Georgia State School Superintendent, Richard Woods, will land his helicopter on the campus of Gilbert Elementary School in Walker County on Monday, Nov 30 at 9:30 a.m. to present the staff and students of Gilbert Elementary with their STEM certification that was earned recently under the leadership of Principal Matt Harris. This certification makes Gilbert Elementary only the 13th elementary school in the state of Georgia to earn this award.
Officials said, "Not only is Gilbert now STEM certified, but it is also a model school where other groups regularly come to observe.
Each month, Gilbert welcomes anywhere from 20 to 50 visitors who come to distinguish what a typical day for students looks like. The staff and administrators realize our school is not the norm, currently; however, we hope that more schools will embrace this unique type of learning environment so that students everywhere will have opportunities like those available to students at Gilbert. Here, students are being prepared for jobs that do not even exist yet, so breaking away from the traditional classroom setting of old, is not only highly encouraged, it is critical.
"The teachers at Gilbert are lifelong learners who embrace change and are constantly researching best practices in STEM education to provide their students a world-class education right here in the heart of Walker County. Their desire is to make their students competitive with peers all over the country, regardless of economic or life circumstances that could potentially impede their achievement. By taking student learning out of the classroom to the outdoors for more personalized, hands-on learning, the staff does a superior job of utilizing the 300 acres of land upon which the school is located.
"Gilbert is a school like none other in the region. The ultimate goal is for the staff to provide unique opportunities to students so that, when they go to high school, college, and the work place, not only are they prepared, they also will be a step ahead of those who weren’t afforded the same experiences. By moving away from the traditional classroom setting and allowing students to be immersed in their learning through real-world problem solving, Gilbert is doing just that."