Johnson is a comprehensive, three-year junior high school with an enrollment of more than 850 students. There were 314 seventh-grade students, 305 eight-grade students and 253 ninth-grade students, all served by 160 staff members. Programs of study at Johnson include ROTC, art, English, foreign language, family consumer science, math, music, physical education, introduction to physical science, social studies, technical education, resource, behavior lab, transitional seventh and ninth grades, and honors classes in English, geometry and social studies. As a public junior high school, Johnson’s effort is to successfully develop the total individual. The staff at Johnson strives to nurture lifelong learners who are capable of contributing to a global society. To accomplish this, they provide a safe, supportive and accessible educational environment. Johnson offers opportunities for family and community involvement and for students to give back to society through a variety of teaching strategies. The staff at Johnson Junior High lives by its mission statement: Our purpose is to inspire learning in a safe and caring environment by empowering individuals to become productive members of their community. Slogan—We Teach, We Care, We Learn. Johnson is a Title I School
Executive Summary:
Johnson Junior High School is a dynamic learning community with a dedicated staff. The vision of the NASA Explorer Team is to create a joyful and dynamic community of confident learners, where passion and curiosity drive cooperation and achievement and where students are leaders and teachers are guides. In order to accomplish the vision, the NASA Explorer School Team has developed a three-year action plan that will focus on the five NES program objectives. The goals created to meet the NES program objectives focus upon family events, resource and staff development, and student and classroom involvement. The goals focus on increasing student interest and participation in science, mathematics, and technology (STEM-G), Year one, we hosted four NASA Nights and school wide tutorials that involved students, families, NASA, and the community. For our liftoff event, we held the first NASA night in lieu of our traditional open house. Year two, we are hosting two NASA Nights, six Stay N Plays and school wide tutorials. We work closely with our Title I committee; we designated a family representative and are keeping the needs of our underrepresented families in the forefront. Title III teacher involvement will also assist in reaching the English Language Learner families. We host monthly NASA enrichment sessions in tutorials that had a hands on experience that reinforced math and literacy concepts. Our technology funds enable us to purchase LCD projectors, smartboards, graphing calculator accessories, Lego Mindstorms and other science materials. We are increasing student knowledge about careers in science, mathematics, and technology by distributing information through the NASA Nights, tutorial enrichment sessions, Women in Science and NASA Design Challenge participation. In particular, one or more of the tutorial enrichment sessions entailled creating mission patches. We are increasing student ability to apply STEM-G concepts through NASA Nights, NASA Stay N Plays, tutorial enrichment sessions, and NASA Design Challenge participation. In addition, the NES team teachers use NASA education resources with inquiry-based learning strategies, mathematical data analysis, and information synthesis as part of their instruction. To increase the active participation and professional growth of educators in STEM-G, we have three goals. First, NES team teachers or other designated teachers participate in two professional development activities offered by the program such as a national conference, a summer workshop, or session with the AESP. The NES team meets weekly in order to communicate and plan effectively. Other teachers and partners are encouraged to participate and be involved in the planning for year two and three of the action plan. In year one, a staff kick-off was held on the first planning day for the school year. During the first week of school, the AESP offered an orientation to the NASA website and other resources during planning times for interested teachers. The AESP also trained teachers district wide on NASA programs. In year two, we are working to provide a teacher digital learning network training session with NASA in order to encourage DLN participation in years two and three. To increase family involvement in student learning, we offered 4 NASA Nights that will involve students, families, NASA, and the community. In year two, we implemented NASA “Stay n Plays” which is an after school program that gives students extended times to learn more about space. We anticipate that all of these efforts will enable us to create relationships with community partners and utilize NASA resources to extend the learning for students well beyond this three-year program.
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