New Idaho grade school focuses on math, science

MERIDIAN (AP) - A new elementary school named after Idaho astronaut Barbara Morgan aims to teach young children about science, technology, engineering and math.

The Idaho Statesman reports the Barbara Morgan STEM Academy will open this fall in the southwestern Idaho city of Meridian, becoming the district's fourth science-and-math magnet school.

The new school comes amid a push by the state to increase the number of students who go into math and science careers in Idaho in a bid to bring better-paying jobs to the workforce. Morgan said it's important to point out to kids the benefits a STEM education can bring.

"It's not just about careers," she said. "It's about having a literate society."

The school will use a student-led teaching style that emphasizes critical thinking and analysis, officials said, and students will have access to a room with video conferencing so they can work on projects with students at Galileo Math and Science Magnet School in Eagle.

Lynnea Shafter will teach a weekly STEM class at the school. She wants to show students that everything they design may not necessarily work out.

"We can learn from what we did," Shafter said.

The school will be housed in the district's old Linder Elementary School, which is undergoing a $150,000 renovation. The district decided to change Linder Elementary to a STEM academy after enrollment dropped to 300 students last year. So far, 430 children have enrolled in the Barbara Morgan STEM Academy, which will eventually have a capacity of 500 students.