S.T.E.A.M. Magnet Coming to Dana Middle School
Dana Middle School will be getting a new Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (or S.T.E.A.M.) Magnet in the 2015-2016 school year. (Photo: Megan Barnes)
For years, parents in San Pedro looking to enroll their children in elementary school magnet programs have had several to choose from, but when it comes to middle school, there has only been one nearby — the Gifted Magnet at Dodson Middle School in Rancho Palos Verdes.
That will change come the 2015-2016 school year, when Dana Middle School will open a new Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math — or S.T.E.A.M. — Magnet to incoming sixth graders.
The magnet will be open not only to students who live within the school’s neighborhood boundary in central San Pedro, but from throughout the Los Angeles Unified School District.
“Many of our students come from surrounding magnet elementary schools and there was an urge from the community for a magnet,” said Dana Middle School Principal Jesus Nunez.
Plans have been in the works for more than a year and officially got the green light from the L.A.U.S.D. Board a few weeks ago.
There are currently four middle schools in the school district with S.T.E.A.M. magnets. Dana Middle School will get $17 of additional funding per magnet student, as well as a new program coordinator. If the program grows in size, additional teachers could be hired.
Nunez decided to push for a S.T.E.A.M. magnet after attending a conference at Cal State Los Angeles on the curriculum, which uses hands-on, project-based lessons to teach students how school subjects translate and correlate in real life.
“I learned a lot of current data and prognostications about which careers are going to be in demand and which careers have more earning power and the majority of them are S.T.E.A.M.-related, so I thought what better way to get kids motivated than to offer a S.T.E.A.M. magnet now when they’re in middle school,” Nunez said, adding that he hopes the magnet will provide a bridge for students who will go on to the Marine Science Magnet at San Pedro High School.
While science, technology, engineering and math (or S.T.E.M.) curricula are rising in popularity nationwide, S.T.E.A.M. ensures that the arts don’t get lost in the classroom. With Dana Middle School’s thriving arts and music program — which includes an award-winning marching band — Nunez feels S.T.E.A.M. is a good fit.
“There is strong evidence to suggest that putting the arts component in basically is an accelerator to achievement to all the components of S.T.E.M.,” said Donna Muncey, chief of intensive support and intervention for L.A.U.S.D. “The district has been expanding its magnet program and we’re looking for both geographical and content diversity in those applications. It’s nice to see this one coming along; we look forward to this program being a success.”
The curriculum will be incorporated into all sixth through eighth grade classes, and students in the magnet will take an elective S.T.E.A.M.-related course, like the new science exploration class.
Teacher Daniel Nesbitt is hoping to enter the class into a robotics competition, and the school recently applied for a $50,000 grant from the Port of Los Angeles for students to learn how to build submersibles.
Nunez said if more students apply to the magnet than there are spots — he wasn’t sure on an exact number, but threw out a figure of 150 — a lottery will be held.
“We’re excited,” he said. “I know the community has been calling for it for many years and we’re just happy that we can finally get it off the ground.”
