After a year of preparation, Bridlewood Elementary School will begin a new learning era this fall. The campus now will be known as the Lewisville ISD STEM Academy at Bridlewood.
“Bridlewood was selected as the elementary school for the Marcus High School feeder pattern,” says Lewisville ISD Elementary STEM Administrator Dr. Jonas Greene. “Eligible schools in the district were invited to complete a proposal to express the school’s interest in the program, which included staff and community support. The district will eventually offer one LISD STEM Academy in each of the five high school feeder patterns.”
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. STEM-focused learning prepares students for the complexities and challenges they may face in the future.
“The LISD STEM Academy prepares students for their future by focusing on critical thinking, problem solving, communication, flexibility and creativity,” Dr. Greene says. “All of these are skills that will be essential to student success regardless of what students want to be when they grow up.”
At the STEM Academy campus, students will receive instruction in engineering every day, and STEM practices will be integrated into all instructional areas. All students also will receive instruction in robotics, computer programming and innovation. Students will have an extended school day that will begin at 7:45 a.m. and end at 3:25 p.m.
“Parents can expect to see dynamic learning spaces designed to support flexible, experiential and project-based learning paired with a curriculum centered on STEM-science, technology, engineering and math,” Mrs. Block says. “Our goal is to prepare students for their future while maximizing their learning experience in the present.”
Dr. Greene says Bridlewood received its scheduled 20-year refresh this summer, during which a few STEM components were included in the construction. Those components include the new Bridlewood STEM Academy logo and new STEM exploration rooms.
“Just being a part of pulling it all together and working with our fabulous staff to embrace STEM, embrace the design process, and get kids to be better thinkers, stronger thinkers, problem solvers, and passionate about what they’re doing, has been incredibly invigorating,” Mrs. Block says. “Words can’t adequately convey my excitement as we embark on our school’s next chapter.”
Bridlewood is the first LISD STEM academy to earn certification with 100% of its classroom teachers already nationally certified STEM teachers. Mrs. Block and Assistant Principal Aaron Hudson also earned their national STEM teaching certificates.
“Commitment is the courage to change and the teaching staff at Bridlewood exhibited our desire to put student needs above all else by accomplishing this monumental feat,” Mrs. Block says. “I am so incredibly proud to serve alongside our dedicated teachers. Commitment speaks ‘yes’ over and over and there is no room for 'no.'"
Though curriculums will be STEM-focused this school-year, Mrs. Block says Bridlewood will maintain a nurturing, well-rounded learning environment.
“Our families can take comfort in the fact we will sustain our family atmosphere centered around our desire to teach the whole child,” she says. “We will not waiver on our commitment to meeting every child’s academic, social and emotional needs.”
Bridlewood is the fourth STEM campus to open in the district. Other locations include Donald Elementary, Valley Ridge Elementary and Polser Elementary. Next year Josey Lane will open its STEM campus. Dr. Greene says LISD hopes to offer even more STEM opportunities throughout the district in the future.
“The vision is for all elementary schools in the district to offer some form of a STEM foundation either through science classes, math classes or weekly enrichment in engineering,” he says.
Though all STEM campuses in LISD are currently at the elementary level, Dr. Greene says the school system will broaden STEM offerings in 2021.
“To continue learning from the elementary to middle school level, some middle school locations will begin to incorporate STEM in 2021,” he says. “At the high school level, learning for students becomes more specialized and tailored toward student interest. All five high schools already offer a variety of STEM related courses. Additionally, the district has two career centers: Technology, Exploration & Career Center East (TECC-East) and Technology, Exploration & Career Center West (TECC-West). These locations provide additional learning in specialized STEM fields.”
For more information about LISD’s STEM learning, visit LISD.net.