Moving to a STEM focus at Fernan Elementary

What's in a name? Gertrude, Agnes, Microsoft and the Banana Slugs offer different thoughts when imagining the focus of the corporation or individual owning the title. A kind and mature woman of strong focus might one imagine when thinking of the name Agnes. Microsoft offers thoughts of Bill Gates, computers, a megacorporation and philanthropy while the Fighting Banana Slugs of the University of California, Santa Cruz, bring a chuckle and possible dismissal of the school's academic prowess.

In the same regard, The Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy, North Idaho STEM Charter Academy and Sorensen Magnet School of Arts and Humanities carry the weight of schools of excellence, schools of choice and educational elitist. The name makes a difference. Children fortunate enough to have parents who take the time to research, have the means of transportation and are focused on their children's education ensure their children attend these schools.

Schools with a purposeful focus are important in educating children to reach their full potential. Most students excel when offered an instructional strategy which focuses on a specific topic or subject but such educational institutes are out of reach of our most vulnerable students. Children from working-class families are focused on providing basic needs for their families while parents from working-poor families struggle to provide shelter and safety for their children. Lack of financial resources should not be a barrier to a child's availability to an excellent education.

For parents of means, many wish to send their children to the local community school so their child is educated with neighborhood kids, gains a sense of community and rub shoulders with a melting pot of the population from which one might find in society as the child grows. I work in such a school.

Fernan Elementary School is a school of 405 students from diverse backgrounds. Some students come from homes where parents struggle to pay rent while other children have access to all the world has to offer. Some students live and love with major disabilities while others excel academically and physically. Every student is challenged to reach his or her full potential with a belief that as a student enters the doors of our school, racial, financial, physical and academic disparity disappear as every child is emotionally and physically wealthy.

Acknowledging the disparity in the haves and the have-nots, the teachers and staff at Fernan Elementary School realize that we must offer more. We must offer in our community school, the opportunity for our students to have the same benefit as students from schools of choice - we must provide an academic focus, exceptional instruction and continue to eliminate the disparity between the have and have-nots within our school walls.

The solution offered by these educators is to change the focus of our school from a directly didactic instructional model to a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) model. STEM education is a movement in American education to help teachers and students understand how the academic disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics impact the world and prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow.

The vision of STEM is to excite and inspire learners through a rigorous and challenging curriculum to meet the challenges of today's society using STEM as the foundation for critical thinking, experiential learning and creative problem solving. This does not discount reading and language arts. Reading and language arts are incorporated in everything taught in STEM. These foundational skills are as important as STEM for academic success.

STEM learning is an economic imperative. Experts say that technological innovation account for almost half of U.S. economic growth over the past 50 years and almost all of the 30 fastest-growing occupations in the next decade will require at least some background in STEM.

STEM statistics show our country is falling behind in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. According to STEMtisitics:

* In 2009, just 34 percent of U.S. eighth-graders were rated proficient or higher in a national math assessment, and more than one in four scored below the basic level.

* In an international exam given to 15-year-olds in 2009, U.S. high school students ranked significantly behind 12 industrialized nations in science and 17 in math. Students in only four industrialized nations scored lower in math.

* Only 45 percent of U.S. high school graduates in 2011 were ready for college work in math and 30 percent were ready in science.

* STEM literacy has a profound and growing impact on our day-to-day lives. It helps us make critical decisions about our health care, our finances and our retirement. It illuminates the ever more complex issues that govern the future of our democracy, and it reveals to us the beauty and power of the world we inhabit.

* 69 percent: Share of U.S. students who graduated from high school with a regular diploma in four years (2007).

* 47 percent: The share of black males who graduated from high school with a regular diploma in four years (2008).

* 45 percent: Share of 2011 U.S. high school graduates who are ready for college-level math.

* 30 percent: Share of 2011 U.S. high school students who are ready for college-level science.

* 3 million: The projected shortage of workers with U.S. college degrees, associates or better, by 2018.

With this movement to a STEM focus, Fernan is petitioning to the Board of Trustees to change the name of the school to reflect our focus. After surveying our staff, the community, the students and past and present shareholders, we are offering the following names to the Board of Trustees:

* Fernan STEM Academy

* Fernan STEM Elementary School

* Coeur d'Alene STEM Academy

* Fernan STEM K-5 Academy

A name does make a difference. Adding the STEM acronym to the name of the school clearly states the school's focus. The word academy denotes that the school has a strong academic focus. Let me know your thoughts.

If you have thoughts or ideas about this change of focus or wish to offer an idea about the name change, please let me know. Fernan is your community school and celebrates the ability of all children. We are excited about this opportunity to provide a STEM focused curriculum in the public school system and wish to hear your thoughts and ideas to make Fernan the best school possible to educate children in our community.

Send comments or other suggestions to William Rutherford at bprutherford@hotmail.com or visit pensiveparenting.com.