Ballston Spa Central School District’s Partnership for Innovation in Education program collaborates with business and industry, higher education, non-profit and government agencies to develop innovative educational experiences that re-frame teaching and learning for the 21st century. Preparing students for jobs that do not yet exist in a world where information is growing exponentially requires educational experiences that provide new tools for teaching, curriculum, assessment and professional development. The Partnership seeks experiences that will apply new or current thinking in a different plane that will fundamentally change the learning experiences for teachers and students, creating evidence of mastery in the graduation competencies.
In line with our Partnership For Innovation in Education objects, our district’s STEM initiatives connect the students’ classroom experience to real world experiences in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Our schools are leaders in the region in innovative academic programming, provide a rigorous and challenging academic program, and are at the forefront of providing curriculum and instruction to meet the needs of emerging technologies and 21st century skills. The Student Spaceflight Experiment Program (SSEP) provides our student the opportunity to participate in authentic experimental research in a process very similar to that in which scientists participate throughout their careers.
Our district goals and this initiative are also align with our participation in the Empire State STEM Learning Network, an initiative under development throughout New York State to advance learning and teaching opportunities for all students and teachers in STEM.
