One local school district has been recognized for its dedication to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, or STEM education.
Port Byron Central School District has been inducted as a Woz Ed STEM District of Distinction for its incorporation of the Woz ED STEM curriculum into its classes.
Speaking with Finger Lakes News Radio, District Superintendent Mike Jorgensen said they decided to partner with Woz ED and adopt its curriculum to offer students in grades Pre K-12 a comprehensive STEM education. Through the collaboration, district schools received STEM kits, lessons, instruction for staff on how to incorporate STEM in the classroom, and visits from Woz ED staff.
Jorgenson said that not only are students learning, but they’re having fun while doing so.
“Our students love any of these hands-on activities where they’re building and learning… I think this gives them a good opportunity to explore, and they love it.”
As part of the hands-on education component of the curriculum, students learn a variety of skills that can easily translate into careers, such as coding, programming, and drone technologies.
Jorgensen said the partnership with Woz ED has been invaluable for increasing STEM material into the district’s schools, especially as incorporating brand new STEM material can be difficult for teachers who were never trained in it. He added that the district is excited to continue and expand its STEM offerings to students.
“We’ll continue to look for new opportunities to expand. Woz ED has been a great partner. so we’re excited to see where we end up in the future.”
Once the kits were purchased, Port Byron Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Katie Naples spearheaded the effort to map out how the program would work across the district and at each grade level. She told Finger Lakes News Radio that her biggest goal was to create an equitable STEM experience for all of the district’s students, something Woz ED noted in its induction decision.
“Before, we would have kids that would get some STEM here, some STEM there, a Lego kit here, a Lego kit there, but the way that we rolled this out ensured that all students get these experiences throughout the time that they’re with us at Port Byron… Now, we can ensure that all first grade kids are receiving this, all second grade kids are getting this, all the way up.”
Woz ED was founded by Steve Wozniak, who, along with Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne, founded Apple in 1976.
Have all the Finger Lakes news from Finger Lakes News Radio delivered to your email every morning for FREE! Sign up by clicking here
