Westmoreland, Allegheny teachers will study how to enhance STEM programs

Educators in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties are seeking out teaching practices that best prepare students for careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

Faculty and staff members from five school districts in Westmoreland and six in Allegheny will participate in partnership with intermediate units, the Consortium for Public Education and Code.org.

The initiative is funded through a $530,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. Eleven school districts that serve communities in which 34-66% of students are in low-income households received $20,000 of the funding.

“The grant funds will go toward support for corporate immersion experiences, action planning and professional learning … to enhance teachers’ instructional practices (and) prepare students for in-demand careers,” said Mike Arone, associate principal at Derry Area High School.

Derry Area was one of the districts in Westmoreland, along with Greater Latrobe, Yough, Mt. Pleasant Area and Southmoreland, to receive a $20,000 grant. The funding will primarily support professional learning tuition in partnership with the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit.

Teachers and faculty members working in Deer Lakes, East Allegheny, Elizabeth Forward, Highlands, South Allegheny and West Mifflin school districts in Allegheny will be doing the same with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit.

“We have a team of eight educators that meet regularly at the (Allegheny Intermediate Unit),” said Catherine M. Russo, coordinator of curriculum, instruction, assessment and funding programs at Highlands School District.

Russo said that each educator participating in the initiative attended training where they were given the opportunity to visit various corporate partners, tour the facilities and experience hands-on learning as students.

“I visited Operating Engineers in New Alexandria a few weeks ago and got to operate an excavator and crane truck to lower the boom,” Russo said.

Over the summer and into next school year, educators in both counties will continue to participate in the professional learning experiences while crafting an “action plan” to improve science, math and computer science programs.

By the end of next school year, faculty members from each participating school district will be required to host a community engagement event at their respective Intermediate Unit buildings. Presenters will share what they learned and any changes in programming as a result of the experience.