Greeting from the President of the University of Washington
Greeting from the President of Western Washington University
W
e are an action-oriented, transformative, public-private regional network, covering the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas, that convenes, manages, and supports a cross-sector network of partners from business, school districts, education agencies, higher education institutions, Career and Technical Education (CTE) practitioners and providers, government, military, community, Tribes, library systems, nonprofits, out-of-school providers, and workforce development agencies. West Sound STEM Network is a Washington STEM Regional Network and a Regional Career Connect Washington Network.
Positioning Students To Be Future-Ready Drives Everything We Do
Our ultimate goal is for every student to thrive in the future they choose, equipped to succeed in high-demand, family-wage careers that strengthen our communities. To make this possible, we ensure students are supported with the relationships, connections, and resources they need, and have access to robust developmental pathways that align with their aspirations.
Why a Network?
While teachers are the number one driver of student academic performance, teachers cannot do it alone. We must leverage all the assets of a community to support the effectiveness of teachers and the success of students. The STEM business community is a key partner in improving STEM education for our students.
Previous efforts to improve student learning outcomes in STEM have fallen short for many reasons, including a lack of agreed upon goals and the inability to overcome barriers. Bringing key stakeholders together into a STEM Network represents an opportunity to mitigate such risks and reach a tipping point for system change.
A Commitment to Data
We cannot change what we cannot measure!
West Sound STEM Network utilizes a number of comprehensive data sources to inform our own work as well as share with our partners. These include WA STEM “CORI”, STEM by the Numbers, numerous Washington State Workforce Development Councils and the OSPI School Report Card.
What do STEM Networks do?
These community-based partnerships engage schools, nonprofits, businesses, and others, forging innovation and improvements in STEM teaching and learning at a systems level. The West Sound STEM Network also coordinates hands-on learning opportunities such as the STEM Showcase and a speaker series (STEM Café) that furthers STEM learning at the individual level for multiple audiences, including educators, students, parents and community members.
