At the start of the school year, all staff members participated in a survey to assess their perceptions of where Garfield School stood in terms of STEM education. Key indicators were identified to gauge our current position as a school and guide our improvement efforts.

Our site team consists of staff members in a range of roles across the building, ensuring diverse perspectives on our school’s initiatives in STEM education. This multidisciplinary team meets monthly to review data, discuss the impact of STEM Nights for families, evaluate STEM engagement throughout the building, and assess the integration of STEM into classroom instruction. Additionally, the team collaborates on other relevant STEM-related topics to continuously refine and enhance our approach to STEM education

Teachers collaborate weekly to ensure the consistent and effective implementation of STEM Culminating Activities (STEM Integration in IPS) across all classrooms. This collaborative effort is fully aligned with our Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). One PLC session each month is dedicated exclusively to reviewing and planning STEM integration lessons for the upcoming semester. During these sessions, the team focuses on ensuring the continued implementation of STEM initiatives, reviewing checklist items for certification, and addressing any challenges or questions that may arise. This structured approach ensures ongoing growth and fidelity in our STEM education practices 

IPS as a district has ensured all STEM Schools, including James A. Garfield, have financial support for the next five years to ensure STEM programming sustainability. Every school has covered participation fees that are a key requirement to have access to the PLTW Curriculum for a building site. Both the Computer Science and STEM teacher use  Project Lead the Way (PLTW) for their curriculum. In addition to the STEM and CS teachers, we needed to ensure the teachers had all necessary materials to teach both STEM and Computer Science. There are funds set aside for additional purchasing for the PLTW materials needed for each grade level annually.

Teachers that are not PLTW STEM or Computer Science must receive training for STEM implementation in the classroom. Garfield used the Beyond PBL Training provided by PLTW. This was a perfect fit since we already utilize the STEM programming for STEM and CS. The cost for this training was originally $5,000 and then went up to $6,000. Every school that is STEM in IPS has funding set aside to pay for the essential STEM integration training. All trainings will continue to occur with a slow phase out to only once each summer session for all new elementary STEM Classroom teachers to IPS to adhere to the 75% of staff are trained requirement.

IPS is a 1:1 technology district since the 2020-2021 school year. Students in grades kindergarten through second grade have an iPad and students in grades 3rd through 5th grade have Chromebooks. 

All fourth and fifth grade students completed the S-STEM Survey to help #31 staff assess interest in various STEM fields. In the 2023-24 school year, the data revealed a low level of interest in Physics. After reviewing the results with the site team, we collaborated with the fourth grade teacher to design an engaging lesson on Rube Goldberg machines. This lesson incorporated key concepts from Physics, including Newton's Laws of Motion, friction, and other fundamental principles. The unit culminated in students creating their own Rube Goldberg machines. As a result of this hands-on, STEM-integrated activity, we observed a notable increase in student interest in Physics by the end of the year. 

In the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, we made STEM Nights a priority each semester. These events provided students with the opportunity to showcase their learning in Computer Science and STEM, while also allowing parents to actively engage in hands-on STEM activities.

To gather feedback on STEM at James A. Garfield #31, we sent out a Parent/Guardian Survey. The results were overwhelmingly positive: 100% of families expressed interest or strong interest in STEM themselves. Additionally, 55.6% of families reported that their child is interested in Science. More than 75% of families indicated that STEM skills are essential for their child’s future success, and over two-thirds of families emphasized the importance of parental involvement in after-school STEM activities.

Teachers engaged in peer observations focused on STEM instruction and integration to ensure that all STEM standards were being met consistently across classes, from culminating activities to daily lessons. District personnel also conducted classroom walkthroughs, providing valuable feedback and support to strengthen STEM implementation.

To maintain consistency across grade levels, all staff at James A. Garfield #31 participated in Beyond PBL training through Project Lead the Way (PLTW). This professional development focused on a comprehensive methodology for teaching STEM education.

STEM Nights were regularly communicated with families through social media, ensuring strong community engagement. Additionally, Garfield received a generous donation of Computer Science materials for the dedicated Computer Science classroom. Junior Achievement also highlighted various opportunities for students in STEM-related fields, offering valuable exposure to future career pathways.

At James A. Garfield #31, our youngest learners, the STEM Cubs (Pre-K students), are already embracing the STEM approach. They are actively engaged with the APB (Activity, Project, Problem) methodology and are using PLTW modules to explore foundational STEM concepts in their classrooms.

At James A. Garfield #31, every student participates in either STEM or Computer Science every day. These subjects are offered separately from Physical Education, Music, and Art, ensuring that students receive consistent, focused instruction. Students rotate between the two courses, attending one for a five-week period before switching to the other for the next five weeks. Both courses follow the Project Lead The Way (PLTW) curriculum, with each subject covering two engaging modules, providing a comprehensive and cohesive STEM and Computer Science experience.