a 90-minute reading block where a portion of the integration occurs. Teams also review data during their common planning time to determine if changes need to be made to planned instruction or curriculum .
During weekly PLC times, all staff, including related arts staff, discuss opportunities to integrate STEM and strenghten STEM intructional strategies in all classrooms. Plans for STEM Family Nights are also discussed during PLC.
Additional Documentation
Additional Documentation
1.4 Classroom Layout
1.4 Classroom Layout
100% of the staff at Lake Hills have the autonomy to arrange their classroom space, as needed. Students’ desks are arranged in groups to facilitate collaborative work. Grades 1-6 have a common pod area that classrooms are adjacent to and which facilitates small group and whole group instruction. The use of technology is evident in all classrooms. Displays of charts, student work, trade books, hands-on materials, etc reflect the science topic currently being studied.
1.4 Classroom Layout.pptx1.5 Sustainability Plan
1.5 Sustainability Plan
The MCAS technology plan provided by Kevin McGuire, technology director shows the plan for technology sustainability at the district level. An updated plan has been included to provide evidence that there is a technolgy plan in place for 5 years.
Curriculum Funding Plan Michigan City Area Schools supports Lake Hills Elementary STEM School by providing a district paid STEM coordinator. The STEM Coordinator supports classroom instruction through collaborative planning with classroom teachers, writing small grants to support STEM programming aligned to specific grade level and classroom projects, professional learning for staff in the integration of STEM in classroom instruction, and the development of family STEM learning events that engage local businesses in supporting Lake Hills.
There is also coordination of funds with Title I and building funds allocated at the district level to support STEM family events, supplies, and specific instructional materials to support the vision of Lake Hills Elementary School. The staff receives stipends to prepare STEM hands-on activities for families and facilitates the activities at STEM Celebrations of Learning each trimester. Access to Discovery Education Digital Science Textbooks was also provided with Title I funds for grades 4-6.
In addition, Sodexo services removed piles of yard waste, helped secure permits, and offered technical advice during the site preparation for Lake Hills’ STEM Outdoor Lab. The LaPorte County Technical and Career Center's building trades class constructed the shelter in 2019. K-6 staff are developing Outdoor STEM curriculum during grade level planning.
Information provided by Cathy Bildhauser, MCAS Curriculum DirectorThe district provides minimal financial support (salary for STEM Coordinator and the use of Title One funds for grade level curriculum planning and implementation of Family STEM Nights). The staff has had to be creative in finding grants and donations to provide STEM curricular items and instructional materials. A slide show is included in the evidence section that showcases the many things we have received in order to enrich our STEM curriculum.
1.6 Measurement of Students Attitudes/Interests
1.6 Measurement of Students Attitudes/Interests
Student Interest Survey
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7S4fgnlEO2qx6Mr2KfWrH8a46Dxfudg56WWQ6szRhbLAsSQ/viewform
The surveys sent to the Lake Hills students gives us great insight into how they view STEM at our school. The responses were favorable in all areas. The highlights included the number of students that have been involved in a STEM club and over 80% enjoyed the experience. Our STEM family night has been attended by over 70% of our students. We would like to work towards getting over 90% of our students attending.
Study trips were also a positive experience for our students. All of the outdoor trips including, but not limited to, Pinhook Bog, Beach Clean-up, Bendix Woods, and Pioneer Days were all given favorable reviews. Two of the favorite trips mentioned were “Crime Scene Investigation” at the Museum of Science and Industry and “Made in Laporte”. For further information from our Student STEM survey, please reference the surveys
The MSI team reviews this information each year to determine if changes are warranted to student programming . Informal conversations during lunch and learn clubs is another format used to give students a voice throughout the year.
Student STEM Survey (1).pdf1.6 Student survey 2019-20.pdfAdditional Documentation
1.7 Student/Parent Feedback Data
1.7 Student/Parent Feedback Data
Student Interest Survey
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd7S4fgnlEO2qx6Mr2KfWrH8a46Dxfudg56WWQ6szRhbLAsSQ/viewform
Familes are surveyed or given informal opportunities to provide feedback throughout the year. The STEM Coordinator attends monthly Parent Group meetings to provide them with upcoming STEM information and to receive feedback or ideas from family members.
Family members are asked to give feedback after chaperoning study trips or working in the classrooms. We have been doing this informally, but have decided to give caregivers a quick exit slip to provide further documentation.
Lake Hills has been having Family STEM nights for ten years. They are always well attended. Community groups and the staff provides hands-on activities for the whole family to participate in, food is served, projects are on display, and a program occurs at the end of the evening. Each year we ask families to give us some feedback on these specific family STEM nights to see if changes are needed.
1.7 Parent Feedback STEM Family Night 2020.docxAdditional Documentation
Copy of 1.7 Family Feedback STEM FAMILY NIGHT SURVEY 2019.docxAdditional Documentation
1.7 Student and parent surveys were conducted during December 2018.docxAdditional Documentation
1.8 STEM Instruction
1.8 STEM Instruction
All teachers are evaluated through the Indiana Department of Education RISE Evaluation and Development System. Teachers are deemed Highly Effective, Effective, Improvement Necessary or Ineffective based on two major components: Professional Practice and Student Learning. Professional Practice is based on the Indiana Teacher Effectiveness Rubric which covers Four Domains: Purposeful Planning, Effective Instruction, Teacher Leadership and Professionalism.
The staff determined that domain 2 (effective instruction) on the RISE rubric would help determine if our STEM integrated instruction is effective. Since elementary classroom teachers are responsible for instruction in multiple disciplines, their evaluations are not specific to STEM implementation but on how well the integration of STEM is helping students learn to read and write.
Pivot is the MCAS evaluation tool that is used by the administrator to assess teacher's progress. Lake Hills' administrator of 49 years is highly qualfied to determne the effectiveness of the teacher's lesson and provides quality feedback (sample teacher's lesson included).
Teacher leaders (ILT team) conducts walk-throughs once a month to determine if best practices are being used in the classrooms. Specific feedback is given to individual teachers, while summaries of what was observed is shared with the staff at PLC meetings. The tool was developed to encourage staff to use self-reflection.
1.9 Instructional Support
1.9 Instructional Support
The STEM Coordinator and the Lake Hills MSI team is providing professional development to 5 new (2019-20) staff members in the areas of Project Lead the Way, science notebooking, and integrated curriculum development during grade level team planning.
Staff from the Museum of Science and Industry provided professional development to the whole staff in January, 2020, They will visit Lake Hills several more times this spring to provide additional professional development since we were selected to be a part of the MSI alumn team. We have worked with MSI staff for four years learning best practices for making science instruction a priority. (see 3.1 for additional evidence)
The MSI decision making team developed a walk through document to look for best practices in classrooms during STEM instruction and provide feedback to teachers. Feedback is provided to teachers by the STEM Coach in a one-on-one situation and is not used for formal evaluations. Teachers also use this tool for self-evaluation.
Our curriculum coaches provide professional development to the whole staff (this year "Backwards Planning" and "DOK levels of questioning") as well as implementation of best practices for teaching ELA during weekly grade level meetings. Professional development during elearning days has been provided by IDOE staff regarding various ways to address the acheivement gap.
See the professional development document in the evidence in this section for other types of trainings teachers have received.
MCAS Walkthrough form (1).pdfAdditional Documentation
1.10 STEM Communications
1.10 STEM Communications
Communication is very important at Lake Hills. Prior to every study trip, a note is sent home to advise parents what their children will be learning. Each month a "What's Happening" list of STEM activities is sent via email, to all staff members. The STEM coordinator updates the staff on upcoming events at monthly staff meetings and also attends monthly parent group meetings to share information and get their ideas. Information about professional development opportunities and new STEM resources are forwarded to staff as they are received. There are TV monitors in common areas of the school which display photos of students on study trips, working with community experts, and participating in classroom hands-on activities. The school website (https://www.mcas.k12.in.us/Domain/12 ) classroom websites, classroom newsletters, our facebook page (facebook.com/LakeHills Elementary/), RoboCall, and PeachJar are additional communication tools used at Lake Hills.
STEM Communication samples.docx1.11 Equity
1.11 Equity
Equity in access and acheivement is standard at Lake Hills. 100% percent of all students at Lake Hills participate in an integrated STEM curriculum daily. Students participate in grade level standards related study trips and work with community volunteers and experts. Grade level teams work collaboratively to develop their daily schedules and integrated curriculum maps so all children receive the same experiences. In addition to classroom instruction, students are invited to participate in extended learning opportunities such as Lunch and Learn Clubs, STEM After School Clubs, LEGO Robotics Club, Coding Club, Science Bowl, and Math Bowl. All students in grades K-6 are invited to bring their families to our STEM Celebrations of Learning which are held each trimester.
The student population has a 83% free and reduced lunch rate and a diverse population consisting of the following: Black 49%, White24%, Multi-racial 16%, Hispanic 10%, and Asian 1%.
Report abuse