Goddard Public Schools Project Lead The Way (PLTW) teachers and classes have something extra special to celebrate as this school year comes to a close. It's because of their efforts that USD 265 is able to celebrate the fact that all five of our elementary schools (Grades K-4; Amelia Earhart Elementary School, Apollo Elementary School, Clark Davidson Elementary School, Explorer Elementary School, and Oak Street Elementary School), both of our intermediate schools (Grades 5-6; Challenger Intermediate School and Discovery Intermediate School), and Eisenhower High School all earned "PLTW Distinguished School" recognition for the 2023-24 school year. This means that our Goddard PLTW educators and schools are achieving exemplary results from their programs and work. To be eligible for this designation, USD 265 schools needed more than 75% of the student body to participate in PLTW courses AND had to offer at least one PLTW module at each grade level throughout the school year.
PLTW is a curriculum that specifically focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The mission of PLTW is to create a transformative learning environment and empower students to flourish in an ever-evolving, STEM-driven world. Goddard Public Schools offer the following PLTW opportunities:
PLTW Launch (K - Grade 5)
PLTW Gateway (Grades 6 -8)
PLTW Biomedical Science (Grades 9 -12)
PLTW Computer Science (Grades 9 - 12)
PLTW Engineering (Grades 9 - 12)
Goddard Public Schools utilize PLTW in all elementary, intermediate, middle, and high schools, encouraging exploration at all ages. Immersing students in hands-on activities, projects, and challenges helps build their knowledge and skills over time and fosters a sense of appreciation for STEM-based learning. 
"I love it because it's more than just a curriculum. It pushes collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity - which are what these students need to be successful in life," shared Pam Cole, PLTW Master Teacher at Challenger Intermediate School. Almost a decade ago, Cole worked with Dr. Julie Cannizzo, Assistant Superintendent of Academic Affairs for USD 265, to expand PLTW within Goddard Public Schools to encompass the K-5 Launch level. Dr. Cannizzo was even named Educational Leader of the Year at a PLTW Summit in February of 2020. Cole expressed her enthusiasm for the courses and the opportunities they can provide. "If the students can see it, they can be it. Showing them direct connections to their potential careers one day, showcasing our students to potential future employers, what's more important than that? I'm very lucky to do this work."
Young learners are naturally wired for discovery. Through PLTW Launch, USD 265 students can begin building a fundamental understanding of STEM and how it looks in the world around them. By engaging our youngest students in play-based learning techniques, PLTW Launch taps into their exploratory nature and encourages them to stay curious. Goddard Public School PLTW teachers truly bring learning to life in their classrooms. The program empowers students to adopt a design-thinking mindset through activities, projects, and problems that build upon each other and relate to the world around them. As our students engage in topics such as computer science, engineering, and biomedical science, they become creative and collaborative problem solvers ready to take on any challenge.
PLTW Gateway is designed to build upon the skills and knowledge honed in PLTW Launch, encouraging students to consider future opportunities and question every possibility through STEM learning. By covering more advanced topics such as coding, robotics, flight and space, human body systems, and more, Goddard's PLTW Gateway educators continue to foster students' passion for discovery. Middle school is a time of exploration, a time when students are figuring out what they’re passionate about today and how that relates to who they’ll become tomorrow. During this crucial time in a student's educational journey, Goddard PLTW teachers connect our students with STEM in the world around them - building a strong foundation for high school, college, and career learning opportunities down the line.
Subject-specific PLTW courses offered at the high school level further build upon the fundamentals obtained through PLTW Launch and Gateway. USD 265 offers these courses at both Eisenhower High School and Goddard High School, with high levels of student participation and engagement. Goddard PLTW Biomedical students take real-world challenges and tackle them right in the classroom. Through PLTW Computer Science courses, our students become creators, instead of consumers, of the technology all around them and are able to design solutions through technology for how we as a society live and work. USD 265 PLTW Engineering classes focus on solving problems in real-world scenarios and empower our students to adapt into collaborators, thinkers, and builders. 
By engaging through hands-on activities and projects, USD 265 PLTW teachers foster a sense of curiosity for all students. The experiential learning gained from our PLTW teachers each day in the classroom is essential to students' growth and is a huge reason why our schools have a proven record of PLTW success. These dedicated professionals bring STEM to life and help students build skills and a knowledge base that they'll use throughout their lives - beyond their academic journey. To learn more, visit https://www.goddardusd.com/page/project-lead-the-way today.