Heatherwood Elementary to launch STEAM program this fall

Heatherwood Elementary School is preparing to unveil an ambitious new environmental STEAM program when students return to classes for the 2025-2026 school year this fall. The program aims to seamlessly integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics principles with environmental literacy in a way that connects students to the natural world around them.

The Heatherwood Educational Advisory Team has been working diligently to create a program that fosters deep connections between students and their environment. The Advisory Team was formed to address declining enrollment.

The STEAM initiative focuses on encouraging students to explore, understand, and creatively address environmental challenges through hands-on learning experiences.

The program is built around a school-wide driving question of "How can we as a Heatherwood Community use our head, heart, hands, and feet to intentionally learn about our past in order to shape our future?" This question will guide project-based learning activities across all grade levels.

Each grade level will tackle age-appropriate environmental phenomena through carefully designed driving questions. Kindergarteners will explore how plants, animals, and people adapt to their surroundings, while fifth graders will investigate how human activities affect the natural water cycle and develop conservation strategies.

The initiative represents a significant evolution in elementary education, potentially establishing a pathway for environmental STEAM education from elementary through high school in the Boulder Valley School District.

The school noted that the curriculum aligns with Boulder County Environmental Education Guidelines and the Seal of Climate Literacy, positioning Heatherwood as a pioneer in environmental education. School officials note that the program maintains Colorado's content standards and academic rigor while introducing innovative teaching approaches.

What makes this program unique is its holistic approach. The curriculum team has designed a framework around Program Values that aren't just teaching environmental science, but also nurturing the whole child through an approach they call head, heart, hands, and feet.

This framework encourages students to engage with environmental challenges, develop connections to nature and community, take action through stewardship projects, and understand their impact on the world around them.

Feedback from community members has been positive at recent information sessions. Many parents appreciate how the program connects traditional academics with real-world problems. Students are already expressing excitement about upcoming projects such as the prairie dog conservation initiative planned for third grade.

School officials are currently finalizing classroom resources and teacher training for the program launch in August. A community open house is planned for late summer to showcase the new learning spaces and curriculum materials.

The team behind this innovative program emphasizes that they are creating more than just an educational initiative. They are nurturing a community where students understand their relationship with the environment and develop the skills to become changemakers for the future.