STEM

TODAY: Luis Muñoz Marin School and Liberty Science Center Host Girls in Technology Project Showcase

[Newark, NJ – May 12, 2016] – The Luis Muñoz Marin School for Social Justice (LMM), in partnership with the Liberty Science Center (LSC) and the Prudential Foundation, will host the second annual “Girls in Technology Project Showcase” later today. Female students participating in the Girls in Technology after-school program at LMM will showcase their work to family members, peers and educators.

This year, 25 students participated in the after-school program, which focuses on providing young women with the opportunity to explore the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and gain valuable coding experience.

Girls in Technology is an original partnership between LMM and Liberty Science Center. It is supported by a generous grant from the Prudential Foundation.

Girls in Technology Project Showcase

WHO

  • Katie Gardner, Teacher Programs Developer, Liberty Science Center
  • Ms. McReynolds, Fifth Grade Teacher, Luis Muñoz Marin
  • Fifth Grade Students, Luis Muñoz Marin

WHAT

  • Girls in Technology Project Showcase

WHEN

  • Thursday, May 12, 5:00 p.m.

WHERE

  • Luis Muñoz Marin School
    663 Broadway
    Newark, NJ 07104

Media planning to attend should RSVP to Dreena Whitfield via email dwhitfield@nullnewark.apppresser.com.

Newark Schools Win Award for Progress Adding Tech to Classrooms

Dan Ivers | NJ Advance Media for NJ.COM | Email the author | Follow on Twitter

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LeiLani Cauthen, CEO and Publisher, Learning Counsel and Dr. David Kafitz, Senior VP of School Relations, Learning Counsel present Joshua Koen, Special Assistant for Technology, Newark Public Schools with the 2015 Award of Excellence for Digital Curriculum & Content Strategy

NEWARK – A national education research institute has named the city’s public school district among a list of leaders for its progress bringing digital curriculum into classrooms.

The Learning Counsel included the state-controlled district on a list of 10 who had made the greatest strides toward implementing more technology into both teaching and learning. The organization, which serves as an intermediary between districts and tech companies, revealed the list at its annual Gathering and National Awards Event in Albuquerque, N.M.

In a statement, Superintendent of Schools Christopher Cerf congratulated those officials involved with pushing the district’s use of technology forward.

“Over the past four years, the district has made extensive investments in education technology and professional development to provide our children with an excellent education,” he said. “These positive institutional changes are giving our young people the tools they need to be college and career ready.”

According to district officials, it has added 3,700 wireless access points in Newark school since May 2011, upgraded its internet network using fiber optic circuits, and recently purchased more than 11,000 Google Chromebook laptops for use by students.

Last month, it began a new partnership with Google through its recently launched program Expeditions Pioneer program, which brought its new Expeditions app to a handful of city schools.

Dr. David Kafitz, the Learning Counsel’s Vice President of School Relationships and Consulting, said he hoped other districts around the country might follow Newark’s lead.

“Newark Public Schools has been a leader in integrating technology into its curriculum in a way that will transform the way we teach our young people. We look forward to seeing how their work will inspire other districts to use digital curriculum and technology to their advantage.”

Other districts honored by the Learning Counsel included Township High School District 214 in Illinois, Union County Public Schools in North Carolina, St. Vrain Valley Schools in Colorado and Pinellas County Schools in Florida.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@nullnjadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Peshine Avenue Elementary School Receives 50k Technology Grant from Samsung

On Friday, December 5, 2014, Newark Public Schools (NPS) Assistant Superintendent Dr. Peter Turnamian joined Samsung Executive Vice President, Dr. David Steel, United States Senator Cory A. Booker, parents, students, teachers and administrators at Peshine Avenue Elementary School to celebrate the $50,000 technology grant provided by Samsung to increase access to tools for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) learning…read more.

Read the Peshine STEM Resolution
View the story on Samsungtomorrow.com

Quitman Street School: Top 100 Schools Worth Visiting

Quitman - Gettingsmart.com
Quitman Elementary School in Newark is making good strides in a tough place. Blended partners include Education Elements, Core Knowledge and Expeditionary Learning (love that), GoMath, FastMath , Reading Eggs, Study Island and BrainPOP.

Gettingsmart.com cited Quitman Street School as one of its “100 Schools Worth Visiting” due to its incredible efforts in blended learning. Going far beyond simply using smart boards, blended learning is built into the schedule of each of the students at Quitman. According to Quitman Street Principal Erskine Glover, “Blended learning is not just something that we’re toying with here. Blended learning is our mindset.” The blended learning approach is incorporated in the teaching of Math, Language Arts and Science. Students receive at least 80-100 minutes of blended instruction every day.

The use of technology engages the students enabling them to be active participants in their own learning while simultaneously providing differentiated instruction. Quitman Street administrators chose to partner with Education Elements, Core Knowledge and Expeditionary Learning in part because of the extensive student performance data that is provided to educators. Glover shared a not atypical experience of one of his 5th grade teachers who runs reports on the weekend and uses the data immediately to individually tailor the instruction that each of the students receives.

Gone are the days of extended periods of lecturing. Within a 2-hour educational block, whole-group, teacher-led instruction may account for 20-25 minutes with small group, interactive and personalized instruction accounting for the remaining 80-100 minutes of instruction.

Of all the computer applications offered at Quitman, student favorites include Achieve3000, a language-arts activity, and FastMath. What the faculty and administration at Quitman are proving is that blended learning works. Engaging the students with a structured blended approach reaps rich educational dividends.

 

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Newark’s Oliver Street School Wins Big in National Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest

School to receive $140K in technology equipment to enhance Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program

[Newark NJ, March 25, 2014] Oliver Street Elementary School (pre-K to 8th grade), part of the Newark Public School District, has been named one of five winners in the nationwide Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest, which challenges students to apply STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) solutions to problems facing their local communities. The Oliver Street students’ project, Guarding the Water Supply, focuses on cleaning the polluted Passaic River, which runs through their city. The school has won $140,000 in technology for the school, which will be used to further develop their river project as well as to enhance and expand the school’s existing STEM program.

“Oliver Street School’s outstanding response to Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow contest reflects the hard work, ingenuity and creative thought that STEM education is all about,” said Newark Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Mitchell Center. “When challenged to relate their classroom learning and knowledge of 21st century technology directly to their own neighborhood, these bright and engaged students saw a grassroots opportunity to step up as environmental stewards of the Passaic River. The combination of civic action and academic rigor on behalf of the students, exemplary teaching by James Intrabartolo and visionary leadership by Principal Doug Petty is a prime example of the kind of excellence we cultivate here at Newark Public Schools. The entire district is cheering for Oliver Street School’s great accomplishment.”

The Oliver Street School STEM team has been working on Guarding the Water Supply since the fall, when they began designing a system to reduce the amount of street garbage flowing into the Passaic River after a heavy rain. The students researched, developed and created several models of sewer grates to catch the waste. They tested the grates during a storm, assessed and innovated based on how well the designs worked. The successful prototype became Oliver Street’s contest entry, which they then presented to a panel of judges at the South By Southwest Education (SXSWedu) conference in Austin, Texas earlier this month. Along with enthusiastic support from the officials, the team got thousands of “clicks” from their home state and across the nation as the contest was crowd-sourced through online voting. The students are hoping that their winning design can be put into actual use, both in their own community and beyond, as the grate they have designed can be modified to fit any sewer system.

Oliver Street, along with the other top five contest winners, will be able to choose their prize equipment from a list of Samsung products, which includes items like laptops printers, touchscreen displays and monitors, as well as Adobe Premier Elements licenses and cash grants from both DIRECTV and Forbes. Additionally, the winners will be invited to Washington, D.C. for a celebratory luncheon and arranged meetings with their respective senators and House representatives.

Watch the Oliver Street team explain and demonstrate their Guarding the Water Supply project in their contest video here.

Press

YouTube: 2014 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest Winners

The Oliver Street School STEM team attended Samsung’s celebration for the winners of the Solve for Tomorrow contest in Washington D.C. As part of the program, winning students, teachers and principals were able to meet with Senators, Congressional representatives and White House officials. Watch the video (link below) for glimpses of Oliver Street School Principal Douglas Petty, STEM teacher James Intrabartolo and student team representatives Luis DeSouza (8th grade) and Gabriel Margaca (7th grade). Click here to watch the video.

US News: From Alfalfa to ‘Old Smokey,’ Students Use STEM to Solve Real-World Issues
By: Alan Neuhauser | April 30, 2014

A crime-fighting math equation, a better kind of air conditioner and potentially life-saving alfalfa plants were among the five winners of the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest.

Hailing from Florida, Montana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington State, the five teams of middle-school students, teachers and principals beat out thousands of other entrants in the competition, which challenged participants to harness science, technology, engineering and math to solve some of their communities’ most pressing environmental problems.

The winners were recognized at an awards luncheon in Washington, D.C, on Wednesday.

TIME for Kids: Small Solution, Big Change
By: Cameron Keady | April 25, 2014

Earth Day is held annually on April 22. It encourages Americans to organize events and initiatives to help improve the environment, both locally and nationally.

Barista Kids: Newark’s Oliver Street School Wins Big in National Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest
By: Announcement | March 30, 2014

Oliver Street Elementary School, part of the Newark Public School District, has been named one of five winners in the nationwide Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest, which challenges students to apply STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) solutions to problems facing their local communities. The Oliver Street students’ project, Guarding the Water Supply, focuses on cleaning the polluted Passaic River, which runs through their city. The school has won$140,000 in technology for the school, which will be used to further develop their river project as well as to enhance and expand the school’s existing STEM program.

NJ Tech Weekly: Newark’s Oliver Street School a National Winner in Samsung Competition
By: Esther Surden | March 28, 2014

The students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program run by teacher James Intrabartolo at the K-8 Oliver Street School, part of the Newark Public School District, have a lot to be proud of.

NEWARK: Newark’s Oliver Street School wins big in national Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest
By: Luso Americano | March 27, 2014

Oliver Street Elementary School (pre-K to 8th grade), part of the Newark Public School District, has been named one of five winners in the nationwide Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest, which challenges students to apply STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) solutions to problems facing their local communities. The Oliver Street students’ project, Guarding the Water Supply, focuses on cleaning the polluted Passaic River, which runs through their city. The school has won $140,000 in technology for the school, which will be used to further develop their river project as well as to enhance and expand the school’s existing STEM program.

Verizon FIOS1: Newark’s Oliver Street School wins national contest

March 26, 2014

Oliver Street Elementary School has been named one of five winners in the nationwide Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest, which challenges students to apply STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) solutions to problems facing their local communities. The Oliver Street students’ project, Guarding the Water Supply, focuses on cleaning the polluted Passaic River, which runs through their city. The school has won $140,000 in technology for the school, which will be used to further develop their river project as well as to enhance and expand the school’s existing STEM program.

NJ TV News: News with Mike Schneider
By: Mike Schneider | March 25, 2014

The Oliver Street School segment starts at 24:28. Please fast forward to that time.

NJ.COM: Newark’s Oliver Street School students win national STEM prize
By: Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger | March 25, 2014

Oliver Street Elementary School was one of five schools nationwide to win the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest, a competition that asks students to apply STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) solutions to fix problems in their communities.

Oliver Street students won $140,000 for “Guarding the Water Supply,” a project they researched and designed to clean up the polluted Passaic River by designing a system of sewer grates to reduce the amount of street garbage flowing into the river.

News 12: Oliver Street School: Solve for Tomorrow
By: Marci Rubin, News 12 | March 12, 2014

STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) class at Newark’s Oliver Street School coming up with solutions to solve some worldwide problems. And it could win them much needed technology for their school.

NJ TV News: Newark Students Create Sewer Guard to Reduce Pollution
By: Michelle Sartor Lang, Senior Multimedia Web Producer | March 12, 2014

A group of 18 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at Oliver Street Elementary School in Newark have come up with a plan to prevent garbage from entering the local sewer system and waterways. The proposal, called Guarding the Water Supply, has earned the students praise from teachers and administrators, as well as Samsung officials. The group is one of 15 finalists in the nationwide Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest, which challenges students to apply S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) techniques to solve problems in their communities.