STEAM EDUCATION
As part of Pioneer Academy’s efforts to stay up to date with the most current educational research and ensure the highest quality of education, our school has embraced the STEAM Movement.
The framework of the STEAM Movement (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) emerged from a growing concern that students were not being effectively or efficiently prepared to successfully meet the expectations of high-tech jobs of the future. Although many organizations rely on a STEM framework, Pioneer determined that the need to include the Arts was critical because concepts in Science, Technology, and Engineering, while based in elements of Math, are interpreted through the Arts.
At Pioneer, we believe that the most critical aspect of education and future employment, regardless of technology level, is the ability to read and write. Thus, Pioneer has made it a priority to recognize English Language Arts as a cornerstone component of core standards and content areas. Efficient reading with comprehension skills and effective writing skills are paramount to success in new and existing high-tech jobs and as such we have built curricula that affords each student the opportunity to read and write everyday under the guidance of certified and highly qualified ELA instructors. In addition, all teachers at Pioneer, no matter the subject area, are instructed to hold reading at the forefront of their minds and approach their duties with the idea that everyone is a teacher of reading and writing. As educators, they understand the critical importance of putting our fundamental means of communication first.
The following are examples of how Pioneer Academy implements STEAM Education:
Rigorous graduation requirements of minimum 4 years of both Math and ELA and 3 years of Science coursework
Students are encouraged to enroll in advanced courses in Math, Science and ELA including Honors and AP Courses
All AP Courses in Math, Science and ELA are offered on a rotating basis
Rigorous curriculum in Math, Science, Technology, ELA and Fine Arts using proven learning standards such as Quality Core by ACT
Entire school curriculum developed, mapped and stored in a cloud based Atlas Curriculum Mapping Software that generates standard based instructional and assessment data on an ongoing basis
School-wide Accelerated Reading class enables students to read on a weekly basis
Every student and staff member has continuous access to Wi-Fi
Every classroom is equipped with a Mac computer, Projector and SmartBoard
Every student and teacher is provided with a personal Chromebook
Google Apps in Education, such as Google Classroom, are an integral part of classroom teaching
Enrichment programs such as Robotics, Fine Arts, Music and Drama are offered both as a credit course and as an after school club
Students participate in Regional and State Science Olympiads
Annual school-wide Science Day allows students to display their research skills in Science and Engineering
Students compete in Regional and State First Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics Competitions
Dedicated Robotics room for students to engage in learning the in-depth Engineering behind Robotics. This room is equipped with 3-D printers to teach students to build Robot parts
Students compete in First Lego League (FLL) Competitions
Students participate in American Math Contest (AMC) and Regional Math League
Students compete in the International Genius Olympiad every summer in the fields of Science, Music, Art and Creative Writing
Staff is encouraged and supported to attend Professional Development in STREAM fields
All teachers are expected to become Google Certified Educators
Dedicated lab for each major Science field: Biology Lab, Physics Lab and Chemistry Lab
Fully equipped Mac computer lab for student use with 24 Mac computers
Students are taught coding classes such as iOS App writing
School-wide Career Days are organized to expose students to the different professional fields in STREAM