Students, teachers and administrators demonstrated to parents how students of all ages have been thinking, creating and innovating using a variety of tools and ideas developed through collaboration and problem-solving over the course of the school year.
“The level of work our students are doing is incredible,” said Raina Kor, assistant superintendent for Instruction and Human Resources. “It’s sophisticated, deep and collaborative. It was a huge opportunity for parents to see what their children are learning and doing in school. It was also nice for parents with younger children to see what the opportunities would be for their children as they go through the various grades.”
The rigorous and innovative Project Lead the Way curriculum allows students to apply their critical thinking skills and acquired math and science knowledge to real-life, hands-on engineering and technology projects, according to the Irvington UFSD
This is the first year that PLTW was implemented at Dows Lane Elementary School for third-graders, Main Street School for fourth-graders and Irvington Middle School for seventh-graders. The program already exists at Irvington High School, but was further expanded this year.
Seventh-grader Esha Shenoy, who has been studying designs and modeling as part of the curriculum, said she enjoyed the PLTW program and the opportunities it has provided her with to further explore the world of science, engineering and technology.
She told parents in attendance that she had worked with another classmate to create a book on biochemical engineering.
Junior Kevin Adams, who is currently enrolled in a civil engineering and architecture class, said the program allows him to be creative and think critically.
PLTW is taught at the high school by architecture teacher Patsy Costabile, at the middle school by math teacher Diana Cassidy, and at Dows Lane and Main Street School by technology teacher Gwenn Carney.
“Implementing new curriculum is always complex no matter what, and these groups of teachers have just done an incredible job,” said Kor, adding that they went through rigorous training last summer and continue to receive training on the program.
The District was able to implement the PLTW program through a grant from the PTSA and a grant from the Bemis Corporation.
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