Silver Spring, MD (October 8, 2019) — Arizona’s Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) announced today an expansion of their multi-year collaboration with Discovery Education. In this new phase of partnership, Discovery Education will provide engaging, STEM/STEAM-focused digital content and sustained professional learning support to two SUSD STEM/STEAM elementary schools, Laguna Elementary School and Navajo Elementary School. This partnership expansion assists the district’s ongoing efforts to create and sustain immersive STEM/STEAM instruction that engages students, inspires lifelong learning, and sets them up for success beyond the classroom. Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms.
Located just northeast of Phoenix, AZ, SUSD is a premiere PreK–12 district that serves a diverse population of more than 23,000 students across 29 physical campuses and one online school. SUSD’s mission is to deliver a world-class education promoting the highest level of academic achievement, creativity, and personal growth that will inspire greatness in today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders. To support this mission, the district has established robust STEM/STEAM programs in schools across the district.
In an effort to enhance the culture of STEM education at the district’s STEM/STEAM elementary schools, Laguna Elementary School and Navajo Elementary School, the district has deepened its partnership with Discovery Education to bring Discovery Education STEM Connect into each schools’ classrooms. STEM Connect is a cutting-edge, web-based, interdisciplinary K-8 supplemental resource that helps students develop the creative, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills they need for success beyond graduation, and was recently awarded the prestigious CODiE award by the Software and Information Industry Association. Featuring flexible, modular learning units, STEM Connect provides students an easy-to-follow educational experience that includes real-world challenges, career connections, and hands-on activities. In addition, the educators at Laguna Elementary School and Navajo Elementary School will also participate in Discovery Education’s STEMformation professional learning initiative.
A comprehensive, three-year system of professional development, STEMformation helps educators strengthen and sustain a culture of STEM at individual school sites and guides educators as they master STEM instructional strategies. With a focus on developing high-quality STEM lessons and vertically aligning STEM education school-wide, STEMformation provides the robust professional development, job-embedded coaching, and administrative leadership to create centers of STEM excellence.
“At the Scottsdale Unified School District, we believe in providing all students a rigorous academic experience that inspires the highest levels of achievement, creativity, and personal growth,” said Dr. John Kriekard SUSD Superintendent. “To support our talented staff in cultivating the STEM/STEAM culture we know will support the academic experience our students deserve, we are pleased to expand our relationship with Discovery Education.”
SUSD educators will continue to receive support from the Discovery Education Community. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Education Community connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable networking, idea sharing, and inspiration.
“We at Discovery Education are excited to get down to work with the educators at SUSD’s Laguna Elementary School and Navajo Elementary School,” said Phillip Mikula, Senior Director of Educational Partnerships at Discovery Education. “They have set a tremendous bar in terms of providing their students best-in-class STEM/STEAM education, and we look forward to supporting their efforts with our dynamic digital content and sustained professional learning services.”
For more information about Discovery Education’s digital curricular resources and professional learning services, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Facebook, follow us on Twitter at @DiscoveryEd, or find us on Instagram and Pinterest.
The American Consortium for Equity in Education, publisher of the "Equity & Access" journal, celebrates and connects the educators, associations, community partners and industry leaders who are working to solve problems and create a more equitable environment for historically underserved pre K-12 students throughout the United States.
