Launching into STEAM 2019-20
Last year, the San Diego Unified School District STEAM Innovations office, led by Executive Director Cheryl Hibbeln, Program Manager Michael Goodbody, Strategic Partnerships Nate Sachdeva and STEAM Architects Lacy Szuwalski and Zoë Randall, launched a “small” pilot supporting 32 Elementary Schools, 109 Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten teachers, and over 2,500 students. It was a great success thanks to the many individuals and partners who supported a novel new approach to engaging our youngest learners.
This year, we are proud to launch into the new school year with 45 elementary schools, 300 Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Grade 1 teachers, and over 7,000 students. This August, we kicked off the year at Taft Middle School with over 200 teachers who dedicated themselves to learn while still technically on their summer vacation.
Superintendent Cindy Marten applauded the STEAM efforts with encouraging words of support for our teachers:
“STEAM has been successful because of collaboration, and the desire to do what is necessary to best prepare our students for a rapidly changing world. Departments have come together, and with your input, designed learning experiences that have challenged what some thought was possible for our youngest learners. We are now seeing TK/K students taking the lead and advocating for change in communities across the district.”
Our STEAM Innovation, Instructional Technology, Visual and Performing Arts and other district and business partners have envisioned a program that aims to empower students to go out and change the world. STEAM is a collaborative, interdisciplinary, inquiry approach to learning. It enables students to see opportunities, build empathy, and create innovations with the potential to impact their world in real and powerful ways. Unified TK-12 STEAM experiences are grounded in grade level standards and driven by future opportunity in the San Diego region resulting in college, career, and life readiness.
We are so excited to see our students thrive in STEAM and look forward to sharing how our youngest learners are paving the road for our future.
Last year, the San Diego Unified School District STEAM Innovations office, led by Executive Director Cheryl Hibbeln, Program Manager Michael Goodbody, Strategic Partnerships Nate Sachdeva and STEAM Architects Lacy Szuwalski and Zoë Randall, launched a “small” pilot supporting 32 Elementary Schools, 109 Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten teachers, and over 2,500 students. It was a great success thanks to the many individuals and partners who supported a novel new approach to engaging our youngest learners.
This year, we are proud to launch into the new school year with 45 elementary schools, 300 Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Grade 1 teachers, and over 7,000 students. This August, we kicked off the year at Taft Middle School with over 200 teachers who dedicated themselves to learn while still technically on their summer vacation.
Superintendent Cindy Marten applauded the STEAM efforts with encouraging words of support for our teachers:
“STEAM has been successful because of collaboration, and the desire to do what is necessary to best prepare our students for a rapidly changing world. Departments have come together, and with your input, designed learning experiences that have challenged what some thought was possible for our youngest learners. We are now seeing TK/K students taking the lead and advocating for change in communities across the district.”
Our STEAM Innovation, Instructional Technology, Visual and Performing Arts and other district and business partners have envisioned a program that aims to empower students to go out and change the world. STEAM is a collaborative, interdisciplinary, inquiry approach to learning. It enables students to see opportunities, build empathy, and create innovations with the potential to impact their world in real and powerful ways. Unified TK-12 STEAM experiences are grounded in grade level standards and driven by future opportunity in the San Diego region resulting in college, career, and life readiness.
We are so excited to see our students thrive in STEAM and look forward to sharing how our youngest learners are paving the road for our future.