Standard 5

Standard 5: Leaders ensure that all stakeholders have ongoing opportunities to access information and learn about STEM implementation.

Communication is key for our students’ success. We keep families informed of all aspects of life at CES. We utilize platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Class Dojo to help keep our families informed of current events and share the successes of our students. We post information about our educational programs, invitations to STEAM Nights, Meet the Teacher Nights, Problem-Based Learning projects, and STEAM Showcases, as well as reminders and pictures of our students at work. Please check out our Twitter feed and visit and "Like" our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/ChildersburgElementary. Class Dojo is accessed by invitation only and is mostly for parents, family members, and students. Mrs. Bryant shares after-school STEAM challenges to students every Thursday on Class Dojo.

With a commitment to a STEAM curriculum, we use our creativity to plan fun and exciting events for our families. Parents and other members of the community enjoy attending programs such as our Family Steam Nights. Family STEAM Nights at Childersburg Elementary School is an initiative to increase our family involvement with student STEAM learning and educate our families on the impact a STEAM education has on their child. Families get a glimpse of the STEAM education their child receives at CES by participating in STEAM activities. An example of this is our Halloween edition family night, Spooktacular STEAM Night. Students are encouraged to dress up in their Halloween costumes to add a layer of spookiness to the event. Spooktacular STEAM Night is something families look forward to each year. They experience a variety of STEAM concepts as they rotate through the different Halloween themed STEAM stations. Even this year in the midst of the COVID pandemic, the staff dressed up, decorated outside, and conducted a socially distanced Drive-thru Spooktacular STEAM Night. Families dressed up and drove through the parking lot to receive treats and take home STEAM kits. During a previous Family STEAM Night, Home Depot came to CES and brought a wooden easel or birdhouse craft for each student to choose from. Families followed a set of directions to put the craft together. Home Depot associates were there to help families and answer questions.

In 2019, we were proud to host our first STEM Fair. This was an at-home project that was open to all students and focused on hands-on scientific investigation, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Collaboration and teamwork were encouraged as students had the option to work with other students, friends, and family members. Students could choose from three types of projects: engineering, science experiment, or technology/science project and were given criteria, formats, and helpful internet links for all three. If they chose an engineering project, they used the engineering design process to invent a new product, experience, or environment. It had to solve or design a solution for a real-life problem. The science experiment option used the scientific method to conduct an investigation. The technology/science project was a choice that involved learning more about STEM through projects such as building circuits, making robots, reverse engineering, digital storytelling, website development, coded projects, and more. Students celebrated their work by displaying and presenting their projects at the next Family STEAM Night. Some STEAM projects were also placed on exhibit at the local museum and library so that the entire community could enjoy them. Our goal is to provide our families with enjoyable learning experiences for both children and adults while exposing them to all aspects of STEAM and connecting with them on a different level.

Not only is it important to keep stakeholders informed, but we also want to ensure that our parents have the knowledge and tools to help their children at home. We have conducted math workshops for parents in the evenings. Parents were able to learn math concepts and how to use manipulatives to help their children practice. Teachers also provide parents with a weekly math sheet that explains and provides examples of what their child will be learning in math that week. This empowers parents to assist their child and provide better academic support at home.

Strengths

We have worked hard to improve parent communications and participation. We have surveyed parents to allow feedback on preferred times they are able to participate in school activities and made accommodations as needed. Our parents have multiple opportunities to participate in STEAM. We have worked to ensure that parents have the opportunity to learn about content knowledge and skills to help their children.

Sustainability

Since incorporating STEAM opportunities and increasing communication, we have seen an increase in parent and student participation and involvement by 75%. CES will continue to seek out more efficient ways to communicate with parents and ways to increase participation.

Opportunities for Improvement

As we completed our self-assessment, we noticed that we lacked the solicitation of feedback from parents on what they would like to see per event. It would be of value to create a formal survey to give parents throughout the year that will help us provide relevant information and program offerings for our parents.