Mayfield School Gets Rare State Distinction

MAYFIELD, OH — Lander Elementary is now officially part of the Ohio STEM Learning Network, a designation the school has been working toward for years. Only four schools in Cuyahoga County, and 21 elementary schools statewide, have this official Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) designation.

“Our Lander Makerspace is a space where our student’s ideas materialize,” said Lander Elementary Principal Felecia Evans in a statement on the district website. “The challenge of an elementary school is to prepare students for a future that doesn’t exist yet. Our Lander Makerspace is helping to prepare our students to process critically and think creatively to solve complex problems.”

More than 20 schools in Ohio applied to join the Ohio STEM Learning Network, but only 11 received the official designation. Being part of the Network means a school is an effective place for STEM learning and makes the school part of a public-private partnership with Battelle for STEM education.

Besides Lander, here are the other schools in Cuyahoga County that received the designation:

• Boulevard Elementary School (Cleveland Heights Local Schools, Cuyahoga County)
• Orchard STEM School (Cleveland Metro Schools, Cuyahoga County)
• Gesu Catholic School (Cuyahoga County)

"Inducting new schools into our network provides new ideas while ensuring the growth of STEM education in the minds of Ohio teachers and parents," said Aimee Kennedy, senior vice president of education, STEM Learning and Philanthropy at Battelle. "These schools can be proud of their work in earning this honor and we look forward to sharing their unique strengths with the rest of Ohio's vibrant STEM education community."

Photo from Amanda Mills, CDC