Capistrano Unified has full focus on STEAM education

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Modern students need modern amenities to succeed-equipment, technology, classroom space, etc. There is no area of education that is a greater example of this mantra than STEAM- Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. In an effort to support student success and prepare them for the future, Capistrano Unified School District has increased its efforts to provide STEAM education at all grade levels

Supporting students with STEAM education from the beginning to the end of their school journey maximizes the potential benefits. Students have the skills and experience to pursue education and careers in these highly competitive fields upon graduation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Jobs in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields will expand faster than non-STEM jobs, growing to more than 9 million by 2022.”

CUSD and College and Career Advantage (CCA) offer courses in 31 career pathways that span the entire K-12 curriculum. As partners, CUSD and CCA are installing iCan labs in elementary schools to provide innovative, hands-on STEM education with Lego kits, 3D printers, and Sphero programmable robots. Students will explore careers in robotics, coding, engineering, design and more.

During the 2021-22 school year, CUSD debuted two brand new on-campus facilities that provide educational space and equipment specifically for STEAM education. Newhart Middle School in Mission Viejo opened a two-story, 22,475 square-foot building in October. The building features two science labs, three science classrooms, three math classrooms, an art media/video production lab, and a Career Technical Education (CTE) lab. All classrooms contain “short throw” projectors, an instructional audio system, and wireless teacher microphone, as well as Wi-Fi bandwidth to support up to three devices per student and teacher. An auditorium style seating area at the entrance of the building provides a gathering place for student collaboration and creativity, as well as a viewing area with a screen, projector, and speakers for presentations.

The Physical Sciences Building at Aliso Niguel High School opened in April to give the 3,000 Wolverine students 20,000 square feet of space geared towards physics and chemistry education. Four chemistry lab classrooms are outfitted with nine “peninsula” workspaces, each with gas and sink hook-ups and room for up to 36 students per classroom. Teaching stations include acid waste lines for proper disposal and fume hoods, in addition to sinks and gas hook-ups. There are also two physics classrooms, which are approximately 400 square feet larger than traditional classrooms, with movable furniture that can allow for space in the middle of the room for experiments and demonstrations. The addition of lab prep rooms between the science classrooms provides space for equipment and chemicals to be stored and shared. Classrooms are outfitted with the latest interactive “short throw” projectors and smartboards as well as WiFi bandwidth to support up to three devices per student and teacher.

These investments in modern technology and curriculum will continue to reap benefits for CUSD students for years to come, and the District has no intention of slowing down now. Students are exemplifying the benefits of increased engagement, collaboration, problem solving and critical thinking. With an endless number of subjects available, STEAM education is a vital component in developing a complete student.

For more information, visit capousd.org.

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