Dalton Elem. honored as Project Lead the Way distinguished school

Dalton Elementary, where the STEM Pathways begin at Azusa Unified School District, has been recognized as a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Distinguished School for providing broad access to transformative hands-on learning opportunities for students through PLTW LaunchTM. Dalton is one of just 97 elementary schools across the nation to receive this honor. PLTW is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of K-12 students and teachers at more than 10,500 schools.

“Our district’s STEM pathways begin at kindergarten,” explained Dalton principal Laura Clarke, “which is perfect because kindergartners are hands-on learners and the Project Lead the Way curriculum uses hands-on learning opportunities to teach science, technology, engineering and math and give them real-world relevance.” AUSD’s STEM Engineering Pathway continues at Slauson Middle School and Azusa High. The STEM Medical Pathway runs through Center Middle School and Gladstone High.

The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. To be eligible for the designation, Dalton Elementary had to offer at least two PLTW Launch modules at each grade level and have more than 75 percent of the student body participating during the 2016-17 school year.

Studies show that students decide as early as elementary school whether they like, and think they are good at, math and science. Whether designing a car safety belt or building digital animations based on their own short stories, PLTW Launch students engage in critical and creative thinking, build teamwork skills, and develop a passion for and confidence in STEM subjects.

For more information about PLTW’s recognition program, visit pltw.org/our-programs/program-recognition. For more information on Dalton Elementary and Azusa Unified’s K-12 STEM Pathway, contact Principal Laura Clarke at 626-815-5245.

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience for K-12 students and teachers across the U.S. PLTW empowers students to develop in-demand, transportable knowledge and skills through pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. More than 10,500 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia offer PLTW programs. For more information on Project Lead the Way, visit www.pltw.org.

ABOUT AUSD: Azusa Unified School District educates almost 8,300 students in grades Preschool-12 at 18 schools. Our graduation rate exceeds both the state and national averages.