Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools
The STEM Academy at Bartlett
Presenters:
Julie Wade, Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education
Peter Ulrich, STEM Academy Principal
Mark Bennett, Gulfstream Aerospace Sr. Manager Public Affairs & Community Investment
THE CHALLENGE…Middle School Enrollment declinePoor Middle School Academic Outcomes
How can the District provide an
effective option for parents that will not
only help to retain student enrollment,
but attract families from all over
Chatham County while improving
student outcomes?
THE NUMBERS! SCCPSS DEMOGRAPHICSDECEMBER 2011
Total District Enrollment = 35,989
5th Grade = 2,896
6th Grade = 2756 140
7th Grade = 2,530 226
8th Grade = 2,458 72
9th Grade = 3,034 576
Total
Drop-off
from 5th
Grade = 438
STAND ALONE MIDDLE SCHOOL OPTIONS 35 Elementary & K8 Schools…Compared to only 9 Middle Schools
CHOICE PROGRAMS ATTRACTING STUDENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL
SCCPSS offers Choice Programs at all 11 high schools.
These programs are highly competitive for entry, requiring students meet rigorous academic standards, satisfactory conduct evaluations and go through an application and lottery process.
Many have waiting lists to get in each year.
THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATIONFOCUS ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH
Integrates concepts that are usually taught as separate subjects
Emphasizes project-based learning
Emphasizes the application of knowledge to real-life situations
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, STEM occupations are growing at almost twice the pace of other career fields.
SAVANNAH AREA INDUSTRY REQUIRES STEM SKILLED WORKERS
Gulfstream Aerospace
International Paper Manufacturing
Georgia Ports Authority
Two Regional Medical Systems
Georgia-Pacific Manufacturing
JCB, Inc.
LOCAL HIRING FOCUS INDICATES NEED FOR STEM-BASED EDUCATION
STEM AND PUBLIC EDUCATION STRATEGYGrades K-5
STARBASE
Junior Achievement
Dynamics of Flight Demonstration
School Visits & Career Fairs
Grades 6-8
STEM Middle School
(Bartlett)
Dynamics of Flight
Demonstration
Career & STEM
Exploration Website
Gulfstream Grants
School Visits &
Career Fairs
Tours
Career
Pathways
Grades 9-12 Post-Secondary
Four Year
Degree
Dynamics of Flight Demonstration
Career & Technical Education CTAE
Career & STEM Exploration Website
Jenkins STEM HS (pending)
School Visits & Career Fairs
Tours
Student Leadership Program (SLP)
Youth Apprentice Program (YAP)
Georgia Southern
University
Georgia Tech
University of
Georgia
Certificate
and License
Dynamics of Flight Demonstration
CTAE Career & STEM Exploration Website
Wood/Tompkin Welding/ Aerospace
Savannah High Welding (pending)
School Visits & Career Fairs
Tours
Student Leadership Program (SLP)
Youth Apprentice Program (YAP)
Middle Georgia
Technical College
Savannah Tech
Quick Start
Direct Hire
Dynamics of Flight Demonstration
Career & STEM Exploration Website
School Visits & Career Fairs
Tours
Student Leadership Program (SLP)
Youth Apprentice Program (YAP)
On Job Training
(OJT)
Quick Start
THE PROCESS BEGINSFUNDING: Race to the Top (RT3 Grant) Awarded to Open a STEM Program/School
PROGRAMMING: Countywide Middle School
STAFFING/VISION: The Selected Leader would be given an Empty Box!
THE PROCESS BEGINS
PLANNED STEM ACADEMY MAKES NEWS!
PLANNING STEPS…Don’t rush! PLAN – PREPARE – LAUNCH!
Board Approval – Dec. 2012
Dept. of Ed. Approved $459,340 in funding for start-up equipment, supplies & curriculum development
Goals set for School
Plan developed to support Goals
Performance-based Interviews in search forPrincipal
Hired Principal 6 months before expected school opening (SY 13-14)
FILLING THE BOXLeadership – New Principal interacts with existing staff
Staff had to re-apply for jobs
Performance-based interviews
6 of 47 hired
Assembled Colleagues
Common Passions
Coached Pedagogy
Risk-taking
No ego
DEVELOPING THE CURRICULUM…
The Essentials:Common definition of “STEM”
Trans-disciplinary
Move from project to problem
Story-centered to place-based
Always Evolving
Real-world
Students defend solutions - Capstone
PROMOTING THE PLAN
INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY…Opportunities for InvestmentMonetaryHuman resources to create content and evaluate learning
Accountability that comes with ensuring Return on Investment (ROI)
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE – COMMUNITY PARTNER 2013-14 - Immediate Involvement during Startup Year is ongoing…
2014-15 – Donated $100,000 for new Ipads to enable students to compete with latest technology
2015-16 – Began collaboration with students using tools to create historical timeline for Gulfstream 50th Anniversary in Savannah
2016-17 – Donated $90,000 for latest technology refresh
2017 – Student presentation on Gulfstream 50th Anniversary collaboration.
Students will work with Gulfstream multi-media and marketing. Product will be
used on company’s intranet, company picnic and in local Mighty 8th Air Force
Museum rotunda.
SCCPSS DEMOGRAPHICS Fall 2013 Winter 2017
37,594 Students
6.3% - 2,366 Asian, Indian, Multiracial
6% - 2,272 Hispanic
59.2% - 22,264 Black
28.% - 10,663 White
37,886 Students
7% - 2,603 Asian, Indian, Multiracial
7.4% - 2,805 Hispanic
58.3% - 22,082 Black
27.2% - 10,318 White
64% of Students in SCCPSS Schools Qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch
DEMOGRAPHICS: THE STUDENTS OF STEMSTEM Academy Demographics reflect the diversified
student population of the District
11%
Asian or Pacific Islander,
Multiracial
31.5%
Black
8.6%
Hispanic
49.3%
White
40.2%
Female
59.8%
Male
34.05% of STEM Academy Students Qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch
(SY 16-17)
STEM SUCCESS…
In 2017, more than 750 applications filed for just 280 seats available next school year.
In 2016, 721 applications filed for 316 seats
In 2015, 599 applications filed for 293 seats
STEM Academy has had a waitlist each year!
STUDENTS DRAWN TO STEM CURRICULUM FROM SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICTStudents joining STEM Academy in the 6th grade over the last three years, came from 31 of 35 SCCPSS Elementary and K8 Schools
MAINTAINING THE MOMENTUM Creativity
Nurtured within the context of solving the problem and showing what you’ve learned
Culture
Modeled Collaboration
Dynamic – physically different
expectations of classroom
environments
Acceptance that the design of the school is to
change perspective about what’s possible!
STEM ACADEMY RECEIVES CERTIFICATION AND ACCOLADES!
STEM Academy
Beach High –Medical &
Allied Health
Groves High –Maritime Logistics
Islands High –Environmental
Studies & Veterinary
Science
Jenkins High -Engineering
Woodville Tompkins –
Career & Technical
Savannah Arts Academy –
Visual & Performing
Arts
School of Liberal Studies
@ Savannah High – Criminal
Justice
Johnson & Windsor
Forest High –International
Baccalaureate
Savannah Early College
Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools
The STEM Academy at Bartlett
