WORTH THE NET-WORK!

1. WORTH THE NET-WORK! THE SAUGUS-HART DISTRICTS’ ESTEME (T and E in STEMEducation) NETWORKS SHARE THEIR STORY

2. WORTH THE NET-WORK! Susan Belgrad, Professor of Education, CSUN Jon Baker, Principal, Emblem Academy, Saugus Unified School District Diane Hamburger, Assistant Principal, Saugus High School, Hart Unified District Paula Hodge, DSND, College of the Canyons Steve Holle, Lecturer, Fellow CTL; CSUN Catherine Nicholas, Asst. Principal Arroyo Seco Jr. High Cory Pak, Principal, West Creek Academy

3. The CSUN ESTEMENETWORK INITIATIVE Our Vision: We seek to design a Workforce Development Strategy that raises and sustains K-16 students’ pursuit of excellence in STEM-discipline achievement--with an emphasis on providing in-school, world-class engineering curriculum for girls and boys from underserved K-12 populations. We will create an academic pipeline of formal STEM providers who may seamlessly deliver robust STEM curricula/ resources/services to students, educators and families in our participating K-12 schools.  

4. The CSUN ESTEME NETWORK INITIATIVE Our Goals:    1. Create a Workforce Development Strategy to raise and sustain K-16 student pursuit of excellence in STEM-discipline achievement with an emphasis on providing world class curriculum for girls and boys from underserved K-12 populations;         2. Create a comprehensive networked commitment to seeking and acquiring sustainable funding through a “pipeline of committed school leaders at the elementary, (K-5/6) and secondary (6/7-12) grade levels that deliver robust STEM curricula/ resources/services through identified Formal InformalSTEM Partners. Current Goals and Activities. 

5. About the CSUN ESTEMENETWORK INITIATIVE Plan of Action: (a little history here) In February 2011, the CSUN STEM Innovations Team partnered with CA PLTW’s School Engagement Directors to create T-E in STEM curricularawareness. These meetings presented the ESTEME vision to create Pathways to STEM Achievement for their students along with the Project Lead the Way Engineering GTT and POE Curricula.

6. About the CSUN ESTEMENETWORK INITIATIVE Plan of Action: (a little history here) Three strategically-located districts of invited partners—K-12 school leaders and STEM faculty, school board members, school administrators, community college STEM-CTE directors--joined us in two-hour presentations and conversations of PLTW curricula and the potential of creating T-E In STEM Networks with CSUN. The plan for full engagement of the schools within each identified network was described.

8. About the CSUN ESTEMENETWORK INITIATIVE Subsequent meetings were held for High School STEM (science/technology/engineering / mathematics-physics faculty while State of California funding through SB 70 funding was sought to enable teacher core training with PLTW. PLTW’s 9-12 Pathways to Engineering Curriculum was ultimately funded through participation in NEXT-ED’sI-3 funding award from the U.S. Department of Education.

9. SAUGUS HIGH SCHOOL PATHWAYS ENGINEERING TO RIBBON CUTTING EVENT

10. About the CSUN ESTEMENETWORK INITIATIVE Following the successful placement of the PLTW HS Pathways to Engineering at Hart District Saugus HS the Network attention became focused upon funding Hart junior high teachers who had committed to secure GTT training. College of the Canyons, our Saugus-Hart Network partner provided PLTW Core Teacher Training for Arroyo Seco Teachers in PLTWAutomation and Robotics as well as Design and Modeling.

12. About the CSUN ESTEMENETWORK INITIATIVE The Saugus and Hart Union ESTEME Network proved to be focused and committed. Saugus USD has established a STEM Academy at two schools that connect students to the junior high and secondary PLTW schools. Our Elementary partners have integrated the T-E In STEM Networks through engagement in Engineering is Elementary, LEGO Mindstorm robotics and REC-VEX Robotics Clubs. They will begin teacher training in PLTW-LAUNCH curricula in late Fall, 2014.

13. SAUGUS UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT STEM ACADEMY EMBLEM WEST CREEK

14. NEXT STEPS FOR THE CSUN ESTEMENETWORK INITIATIVE Goals: The ESTEME Network Partners have proven to be successful in meeting their identified objectives. In order to assure that the Network maintains a vibrant and sustainable future, efforts are underway to secure busy and industry leader support in mentoring Partnership students, conducting industry tours, internships and externships and promoting career awareness related to the area aerospace, biomedical and civil engineering needs.

15. The CSUN ESTEMENETWORK INITIATIVE Our Current Objectives: 1. Secure area business and industry leader support for students, teachers and schools such as mentoring students, conducting industry tours, internships and externships; and promoting career awareness related to the area aerospace, biomedical and civil engineering needs; 2. Amplify the Network’s funding sources through commitment to local, state and federal grant competitions; • Establish peer-mediated coaching and mentoring opportunities for students at the elementary, (K-5/6) and secondary (6/7-12) grade levels that bring peer-alike role models into their classroom and out of school experiences and • Connect network schools to the informal STEM organizations that provide additional career awareness and discipline knowledge to students (EiE, Cube2, JPL-NASA, Columbia Space Center, Sally Ride Science).

16. The CSUN ESTEMENETWORK INITIATIVE Contact Information Susan Belgrad susan.belgrad@csun.edu Paula Hodge phodge@canyons.edu Diane Hamburger hamburger@hartdistrict.org Steve Holle holle@csun.edu Jon Baker jbaker@saugususd.org Catherine Nicholas cnicholas@hartdistrict.org