SOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — The South Milwaukee School District is getting ready to roll out its new STEM program by embedding three teachers across their elementary schools to teach kindergarten through 5th graders all about science, technology, engineering, and math.
"This space around us that looks kind of empty now is going to get filled with their thoughts and ideas and the things they're really excited about," said Deidre Roemer, Superintendent, South Milwaukee School District.
Katy Casleton, Jolene Wasilewski and Jennifer Haynor joined the STEM team after South Milwaukee voters approved a referendum earlier this year.
Watch: New STEM program at South Milwaukee School District will soon take flight
It will invest $2 million a year for the next five years into growing educational initiatives, like the stem program, as well as operations, maintenance, and school safety.
"When I saw them open up this position within South Milwaukee, introducing STEM in elementary, I was overjoyed. Words can't describe how excited I became,” said Caselton.
"It's been a really engaging summer for us working together to kind of get it up and running off the ground," said Wasilewski.
Right now, the teachers say that they are taking the lessons one trimester at a time and plan to collaborate with their students to guide where the curriculum goes next.
“I know how important it is to bring the real world into the classroom and help children understand how all of the content they're learning in the regular education classes can integrate into amazing problem solving, team building, and learning opportunities,” said Haynor.
Roemer says she is excited to give some of our community's youngest residents the chance to think about the future at an early age.
"To make sure that they're curious and they're exploring and that they're understanding that the skills they develop with their time in school actually do translate into real jobs," said Roemer.
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