Winchester Public Schools is currently in the second year of our grant: Maximizing Engagement Through Regular Immersion in Computer Science (METRICS), which is a five-year U.S. Department of Education (US ED) Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant awarded to Winchester Public Schools (WPS) in October 2019. We are working collaboratively with community partners, WPS is implementing a whole school immersion computer science (CS) initiative. Project activities are integrated across the daily classroom curriculum and real-world experiences boost traditionally underrepresented, high-need student aspirations, attainment, and achievement. The initiative is being implemented in two WPS K-4,Title I elementary schools (Garland Quarles and John Kerr).Through a whole-school immersion approach, METRICS focuses on four integrated field-initiated innovations at the elementary level: 1) providing high quality teacher development and support to sustain innovative CS instructional practices; 2) creating rigorous CS curriculum units and assessments to support STEM coursework connected across all subjects through problem-based learning; 3) develop student engagement and students supports through PEDLE lab activities in 3rd and 4th grade and Makerspace and STEM lab activities in K-4 grades; and 4)strengthening students’ tethers to CS and STEM coursework by engaging students in real-world linkages beyond the classroom such as after school clubs, competitive teams and field trips with a focus on traditionally underrepresented minority and female students. We are currently working with Bootup and CodeVA to promote teacher awareness and helping teachers to integrate CS in their classrooms. This team was awarded National STEM Honor Society's Chapter STEM Champion Award and is currently in the process of creating a series of documentaries with NSTEM on developing CS and STEM programs at the elementary level.

<strong>Contact: </strong>

Jennifer C LaBombard-Daniels, METRICS Project Specialist

<a href="mailto:labombardj@wps.k12.va.us">labombardj@wps.k12.va.us</a>

540-686-6178