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FWCS Kicks Off Stem/Steam Initiative With Discovery Education

Fort Wayne Community Schools and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, will kick off FWCS’ STEM/STEAM initiative with a special leadership retreat on March 22. During this invite-only event, FWCS teachers and administrators, as well as local business and community leaders, parents and others, will gather at the FWCS Family and Community Engagement Center to create the vision for the seven schools involved in the initiative.

FWCS recently entered into a new collaboration with Discovery Education that will build a culture of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education at Irwin Elementary, Portage Middle School and Wayne High School, and a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) culture at Whitney Young Early Childhood Center, Weisser Park Elementary School, Memorial Park Middle School and South Side High School. During the Leadership Retreat led by Discovery Education, participants will examine the future needs of the workforce across the greater Fort Wayne region, engage in hands-on activities that model the lessons students will experience and chart a roadmap for FWCS’ STEM/STEAM journey.

“We are excited to bring business and community leaders together with our educators to build partnerships for the work we have ahead of us,” FWCS Superintendent Dr. Wendy Robinson. “An initiative of this size and importance requires the best thinking of our entire community, and we look forward to partnering with Discovery Education to create a premiere STEM/STEAM education for our students.”

As part of FWCS’ expanded collaboration with Discovery Education, a variety of digital resources will support the district’s efforts to accelerate STEM/STEAM learning at the seven schools. The new resources include Discovery Education Streaming Plus, STEM Connect and Discovery Education’s Science and Math TechbooksTM, which are digital textbooks.

Discovery Education’s professional development services will also play a critical role in helping the staff at the seven schools create a strong culture of STEM/STEAM education over the next four years.

“Discovery Education is proud to support Fort Wayne Community Schools’ efforts to advance STEM and STEAM education,” said Kelly Hoce, Director of Education Partnerships at Discovery Education. “We are excited to begin this exciting new initiative and support the talented FWCS team as they grow a vibrant culture of STEM/STEAM teaching and learning and support the success of students districtwide.”

Since 2008, FWCS and Discovery Education have partnered to bring digital resources that empower teachers, enhance curriculum and inspire students to classrooms across the school system. Students and teachers district-wide currently have access to Discovery Education Streaming, a comprehensive digital service supplementing instruction across all K-12 curricular areas and aligned to state standards.