New school community likes what it sees at expo

When you have a brand new school where staff and students are doing all kinds of exciting things, you naturally want to show off a little.

A2STEAM at Northside did just during its first Fall Expo, Catalyst: The Spark. Families filled the school on a wintry Thursday night to see highlights from the first quarter.

Siblings, parents and grandparents enjoyed the student-led demos throughout the school, which focuses on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Nadia Charania is the mother of two STEAM children, and couldn’t be happier with the school’s innovative and collaborative approach to learning.

Just that day, her daughter Mishal, who’ll soon turn 11, presented a project to the young students.

“Since she got home, she’s been on top of the world,” she said. “She’s loving it.”

Charania , who is on the faculty of the University of Michigan Nursing School, is a longtime educator herself and says the teaching methods at A2STEAM are not simply didactic, but allow the children to actively participate in their education.

“I’m so thrilled my kids got this opportunity to be in this school,” she said, adding that they will be prepared for the challenges and expectations of the 21st Century.

Principal Joan Fitzgibbon said the night was fabulous, and the students—many of whom dressed up for the occasion—were excellent ambassadors for their learning.

“The kids were really proud of the work they’ve been doing, and the parents saw all the engagement the kids have been having,” she said. “There’s a lot of excitement around the whole school concept, and it was a nice way to showcase what we’ve been doing in the classroom.”

Lead teacher Ryan Bruder said the expo showcased the community that has been built over the last eight weeks.

“Taking 180 students and then adding another 210, and bringing them together to create a new community has been an amazing opportunity, and one that our students and our families and our staff have taken head-on,” he said. “Last night was an exemplar of what that means and how that looks.”DSC_0727

 

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Mishal and her mother Nadia are both big fans of STEAM.
Mishal and her mother Nadia are big fans of STEAM.

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