student access to technology and the growing opportunities in online instructional resources .
In the summer of 2014 , under the leadership of then incoming Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum , Instruction and Assessment Judy Fancher , STEM access was expanded to 10 middle grade classrooms in the 10 district K-8 and middle grade schools . These STEM teachers were provided professional development and a wireless laptop cart with 20 laptop computers .
Using the curriculum and projects from the Makerspace lab , teachers had a proven roadmap of hands-on STEM activities for their students . This roadmap included computer programming using the MIT Scratch programming language , engineering , rocketry , robotics and electronics . The reach of STEM to students was increased with the addition of the STEM program to all selfcontained sixth grade classrooms at the remaining 17 elementary grade schools in 2014-15 .
“ The things happening at the district are part of a plan to maximize the talents , interests and abilities of all our students , enabling them to meet the challenges and opportunities of a changing world ,” Parulan-Colfer said in her 2016 State of the District address .
Adding the arts
A 2014 New York Times article highlighted that engineering and art were not always completely separate disciplines . As one of the greatest inventors in history , Leonardo da Vinci is recognized for combining art and science together .
“ Five hundred years ago , you couldn ’ t really tell the difference between artists and engineers ,” said James Michael Leake , director of engineering graphics at the University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign .
Research of the backgrounds of leading scientists by biochemist Robert Root-Bernstein revealed many cases of the linkages among the sciences and art . Galileo was a poet and literary critic , Einstein was a keen violin player , and Samuel Morse painted portraits ( NY Times ).
Apple Founder and CEO Steve Jobs frequently shared that the biggest difference between Apple and all the other computer companies is that Apple always tried to marry art and science . The original Apple Macintosh computer team came from backgrounds in anthropology , art , history and poetry ( CIO ).
The value for the arts and STEM together can benefit college and career readiness . Technology companies are widening their hiring horizons beyond the STEM fields . Larry Quinlan , Deloitte ’ s chief information officer , argues in favor of STEAM , science , technology , engineering , arts and math . “ It ’ s not enough to be technologically brilliant ,” Quinlan says . “ We need senior people who understand business processes , too ” ( Forbes ).
To encourage and strengthen teachers use of the arts , the district partnered with Los Angeles County Museum of Art ( LACMA ) for an interactive professional development series in K-6 arts integration , titled the Technology Enhanced Arts Learning ( TEAL ) project . The TEAL series focused on ways in which true arts integration supports learning in the classroom and addresses the Common 24 Leadership