The Pre-K/Kindergarten Montessori campus, located near the corner of U.S. 259 and U.S. 80, is scheduled to open in fall 2017.
Longview ISD Board of Trustees approved the creation of new charter campuses during Monday night's regular meeting.
The schools include the East Texas Montessori Prep Academy (grades Pre-K and Kindergarten), the East Texas Montessori Academy (grades 1st through 5th), and the district's new internal STEAM Academy located within the campuses of Bramlette Elementary, Judson Middle, and Longview High.
Short for 'Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics' STEAM is a modern concept that integrates fine arts into a STEM framework. Students still do hands-on, project-based learning as in STEM but with the arts added.
The basic purpose of STEM/STEAM education models is the same: creating students who are more curious and engaged and who think more critically and ask higher-level questions.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, between 2010 and 2020, the number of jobs in mathematics is expected to increase 16 percent; the number of jobs for computer systems analysts is expected to increase 22 percent; software developers jobs are expected to increase 32 percent; medical scientist jobs are expected to increase 36 percent; and jobs for biomedical engineers is expected to rise 62 percent.
Longview ISD uses Montessori education for Head Start, pre-K and kindergarten students districtwide except at Hudson PEP and Johnston-McQueen elementary schools. The Montessori program allows children to work and learn at their own pace and encourages individualized instruction.
The Pre-K/Kindergarten Montessori campus, located near the corner of U.S. 259 and U.S. 80, is scheduled to open in fall 2017.