4 LISD middle school STEM academies receive national certification

Lewisville ISD’s Creek Valley, Downing, Forestwood and Hedrick middle schools are the most recent schools in Lewisville ISD to earn the National Certificate for STEM Excellence Campus Certification from the National Institute for STEM Education, according to a news release from Lewisville iSD.

The NCSE recognizes individual school campuses for their commitment to and systematic support of teachers’ understanding and use of high-impact, evidence-based STEM instructional strategies. All nine STEM schools in LISD have completed NCSE certification, and LISD is one of five school districts in the nation to achieve that number of certified campuses. LISD is also the only district in the nation that had four middle schools achieve this recognition in the same year, according to the district.

As part of earning the NCSE Campus Certification, 217 educators in LISD have earned the National Certificate for STEM Teaching, further contributing to the district’s collective STEM expertise. According to the NISE, LISD has more certified teachers in one district than any other district in the nation.

“After the launch of the first STEM Academy at Donald elementary in 2018, LISD committed to building a STEM pathway that would carry students through middle school to the amazing opportunities that can be found at each of our high school campuses,” said Jennifer Beimer, LISD’s secondary science administrator. “Since that time, we’ve worked closely with campus stakeholders to help build a culture of STEM, develop an enriched STEM Science curriculum, and implement Gateway to STEM electives at four middle school campuses: Creek Valley, Downing, Forestwood and Hedrick.

“We were so excited to launch the LISD Middle School STEM Academies this school year, with the programming beginning with the current 6th grade class.”

To celebrate these great achievements, the district hosted special certification ceremonies at each of the four campuses on Thursday. Representing the National Institute for STEM Education and presenting the plaques and banners were Jamie Long and Courtney Foreman. District administration, including Superintendent Dr. Lori Rapp and members of the Board of Trustees, attended all four certification ceremonies to honor the schools, students and campus staff.