At the Beaver Area School District (BASD), our focus for the 23-24 school year is on the future and our students are at the heart of that vision. With a strong academic program as our foundation, we are redefining what teaching and learning looks like at all levels. Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Mark Holtzman explains, “We are moving forward together with some shifts that will help elevate our work, but it will also be aligned with the District vision and strategic goals.”
BASD’s administrative team started planning for a future-focused school year earlier this summer when they visited Vex Robotics in Pittsburgh, PA. They toured the facility, interacted with robotics kits, explored the curriculum, and heard from other educators about why having a robotics program is important for students. In August, the administrative team attended a leadership retreat at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center. They also met with Apple Education representatives to further explore ways to introduce innovative practices, technology/STEM integration and personalized learning to better prepare our students for careers that have not been created yet!
So, what do these innovative strategies look like in our schools? Good question! Here is a glimpse into what future-focused education at BASD will look like.
Professional Learning: This Fall you will see teachers engaging in innovative professional development opportunities to better promote in-demand skills such as design thinking, thinking routines, engineering practices, problem solving, critical thinking, creativity and making. You will see teachers earning Apple Badges on the journey to becoming a Level 1 and Level 2 Apple Distinguished Educator. You will see teachers sharing the RIASEC model as a way to connect with their students on a deeper level, while creating a more personalized approach for each student. Teachers are also able to seek out their own professional learning opportunities as they participate in 13 hours of new learning that aligns to their interests and BASD’s new direction.
Future-Focused Programming: You will see a sequential Vex Robotics curriculum and new equipment in our technology courses, K-12. This creates opportunities for our students to participate in design competitions. You will see students participating in our new Esports program. They will learn about the history of gaming and compete locally in several gaming competitions. What is Esports, you might ask? Electronic sports (Esports) are a form of competition using video games—it is the newest form of team sport. We are giving our students in grades 5-12, who consider themselves to be a “gamer,” an inclusive opportunity to build skills and develop a sense of belonging in the gaming community, “…not to mention, colleges and universities are offering scholarships and have their own collegiate teams and Esports arenas,” added Ms. Sanders, who is the Assistant Superintendent. “In fact, we just received a $25,000 grant to expand our Esports program and will be working with partner districts, Esports leagues and CCBC to further enhance our programming at our high school level.”
College and Career Readiness Education: At our High School, the educational program is very comprehensive, giving students opportunities and experiences that will provide them with college and career readiness skills. BAHS offers 12 AP level courses and has partnered with four colleges/universities to be able to offer 18 College in High School courses to our students. Additionally, our students must take a personal finance course and a career exploration course as graduation requirements. Starting with this year’s seniors, students will complete industry-based learning experiences as their graduation project. Mr. Snowden, High School Principal, announced, “We are currently looking for support from our local businesses and community members, as we are trying to place students in meaningful work-based learning opportunities.” We would love to partner with you to arrange the following for our students: Job Shadowing, Internship/Practicum, Career Mentoring, Apprenticeship, Service Learning or Co-Op. If you are interested in partnering with BAHS and want to learn more, please fill out this interest form and someone will contact: www.tinyurl.com/BAHScareerpartners.
To learn more about what is happening in education at BASD, visit our website at www.basd.k12.pa.us.
