Why We Are Unique
STEAM Focus
Monterey Heights STEAM Academy (MHSA) provides every student with an innovative, engaging and rigorous education. At MHSA, we have implemented STEAM across all grade levels as a means of promoting engagement and learning across settings. Incorporating STEAM education will help develop students' creative, social and emotional, and critical thinking skills. Many of the projects students will be exposed to involve teamwork and thoughtful dialogue in which students will be able to exchange ideas and discuss ways to problem solve.
Starting with an integrated curriculum that blends visual and performing arts with science, technology, math, and engineering, the MHSA STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) program offers a uniquely well-rounded education that is accessible to every student. Students not only gain a deeper conceptual understanding of the material but have authentic opportunities to apply their learning to solve real world issues.
Integrating Subjects
One of the core tenets of our program is teaching students about the interconnectedness of the world around them, and we fundamentally believe that starts with integrating curricula across different subject areas.
Technology
Every student at MHSA has access to our STEAM Lab and Makerspace, which are outfitted with the latest technologies and state-of-the-art tools, including 3-D printers, laser cutters, robotics kits, and rapid prototype materials that promote designing, scientific modeling, and computer programming.
Gizmos & Gadgets STEAM Lab
Gizmos & Gadgets is dedicated to giving young children the opportunities they need to be able to succeed in the future. We use cross-disciplinary and hands-on activities aligned to NGSS standards to complete the STEAM formula and create an innovative atmosphere and well - rounded education.
Energy is Everything
Energy is Everything gives educators high quality, flexible training, curriculum resources and materials to help teach energy and climate with a science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) focus- ALL AT NO COST! NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) aligned STEAM curriculum that makes it easy to teach about energy and the environment.
Win Time
Beginning, Monday, September 12, 2022 all Monterey Heights students will be receiving the support needed to help them become successful readers not only during core instructional Time but also during WIN (What I Need) Time. This is a school-wide initiative so EVERY student will participate in WIN Time. WIN Time will take place daily from 8:45-9:30 am. WIN Time provides students with small group instruction and targets specific skill area(s) that are required to become proficient readers and writers.
The specific needs of our students that will be strategically targeted during WIN Time is determined based on our I-READY data. During the Spring of the 2021-2022 School year, our students took the I-READY Spring Diagnostics Assessment. I am proud to report that students showed tremendous growth in both Reading and Math. We at Monterey Heights want to continue to get our students back on track from the learning loss that took place during Distance Learning. Based on our data, Vocabulary and Comprehension are our areas of growth as a school site, and thus will be what we focus on during WIN Time.
We are building an even stronger Multi-Tiered Support System (MTSS) system that improves student learning. We are also committed to providing the ability to track and support your child’s progress so as to ensure that our instruction is growing students in all areas of literacy development. Therefore, we are assessing your child three Times this year with the IREADY Assessment.
I-Ready Analysis
I-READY instantly analyzes your child’s development in grade-appropriate foundational reading skills. Teachers use this data to focus their instruction around your child’s specific needs in areas that may include:
- Hearing and using sounds in spoken words (Phonemic Awareness)
- Knowing sounds of letters and sounding out written words (Alphabetic Principle)
- Reading words in stories easily, quickly, and correctly (Accuracy and Fluency)
- Understanding what they read (Reading Comprehension)
The Whole Child
At Monterey Heights STEAM Academy (MHSA) we believe that every child is exceptional and has a right to cultivate his or her own unique interests and abilities. We are dedicated to providing students with an innovative, empowering and rigorous learning environment that nurtures the whole child. MHSA inspires students to reach beyond themselves to achieve their full potential.
Social and Emotional Learning
We offer a multi-dimensional learning experience that augments academic excellence with social and emotional growth. The MHSA program nurtures mutual respect, civic responsibility and a lifelong love of learning. Our character development program is integrated throughout every aspect of the school in order to build student confidence, promote personal responsibility and strengthen decision-making skills.
Dreams and Passions
We make sure that we never lose sight of the creativity and curiosity that lives inside each of our students. We are committed to helping students unlock and pursue their individual dreams and passions through a rich array of co- and extra- curricular options.
Academics
At the heart of the MHSA curriculum is a rigorous and results-oriented STEAM approach to learning. Our education model seamlessly blends the visual and performing arts with science and engineering, offering every student a well-rounded education. We provide all of our students with the skills and tools they need today to become the entrepreneurs, collaborators, and leaders of tomorrow.
Project Based Learning
Our unique model allows us to provide every student with an enriched curriculum that emphasizes experiential and project-based learning (PBL). PBL is a rigorous method where students are challenged to think critically and work collaboratively to discover solutions to questions grounded in complex, real-world scenarios. Through each PBL unit, students gain a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the content and thereby retain knowledge longer than is often the case with traditional instruction. Coupled with Design Thinking strategies, students learn how to take initiative, empathize, problem-solve, collaborate, and communicate more effectively.
Active Learning
Through each PBL unit, students are actively engaged in their learning and are provided ample and meaningful opportunities to develop 21st century skills while addressing real-world issues.
Student Ownership
Project-Based Learning offers students an opportunity to take ownership of their education. PBL emphasizes student inquiry and empowers students to actively explore challenging, complex issues and ideas.
Unscripted
Nothing about learning at MHSA is scripted. Student choice drives the investigative learning process. Although every student is asked the same driving question, each PBL unit results in a multitude of different projects and creative solutions.
Why PBL / PBL Success
PBL improves student learning. Through each PBL unit, students gain a deeper understanding of the content and remember and retain it longer than is often the case with traditional instruction. In every PBL unit students learn how to take initiative and responsibility, build confidence, problem solve, and collaborate more effectively.