A delegation of state education officials visited classrooms in the Perry Elementary School Tuesday in order to see at first hand how the district’s computer science curriculum is enriching student learning.
In April 2019, the Perry Elementary School was one of six schools in Iowa to receive a $50,000 planning grant in a project called Computer Science is Elementary, an initiative of the Iowa STEM Advisory Council and Iowa Department of Education. The money was aimed to transform the high-poverty elementary schools into models of innovative computer science instruction.
Iowa Department of Education Director Ann Lebo led the state group. She was accompanied by the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council Northwest Regional Manager Mary Trent, Iowa Department of Education Computer Science Consultant Justin Lewis and Iowa Department of Education Communications Director Heather Doe.
Iowa Teacher of the Year for 2020 George Anderson, who teaches history at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, also visited the school.
Local officials represented on the tour included Perry Community School District Superintendent Clark Wicks, Director of Teaching and Learning Kevin Vidergar, Perry Elementary School Principal Ryan Marzen and Associate Principal Morgan Maharry, Perry Middle School Principal Ned Menke, Instructional Coach Nathan Horgen, DMACC Director and Perry School Board member-elect Eddie Diaz, Fareway Manager and Perry School Board member-elect Travis Landgrebe and Dallas County Ag in the Classroom Director Jamie Champion.
Andrew Dowd of Perry joined the tour as a recent graduate of the DMACC computer languages academy who is now on an internship with Accenture’s Rural Forge program.
Perry elementary school teachers showcased their methods for using computer science to strengthen reading and math instruction and as a stand-alone subject. The tour included visits with Katie Hermann and Jenny Adair’s first-grade classroom, Julie Elliott and Katie Hardy’s second graders, Katelyn Whelchel’s third-grade room, Sam Elliott’s fifth-grade room and Rachel Nuhn’s kindergarten class.
The budding programmers were found using clock-based coding, a drag-and-drop method using coding “blocks” to make animated stories and games. The entry-level exercise helps kids to grasp computational thinking through visuals as opposed to text-based coding, which comes later.
“What a great visit to Perry Elementary School, where computer science is embedded into instruction across grade levels and core subjects,” said Doe. “These skills help with critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity — and students are having fun.”
Perry’s Computer Science is Elementary project aligns with Future Ready Iowa, which sets a goal of 70% of the workforce having education or training beyond high school by the year 2025. The initiative also focuses on strengthening pre-K-through-12 education and career exploration and preparation.
Collins Aerospace was the lead sponsor of the Computer Science is Elementary project, with additional private-sector funding from the Principal Financial Group, MidAmerican Energy, Kemin Industries, Microsoft, Google, ITC Midwest, Alliant Energy, Technology Association of Iowa, Verizon, Paragon IT, AT&T, School Administrators of Iowa, Workiva, Pella Rolscreen Foundation, Merchant Bonding and Bankers Trust.
