Embedded Files
Cold Spring School strives to have STEM and the environment permeate all aspects of our school. From our culture to curriculum and instruction to the strategic partnerships we cultivate to benefit our students, STEM is everywhere and in everything. That starts with a commitment to STEM education from our administration and staff. Through the Cold Spring Beliefs and Philosophy, we are very clear with our team that we are a STEM school, and all of our staff members are STEM educators. This is exhibited in 100% of our staff participating in yearly PLTW training, Ford PBL training, and participation in our weekly Tech Tuesday training, which is focused on technology and STEM integration.
Starting in Kindergarten, we want our students to be exposed and actively engaged in STEM education. We utilize a blended learning mathematics curriculum, Zearn, that develops the conceptual understanding of mathematics that will prepare students with the foundational skills necessary to pursue STEM careers in the future. We utilize PLTW and have our students engaged in hands-on learning while infusing the design thinking process to empower critical thinking and problem-solving skills with our students.
Our school celebrates STEM regularly and strives to make sure our students see themselves in STEM, whether that is through highlighting African American STEM leaders during Black History Month or influential women in STEM during Women’s History Month. Our teachers will also utilize our great STEM resources within their curriculum to bring learning to life. Our students go on virtual field trips from books they read with our classroom set of VR Googles, utilize Ozobot robots to help practice spelling words, and explore influential figures in history with student-built monuments in Minecraft for Education.
STEM is present in our school-wide events, like Partners in the Environment Day, commonly referred to as PIE Day. During PIE Days, we bring in community partners to teach our students about environmental science and its impact on our world. This is a full day where students are outside interacting and learning in nature. We have STEM Family Nights where students and parents engage in STEM activities, and frequently, our students teach their parents about the skills and concepts they are learning in computer science and in their classes.
Our STEM program has helped to train and equip our award-winning robotics team, which is diverse in terms of race and gender. At Cold Spring, it is just as cool to be on the robotics team as it is an athletic team. We have been fortunate to attend the last seven VEX World Robotics Championships, bringing home five trophies and a banner from the world championships, and numerous Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship trophies and accolades.
When you come to Cold Spring, it is clear that Cold Spring is a STEM school. We are striving to inspire a passion for STEM and the environment in our students every day while equipping them with 21st-Century skills to become global citizens and stewards of the environment.
1.1 Decision-Making
1.1 Decision-Making
In 1.1, you will meet our Cold Spring STEM Advisory Team, which is comprised of parents, staff members, and administration in the oversight of our STEM program. You will discover how our team meets regularly to review feedback from students, families, and 100% of our staff on the effectiveness of our STEM program.
1.2 Common Work Time
1.2 Common Work Time
In 1.2, you will see how Cold Spring has purposefully designed our master schedule to ensure that 100% of our teachers have common planning time each day with their grade level peers, and at least weekly planning time with the grade levels above and below them. Coupled with the numerous planning documents and artifacts created during these planning meetings, including our Calendar of STEM Implementation of Units, we ensure continuity within our STEM program and foster collaboration to take place throughout our school community.
1.3 Sustainability Plan
1.3 Sustainability Plan
In 1.3, you will find Cold Spring’s Sustainability Plan, which outlines our plan to ensure the technology, curriculum, and professional development of new and returning staff members are protected and funded for the next five years. This ensures that our STEM program cannot just exist but thrive for years to come.
1.4 Measurement of Student Attitudes/Interests
1.4 Measurement of Student Attitudes/Interests
In 1.4, you will discover how Cold Spring utilizes student and family surveys from our biannual Panorama student and family survey and our Cold Spring STEM and Career Survey, analysis of our results, and the revisions implemented to our STEM program based on this feedback and data.
1.5 STEM Program Engagement
1.5 STEM Program Engagement
In 1.5, you will see how we engage stakeholders, including parents and community partners, to reflect, grow, and promote our STEM program through our work with International Day of Girl, CS for Good competition, PIE Days, STEM Career Days, and our STEM-focused family nights, including recognition for our efforts from the Indiana Business Journal. You will find copies of survey results, a calendar of events, volunteer schedules, and multiple press releases related to our STEM program.
1.6 STEM Instructional Feedback & Support
1.6 STEM Instructional Feedback & Support
In 1.6, you will find out how our instructional leadership team utilizes our Cold Spring STEM Walkthrough Tool, including administrator training, samples of completed walkthroughs with actionable feedback for teachers, and a roster of staff members showing completed walkthroughs, the frequency of walkthroughs, and support provided. All of this is to ensure that our team inspects what we expect in STEM teaching and learning.
1.7 Access and Opportunity to STEM Courses and Programs
1.7 Access and Opportunity to STEM Courses and Programs
In 1.7, you will see how Cold Spring’s access and opportunities to STEM, robotics, and computer science are deeply rooted in our school’s schedule and culture. You will see our robust middle school STEM elective offerings for a school of our size, how 100% of our students, in both elementary and middle school, participate in these protected STEM courses each year, and our Calendar at a Glance that includes several STEM events each year.
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