St. Mary School, Middletown, has opened a brand new, state-of-the-art, 21st century science lab.
The science lab, which is a dedicated space complete with unobstructed views for students and teachers to work in an open environment while performing any number of age-appropriate laboratory experiments, features underground wiring and plumbing, new furniture, microscopes, hot plates, as well as SMART Board technology and a Z-Space virtual dissection system to be utilized for any number of classroom experiments.
The lab also provides more functional classroom/lab time since students would need to walk to across the parking lot to Mater Dei Prep’s science lab.
The opening of the science lab is the first step in the implementation of a STEM/STREAM program in the school for the 2016-17 school year with the goal of receiving full STEM certification in grades six through eight through AdvancED by the end of 2018. The school announced that Dr. Jeanette Wilmanski, professor of biology in St. Peter University, Jersey City, will assist in the development of the STEM program. Dr. Wilmanski has assisted other Catholic schools in developing and implementing their STEM/STREAM programs. Although the main programmatic emphasis will be on the middle school, the entire school will have a STEM focus.
The school also announced that Elaine Griffin from the Diocese of Trenton will guide in grant writing and grant proposal development efforts to fund the new STEM program. The school has already held benefits such as a concert and steak bake to raise funds for STEM program supplies.