Cary CCSD 26 students and teachers demonstrate K–5 STEM and technology integration at Jan. 27 board meeting

At the Cary CCSD 26 Board of Education meeting on Jan. 27, teachers and students from Oak Knoll, Briargate and 3 Oaks displayed classroom technology and STEM projects that district leaders say are part of an instructional technology plan and broader curriculum-mapping effort.

The presentations began with Amy Hahn, a STEM teacher who splits time at Briargate and Oak Knoll, explaining the K–5 STEM program. "STEM is kind of a mix of direct instruction and then hands on activities," Hahn said, adding that students work through a five-step design process, practice digital citizenship and learn block coding, robotics and 3-D printing.

Hahn described Project Lead The Way, a 14–16 week standards-based curriculum used in the district. "Project Lead The Way gives the kids $3 to $5,000 for each year they've been in the program," Hahn said of the college-credit or scholarship opportunities the program can provide to high school participants; she described her own son as having benefitted at the high school level.

Third-grader Kaylee demonstrated Scratch coding during the meeting, showing how students add sprites and background images and use event blocks to create animations. "I like coding," Kaylee said, describing how she assembles sprites and makes characters move.

Vicki Watkins and Cammie Post, fifth-grade teachers at 3 Oaks, described a "ship-to-shore" video call with scientists that they arranged through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to deepen students' background knowledge for a unit on the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean. Watkins said the district used a free NOAA program that lets classes ask questions of researchers aboard an expeditionary vessel; this year's contact was with a ship stationed near Palau.

Two fifth-graders who participated, April and Sameh, spoke to the board about what they learned. Sameh said the project showed "you can research new things and, like, it could get you interested or find a new topic that you might like." Another student said the live call provided more detail than the textbook and made the story more engaging.

Superintendent Dr. White praised the classroom demonstrations and emphasized the district's approach to technology. "Technology should be a tool. It should not be a replacement for instruction," Dr. White said, noting that the presentations illustrated technology supporting hands-on learning rather than replacing it.

Curriculum director Miss Rivera and others also used the meeting to outline districtwide curriculum work that accompanies the classroom projects. Rivera announced upcoming kindergarten information nights (Feb. 4 at Oak Knoll and Feb. 12 at 3 Oaks, with a Feb. 26 Zoom session for families unable to attend) and said the district is aligning texts and standards by trimester across both mono and dual-language programs. Rivera also described pilot work in mathematics using an interactive program described in the meeting as "Magma Math" (pilot ongoing) and said several specialty areas, including PE, music, STEM and art, are developing curriculum maps.

Board members praised the classroom teams and students. Board Member Julie Jetty described transportation and curriculum initiatives as "contagious" and thanked teachers for responding to district guidance, while Board Member Catherine Potter and others commended the students and staff for integrating literacy and science.

The presentation concluded with Rivera and board members encouraging families to attend the kindergarten sessions. The district said flyers had been distributed to local preschools, libraries and community locations to publicize the events.

The demonstrations and curriculum updates were presented as part of the board's ongoing instructional-technology planning; Rivera said the board will receive a more detailed technology-finance presentation in February.