LATEST NEWS & INFO Category: School leaders

Good things are happening fast at Chase STEMM Academy. The K-8 building in the Toledo Public district earned an overall grade of “B” on its latest School Report Card from the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), after logging an “F” in 2015. Chase also has received statewide honors, being named an Ohio School to Watch by ODE and earning the department’s Momentum Award. How has the urban school come so far so quickly? We asked principal Jack Hunter about the […]

The Ohio STEM Learning Network collaborates with the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to support the STEM/STEAM school designation process.  STE(A)M designation is written into Ohio law, and the law defines the contents of the applications for STE(A)M school designation. Periodically, the Ohio STEM Learning Network and ODE make clarifications to the application process, including updating the application itself. A new STE(A)M designation application was approved by the Ohio STEM Committee, the group of policymakers, agency directors, and business leaders […]

After several years of discussion, new graduation requirements are coming. In response to a call for more options, the new graduation standards, which will become effective in mid-October, go beyond the usual tests and offer combinations of criteria that students can satisfy to demonstrate their qualifications to graduate high school. For insight on the new requirements, we contacted Sarah Wilson at the Ohio Department of Education: Q: Tell us about your job at the Ohio Department of Education and your […]

One might think that an enterprise called the PAST Foundation would be focused on, well, the past. But that’s not the case with this Columbus-based non-profit education organization. The PAST Foundation wants to transform the future of teaching and learning through its emphasis on STEM education, school design and workforce development. Through its programs, which include its Innovation Lab; professional development training for school administrators and teachers; and student activities, to name a few, the foundation works to change education […]

What does it takes to be a STEM or STEAM school, as designated by the State of Ohio? Designation requires more than adding a robotics club, going 1:1 with technology, or offering more science and math courses. The Ohio STEM Learning Network and the Ohio Department of Education will be hosting four regional meetings this fall to assist schools interested in applying for STE(A)M designation. Join us to learn about the attributes of a STE(A)M designated school, from creating a […]

St. Ambrose Catholic School is a rare kind of school. Just three nonpublic Ohio schools have earned designation from the Ohio STEM Committee as a STEAM (STEM + arts) school. The pre-K through 8 school in northeastern Ohio’s Medina County has much to offer in its STEAM-based curriculum, which it launched in 2016. From coding and computer science to a planned Fine Arts STEAM Lab, the school has been able to offer its students a wide-ranging STEAM-based curriculum in just […]

Editor’s note We’re publishing today’s interview as Director Heather Sherman joins the Education Commission of the States’ annual National Forum on Education Policy  to present on “State Policies to Support STEAM Education.” You can follow her tweets here. At Herbert Mills STEM Elementary School, the arts have always been a part of the engineering design process. So recently, administrators at the central Ohio school decided to make it official, successfully petitioning the STEM Committee of the state’s Department of Education to […]

For the second year, we’re proud to recognize four leaders from around the network. A teacher, a principal, an innovator, and an advocate each accepted commendation for their dedication to improving education in our state. Below, read the formal release from Battelle praising these important leaders. 2019 Ohio STEM Excellence Awards Unveiled COLUMBUS, Ohio (June 13, 2019)—The Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN) has recognized the four winners of the “STEM Excellence Awards.” These awards recognize outstanding teachers, school leaders, or education advocates […]

Last year, we recognized Melissa Drury, Amanda Gillespie and Susan Stearns for their extensive achievements in expanding STEM education in Ohio. Melissa and Susan both have written in pieces for the OSLN blog and Amanda was interviewed in 2017 by her local paper. To help inspire you to nominate a educator in your school or community, we’ve gathered together these conversations with the 2018 winners. Girls build apps at techie camp with Melissa Drury, 2018 recipient of the Excellence in […]

Update: Nominations for this award are now closed. To be notified when we open the awards again, be sure to sign up for our announcements at www.osln.org/sign-up. Do you have a phenomenal STEM educator in your building? Are there leaders in your school or district that encourage innovation? Is your colleague leading the charge in advocating for STEM? Applications for our 2019 OSLN STEM Innovation Awards are now open! The STEM Innovation Awards will recognize a phenomenal teacher, school or district […]