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 LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

Local District South

 

STEAM Academy Elementary School Proposal

 

Compton Avenue Elementary School

 

Lashon Sanford, Principal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Submitted on Behalf of Compton Avenue Elementary School

STEAM Academy Leadership Team

 

August 29, 2016

 

 

Empowering Students to Become Leaders of Tomorrow

 

 

 

MISSION AND PURPOSE

 

The mission of Compton Avenue STEAM Academy Elementary School is to provide an innovative rigorous educational framework that integrates science, technology, engineering, art and math or better know as STEAM, resulting in highly self-motivated, independent, creative and critical thinkers, culturally sensitive, solution-minded and life-long learners prepared for miIDle school matriculation, high school, college and STEAM related 21^st Century careers.  Our school community set high expectations and share a belief that all children can and will learn.

 

 

LEADERSHIP AND PLANNING

 

The Compton Avenue STEAM Academy Leadership committee is comprised of eleven stakeholders: one teacher from each grade level K-5^th grade, Principal Lashon Sanford, one Instructional Coach, Categorical Program Advisor, Resource Specialist and two parents representing our student demographics, in order to support vertical planning.

 

The leadership team will meet once a month to focus on the implementation of best practices and strategies, Universal Curriculum Design and parent and community partnerships. To ensure our meetings and discussions explore current STEAM ideas and best practices, our STEAM research committee will report monthly after utilizing innovative STEAM practices and recent research as a resource. Our team members will assume roles and responsibilities within the team in an effort to provide structure. For example, the principal will hold members accountable while the coach takes and reports out minutes. Agendas will be developed as a team as a result of reflection and analysis of implementation and data.

 

 

Implementation Plan

 

The STEAM leadership team of Compton Avenue Elementary School has proposed the following implementation plan:

 

PHASE I

By January 2017, we hope to have a robust, age appropriate STEAM program for each of our grades

(K-5^th). Using LAUSD’s Integrated Units as a model, teachers will work collaboratively with a team leader to create theme-based lessons integrating STEAM as a framework. During this phase, teachers will learn how to embed effective STEAM practices such as Design-Based Science (DBS) and Learning by Design (LBD in order to contextualize projects.

 

The program will start with simple applications and an introduction to tablets for our youngest students. It will then move into drawing, design, and coding programs. We will focus on:

• More opportunities for educational technology use in the classroom
• More robust offerings in Art
• Coding training for at least 60 of our students

The broad range of this focus allows us to build 21^st Century Skills through STEAM learning.

 

 

 

 

 

PHASE II

By May 2017, our goal is to enrich that STEAM experiences. We will aID more technology to help with the instruction of Coding, Science experiences and Art. They will come in the form of:

• Student created photos and videos to share their stories
• A Science Lab maintained and programmed by the Instructional Coach

• Coding training for students and teachers Field trips with encounters in nature (i.e. biology, ecology, conservation sciences) with trips to local sustainable farms and Starbase Science camps

 

PHASE III

By October 2017, we will aID more opportunities that will showcase their skills to parents and partnering organizations.  To do this, we will aID:

• Robotics competitions for our older students.
• Identify and utilize more apps for teachers to use in the classroom, which will allow for deeper experiences across all disciplines.

By Phase III, our school will be in the full implementation stage. All teachers will have a strong background knowledge of best innovative STEAM practices and students will have developed ownership of their learning and are utilizing 21^st Century skills that will be help them become critical thinkers, creative developers, and innovative designers.

 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

 

Compton Avenue’s STEAM leadership team will maintain and communicate a purpose and direction that ushers a commitment to high expectations for learning as well as shared values and beliefs about teaching and learning. Our professional development will lead to full implementation, which results in student learning, critical thinking and development of life skills, as well as improved teacher professional practice.

 

Approximately 50% of our professional development will be designated to the development, implementation, and analysis of the STEAM curriculum. Professional development will be provided to all teachers grades Kindergarten through 5th grade, a total of 18 self-contained classrooms.  Teachers will be provided approximately 30 days of professional development throughout the school year, which will take place during banked day Tuesdays, grade level team meetings, and Saturday Enrichment Trainings. Our ongoing professional development will include lesson studies, peer observations and shadowing, analysis of student work, as well as instructional rounds, walk-throughs with grade level specific needs and focus areas as determined by data analysis.

 

All teachers will be trained in Designed-Based Science (DBS) and Learning by Design (LBD) to expand students learning through effective instructional strategies that ensure achievement of learning expectations.

 

A Needs Assessment will be conducted at the beginning of Phase I and we will plan according to the results of the needs assessment, Next Generation Standards, and SBAC data.

 

Delivery of the professional development opportunities will come from the professional development coach, coordinator, principal, committee members, faculty/staff with subject knowledge/expertise, community members, and/or District personnel. Our STEAM committee will actively seek “experts” for delivery of professional development.

 

PD opportunities beyond the school campus will be offered through universities, museums, LAUSD, historical associations and businesses, as well as local businesses to ensure our STEAM deliverables build rapport with current industry needs.

 

Evaluation of each training/implementation will be utilized at the conclusion of each professional development opportunity (i.e. survey, ratings scale, or feedback) to assist with the developing future professional development activities.

 

TECHNOLOGY, CURRICULUM, ASSESSMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL

 

The rigor of our STEAM curriculum will improve student learning as we implement technology and engineering. The opportunities to expand science and math will improve student learning with the implementation of engineering curriculum along side the core subjects, which will prepare students for future careers in STEAM.

 

Compton Avenue Elementary School will provide the following technological supports to assist students in STEAM learning:

• Computer Lab
• Computers in each classroom
• 2 Ipad carts to be shared amongst grade levels
• 1 Laptop carts
• 1 Chromebook cart
• Bring your own device policy (STEAM purposes Only)
• Projectors
• Document Readers
• Robotic Material (to be shared)
• Use of web based programs: ST Math, Exploratorium, Code.org, and NOVA etc.

Our technology team and Computer lab technician will ensure the upkeep of these devices on a daily basis.

 

The students will have full access to all of these devices through a systematic schedule, which includes grades Kindergarten through 5^th grade. Staff/faculty with expertise in the STEAM areas will provide training of software and hardware for students. Also teachers will utilize District PD opportunities both compulsory and voluntary. Teachers will also receive ongoing training and assistance with Project Based Learning from the Instructional Coach as needed.

 

The STEAM committee will determine the effectiveness of the curriculum based on the analysis of student digital data. Revisions and/or refinement of the curriculum, strategies, and/or program will be based on the results of the analysis.

 

In aIDition to the above-mentioned, students in grades 3-5 are being provided with instructional opportunities in visual and performing arts by our VAPA teachers and City Year Corp members. Also, visual arts will be interwoven into instruction by Kindergarten through 5^th grade teachers on a continual basis.

 

 

 

 

 

SCHOOL CULTURE

 

Compton Avenue Elementary School understands the value of collaborative school governance that functions by embracing the idea of shared decision making from all stakeholders. In order to develop buy-in for our STEAM program we will:

 

• Involve key stakeholders early in the program i.e. parents, staff, community members, local agencies etc.
• Give a clear rationale for the STEAM program to all stakeholders. The rationale will provide a clear understanding of the reasons why the STEAM program is needed, as well as background information
• Define the project goals and scope clearly.
• Create transparency, which will eventually produce trust and respect of the vision of the STEAM program.
• Establish expectations for both stakeholder participation and updating
• Approach our work with a positive attitude, encouragement, commitment, and a willingness to succeed.
• Be explicit about the benefits.
  • We will clearly identify each of the benefits and ensure they can be measured in quantifiable terms so improvements can be assessed after the program has been completed.
• Listen and communicate.
  • We will ask stakeholders for their opinions and make sure they know their comments and suggestions are valued.
  • We will seek feedback to adapt and fine-tune approaches to build on best practice and learn from mistakes, so the program proceeds more smoothly.
  • We will provide feedback and keep everyone up-to-date throughout the entire process as a way of reinforcing unity and building morale.

• Meet regularly with stakeholders to discuss the on-going work and coming phases of the STEAM program,
• Celebrate the milestones and breakthroughs, highlighting the successes of children and all other stakeholders as a way of building a more cohesive team.

 

 

STUDENT ENROLLMENT, PARENT ENGAGEMENT, AND COMMUNITY & INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS

 

Compton Avenue Elementary will seek to ensure that the families, community, and industry partnerships are informed and have access to the same information through actively the committee utilizing, publicizing, and/or visiting public arenas and social media, such as: monthly flyers, brochures, Connect Ed, School Website, Tea with the Principal, Parent Meetings, Community Meetings, promotional video, open houses, and community walks. The aforementioned will reinforce our recruitment plan and seek to recognize and consider student interest.

 

Through all of the aforementioned informative measures, families, communities, and industry partnerships will be privied to pertinent information about the STEAM program. During the various meetings, stakeholders will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive immediate feedback from the principal and other key STEM committee members on a monthly basis throughout the year.

 

Compton Avenue Elementary School will host a variety of school-wide events throughout the school year that will produce an alignment to STEAM. The events are as follows:

• Math Night
• Literacy Night
• Books Come to Life – Supported and Facilitated by City Year Corp members
• Science/STEAM Fair
• Career Day –parents and community members in the STEAM field will be asked to attend and present information to students
• Health Fair – Which will include Kaiser Permanente of Watts
• Art Gallery Walks
• College Fair – CSUDH partnerships,

Compton Avenue’s STEAM committee will be responsible for advertisement, logistical, organizational and cognitive planning of all events.

 

Compton Avenue has established many community partnerships that will be utilized to support the growth and development of our STEAM program. We have garnered partnerships between the California State University, Dominguez Hills, Kaiser Permanente, Cabrillo Marine Museum, Starbase, The Kitchen Community (Gardening Project), Los Angeles Police Department Community Outreach Program and LD South partner organizations, which will allow our students to experience valuable educational field trips, be provided resources and economically useful skills, and engage in enrichment opportunities that will prepare them for 21^st Century careers.