News From Our Schools
Independence Junior High School (IJHS)
The 2017-2018 school year welcomed in year two of our junior high
STEM program, which is supported by Project Lead the Way. This past
year, our 7th and 8th graders were introduced to researching,
designing, and building environmentally-friendly architectural
structures. Students utilized professional grade Computer-Aided Design
(CAD) programs to scale their structures. Students reinforced math and
science skills while incorporating architecture and engineering. This
program complemented our 8th grade science curriculum especially
well with the introduction of the Future City project. Our two
representative groups received multiple awards at the regional
competition held at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
It was with great excitement that
8th graders working on wind energy
Independence Junior High School
introduced a Career Day to our students during this past school year! The
idea for such an event sprouted during a conversation with students on the
topic of high school and college readiness where such an event would
provide valuable information pertaining to a wide range of careers. The
opportunity to hear from almost 20 professionals in the field gave our entire
student body a special experience. We look forward to continuing a career
planning opportunity for our students this coming school year.
7th grade math teams applying geometrical skills to design a green mini golf course
Navajo Heights School
There are great things happening at Navajo. We began the 2017-2018 school year reevaluating and creating
a Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) curriculum that focused on Project- based
Learning (PBL). These activities for students integrate inquiry-based learning, creative expression and
problem solving, technology and engineering processes, and understanding of relevant societal realities.
Fifth grade teachers worked throughout the year to bring PBL to our science
curriculum, which carried over to our Math and English/Language Arts
curriculum. A great example of this was when 5th grade students learning
about area, perimeter, and volume used this knowledge to create floor plans
and build gingerbread houses to match. We invited parents to help the
students build their structures. To build on this program, we are
transforming the Art room at Navajo into a Science, Technology,
Engineering, Arts & Mathematics (STEAM) room, creating a space to help
build a foundation for long range success in problem solving. We will
continue to develop a STEAM learning environment which allows students to
make the connection between the concepts learned in class and how those
concepts apply to the real-world in which they live.
We also have focused on collaborative learning/group work this year to
create educational experiences leading to deeper learning that are active,
social, contextual, engaging, and student-led. A great example of this
5th grade students creating
gingerbread houses