A middle school in Canton is among the most recent Ohio schools to receive the designation.

Ohio’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Committee recently approved 11 new STEM and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) schools for next school year that will focus on inquiry and a design-thinking approach to science, technology, engineering, mathematics, the arts and humanities.

Among the newly designated schools is STEAMM Academy @ Hartford Middle School in Canton, Ohio.

Proposals for STEM schools must include the following:

• Evidence of a working partnership with both public and private entities, including higher education entities and business organizations;
• Evidence that the school submitting the proposal will offer a rigorous, diverse, integrated and project-based curriculum to students in any of grades kindergarten through 12, with the goal to prepare those students for college, the workforce, and citizenship and that:

• Emphasizes the role of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in promoting innovation and economic progress and incorporates scientific inquiry and technological design;
• Includes the arts and humanities; and
• Emphasizes personalized learning and teamwork skills.

New this year, proposals for STEAM schools also must specifically demonstrate how the curriculum will integrate arts and design into the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to foster creative thinking, problem-solving and new approaches to scientific invention.

The STEM Committee approves the designations. The committee consists of the superintendent of public instruction, representatives from the departments of Higher Education and Development and four appointed members of the public with expertise in business or STEM fields.

Other Ohio schools receiving designation include:

STEM

• Bishop Flaget School (Ross County)
• Boulevard Elementary School (Cuyahoga County)
• Gesu Catholic School (Cuyahoga County)
• Graham Elementary School (Champaign County)
• Graham Middle School (Champaign County)
• Lander Elementary School (Cuyahoga County)
• Orchard STEM School (Cuyahoga County)
• Saint Joseph School (Lorain County)
• I Promise School (Summit County)

STEAM

• Southdale Elementary School (Montgomery County)
• Saint Ambrose School (Medina County) *This school previously was designated as a STEM school.

To learn more about STEM and STEAM education in Ohio, click here.