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Heatherwood Elementary prepares to launch new environmental STEAM program

Heatherwood STEAM- Inspired by Nature
Susan Cousins

En Español

Earlier this month, the Heatherwood Educational Advisory Team proudly shared its proposal to launch a new Environmental STEAM program at the school, beginning in the 2025-26 school year, to the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) Board of Education. 

The new program will teach Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) principles with a focus on environmental literacy, which is inspired by nature. Some examples of components of the program include grade-level project based learning (PBL) experiences built around local phenomena and problems which directly reflect Colorado content standards; principles from the Boulder County Environmental Education Guidelines’ (E-Guidelines) Head-Heart-Hands-Feet framework; opportunities for creative expression; exploration of green jobs, and an annual community celebration to present student learning. Heatherwood principal and teachers will work with district staff over the coming school year to develop the details of the program. 

Assistant Superintendent Robbyn Fernandez told the Board that the group had deep conversations about what programming option would be a natural fit for the school culture, location, and existing educational experiences for students.  

“The new focus is perfect for Heatherwood as it already aligns with many of the values that Heatherwood and its community already embrace,” Heatherwood parent Marissa Yaker told the Board. Yaker joined other members of the Heatherwood community to tell the Board about what already makes Heatherwood special—the true heart of their community—and their enthusiasm for the new focus program. 

“Heatherwood is the true, vibrant heart of our community and it is the support of our families that fuels this energy outside of school,” PTO President, Natalie Englebrecht told the Board. 

The proposal is the culmination of the 15-member team’s work through nine meetings beginning last April. The process was initiated because the school’s enrollment had reached a point where there were fewer than 1.5 classes per grade level and was projected to continue or drop below that level for five years. In addition, the building, which was designed for around 500 students, was running at around 40% capacity. These metrics, which triggered the process that led to the proposal, were developed by the Long Range Advisory Committee (LRAC) and shared with the Board in 2023. 

LRAC was convened to help the District respond to the challenge of declining enrollment. In developing metrics recommendations for the Board to use as it responds to declining enrollment in the district. It was a priority of the committee that school communities be involved in developing solutions to enrollment declines at their schools. 

Some of the initial work of the Heatherwood group included learning more about different factors that influence enrollment and other ideas about how to attract more students such as additional busing, preschool and after school care. To understand some of the wants and needs of families, the team looked at results of a parent survey conducted by the District in September 2023 and developed a user survey for parents living in the Heatherwood neighborhood. The top programming options from both surveys included STEM, eco-science, world language and gifted and talented/accelerated learning. Through consensus, the team arrived at STEAM (STEM+Art) + environmental as the best choice to meet the desires of the community and the existing ethos of the school, which includes a strong affinity for nature and the open space that surrounds the school.  

Fernandez told the Board that this program will prepare students with a pathway that by high school will give them the opportunity to obtain the new Colorado Seal of Climate Literacy and creates the potential for the future development of an elementary through high school STEAM pathway. The program also supports goals of the greenBVSD Action Plan and the Green New Deal

Working with district staff, including BVSD’s new STEAM director Jenn Skrobela, the school will spend the next school year developing the details of what the program will look like in practice. Heatherwood already has a head start with learning activities such as Rugged Research field trips at the school, a visit from Fiske Planetarium Sky Dome, Gunbarrel Hill Open Space walking field trips, a field trip to Wild Bear Nature, and a presentation by third graders at the upcoming  Beaver Conference at CU Boulder, among many other engaging experiences. 

The projected one-time cost over the next three years to implement the program is $238,700 which will fund a couple of part time teachers, equipment and materials and curriculum design among other expenses. 

The school will be watching both educational and operational indicators to monitor the effectiveness of the new programming such as improvement in CMAS scores and Culture-Climate Survey data and increases in enrollment. 

“We truly have the heart to make Heatherwood succeed and are excited for the next chapter,” Yaker told the Board. 

WATCH: District staff present the Heatherwood Environmental STEAM Proposal to the Board


 

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