Now, more than ever, our students need to be Science-literate and computer proficient. Common Core is here and with it, Smarter Balanced computer-adaptive testing. That’s right–no more number two pencils.

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Every year Fremont’s S.O.S. Fund Drive accomplishes a mighty goal: to fund our Science and Technology labs. And every dollar we raise for our students raises their performance:

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• The majority of Fremont 5th graders have achieved “Advance Proficiency” on the STAR Science Test.

• Fremont students score 30% and higher than the state average on the STAR Science test.

• Fremont students will be better prepared for the new computer-adaptive Smarter Balanced testing

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Fremont is one of the district’s last surviving K-5 schools with dedicated lab instructors for both science and technology. This year, to keep those labs running, we need you to get involved.

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In 2016, Support Our STEM was unanimously decided by a vote to change to Support Our STEAM. We are currently working to support new ideas to integrate Arts & Humanities into our existing STEM program while we begin preparation to launch into the Next Generation Science Standards. We're really excited about what's to come in the 2019-20 school year and will share all updates as we receive them. Full STEAM ahead!!

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What is STEAM?

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STEAM is an educational approach that incorporates the arts into the more-familiar STEM model, which includes science, technology, engineering and mathematics. STEAM programs can include any of the visual or performing arts, such as dance, design, painting, photography and writing.

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Reintegrating art and design into education has been demonstrated to increase the happiness and well-being of students. 

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STEAM is a way to take the benefits of STEM and complete the package by integrating these principles in and through the arts.  STEAM takes STEM to the next level: it allows students to connect their learning in these critical areas together with arts practices, elements, design principles, and standards to provide the whole pallet of learning at their disposal.  STEAM removes limitations and replaces them with wonder, critique, inquiry, and innovation.

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STEAM’s foundations lie in inquiry, critical thinking, and process-based learning. That is extremely important. The entire idea surrounding STEAM lessons and the STEAM approach is that it’s based around questioning, and really deep questioning.  We want to start asking non-Googleable questions.

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Inquiry, curiosity, being able to find solutions to a problem, and being creative in the finding of the solutions is at the heart of this approach. This means that the humanities are woven into STEAM just like everything else.

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Using STEAM does not mean letting english language arts or social studies go to the wayside. You can use a STEAM lesson with those ideas, because it’s fundamentally built upon asking really good questions, and then seeking solutions to the problems that are presented in those content areas.

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That doesn’t have to just happen in the STEM areas, or in the arts areas with STEM; you can connect all of the humanities through STEAM through the idea that you’re looking for a solution to a very specific problem which comes out of the inquiry process.

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This approach to learning is certainly not an easy task, but the benefits to students and the entire school community are tremendous.  Students and teachers engaged in STEAM make more real-life connections so that school is not a place where you go to learn but instead becomes the entire experience of learning itself.  We are always learning, always growing, always experimenting.  School doesn’t have to be a place, but rather a frame of mind that uses the Arts as a lever to explosive growth, social-emotional connections, and the foundation for the innovators of tomorrow…today!