Iredell-Statesville Schools School & Family Magazine October 2016 | Page 20

Harmony Elementary School

From its humble beginnings in 1907 as Iredell County’s first high school and one of the
two “Farm Life Schools” in North Carolina, Harmony School has come a very long way. IredellStatesville Schools is excited to announce a unique partnership between Discovery Place
(Charlotte) and Harmony Elementary. Discovery Place’s Education Studio staff are in the process
of creating professional development for teaching staff, as well as curriculum and opportunities
that will enable Harmony students to move in the direction of a STEM-Ag (Science,Technology,
Engineering, Math – Agriculture) learning environment.

The staff at Discovery Place, Inc. will introduce the teachers at Harmony Elementary to the
fundamentals of Problem-Based learning and will follow up with modeled curriculum that focuses
on Agriculture and Entrepreneurism. Harmony staff will deliver this instruction, through all subjects,
to their students. At the end of the first year of this learning experience, a Farmer’s Market event,
hosted by the Education Studio at Discovery Place, will demonstrate the innovative learning and
capture the entrepreneurial spirit of the students.

Andrew Mehall, Principal of Harmony Elementary, couldn’t be more proud of this team
effort and excited for his students and staff. “This will really bring our school full circle,” he said.
“Harmony began as a farm school and we are now able to give our students opportunities to
see and experience the value of higher level science and math as these subjects relate to
agriculture…and life.” 

Watch out for great things coming from the students at Harmony Elementary School.

18 Iredell-Statesville School & Family