Friday, April 30, 2010
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Education is a national initiative in response to increasing concerns about the United States remaining competitive in a global economy. As a nation, we want to ensure that we are providing the opportunities for our students to be on the cutting edge of education and training for STEM-oriented careers.
In order to meet these needs, the federal government has offered grant money for school districts to finance innovative educational programs that prepare students for advanced studies. This Race to the Top grant money, along with federal Perkins grant funds, will be used to finance the STEM academy at Kenwood High School. Race to the Top funds are to be utilized by school districts specifically to implement innovative programs; either a new program or to expand an existing one. Tennessee is one of only two states in the nation to receive this grant so far and from the state, Clarksville-Montgomery County will receive approximate $1.2 million over the next four years, part of which will be used to establish this academy. Perkins funds will be used to supplement certain aspects of STEM Academy and this grant is specified for career and technical education. It is important to understand that these grant funds have stipulations on how they can be utilized and this is the way we are able to offer this unique opportunity even with $9 million of local budget cuts taking place across the district.
The STEM Academy will follow a “school within a school” concept at Kenwood High school. Kenwood was chosen for both its location and the capacity for expansion within the facilities. The academy will feature an integrated core curriculum of math, science, social studies, and English along with engineering, while students can still enjoy the traditional high school experience through elective classes and school involvement in extracurricular activities. STEM Academy teachers will be strong in their content and have the capabilities to collaborate with their colleagues to implement the curriculum integration. This team of teachers will work together with the community to prepare the academy students for the job market and post-secondary education.
