Oregon-Davis is looking to become a STEM-certified school corporation. Superintendent Dr. Don Harman says the school board got an update from Elementary School Principal Bill Bennett last week on the school corporation’s efforts in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math.
“I think the big thing is when people think of STEM, they think it’s some really new concept, and really, STEM is not,” Harman says. “What we try to tell our teachers is STEM is you’re doing best practices. You’re getting kids engaged. You’re allowing kids to be creative. You’re having students problem-solve.”
Harman says O-D has been able to install maker spaces in both schools with grant funding. “We’re encouraging our teachers to use those maker spaces and allow students to get creative, and really doing a lot of hands-on and collaborative assignments in the classroom and really have your lesson plans and lessons of the day be student-oriented and have the students engaged,” Harman adds.
As part of that process, Harman says Oregon-Davis has launched a STEM newsletter for teachers and has started holding monthly training sessions.
