Stone Mountain Middle School's STEM Program continues to evolve each year.  Our mission has been and will continue in its endeavors to promote connections among STEM disciplines through authentic project-based learning, solving real-world problems, and promoting STEM careers.  The entire body of students in Stone Mountain Middle is just over 1000 and yearly the STEM Program is comprised of a small percentage of that; roughly 7 - 10% in the STEM program, we recognize that it takes a village to accomplish this - STEM faculty, stakeholders, community, families, and most importantly our students.  To accomplish that goal, all hands are on deck.  The leadership team functions as the STEM's committee beginning with the:

 

Principal: Dr. Vincent Hinton  

He works closely with the STEM Coordinator:  Sophia H. Saxon

The STEM Coordinator partners with the Assistant Principals:  Grade 8, Mr. Marcos Whyte (Instruction, providing us with data such as demographics, school culture, and performance data, Grade 7, Dr. Deria Whatley (Testing Coordinator - provides us with test scores on norm and non-norm referenced tests), and Grade 6 Mr. Eric Robinson,  ( Providing assistance with logistics)

The STEM Coordinator also partners with the Academic Coaches:  Dr. Dorothy Seay-Mayberry, Science, Mrs. Seumeika Blake-Carter, Math, and Mr. Cornelius Reddick, ELA/Social Studies.  Academic coaches provide assistance with STEM related academia and offer instructional support as we build our capstones, project-based learning, and STEM activities.  The STEM Team meets once a month, where all are present.  Each session is called STEM Meets, indicative of the title.  To keep abreast of professional developments, and learning ways to better move the program forward, "STEM Meets" regularly.  Our Parent Advisory Board is yet another component of the STEM Team.  The Parent Board is working with up to help us improve upon the program.  They assist us especially when the STEM Program is need something - supplies, a fund raiser, locating candidates for our Who's Who in STEM, STEM In Our Neighborhood - a pilot program that exposes our students to STEM careers of people identified locally beginning with friends and family of those attending our school.  Bonding together will enable use to be a fortified front that helps build character, intellectual strength, and a close knit relationship lending support for the good of the whole.  

 

It is our vision to cultivate community, business, and parent partnerships, that support students’ participation and encourages their pursuit of STEM careers.​  Doing so bridges a cohesiveness that embodies our belief system of a strong STEM culture within our program.

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It is necessary that our STEM themed curriculum provides the right amount of rigor and incorporate the following:  project-based learning, defined standards, and practices that expose students to real-world issues, help them to acquire 21st century essential workplace skills, and attain future-readiness for college and career.  The STEM program hosts a team of 12 core teachers and on average 60 to 100 students each year.  It is the culture of our school to examine data that seeks to improve the performance levels of both our students and staff. 

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As we strive to continue working through these goals we recognize the importance of having an advisory board to provide a bridge between Stone Mountain Middle School and the STEM workplace.  Many whom work in businesses, business owners, and community leaders, play an active role is the development of our STEM Program, serving as mentors, collaborating with teachers to inform curricula, and assist in providing learning activities and engagement to combat the shortage of professionals in STEM careers and/or degrees.  The guidance provided has been monumental and has been welcomed.  We have a diversified means of communication with our stakeholders.  The most common methods of communication with our stakeholders are as follows:

 

• Scheduled meetings

• Screen-to-screen meetings via Microsoft Teams or Zoom - Pre-COVID - face-to-face during our monthly STEM Meets meetings

• Through our social media - Instagram, Twitter, stakeholders can either read or post while reading about or watching mini-clips of what our students are engaged in

• We also schedule conference calls

• Text messaging is a quick way to receive a request

• Email correspondence allows for a recall/reminder of events and also provides a timestamp of engagement

• Lunch meetings were also another way to meet and discuss measures for program improvement

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The following advisory board has assisted us in building up our program that has led to student success.  Some forums where assistance have been predominate is pre- post competitions such as SeaPerch, Drones, Air Quality Challenge, or inhouse projects where supplies are needed., and acting as a chaperone for field trips:

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Advisory Board

 

Jason Raines

Creative Director

Rainlux Group, LLC

 

AJ Chestnut

Managing Partner

Graham Moore Education Design Consultants

 

Kathy Allen

Regional Aquatics Director

Wade Walker Park Family YMCA

 

Brandon Williamson

Food Scientist, Product R&D

The Coca-Cola Company and Diamond Crystal Brands

 

Ryan Cox

Founder & CEO

HATponics Sustainable Agriculture

 

Claire Swinford

Regional Educator Resource Center Director

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

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Parent Advisory Board

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Andrea W. Flint

Warren Flint

Annika Bernard

Faduma Noor

Asya Simmons

Nathan Sales

Maya Sales

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