Saint Joseph Elementary School Adds STREAMworks 
Program and Lab to Its Curriculum

Curiosity, excitement, intrigue…this is what someone will notice as they pass by the STREAMworks Lab at Saint Joseph Elementary School in Needham, MA. Students from Pre-K to 5th grade enjoy the lab space as a ‘special’ each week, but it also extends to their everyday curriculum in the classroom.

A STEM lab has been a twinkle in Charlotte Kelly’s eye since she started as principal of Saint Joseph Elementary school in September 2012. It wasn’t until planning the details of the capital campaign that will renovate the lower level and library of the school building that the reality of it became tangible. The renovation of the building will start after school ends in June 2017.

That renovation date wasn’t soon enough for Mrs. Kelly who couldn’t wait another year for her students to have STEM incorporated into the school curriculum, so she brought together faculty members she dubbed “the dream team” along with faculty from W.P.I. to design the program. Over summer break, the dream team was working hard on designing the program now known as STREAMworks—where reasoning and knowledge shine.

As the team navigated the details of the program, it became apparent that since the Arts department was critical to who Saint Joes is as a school, it made sense to move from a STEM program to a STEAM program. As the brainstorming and workshops continued the final decision—and logical one—was to take the next step to defining the program as STREAM: Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts & Math. The problem-based, cross-curricular approach to learning provides students opportunities to build critical thinking skills, and make connections among school, community, and the world, within a hands-on supportive environment. As the curriculum took shape, so did the Lab. The space was previously a traditional computer lab. The computer lab is now mobile—student laptops and iPads fill carts that are moved to each classroom when they are needed. This type of technology integrates well with the new faculty laptops and iPads that are used with their Apple TVs in the classroom.

The STREAMworks Lab is an interactive space, designed for collaboration. Desks and swivel chairs can reconfigure, walls can be drawn on because of Idea Paint, desks can be sketched on, no need for paper, the drafting table and light tables can be used to form ideas. It’s a space that encourages hands-on creative learning. That creativity is student driven.

Each classroom displays a poster that defines the “engineering design process” which is the process by which the students will apply their content knowledge to hands-on problem solving. Being able to break down the thought process as they solve hands-on problems gives students the intellectual and creative freedom to tackle any size problem or obstacle. During the year, teachers will model making connections from the real world to the classroom problem and learning. Students will discuss connections between the content they are learning and real world problems.

The first grade students were the first to tackle a real-world problem this year by creating “First Grade Blooms” - a new garden by the rear entrance to the school. They evaluated the space, designed the garden layout, as well as tilled the soil and planted the raised bed. First Grade Blooms has partnered with Sue O’Malley, the experienced gardener behind the Edible Schoolyard Project at the San Miguel School in Providence, RI. Mrs. O’Malley also created the gardens at Cristo Rey, Boston and the House of Possibilities in Easton, MA. As the First Grade Blooms crop is harvested the students will be donating the food to the Needham Community Council’s Food Pantry.

This year, kindergarteners will be learning the effects of light and the sun as their real-world project will culminate in an awning for their playground. The 5th graders will be designing a water filtration system in the STREAMworks lab while their real world project will be creating an all-school recycling system.

“As a parent of a Kindergarten, 3rd and 5th grade student I was excited to hear about the STREAM lab at St. Joe’s,” said Michael Gallagher. “Not only is STEM an important part of their education but the new lab is really making the students excited about learning in a hands-on class. Each day at home when we ask about school, the number one topic they bring up is who had STREAM and what they did.”

The ideas are exploding and the energy is radiating throughout the building at Saint Joseph Elementary School. In typical Saint Joe’s fashion, all of these ideas and projects are directly tied into our school mission as we seek God first, strive for academic excellence, share our gifts and talents, and serve each other and the world.

Saint Joseph Elementary School is hosting an Information Night Open House on Thursday, October 27th at 7pm. Join Mrs. Kelly, principal of Saint Joseph Elementary School, to learn what makes the school so special and why students are thriving, including a look inside the new STREAMworks Lab.

St. Joseph Elementary School in Needham, Mass., which attracts students from more than 20 neighboring communities is noted for its academic excellence. The school provides instruction to students from Pre-K to Grade 5, including full-day Pre-K and Kindergarten.