STEM Lab coming to elementary school

Kocjancic and Micale in the STEM lab with several new manipulatives to be utilized by students.

South St. Marys Street Elementary is in for an exciting discovery when school opens for students. Heather Kocjancic (first grade) and Russ Micale (third grade) are the visionaries behind a new STEM lab that has been created. Both have attended STEM conferences at the IU as well as PETE & C (Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference) gaining knowledge and inspiration for creating a lab with endless possibilities at the elementary school.

With the generosity of their local PTO and a grant from First Commonwealth Bank, the “innovation station” is preparing for launch. The dynamic duo collaborated with Greg Macer, Instructional Technology Integrator at IU9, for the design and purpose of the lab. Exciting opportunities exist with a Lego Space, Robotics (including Dash, Sphero, Osmo, & Beebots), and Material Building (Tubeloxs, Waffle Blocks, and Bridge Building Kits). Leveled task cards, which link to students’ SeeSaw accounts, will enable teachers to digitally assign tasks, allow for brainstorming, building completion, and reflection. Students will be able to video and post their progress showcasing extraordinary creativity and design.

Building administrators are beyond proud of Kocjancic and Micale for sharing their vision, making it a reality, and promoting STEM to our student population for the upcoming school year. The possibilities are truly endless!