Crown Point Community School Corporation is one of seven Northwest Indiana school corporations that will share a $450,000 federal Mathematics and Science Partnership grant administered by the Indiana Department of Education to enhance science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education over the next three years. The STEM Innovations initiative, which was formed by Indianapolis-based College Acceleration Network, was created as a result of the grant and partners school systems with higher education institutions to assist teachers in strengthening their STEM skills to help impact student academic performance. The initiative is partnering with Purdue University North Central, which will develop key tools and implement training for teachers and administrators.
“We need to ensure that our students have the best STEM education possible and in order to do that teachers and administrators need the necessary tools and training from experts in their field,” said Nancy Sutton, executive director of College Acceleration Network. “This grant will help provide those necessary resources.”
More than 200 teachers in the seven school corporations in grades seven through nine will participate in summer institutes and key sessions throughout the school year to learn a number of skills including how to create more effective lessons that will enhance current Indiana Common Core standards and Indiana academic requirements. The other school corporations participating in the initiative are: Gary Community School Corporation (Gary, Ind.), Merrillville School Corporation (Merrillville, Ind.), M.S.D. of Boone Township (Hebron, Ind.), School City of Hammond (Hammond, Ind.), School City of Hobart (Hobart, Ind.) and the School Town of Munster (Munster, Ind.). The school corporations are part of the ReadyNWI initiative.
The grant will also help the school corporations continue to build on the work they are already doing as part of a Math Innovations grant that provides professional development and leadership coaching in algebra and assessment data to teachers. The Math Innovations grant increases knowledge of the Common Core State Standards, focusing on the importance of math as an indicator of post-secondary success.
Crown Point Superintendent Dr. Teresa A. Eineman mused, “Regionally united, we are better able to recruit, support, train, and retain strong teaching forces. Our students are the direct beneficiaries of enhanced curricula in the sciences and mathematics interwoven in the midst of career pathways. Kudos to all our partners.”
U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana) said in a press release, “I am very happy to see Indiana school corporations and institutes of higher learning working together to provide our kids with the education and skills they need to succeed in today’s job market. I want to thank the Indiana Department of Education for making this investment in our children’s future.”
About College Acceleration Network
The College Acceleration Network (CAN), an Indianapolis-based non-profit organization, is committed to helping educational leaders meet their college and career readiness goals. CAN provides services including assessment mapping, analytical tools and custom instructional and leadership coaching for secondary school leaders to help align the work of K12 to the needs of the regional economy. CAN has secured over $1 million in external grant funds and currently supports leadership teams across 75 secondary schools in Indiana. To learn more visit www.collegeacceleration.com.
About Crown Point Community School Corporation
Crown Point Community School Corporation is among the highest performing districts with ten award-winning schools. Named by Indiana Department of Education as an Exemplary “A” District, (and most recently by the legislature as the first cohort of designated “Indiana Performance Qualified School Districts”) it is to be expected innovation and sustaining change are driving academic achievement levels upward.