A Community of Learners Informational Memo - STEAM Pilots TO: School Board Superintendent Kocanda FROM: Maureen Miller, Director of Technology August 18, 2015 Overview & Background For the 2015-2016 school year, one of the major focus areas (Big 5) of the District includes our STEAM initiative. The Winnetka Public Schools will incorporate what we have learned by piloting STEAM programs in three locations, The Skokie School, Carleton Washburne School and Hubbard Woods School. Throughout the year, we will continue our research, participate in additional site visits and share our findings with the community and the School Board. STEAM Background STEM education is an approach to teaching and learning that integrates the content and skills of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Winnetka Public Schools is referring to our initiative as STEAM, with “A” representing the Arts. We feel strongly that including the Arts offers a more holistic approach to engage all students. Additionally, design thinking is a large part of many STEM/STEAM spaces and our arts teachers are well-versed in Design Thinking. During the 2014-2015 school year, several iterations, of what would eventually be referred to as STEAM, were taking root and being investigated further.

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Team members were researching MakerSpaces, Design Thinking, tools used in STEM labs, space layout and design, STEM standards and Engineering Standards. Teams of teachers, parents and administrators participated in site visits to Deerfield, Highland Park, Oconomowac (WI), and Denver (CO) to see existing programs in K-8 settings. Our visits verified common themes for our STEAM spaces, all STEAM pilot spaces will include opportunities for collaboration, creativity, risk taking, reflection, critical thinking, failure, self-direction and independence. Description of Initiative STEAM Pilots Pilot spaces will be monitored through a collection of quantitative and qualitative data. Data from the BrightBytes survey will be incorporated into our review of these pilot spaces, targeting student’s online skills, multimedia skills, digital citizenship and their use of the 4 C’s (Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Creativity). Student interviews, teacher interviews and parent interviews will be included in this data collection and reflection process. Principals, tech coaches and central office administrators will visit the pilot spaces throughout the school year to see first-hand how the spaces are evolving and provide their own feedback regarding their pilots. Observations will be noted based on student engagement, types of activities and standards addressed. The Skokie School For the 2015-2016 school year, “engagements” will be included to introduce students to materials available in the STEAM space. The lunchtime MakerSpace will offer time and materials for students to move beyond the “engagements” and take their learning to the next level. The Digital Literacy classes will continue the work started in the 2014-2015 school year where students in Mrs. McDonough's classes were actively demonstrating great creativity. The class evolved from learning about digital literacy into building drones, programming arduinos, making movies, creating stop-motion animation, lighting up dough and much more. Students were so excited about these opportunities that they shared their story at the student-led Students Involved with Technology (SIT) conference and presented their experiences to legislators in Springfield at Tech 2015. Students will also be focusing on coding, design challenges, and more 'authentic' projects such as collaboration with the Skokie Resource Center Director, Ms. Gordon, to develop QR-coded book trailers. Students will have the opportunity to be more involved in global

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connections by participating in International Dot Day and The Whitehouse Student Film Challenge. Carleton Washburne The technology elective, formerly known as “CyberTools”, has been redesigned as a course named “Innovation Technology.” The course will be offered in a vacant Science Lab and plans are in the works to build-out an engaging STEAM environment. Innovative Tech projects may include Alternative Energy, Architecture, Computer Science, Design and Building, Game Design, Robotics, Web Design and more.

Course description: Calling all future innovators! Innovation Technology is designed to engage and challenge learners of all abilities through hands-on, minds-on projects focusing on real-world, 21st century skills. The course curriculum incorporates STEAM, technology exploration and digital media arts through projects based learning. This student-centered class adapts to different abilities and learning styles.

Hubbard Woods With a generous donation from the PTO, and the creative mind of Resource Center Director, Todd Burleson, Hubbard Woods is infusing a STEAM pilot into their Resource Center (see Board Packet, May 2015) . The computer lab has been converted into the “IDEA Lab.” With the TV studio moved to another location, and desktops removed, whiteboard and lego plates now cover the walls and workbenches line the windows. The IDEA lab will provide opportunities for teachers and students to collaborate on design and building challenges to think creatively. IDEA lab progress can be followed via Mr. Burleson’s blog- http://azenlibrarian.blogspot.com/. Proposed Budget Each of the STEAM pilot spaces will be working with a variety of materials equipment and flexible furniture. Some common items in a STEAM lab might include 3D printers, Robotics, Legos, Sewing Machines, Cardboard, Circuitry. The budget of $250,000 for the 2015-2016 school year supports the pilot spaces and will fund the purchase of curriculum materials, furniture, equipment, storage and organizational needs, should the Board approve STEAM expansion.

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Proposed Budget per STEAM Space at each school*

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Furniture $10,000

Replication $2,000 $500 $200

Circuitry $3,000 $500

Robotics $2,000 $500

Storage $1,000 $100

Kits $8,000

Software $8,000 $8,000 $8,000

Hardware $15,000

Professional Learning $5,000 $2000 $1000

Curriculum $6,000 $1,000 $1,000

Renovation $15,000

Contingency $15,000

Total $90,000 $12,100 $10,700

Average Cost Per Year $37,600

*Numbers are estimates based on money budgeted for Hubbard Woods IDEA Lab and costs provided by site visit partners. Next Steps Curriculum Work STEAM curriculum work will occur as part of the curriculum review process for K-8 science, K-8 Fine Arts, and the related studies teams at both The Skokie School and Carleton Washburne School. The work of these teams will include crafting common vocabulary, making connections to Next Generation Science Standards and Design Thinking Standards, evaluating the current related studies course offerings and developing recommendations for any modifications.

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Site Visits We will expand our site visit groups to include additional stakeholders, including parents, teachers, students and School Board members. We will also encourage stakeholders to visit our existing pilots to see first hand the engagement, differentiation and passion that is possible through STEAM integration. School Board Timeline- Communication and Site Visits

Month Board Communications Site Visits

August STEAM Pilots (memo)

September Skokie, Washburne, Hubbard Woods

October STEAM Update (memo) Highland Park, Deerfield, Lake Forest

November Skokie, Washburne, Hubbard Woods

December STEAM Update (memo) Highland Park, Deerfield, Lake Forest

January STEAM: Results and Next Steps (presentation, action item proposed for February)

Skokie, Washburne, Hubbard Woods

February Board Action on STEAM proposal

March STEAM Reflections, review, best practice (presentation)

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