HFCA - Preparing Students for High School and Beyond
Holy Family Catholic Academy is recognized nationally and internationally for its future-focused curriculum and instruction. The goal of the Inverness school is to prepare its more than 500 students in preschool through grade 8 for global jobs that have yet to be invented. Research suggests that as technology progresses, all workers will need more advanced STEM skills.
Identifying the significant role that science, technology, engineering, and math plays in the workforce of the future was a prominent factor in HFCA pursuing STEM certification. After an extensive onsite review, which measured the Academy's program against 11 rigorous standards, HFCA became the first middle school in the State of Illinois to earn AdvancED STEM Certification. This mark of distinction goes far beyond an award. AdvancED provides support and resources to schools to explore and enhance their STEM education. Explains Principal Kate O'Brien, "STEM certification holds our school to high standards while providing a clear roadmap for us to continuously improve our STEM disciplines and programs."
AdvancED encourages schools to engage with a wide variety of community partners to fully prepare students for jobs in a global market. Connecting with members of the community expands learners' STEM experiences while also providing them with opportunities to demonstrate their abilities. One such engagement is HFCA's participation in Carmel Catholic High School's annual math competition. Carmel invites 19 local Catholic and public schools to participate in this event, which includes team and individual competitions. HFCA's math teams have consistently placed in their division for the last 6 years. This year, the 7th grade team won first place and student Zachary Kull placed 4th in the individual assessment.
More than a competition, the relationship with Carmel is also offering STEM learning opportunities.
Carmel President, Dr. Bradley Bonham shares, "We again applaud Holy Family Catholic Academy's consistent showing in our annual math competition. These students are clearly being prepared for increasingly challenging STEM coursework. Carmel is proud to partner with HFCA and other schools to offer their 7th and 8th grade students tuition-free math and engineering high school level courses to further advance STEM learning."
Concludes Principal O'Brien, "HFCA is committed to preparing students for careers of tomorrow by fostering an enthusiasm for STEM disciplines today. Engaging with a variety of community partners continuously improves our STEM curriculum and extends our students' experiences beyond textbooks, beyond the classroom, and beyond the school day. This experience prepares HFCA students for the next level of education and the workforce of the future."