This is a question I get A LOT. Sometimes from parents of younger siblings who are on the fence about attending, sometimes from people who have never heard of us, and even sometimes at Starbuck's when I'm wearing a STEM shirt before work.
I have too many answers to share them all when I am asked, but I will try to share them here.
1. The number of people who tour our school and say the following: "I wish I had an option like this when I was in school." On the surface this sounds like just a nice compliment, but in reality it says something about the depth of people's disillusionment with more traditional educational models, that have not changed in decades or longer. Research tells us again and again what students needs, but many schools are unwilling to change longstanding practices in instruction, grading, and so on. If you want to attend, or would like your student to attend, a school that believes in changing the paradigm of education, send them to STEM.
2. Opportunities. This word also comes up repeatedly, and I am thrilled to report that it often comes from students themselves. Students want opportunities to meet new classmates, have fresh starts, work in PBL groups, not sit in rows or listen to lectures, to take college classes, to work with people and businesses in their communities. They want all of these opportunities because they in turn open additional doors, to internships, to colleges or universities, to starting their future earlier than some others. The opportunities are endless, we do many things differently than traditional schools, but perhaps the best is that when we tell students that the sky is the limit, we mean it. They make individualized schedules, have more autonomy and independence than typical teenagers, and if we can say yes, we do. Want to accelerate and complete a math course early? Yes, you can. Want to pitch your business plan to investors and launch it after? Yes, you can. Want to make your own schedule and pick your classes like college students? Yes, you can. If these options sound right for your student, send them to STEM.
3. Culture. Inclusivity and relationship-building are foundational here. I can't count the number of students who have shared with me that they didn't feel like they fit in at their previous schools, but that they have great friends and social networks at STEM. Many students remain friends with their middle school classmates, or the people in their neighborhoods, but still make new friends at STEM. We actively seek to shape this as a positive change for students from day one. The emphasis on and instruction in collaboration also plays a role here. The teachers who work at STEM, love coming to school, and love our students and their families. This is so true that we use our own hashtag #STEMkidsarethebestkids, and we mean it. When students are allowed to learn in authentic and engaging ways, they grow to be their best selves. If you want that for your student, send them to STEM.
4. It is a better path to preparing for post-secondary pursuits than any I have ever seen. It has baffled me throughout my career that we expect high school graduates to be ready for the career force (directly after high school or after college), when we tell them everything they need to know, where to sit, when to do everything, and whether they can use the restroom or not. Taking dual enrollment courses not only provides academic rigor, it helps them learn from their mistake...before they (or their parents) are paying thousands of dollars for tuition. It SHOWS them, instead of tells them, how to juggle their time between after school jobs, extracurricular activities, and school work. It affords them the opportunity to put this into practice instead of just being told they will use it "someday" or "in the real world." Many of our graduates come back and visit, and honestly, they tell us themselves that they feel better prepared than the other college freshman, or gap year friends that they know. If you want your student to be more successful after high school, send them to STEM.
5. Challenging environment. Research shows us again that stepping outside comfort zones, exercising the freedom to create and the freedom to FAIL (and actually learn from those missteps and to try again), and to live and learn outside the box, is how innovators change the world. This one is big. Like, really, really big. In a world that has changed so rapidly in such a short time, in a globalized world of business and cultural exchange, we need students to become adults who challenge the status quo and excel in innovating. Students of today need to be able to ADAPT, quickly, and repeatedly, in order to stay competitive and marketable, and happy and stable. We encourage all of our students to do the same. If you want an experience like no other, that prepares your student to think like no other, send them to STEM.
We have supports and scaffolds a'plenty. We have programmatic structures that are akin to accommodations at other school (1:1 tech for all students, flexible seating, multiple opportunities to complete work, and extended deadlines, to name a few). We have Exceptional Ed. teachers, including Gifted programming (that many students elect not to pursue because the curriculum is so enriched). In fact, the only thing that ever leads me to direct a student elsewhere, is if your child requires a very traditional and highly structured setting, and/or you or your child are uncomfortable with change. We make it work for nearly every student who steps through the doors, regardless of academic ability or acumen, regardless of personality, and regardless of whether they are sure they want to be here. For the very few for whom this is really not the right place, it comes down to the aforementioned two items. For the vast majority though, they find their place here and succeed with flying colors.
If someone asks you what you know about STEM, or would like to know more, share this, and feel free to send them to me!
I have too many answers to share them all when I am asked, but I will try to share them here.
1. The number of people who tour our school and say the following: "I wish I had an option like this when I was in school." On the surface this sounds like just a nice compliment, but in reality it says something about the depth of people's disillusionment with more traditional educational models, that have not changed in decades or longer. Research tells us again and again what students needs, but many schools are unwilling to change longstanding practices in instruction, grading, and so on. If you want to attend, or would like your student to attend, a school that believes in changing the paradigm of education, send them to STEM.
2. Opportunities. This word also comes up repeatedly, and I am thrilled to report that it often comes from students themselves. Students want opportunities to meet new classmates, have fresh starts, work in PBL groups, not sit in rows or listen to lectures, to take college classes, to work with people and businesses in their communities. They want all of these opportunities because they in turn open additional doors, to internships, to colleges or universities, to starting their future earlier than some others. The opportunities are endless, we do many things differently than traditional schools, but perhaps the best is that when we tell students that the sky is the limit, we mean it. They make individualized schedules, have more autonomy and independence than typical teenagers, and if we can say yes, we do. Want to accelerate and complete a math course early? Yes, you can. Want to pitch your business plan to investors and launch it after? Yes, you can. Want to make your own schedule and pick your classes like college students? Yes, you can. If these options sound right for your student, send them to STEM.
3. Culture. Inclusivity and relationship-building are foundational here. I can't count the number of students who have shared with me that they didn't feel like they fit in at their previous schools, but that they have great friends and social networks at STEM. Many students remain friends with their middle school classmates, or the people in their neighborhoods, but still make new friends at STEM. We actively seek to shape this as a positive change for students from day one. The emphasis on and instruction in collaboration also plays a role here. The teachers who work at STEM, love coming to school, and love our students and their families. This is so true that we use our own hashtag #STEMkidsarethebestkids, and we mean it. When students are allowed to learn in authentic and engaging ways, they grow to be their best selves. If you want that for your student, send them to STEM.
4. It is a better path to preparing for post-secondary pursuits than any I have ever seen. It has baffled me throughout my career that we expect high school graduates to be ready for the career force (directly after high school or after college), when we tell them everything they need to know, where to sit, when to do everything, and whether they can use the restroom or not. Taking dual enrollment courses not only provides academic rigor, it helps them learn from their mistake...before they (or their parents) are paying thousands of dollars for tuition. It SHOWS them, instead of tells them, how to juggle their time between after school jobs, extracurricular activities, and school work. It affords them the opportunity to put this into practice instead of just being told they will use it "someday" or "in the real world." Many of our graduates come back and visit, and honestly, they tell us themselves that they feel better prepared than the other college freshman, or gap year friends that they know. If you want your student to be more successful after high school, send them to STEM.
5. Challenging environment. Research shows us again that stepping outside comfort zones, exercising the freedom to create and the freedom to FAIL (and actually learn from those missteps and to try again), and to live and learn outside the box, is how innovators change the world. This one is big. Like, really, really big. In a world that has changed so rapidly in such a short time, in a globalized world of business and cultural exchange, we need students to become adults who challenge the status quo and excel in innovating. Students of today need to be able to ADAPT, quickly, and repeatedly, in order to stay competitive and marketable, and happy and stable. We encourage all of our students to do the same. If you want an experience like no other, that prepares your student to think like no other, send them to STEM.
We have supports and scaffolds a'plenty. We have programmatic structures that are akin to accommodations at other school (1:1 tech for all students, flexible seating, multiple opportunities to complete work, and extended deadlines, to name a few). We have Exceptional Ed. teachers, including Gifted programming (that many students elect not to pursue because the curriculum is so enriched). In fact, the only thing that ever leads me to direct a student elsewhere, is if your child requires a very traditional and highly structured setting, and/or you or your child are uncomfortable with change. We make it work for nearly every student who steps through the doors, regardless of academic ability or acumen, regardless of personality, and regardless of whether they are sure they want to be here. For the very few for whom this is really not the right place, it comes down to the aforementioned two items. For the vast majority though, they find their place here and succeed with flying colors.
If someone asks you what you know about STEM, or would like to know more, share this, and feel free to send them to me!
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