SUMMARY of EVIDENCE

TwitterFacebook

Cognia STEM Standards

Munford Elementary School (MES) employed the ten Cognia STEM performance standards effective July 1, 2022, for our updated website. We felt these standards aligned with our STEM learning and program at Munford Elementary School.  Every opportunity at MES is dedicated to immersing students in STEM disciplines as evidenced throughout our website. 

Summary of Progress

Munford Elementary began working toward STEM Certification before 2019. We achieved Cognia STEM Certification in 2019. In reflection on our STEM Certification, we have capitalized on our strengths and actively worked on our weaknesses. We have continued our partnerships with the community and various organizations to enhance STEM learning at MES. We have embraced our use of technology to move from substitution to augmentation and beyond using technology in project-based learning. We continue to immerse our students in STEM disciplines through weekly classes, project-based learning (PBL), technology integration, and embedded professional development (PD). 

For improvements, we have changed our Career Day to showcase STEAM Careers and included pre- and post-student surveys to improve our level of work. Experts in the next level of STEM learning and careers are invited to share with students the skills needed in professional STEM fields. As part of extended day opportunities,  all students participate in STEM instruction from Mrs. Clifton and Mrs. Murray through a flipped lesson format, pre-recorded by Mrs. Clifton, the STEAM teacher. During STEAM classes, choice boards allow students to choose their technology, collaborative grouping, and end products. Allowing for student voice and choice results in more student-directed learning and ownership of the STEM disciplines. Additionally, all students have access to virtual STEAM lessons on demand. All students regardless of background and needs participate in the STEAM program at Munford Elementary and have the opportunity to serve in leadership roles around the school.

2023 Retreat - League Video.mp4

2023 League of Innovative Schools Visit

On April 26, 2023, the League of Innovative Schools, visited Munford Elementary School. The League of Innovative Schools is a national group of educators that promote advancements in the work of public schools. 

Educators from around the United States got to experience the extraordinary learning opportunities taking place at Munford Elementary School. The League saw the Engineering Design Process demonstrated in grades PreKindergarten all of the way through Fifth grade. They saw everything from how to build a birdhouse to water filtration was explained by students at Munford Elementary School. 

The visit was partnered with Digital Promise. All students at Munford Elementary School have one-to-one devices to help assign projects, coding, robotics, and many other technology skills. The digital literacy and computer science standards are addressed through STEAM and PBL (Project Based Learning) as well as computational thinking pathways. 

MES Demographic Data Current 2023

No Missed STEAM Opportunities

To ensure STEAM implementation in the extended day program, the STEAM teacher, Mrs. Clifton shares virtual STEAM lessons across the state of Alabama through collaboration with DHR (Department of Human Resources) and SAFE (Sylacauga Alliance for Family Education). These lessons are recorded and shared with the after-school program so that Mrs. Murray, the school Science and Resource teacher can effectively implement the lessons in an extended day. All students in an extended day are allowed a weekly STEAM lesson. Students have enjoyed the added STEAM activities and look forward to the extended day lessons. 

Elementary Team Tall 2023 September-December Lesson Plans
STEAM MES Presentation 4-24-19