Pinecrest Academy South Charter School
AdvancED STEM Certification
Indicator 1.1
Self-Assessment Rating: 4
Pinecrest Academy South (PAC) has a culturally diverse student population of 750 students that make up various socioeconomic levels. In addition to the diversity, PAC services students with a wide variety of academic abilities. PAC currently has 118 students participating in the gifted program, 32 students in an inclusive special education program and 65 students in the English Language Learners program. PAC has been working diligently to ensure that STEM opportunities and experiences are available to all students.
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Our curriculum is both rigorous and innovative where all students can achieve success. PAC offers regular, advanced and gifted classes. This allows students to receive enrichment or remediation via the Miami-Dade County Public Schools curriculum and pacing guides. Lessons in these classes are catered to students’ needs to ensure the highest level of education is offered. In the regular class setting, students that need further assistance with mathematics and/or reading skills are added to Response to Intervention (RTI), where lessons are conducted in a small group setting or to the individual child. Students participating in the gifted and advanced setting are exposed to distinct projects that enable critical thinking and problem solving at their level of comprehension. These opportunities, regardless of setting, deliver various opportunities for students to succeed and master skills.
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A culture of STEM has evolved throughout the years at PAC and increasing in its expansion. All students engage in STEM lessons and activities through classroom lessons. Lessons are thoughtfully and carefully planned through the STEM Committee in conjunction with the respective grade level team. Other opportunities such as STEM career guest speakers, field trips, STEM library, and primary STEM outdoor lab provide engaging and interdisciplinary real-world experiences.
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In an effort to continue to expand student participation in STEM,
PAC involves stakeholders in the development of STEM
opportunities through Educational Excellence School Advisory Council (EESAC) and Parents as Liaisons (PALs) meetings. PAC EESAC involves parents, teachers, students, and community members. The goal is to involve and collaborate with stakeholders in an effort to continue to improve STEM initiatives within our community.
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Parental involvement is both an area of strength and area for growth simultaneously. Through PALs and EESAC we have strong parental involvement for school-wide events such as competitions, Holiday Shows, Book Fair, Walkathon, Open House, New Student Orientation, Field Days, “A” Day celebrations, Science Fair Night, STEM Family Night and field trips. Although we have robust parental support, we would like to be able to offer parents the opportunity for further involvement in our STEM program. One way to do so would be to invite them to attend STEM committee meetings on a monthly basis. This could allow parents the opportunity to give insight and/or feedback related to projects, activities, events and even attain further sponsorships.
PAC implements enrollment procedures in compliance with applicable law and as described in the charter school contract. Any eligible student who submits a timely application via the Pinecrest Academy South website will be included in the lottery process. An open admissions procedure, utilizing a “first come, first served” policy, as required by statute, unless the number of applicants exceeds capacity for that grade level. In each such case, all applicants shall have an equal opportunity of being admitted to the school through a random selection process. The lottery selection process will maximize the probability that those selected will reflect the diversity of the community. Applications are available online.
Students eager to start the new school year on the very first day of the school year.
Ms. Gonzalez speaking during our new student orientation.
We are proud to provide school tours to potential families that are interested in completing an application. The tour begins with a walk around the campus visiting classrooms and common areas of the school. Parents learn about curriculum, enrichment and remediation programs, daily procedures and after school activities. The school tours have opened up another avenue of highlighting the school and increasing the amount of applicants every year. In addition to tours, PAC hosts a new parent orientation and an Open House the week before the start of the school year. (Please view our Open House PowerPoint.) Parents and students meet and greet the teacher and learn about the expectations for the school year.
PAC provides a variety of extracurricular opportunities available to become involved in the STEM culture. PAC offers clubs such as Robotics (both club and team), PACology, SECME, Green Team, Teachers of Tomorrow, Yearbook Club, National Elementary Honor Society, Jump Rope Club, Morning Announcements Crew to name a few. These clubs expose our students to technology and real-world application. Enrollment in such activities has steadily increased since PAC has shifted its focus to STEM. The goal is to continue to expand these programs to allow for more participation from all of our diverse groups.
PAC students at VexWorlds 2019 in Kentucky.
Most recently, there has been an increase of at least 20% participation of girls in our VEX IQ Robotics teams. The STEM (SECME) club has always been a popular choice with 50% of the total number of students being female.
Parents, teachers, and administrators at our EESAC meeting.
Our annual Hispanic heritage festival is accomplished through EESAC, PALs and the Cultural Committee.
PALs collecting and sorting Hurricane Relief supplies for schools affected by Hurricane Irma in 2017.