STEAM ACADEMY

We are working with Paulsboro Public Schools to fund an academy focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics beginning in September 2019. Students from pre-school through grade 12 will experience enhanced programming including robotics and expanded course offerings at the high school level.

Ready for the Future by 2024

YEAR 1 STEAM ACADEMY GOALS

Create a Maker Space/Design Studio at High School
Expand RCGC STEAM options for students in grades 9-12
Expand robotics program to include all students PreK-12
Modify wood shop for tradesman and engineer-tracks to design and build solutions to real-life problems
Begin Curriculum Refresh across disciplines
Begin Professional Development for Teachers

YEAR 2-4 STEAM ACADEMY GOALS

Grant seeking and management of funds secured
Comprehensive Professional Development for Teachers, Administration, and Staff
Curriculum Development across Pre-K-12 in all disciplines
Upgrades to infrastructure in all three schools: Maker Spaces, and Design Studies
Extend public awareness and fundraising campaigns to complement grant funding and school budget

YEAR 5 STEAM ACADEMY GOALS

Full implementation of STEAM Academy is live across all three schools in grade levels PreK-12
Teachers and staff fully proficient in newly-launched STEAM curriculum
Ongoing rolling five-year planning and implementation in place to monitor, refine, and refresh STEAM curriculum to ensure the educational experience remains in alignment with academic best practices and needs of the economy and industry

Why STEAM?

Demand for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math

New Jersey has the highest density of and demand for STEAM jobs in the U.S.
STEAM jobs pay well and include both blue collar and white collar career paths.
Demand for STEAM related jobs/skills in the U.S. is expected to increase at four times the rate of all other occupations during 2019-2029.

Giving Our Student a Competitive Advantage

Opportunity presents itself in the alarming STEM shortage in our country.

While Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are drivers of innovation essential to our nation’s goals—economic prosperity, international competitiveness, national defense, clean energy, and health and wellness for citizens—creative solutions also require the influence of artistic minds.

Educational leaders around the globe agree that a strong workforce skilled in STEAM concepts is essential to global competition. Nationally, scores on average among U.S. students are lagging behind other developed countries. A PreK12 STEAM Academy will position the district with a competitive set of academic programming that prepares graduates for in demand careers in our region and beyond.

Practical and Ambitious

STEAM ties subjects together in an interdisciplinary manner to better reflect the rapidly changing business and professional world. This life-long career and life readiness way of educating and learning is adaptable to our rapidly changing global world. It is a contextual curriculum where subjects are coordinated to support each other under a formal educational structure of how science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the broad spectrum of the arts relate to each another in reality. This framework not only includes the art of aesthetics and design, but also the divisions of the liberal, language, musical, physical and manual arts.

Courses

Students who are exposed to STEAM will gain a wider understanding of future careers and have the skills to undertake them. We plan to expand coursework in the STEAM fields, beginning with a Pre-K to 12 robotics program. In addition to adding classes, we plan to bring in speakers, add additional field trips, and create cross-curricular learning activities.

Partnerships

Paulsboro Public Schools has unique partnerships with industry and local institutions of higher education. We are fortunate to work with a number of local organizations and hope to grow our offerings for internships and college credit opportunities in the STEAM fields.

Facilities

A maker-space, which combines a workshop and computer lab, will allow for digital design and hands-on engineering projects. Items like 3D printers, robotics equipment, and moveable desks foster an environment where students can create and experiment with cutting edge technology.

Training

The Pegasus Education Foundation, along with Paulsboro Public Schools will support professional development opportunities for faculty and staff in the STEAM areas.