Executive Summary

Elm Road Elementary School is located in the northwest part of Indiana, in the city of Mishawaka. Elm Road is a part of the Penn Harris Madison School Cooperation. Elm Road currently serves 475 students, kindergarten through fifth grade, and houses a Preschool (Penn Pals) within the building as well.

Elm Road Elementary School is a Title 1 elementary school that serves a diverse student body. There are many educational programs in place that help address the needs of school populations where 43% of the students qualify for the Free/Reduced lunch program. 16% of Elm Road’s students have been identified with a learning disability, qualifying them for an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Elm Road has a very unique and diverse student population. The ethnicity is 78.7% white, 11.4% Hispanic, 1.07% Asian, 9.6 % Black/African American, and 10.3% Multi-race. At Elm Road, we prioritize teaching about various cultures and celebrating individual heritages to foster a strong and inclusive school community. 7% of the Elm Road population has identified English as a New Language (ENL) and receive services through PHM.

Parent and community partnerships are central to our school’s success. Through events like Parent Nights, STEM and literacy evenings, and ongoing surveys, we actively engage families and gather input to improve our programs. Communication is streamlined through the ParentSquare app, which offers translation features to support families in their native languages.

Since 2017, Elm Road has taken the initiative of incorporating STEM into our curriculum. Our vision is to be the leader in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics education within the Penn-Harris-Madison school district by combining academic rigor with social responsibility and mastery of the process of scientific inquiry. Our school provides a unique educational experience to all of our students through our collaboration with teachers, parents, and community partners.

Description of STEM Program

Elm Road Elementary School: A Commitment to Excellence through STEM

At Elm Road Elementary School, our mission is to prepare students for an ever-changing, technological world by embedding STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into our curriculum. Our programs are designed to foster critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving while adhering to Indiana Academic State Standards. Through project-based, hands-on learning, our students develop the skills necessary to tackle real-world challenges and seize future career opportunities.

Our approach to STEM education is grounded in collaboration and continuous growth. Teachers at Elm Road engage in regular collaborative planning to refine curriculum, instructional strategies, and address the diverse needs of students. Differentiated learning is supported through Focused Instruction Time, where targeted instruction ensures all students achieve mastery. STEM integration is woven seamlessly into daily instruction through innovative programs such as Project Lead the Way, Mystery Science paired with MyView Literacy, and a one-to-one technology initiative. Additionally, students participate in enriching extracurricular opportunities, including Robotics, Short Circuits, Orff Ensemble, Jumping Eagles, and tutoring.

Elm Road's STEM program extends beyond the classroom, with interdisciplinary learning that connects science and technology to real-world applications. Our STEM Lab and classroom materials empower students to explore, innovate, and collaborate on meaningful projects. Partnerships with community organizations and businesses enrich the learning experience, demonstrating how classroom knowledge translates into professional opportunities. These partnerships, along with the guidance of our STEM Advisory Board, play a vital role in the ongoing success and enhancement of our program.

At Elm Road, we believe in the power of STEM education to cultivate essential 21st-century skills such as collaboration, communication, and adaptability. Students are encouraged to work in teams, solving complex problems and refining solutions through critical thinking and creativity. These skills prepare our students not only for success in STEM fields but for a lifetime of learning and growth.

While the path to STEM certification was interrupted by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Elm Road remains committed to maintaining the momentum we had built. During remote learning, we pivoted quickly to ensure that STEM education continued. We provided students with at-home kits, leveraging household materials and hosting virtual meetings to support learning and keep students engaged. When students returned in 2021, the enthusiasm for STEM learning surged, and our staff and students were excited to resume our STEM-driven educational approach. Each year since then, Elm Road has continued to build upon our STEM momentum!

Elm Road Elementary School’s STEM program is foundational to our mission of developing critical thinkers and problem-solvers who are equipped to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Through hands-on, real-world learning experiences and strategic community partnerships, we prepare our students for a future of success and innovation. At Elm Road, the "STEM Way" is not just a teaching model—it is a mindset that empowers students to become lifelong learners and collaborators.

At Elm Road Elementary, we know what is best for kids: it’s “The Elm Road Way” and the “STEM Way.”

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