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STEM at SMCS

St. Mary Catholic Schools (SMCS) is committed to providing our students with a strong educational, hands-on experience in all disciplines, including science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

SMCS is committed to a rigorous STEM curriculum including Advanced Placement (AP), Cooperative Academic Partnership Program (CAPP) courses, and Project Lead the Way (PLTW) modules from 6th-12th grade. PLTW enhances our rich educational experience and progressive STEM curriculum through interactive, hands-on experiences that strive to immerse our students in the subject matter and guide them to embrace the tools for a lifetime of self-learning in the STEM fields.


Dedicated SMCS educators and a visionary group of community professionals with expertise in STEM-related fields or businesses collaborate to ensure a strong foundation and bright future for the program at SMCS. Members of this advisory committee meet several times per year to help with planning and also serve as resources, help implement innovative ideas and act as classroom consultants to support the PLTW curriculum. If interested in being a member of this advisory group, please contact Kari Derks at [email protected].


New Era of Student Preparation

The incorporation of STEM and PLTW in SMCS’s core curriculum is supplemented by many STEM-related co-curricular activities too such as:

  • Math Teams (Grades 5-12): Compete in local math leagues & contests during school year
  • STEM Club (Grades 8-12): Aeronautics & Flight, Electronics and VEX Robotics
  • VEX IQ (Grades 2-5): Robotics Competitions
  • Camp Invention (Grades K-6): Week-long summer camp focusing on STEM-based creativity
  • STEM Saturday (Community Event): Day-long event showcasing various STEM interests
  • STEM Club Open Houses (Community Event): STEM Club Lab open to the public
  • Summer Day Camps: Aviation Stations
  • STEM Club Outreach (Community Event): Club members do demonstrations for community organizations