December 5, 2024
By MEALAND RAGLAND-HUDGINS
Rutherford County Schools
Five years ago, the staff at Smyrna Elementary School recognized what Principal Vanessa Ritter called “a critical challenge in our classrooms.”
Students were struggling with vocabulary, comprehension, and overall literacy skills.
“We knew something had to change,” Ritter said, adding that traditional methods of teaching those skills wouldn’t be enough. “We realized that enriching vocabulary and building background knowledge required giving our students real-world experiences.
“They needed opportunities to connect classroom concepts with their everyday lives,” she said.
STEM – the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math – became the method of delivery.
In 2022, Smyrna Elementary became the first in Rutherford County Schools to earn STEM-designation from the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) and the state STEM Innovation Network.
The road to get there took more than a year, as the staff went through STEM training and developed Problem-Based Learning (PBL) assignments for students before completing a thorough and rigorous application process.
Teachers use hands-on learning opportunities, cross-curricular PBLs, field trips and more to help deepen learning, “allowing students to see how their learning connects across disciplines,” Ritter said.
Students are also developing collaboration and communication skills by working in groups.
The hard work is paying off. The Department of Education announced in November that Smyrna Elementary earned a Level 5 ranking for student growth for the second straight year.
School districts and individual schools earn a ranking of one through five to measure annual student academic growth. A ranking of three, for example, signifies a student experienced one year’s worth of growth academically, while rankings of four and five indicates a student grew by more than a year’s worth academically.
“This journey hasn’t been about chasing test scores—it’s about transforming lives; however, our test scores have improved steadily over the last several years,” Ritter said.
Because of its success, Smyrna Elementary hosts two to three groups of visiting educators a month hoping to lead their school to STEM designation. During one such visit, Ritter unfolded a colorful chart that served as her school’s original blueprint for the process.
Part of the process included developing and strengthening relationships with community partners. For instance, members of the Tennessee Army National Guard visited earlier this year and shared lessons how chemistry and logistics play a role in keeping Tennesseans safe.
The school also hosts nights for parents to get involved and have a better understanding of what their children are learning. Prior to Thanksgiving, Smyrna Elementary organized a STREAM night, adding reading to the mix.
Families of students in grades PreK-2 were invited to attend a book fair and participate in a variety of literacy activities, Instructional STEM Coach Lichelle Leonard said.
“(The night) was about educating our families about what STEM is all about. We want them to understand what it is and why we place so much emphasis on it,” Leonard said, while looking at stations set up in the gym. “It’s critical thinking and problem solving … these (activities), they can do at home.”
Stations included building a garden enclosure to keep animals from eating crops, story times in English and Spanish with discussion and books to take home and using math to help robots navigate a course.
“STEM has empowered our students to think critically, solve problems, and understand the world around them. It’s given them the tools and confidence to thrive,” Principal Ritter said.
Educators are often tasked with remembering their “why” or the reason why they do what they do.
“Our why is simple: when students connect with learning authentically, they become confident, capable learners. That’s what drives us every day,” Ritter said.
PHOTO 1: A Smyrna Elementary student listens to instructions from a member of the Tennessee Army National Guard about an experiment. MEALAND RAGLAND-HUDGINS/RUTHERFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS
PHOTO 2: Smyrna Elementary teachers read a story with students and families at a STREAM event in November. MEALAND RAGLAND-HUDGINS/RUTHERFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS
PHOTO 3: Smyrna Elementary Principal Vanessa Ritter holds a template showing the process the school used to attain its STEM designation with other educators looking to do the same at their schools. MEALAND RAGLAND-HUDGINS/RUTHERFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS
PHOTO 4: A Smyrna Elementary School teacher celebrates a students solving a math problem as part of the school's recent STREAM night. MEALAND RAGLAND-HUDGINS/RUTHERFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS