Distinguished school for Project Lead the Way

John Sedgwick named distinguished school for Project Lead the Way

Posted on 03/22/2019

South Kitsap School District announced today that Olalla and Sunnyslope Elementary, and Cedar Heights, John Sedgwick and Marcus Whitman Middle Schools have been recognized as Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished Schools for providing broad access to transformative learning opportunities for students through PLTW LaunchTM (elementary) and PLTW GatewayTM (middle school).

Olalla and Sunnyslope Elementary are two of just 214 elementary schools, and Cedar Heights, John Sedgwick and Marcus Whitman are three of just 148 middle schools across the U.S. to receive this honor. PLTW is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in schools across the U.S.

The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. For elementary schools to be eligible for the designation, they had to offer at least two PLTW Launch modules at each grade level and have more than 75 percent of the student body participating during the 2017-18 school year.

Studies show that students decide as early as elementary school whether they like, and think they are good at, math and science. Whether designing a car safety belt or building digital animations based on their own short stories, PLTW Launch students engage in critical and creative thinking, build teamwork skill
For middle schools to be eligible for the PLTW Distinguished School designation, they had to meet the following criteria during the 2017-18 school year:
• Offer at least one PLTW Gateway unit at each grade level;
• Have at least 50 percent of the student body participating;
• Have 25 percent of students advancing to high school participate in two or more units during their middle school tenure.
Through PLTW programs, students develop STEM knowledge as well as in-demand, transportable skills that they will use both in school and for the rest of their lives, on any career path they take. PLTW Gateway empowers students to lead their own discovery and uncover a range of paths and possibilities they can look forward to in high school and beyond.

“It is a great honor to recognize South Kitsap School District schools for their commitment to students,” said Vince Bertram, President and CEO of PLTW. “They are a model for what school should look like, and they should be very proud of ensuring students have the knowledge and skills to be career ready and successful on any career path they choose.”

These South Kitsap schools are part of a community of PreK-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate and philanthropic partners across the country united around a passion for providing students with inspiring, engaging, and empowering learning opportunities. For more information about PLTW’s recognition program, visit pltw.org/our-programs/program-recognition.

Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience for PreK-12 students and teachers across the U.S. PLTW empowers students to develop in-demand, transportable knowledge and skills through pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. PLTW’s teacher training and resources support teachers as they engage their students in real-world learning. Approximately 11,500 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia offer PLTW programs. For more information on Project Lead The Way, visit pltw.org.