3 Douglas Schools Earn National Certification For STEM Excellence

DOUGLAS COUNTY, GA -- Lithia Springs High School, Mason Creek Elementary School and New Manchester Elementary School are the most recent schools in Douglas County to earn the National Certificate for STEM Excellence, or NCSE, - Campus Certification from the National Institute for STEM Education, or NISE. The NCSE recognizes individual school campuses for their commitment to and systematic support of teachers’ understanding and use of high-impact, evidence-based STEM instructional strategies.

Former Georgia Teacher of the Year Casey Bethel says this STEM certification is monumental and represents the school system’s commitment to helping students meet the demands of the future. “It is a remarkable accomplishment to have three of the first NISE certified schools in our system. This distinction shows that Douglas County strives to be on the cutting edge in providing rigorous and relevant instruction in the STEM areas, equipping students with the 21st Century knowledge and skills to compete globally and to contribute to our rapidly changing world.”

Bethel, Douglas County’s K-12 Science/STEM Coordinator adds: “We are proud of the hard work and dedication of our teachers and look forward to the impact this will have on our students, and the future.”

The certification announcement and celebrations will take place at the following schools:

Lithia Springs High School
The first high school in Georgia to receive NISE certification
May 6, 8:45 a.m.
2520 East County Line Road, Lithia Springs

Mason Creek Elementary School
The sixth school in Georgia to receive NISE certification
May 17, 1 p.m.
3400 Johnston Road, Winston

New Manchester Elementary School
The seventh school in Georgia to receive NISE certification
Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods will attend
May 22, 1:30 p.m.
2242 Old Lower River Road, Douglasville

As part of earning the NCSE - Campus Certification, more than twenty Douglas County educators also earned the National Certificate for STEM Teaching (NCST), further contributing to the school’s collective STEM expertise.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, NISE was conceived by seasoned, practicing educators and is based on thousands of hours of research, professional development, curriculum design, and educational leadership. Using an online platform and supported by a dedicated NISE STEM leadership coach, educators, and instructional leaders work together to refine school operations and instruction to further strengthen STEM practices and the campus’ overall STEM culture.

NISE is a research-based support system for campuses and teachers seeking to strengthen STEM instruction and outcomes. Based on 15 STEM Teacher Actions that evolved from STEM professional development originally created at Rice University, NISE’s Campus and Teacher Certificates help school leaders and teachers understand and apply research and best practices in STEM, 21st-century learning, and professional development.

For information, visit http://nise.institute.