For the third year in a row the Hingham Education Foundation [HEF] is putting their fundraising efforts behind the ambitious goal of computer science immersion. HEF kicked off its annual fundraising campaign with a casual “Coffee and Conversation” at the Hingham Community Center. Attendees got to hear first hand from Katie Roberts, Director of Science K-12 and Dr. James LaBillois, Assistant Superintendent of schools – the architects behind Hingham’s computer science initiative. Guests also had the opportunity to meet and speak with Dr. Paul Austin, the new Superintendent of Hingham Schools.
Having first focused on funding the implementation of the Massachusetts Computer Science and Digital Literacy Standards in grades K-5, HEF resumes its partnership with Hingham Public Schools Administration to build an innovative computer science immersion program for all students in grades K-12.
“HEF has always been a champion of innovation and creativity,” said Kyra Frank, President of HEF. “Through the generous support of families and local businesses we have the ability to accelerate this important initiative. We have branded our fundraising effort CODERED, because as a board we feel this initiative is imperative to prepare our students for their future.”
Phase I of the program, during the 2017-2018 school year, focused on elementary age students receiving direct instruction in computer science through age appropriate interactive devices that encouraged creative computational and analytical reasoning, teamwork, and perseverance.
Phase II of the program, during the 2018-2019 school year, focused on professional development and the piloting of lessons across the immersion classes. A group of HEF Innovation Fellows, that included teachers and specialists representing all Hingham Public Schools, were chosen to become the districts pioneers in the integration of innovative and engaging computer science lessons.
Partnering with Tufts Center for Engineering and Education Outreach along with MIT APP Developer, the HEF Innovation Fellows began their professional training to creatively develop and integrate computer science and digital literacy lessons into Hingham’s already strong academic curriculum. The underlying goal is a familiarity with core computer science concepts as a means to further lifelong learning providing our students with classrooms rich with collaborative problem solving.
“There is no road map to follow here. We’ve done our research, but we are blazing our own trail, “ said Dr. James LaBillois, Assistant Superintendent of the Hingham Public Schools. “We created a group of “Innovation fellows” last year with the intent of growing through a “teach the teacher model”, uniquely fitting to our schools, and ensuring sustainability in the years to come. As we look ahead to the third year of our partnership, our focus becomes on expanding elementary lessons to more of our classrooms and to focus more specifically on secondary math and science classrooms.”
The 2019-2020 school year Computer Science initiative will focus on continued professional development for the original groups of “innovation” fellows, as well as a new, expanded cohort to begin training, with a particular focus on the secondary level. The first round of fellows will also begin their training of their teacher colleagues and will be sharing best practices in CS instruction and successful lessons and programs.
“We believe we are in a position to see our computer science immersion grow exponentially and really take hold,” continued Dr. LaBillois. “We are very excited to be offering, for the first time in-residence at HHS, Advance Placement Computer Science. Our work has been focused on providing a pathway for students to engage with CS at the AP level, preparing them for a future career in the area, should they choose. We are confident in our approach and we have been asked to present our program to school leaders from across the Commonwealth in November at the Massachusetts Association of School Committees and the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Joint Conference on Cape Cod.”
“The response to our first two years of the CODERED campaign has been overwhelming with just over $170K raised and donated to the Hingham Public Schools. This year we are setting the bar high - 180 days of school, raising $180K. We hope to have every resident join the conversation and the cause for our students,“ concluded Kyra Frank.
To learn more about HEF, and/or donate to the CODERED fundraising campaign, please visit www.hinghameducation.org.