Welcome to the 2022-2023 STEM Consortium Newsletter!

The Wake STEM Consortium is a collaborative network of magnet schools that have a STEM-related magnet theme/focus and early colleges. Schools in the WCPSS STEM Consortium have a common K-12 vision for STEM learning: nurturing a STEM mindset, engaging in inquiry processes, and actively solving problems. The STEM Teacher Leadership Team representative from your school will distribute the newsletter monthly.

This newsletter features:

• STEM magnet pathway news and updates from the Magnet Office

• Early College news and updates from the Magnet Office

• STEM news stories from schools in the consortium

• Consortium/district/state STEM professional learning opportunities

• School spotlights

• Educator spotlights

• Instructional tools/resources/highlights

The WCPSS STEM Consortium is composed of schools in the STEM magnet pathway & early colleges. The STEM magnet pathway affords all learners with an enhanced, STEM-focused curriculum that aligns with the rapidly evolving individual, societal, and economic STEM landscape. The student-centered curriculum in this pathway nurtures inquiry (learning that aligns to natural student curiosities) and fosters the essential problem-solving skills necessary to participate in a dynamic world. Instructional and learning experiences in this pathway will focus on employing transdisciplinary skills to solve authentic and complex problems. Unique business and community partnerships will enable learners to experience the seamless connection between curriculum and careers.

WCPSS Early College Programs are an integral part of the WCPSS STEM Consortium. These programs foster college and career readiness with programs that enable students to learn by solving problems and learning career skills in an authentic context. These programs thrive with teachers who are accomplished in leading PBL.

• Wake STEM Early College High School

• North Wake College & Career Academy

• Wake Early College of Health & Sciences

• Vernon Malone College & Career Academy

• Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy

• Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy

• Wake Early College of Information & Biotechnologies

Each summer, WakeEd Partnership, in collaboration with WCPSS, invites all teachers from the district to participate in SummerSTEM! SummerStem is a unique professional learning experience in which teachers connect with and learn from other teachers and STEM business and industry leaders. (The 2022-2023 business immersions are shown in the graphic above.) Throughout the week, WCPSS teachers experience exciting business immersions during which they are able to make connections between businesses and STEM instruction. SummerStem Coaches, as teacher leaders facilitate sessions related to problem-based learning. Participants work throughout the year to develop and implement problem-based learning units.

STEM teacher leaders are vital to the success of STEM programming throughout the district. The WCPSS STEM Consortium Teacher Leadership Team (STEM Teacher Leadership Team) is comprised of three-four representative teachers from each STEM magnet pathway school and each early college. These leaders engage in monthly meetings, networking, professional learning, and collaboration. The WCPSS STEM Consortium Newsletter will feature STEM Teacher Leadership Team Updates.

STEM Teacher leaders who are a part of the leadership team:

• have a passion for STEM Education

• desire to collaborate with other educators

• Seek to deepen STEM pedagogical knowledge/understanding

• Are innovative thinkers

• Exude leadership skills

• Are vested in other team members and the work

If you are interested in participating in the team, please talk to one of the teacher representatives from your school or contact Josh Hunter (jhunter@wcpss.net).

Have you thought about connecting with local businesses through the Junior Achievement program? JA resources include self-guided activities, videos, and much more for teachers to implement JA in the areas of Work Readiness, Financial Literacy, and Entrepreneurship.

JA Programs and Resources

The following sites have program resources and learning modules on Financial Literacy, Work Readiness and Entrepreneurship including how to fund, market and operate a business, how to manage your money, plan your financial future, make your money work for you, plan your career path, work with others, and much more.

JA K-12 Self-Guided Program Resources

https://sites.google.com/ja.org/ja-k-12-prog-resources/home

JA Connect

https://connect.ja.org/