Washington High School uses a variety of methods to ensure everyone stays in the know about our STEM implementation plans. We have monthly reports that outline the dates and description of STEM activities, as well as the number of students involved. It also captures when STEM teachers met to plan and/or evaluate PBL units or STEM instructional activities, it includes any business, community, or post-secondary partners that visited the school and were involved in the planning and/or implementation of any STEM activities. Lastly, it captures any success and challenges experienced by our STEM program.

We also have various social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter that provide updates on our program, student engagements, community outreach and more. Quarterly check-ins with our other STEM cluster schools some of which are also Cognia STEM certified (M. Agnes Jones), Brown Middle, Tuskegee Global Airmen Academy, and Hollis Innovation are essential to us ensuring that as a cluster we are in alignment and meeting both student and community needs.  They also collaborate to discuss best practices and innovative ways to transition students so our school sustains its culture with STEM innovation and consistently in mind.

Since STEM is such an integral part of our academic instructional model on our school website we ensured there is a tab solely dedicated to STEM. An overview of our STEM curriculum, STEM advisory board, annual implementation plans, and monthly reports as well other announcements and pertinent information to our stakeholders can be found there as well. We also have our very own Bulldog app that interfaces with the website and allows all to access information concerning our STEM program.

In addition to these efforts we also conduct parent educational workshops and expos. We realize the more engaged parents are even in high school the more confidence the student has and both parents and students are more prepared. One of our greatest strengths is our alumni support and connection to the community. Our school also has a “Go Team” that reviews the schools strategic plan, and allows educators, parents, and community members to have a stronger voice in decisions being made at our school. Washington High School “Go Team” also helps to ensure students get what they need and increases collaboration with neighboring schools with our STEM signature program at the forefront.

Opportunities for Improvement

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Due to the transience of the community our school aims to look for ways to engage parents, stakeholders, and other community members outside of just the usual school informational sessions. We want the community to know that Booker T. Washington STEM students will create new ways to respond to community issues to include: food vulnerabilities, health and wellness, environmental justice, sustainability, and more. We also want to create a community of informed parents and stakeholders that are at the table to make decisions that can positively impact our school culture, students’ academic experiences, and how the community engages with the school.