Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Three Lenoir County schools named North Carolina STEM Schools of Distinction
Summary
Northwest Elementary earned model status and E.B. Frank Middle and Continuous Savannah K-8 were recognized at the prepared level; the district plans to submit six more schools next year.
The Lenoir County Board of Education heard on Sept. 8 that three district schools have been recognized by the North Carolina State Board of Education as STEM Schools of Distinction: Northwest Elementary (model level), E.B. Frank Middle (prepared level) and Continuous Savannah K-8 (prepared level).
Superintendent Brown noted the honors and said the recognitions were conferred at the State Board of Education meeting in Raleigh on Sept. 4. "We were so proud of them," Brown said, describing the awards as the state's highest STEM honor.
Presenters representing each school described classroom and whole-school practices cited in the site visits: integrated STEM across subjects, expanded family- and community-engagement events, project-based learning, use of district iPads for student creation, and grant-funded greenhouses and engineering projects. Reviewers quoted in the presentations described Northwest as an "infectious culture" and said E.B. Frank showed strong community partnerships and hands-on labs that support both general and special education students.
Northwest Elementary's team detailed science- and garden-based projects, Science Olympiad expansion, greenhouse operations and student-led plant sales; staff said most of those activities were funded through teacher-written grants, DonorsChoose projects and local awards. Continuous Savannah presenters emphasized project-based learning, daily student collaboration and technology integration (iPads, VR headsets) across K—9. E.B. Frank presenters highlighted a developing agriculture program, a history lab, a mobile STEM lab visit and teacher-led grant activity.
District staff said the designation lasts three years; recognized schools will work on sustaining their programs and serve as models for other LCPS campuses. Officials told the board that six additional LCPS schools plan to apply in December for site visits in 2026.
Board members and staff framed the recognitions as evidence of sustained, schoolwide practice rather than isolated classroom projects and said the awards reflect work by teachers writing competitive grants, partnerships with higher education and local businesses, and systemwide supports.
