BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY, REAL-WORLD SKILLS, AND CAREER EXPLORATION The Slate Valley Unified School District has made impressive strides in integrating technology and design thinking into its curriculum. “We have set structures in place where people throughout the district work with educators and students to implement STEAM ideas and strategies, using different tools… so, we support educators in the use of technology and really grow that through our library media specialists,” explains Curriculum Director Casey O’Meara. O’Meara works closely with the district’s Director of Building and Grounds and Data and Assessment Coordinator to ensure that its library media specialist carry out any and all approved STEAM initiatives. The middle and high school digital arts program, for instance, emerged from a pilot initiative where The district also supports future leaders, funding master’s degrees and certification programs for aspiring principals and administrators. Regular checkins with senior leadership offer these emerging leaders insights into the district’s systems, further solidifying the pipeline for strong leadership. This perfectly explains how the district has managed to raise its teacher retention rate from 78% during the pandemic to an impressive 93% today. 300 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 01
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