District Transforms 19 Different Media Centers into Innovative Learning Hubs
Taking a single media center and transforming it into a modern learning hub can be a major undertaking, depending on the current state of the center and the school district’s specific goals. Taking 19 different existing spaces and turning them into innovative, engaging learning environments is a completely different animal and something that the Bartow County School System took on last year.
This would be no small geat. According to Paula Camp, director of advanced learning, STEM and gifted programs for the 14,1000-student district, the project included overhauliing 19 media centers and turning them into “incredible learning hubs.” The district partnered with Georgia-based PowerUpEDU to facilitate the furnishing of the new spaces, the implementation of new classroom technology and the delivery of professional learning.
FOCUSING ON STEM
In 2017, the Bartow County School System got a new superintendent in Phillip D. Page, Ed.D., who immediately began talking to teachers and staff across all departments. Page wanted to find out what their goals were, current program statuses, and what type of help and support those individuals needed.
In charting out a course of action for the following 3-5 years, one of the district’s priorities was STEM implementation. “We worked together to map out what that would look like and what kind of support we needed to help coordinate with the schools,” said Camp, who works with students at 12 elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools, and a college and career academy.
“Each of those schools had already implemented the foundation for STEM,” said Camp. “We also had a district-wide initiative in place that included professional learning, equipment, instructional technology, a mission, and a vision.”
THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP
With those initiatives in place, Camp said the next logical step was to review feedback from…