Nov 17, 2016 3 min read

Charleroi Area School District’s STEM initiative is moving forward, Superintendent Edward Zelich told the school board Tuesday.

The district received two grants for STEM (science, engineeering, technology and math) education, including a $24,000 grant from the EQT Foundation for Camp Invention, a summer program. The weeklong camp, which was held last year for about 100 students, has been opened to elementary students, thanks to the grant. Zelich said the cost for the camp is $150 per student, and the grant will fund attendance by 115 students in kindergarten through fifth grade and 30 students in grades six through eight. The district received an award from the National Inventors Hall of Fame for last year’s Invention Camp.

The district also received at joint grant of $10,000, $5,000 from the Benedum Foundation/Chevron and $5,000 from Intermediate Unit I, for the Inventionland curriculum. The new curriculum emphasizes creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and communication. It will teach students how to bring an idea through the steps to invention and patenting. “This is teaching our students to think out of the box. They will be creating things in our lifetime that we can’t even imagine,” said Zelich. The hands-on class will help them succeed in a global society, Zelich added.

The grant for the Inventionland curriculum will cover the cost of the curriculum and staff training. Administrators will be visiting the site of Inventionland in Pittsburgh in two weeks.

The class will kick off in the second semester of the current school year at the middle school level. The district plans to hire a technology education teacher for the class in the 2017-18 school year.

Zelich said the district’s goal is to make the curriculum sustainable.

The board also received funding from Charleroi Education Foundation for the Safe Schools Initiative 24/7 Anonymous Hotline, which was approved at last month’s board meeting. The hotline is another layer to help keep students safe, said Zelich. The hotline is designed to allow anyone to text, email or call a toll-free number anonymously with tips if a student is feeling as if they want to harm themselves or feel they are in danger. A licensed counselor will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The program is slated to begin Dec. 1. Zelich added the tip line will be available on holidays and during times when school is not in session.

Because of the Christmas holidays, next month’s board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6. The board will reorganize and may conduct regular business.