District 60 reports progress on Project HEROES grant; three schools propose STREAM‑focused name additions
Summary
District staff updated the board on Project HEROES grant implementation for Parkview, Risley and Centennial, outlined innovation spaces (3D printers, VR, maker spaces), professional learning and a 90‑day community feedback process for proposed school name updates.
Pueblo School District No. 60 staff reported progress on Project HEROES at the March 11 board meeting, detailing plans for STREAM (science, technology, reading/robotics/engineering/art/mathematics) innovation spaces, project‑based learning professional development and proposed name updates for Parkview, Risley and Centennial schools.
Drew Hirshon, the district’s director of magnet schools, told the board that teachers at Parkview, Risley and Centennial have completed project‑based learning training and helped design innovation spaces for each campus. Parkview’s lab will include prototyping materials and 3‑D printers, Risley will repurpose a shop area and redesign the media center for VR, e‑sports and digital storytelling, and Centennial plans to outfit a design space with 10 3‑D printers and a laser engraver.
Hirshon said PBL 101 trainings showed strong teacher interest and that grant funds will hire PBL coordinators to support unit planning and use of the innovation spaces. He described planned partnerships with community colleges and local organizations for teacher learning and student experiences.
Name updates and public process
Each school formed a committee of teachers, parents, students and community members to propose names that would preserve the existing school name while signaling a magnet/STREAM focus. Proposed options the committees submitted to the board for public feedback are:
- Parkview: Parkview Stream Academy; Parkview School of Discovery; Parkview Stream Institute. - Risley: Risley Imagination Middle School; Risley Exploratory Middle School; Risley School of Exploration. - Centennial: Centennial High School Pathways Academy; Centennial Stream Academy; Centennial High School of Design and Innovation.
Per board policy and state deadlines, the district will post the proposed names online for a 90‑day public comment period, hold monthly community events during the comment window and plan to return to the board with final recommendations in June so the names can be submitted to the Colorado Department of Education by June 30.
Why it matters
The update shows how the district plans to invest grant funds in physical maker spaces, teacher capacity and curricular changes tied to career and technical education pathways. Directors asked for additional detail about CTE alignment and sustainability after the grant period; Hirshon said a posted CTE coordinator position at Centennial will align with district CTE leadership to sustain pathways after the grant.
Ending
Board members praised the work and emphasized vigilance about broader statewide policy and funding decisions that could affect implementation; no formal board action to adopt names or new programs occurred on March 11.
