SDoL is creating student technology teams in all schools and embedding computer science programming in middle schools thanks to $60,000 in PA state grant funding.
The district received a $35,000 targeted grant as part of the PAsmart initiative, a program created by the Wolf Administration to expand access to computer science to help ensure Pennsylvania students have the skills and abilities to meet the economic needs of the 21st century in Pennsylvania. The district will use the grant to embed computer science programming in the middle school STEM curriculum through teacher training and unit design.
The goal is to create a pathway to McCaskey’s robust computer science courses and, ultimately, tech careers for students. Currently, McCaskey offers a wide range of courses in computer programming and applications, robotics and engineering, as well as an International Baccalaureate computer science course.
SDoL also received a $25,000 Teacher in The Workplace grant, which will be used to provide student technology teams and their teacher leaders from all schools opportunities to visit Lancaster County technology companies to explore the skills needed to work in technology fields. Hosting companies include Listrak, Industrial Resolution and Cargas.
“This grant provides real-world learning opportunities for our students and time for our teachers to work with community partners to create a problem-based learning curriculum for our K-12 technology teams,” said Jessica Garrigan, the district’s coordinator of instructional technology. “It’s the result of an exciting collaboration between the Instructional Technology and College and Career teams here at SDoL. We are so excited to watch our learners learn and lead in their schools!”