Welcome to Discovery School

MANSFIELD — Discovery School has added a new program and position for the 2024-25 school year.

The school is adding a STEM program and teacher after receiving a grant from the State of Ohio for just over $65,000.

“As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, hands-on learning with a focus on inquiry in real-world contexts is a natural next step for Discovery,” said Simon Clark, Head of School.

“This grant offers an opportunity to further our students an understanding of the design process, whilst bringing increased focus on science, math, and engineering.”

This new program will be led by Savannah Gould, who is excited to build this new offering in collaboration with administration and other teachers.

“I don’t want this to be a craft hour, but for students to understand what they are building and why. I want them to ask questions and learn how to do quality research,” Gould said regarding the student-led inquiry-based course. “I love that I will get to nerd out with them every day.”

Gould is spending time this summer organizing the new STEM lab and curriculum, working with just over $8,500 in LEGO education Spike and Early Childhood STEM kits and their accompanying online resources.

In addition to the LEGO education kits, the new lab will include $13,000 for a new classroom cart of iPads, five coding DASH robots, three Mochi screenless coding robots with stories to guide students through beginning to code, and two new desktop computers to enhance use of the school’s two existing Flashforge Dreamer 3-D printers.

The class will work with the design cycle, and lean on the International Baccalaureate’s principles of immersing students in real-world contexts as an approach to learning and teaching, giving them voice, choice, and ownership over their learning.

Students will work with Gould and their classroom teachers to create individual or small group plans based on their interests, and spend two weeks to a few months researching, writing, conducting activities, gathering data, and reporting results to their classroom and the school at large.

Source spotlight: Meet Carl
What’s a fun fact about you that you'd like to share with our readers?

I served as a military journalist in the U.S. Naval Reserve and the Ohio Air National Guard.

Carl Hunnell, Deputy Managing Editor

Long-time print newspaper guy who made the transition to all-digital media. Started out on manual typewriters, proportion wheels and pica poles. The world has changed in a big damn hurry.

25
The goal is for STEM to work in tandem with the school’s current Genius Hour, as well as their curriculum guide, the Program of Inquiry.

Genius Hour is an initiative where each student takes time each week to plan projects which focus on their own wonderings about the world, a clear partner for STEM offerings.

The program will focus not only on Ohio science, math, and STEM network standards, but include transdisciplinary work and the opportunity to develop skills.

Starting this school year, STEM will be offered to all Kindergarten through 6th graders as they work in the new lab at least once a week as a part of their three daily specials classes.

Enrollment is currently open in all grades preschool through 6th grade for the upcoming 2024-25 school year.

To find out more, visit their website at www.discovery-school.net.

Ohio State Mansfield enhances student development by supporting meaningful experiences inside and outside the classroom to build a more inspired, vibrant future.

Take your next step
 

[ show less ]

Discovery School staff hosted author Jim Van Allan on Aug. 20 for his presentation The Energy Bus for Schools.

MANSFIELD – The staff at Discovery School did more than set up classrooms as they were getting ready to welcome students back to school this year.

On Aug. 20, bestselling author Jim Van Allan worked with faculty and staff as he presented his nationally acclaimed workshop “The Energy Bus for Schools” to build culture and cohesiveness as the school welcomes eight new staff members and new positions for several others.

After overcoming budgetary constraints, the school has grown and thrived under the leadership of new Head of School, Simon Clark.

After winning several competitive grants as well as increased enrollment, the school was able to hire new staff to fill new positions and backfill some positions that had been left empty previously after retirements.

Heading into his second year, Clark was looking for a way to keep the strong school culture of Discovery while welcoming growth and new perspectives.

“Dr. Van Allan’s work on positive school culture and building enthusiasm among staff members caught my eye, especially with so many new additions to our staff this year,” explained Head of School, Simon Clark.

“His work really affirms Discovery School’s commitment to approach education differently by building positive relationships with each other, our students, families, and community.”

The staff participated in activities on intentional listening, non-verbal communication, defined values, and considered how they want the school to look, feel, and sound.

From there, they had time to think about actions that would bring those ideas to life for the school, starting with the first day.

“I feel like the Energy Bus philosophy will help me be a better collaborator with my co-workers this year, and help me build better relationships with all the students, too,” said Lori Anderson, an eight-year veteran teacher at the school.

“Since I interact with and support everyone in the school as the Intervention Specialist, that teamwork is so important!”

This marked the kickoff for staff as Discovery School began its 50th year of educating students by looking at the growth of the school since its founding in 1975 and defining that continued vision for the next 50 years and beyond.

For more information on the school, visit www.discovery-school.net.

[ show less ]

MANSFIELD — Discovery School is the latest addition to the list of the State of Ohio’s Scholarship Granting Organizations.

The full article can be found here - https://www.richlandsource.com/2024/11/26/discovery-school-is-richland-countys-1st-scholarship-granting-organization/

Button

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 4

Heading 5

Heading 6

Button

link
paragraph

[ show less ]