Traverse City Record-Eagle

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STEM at Old Mission

What: A community meeting to explore a possible school-wide focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, at Old Mission Peninsula School.

Who: Anyone with a skill, resource, expertise, business or idea that could help shape a STEM learning program at Old Mission is invited.

When: April 18, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: Old Mission Peninsula School, 2699 Island View Road

Related Photos

  • First-grade students Aisha Smith, left, and Mary Palamara, demonstrate educational programs on iPads at Old Mission Peninsula School. Record-Eagle/Keith King

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April 5, 2012

Science, math focus possible

BY JAMES RUSSELL jrussell@record-eagle.com

TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City school officials are considering a revamped curriculum at one elementary school that emphasizes science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Parents and interested community members will join school staff April 18 to discuss a focus at Old Mission Peninsula School on the four subjects, also called a STEM program.

"No decision has been made to go there yet," said Steve Cousins, superintendent of Traverse City Area Public Schools. "We're doing a community assessment, and we're going to have a conversation around whether we want to move in that direction and what that would mean."

The STEM designation is not a specific model such as Montessori or International Baccalaureate programs. Cousins said the meeting and future talks will explore what the changes would mean for the school.

"It's a blank canvas on what that could mean," he said.

Principal Angela Sides-McKay said Old Mission is well-suited to focus on math and science. She envisions a program that better integrates the subjects into lessons and takes advantage of existing technology and parent and community resources.

"This is my second year at Old Mission, and one of the first things I noticed was the number of natural tie-ins with science and math already at the site," she said.

Students at the school, located about halfway up the peninsula, have access to a pond "laboratory," nature trails and an outdoor amphitheater. This year, the parent-teacher organization also purchased "SMART" boards for each classroom — a combination whiteboard and computer that lets students interact with what is projected on the screen.

The group also purchased 24 school iPads.

"We thought TCAPS was letting that whole area of technology go. We saw the need," said Kate Paulson, president of the Old Mission PTO. "The kids are just thirsting for it."

Paulson welcomes a STEM approach but is concerned the district might not be ready.

"I think that's a great step, but I'm not sure the foundation is set within the district and among teachers to take that on," she said.

Sides-McKay said a STEM curriculum would help Old Mission integrate different approaches to math and science and the new technology introduced in recent years. She acknowledged the idea is in its infancy.

"We're just exploring it. No big decisions have been made that we're going to completely change our focus of instruction," she said. "This is just something that is a possibility."

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