ABOUT
STEAM School FAQs
Where is the STEAM School located?
The STEAM School is located in Pinnguaq’s new Makerspace at 12 Peel St., Lindsay, ON.
Who owns/operates the STEAM School?
This school is owned and operated by the Pinnguaq Association.
Why are you launching a STEAM School?
We want children in our area to have access to the same STEAM-focused learning opportunities available to learners at private schools and in urban centres. With our decade of experience designing and delivering STEAM education for rural, remote and Indigenous youth in Canada, and our team of educators eager to support learners, we feel this is the next step in our journey.
How much does enrollment in STEAM School cost?
STEAM School offers flexible attendance and enrollment options, where individual days can be purchased for $65, an 8-pack of days is $60 per day and a full semester (2 days per week) is $55 per day.
What is the schedule for STEAM School?
The school will operate Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:50 a.m. to 3 p.m., with arrival as early as 8:30 for open-play before care. Students can attend one or both days each week.
Are there before/after school care opportunities?
STEAM School students are welcome to join our standard after school programs when available and applicable which run Tuesday to Thursday.
How many classes are there and for what ages?
In our first semester, we’ll be offering one class for students in grades 4-6. This range (and a combined age offering in general) creates space for both leadership and mentorship, as well as the potential for learners to develop more Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) skills such as organization, problem-solving and conflict resolution.
The number of classes will grow in the near future to accommodate students of different ages.
Is this school insured?
Yes.
What qualifications do your organization and educators have?
The Pinnguaq Association has a decade of experience designing and delivering STEAM programming for rural, remote and Indigenous youth in Canada.
Our STEAM School leaders are B.Ed, ECE, or Masters of Ed trained, and are supported by an extensive network of experienced Pinnguaq education staff with diverse areas of expertise. We have taught hundreds of hours in TLDSB classrooms, supplementing the school curriculum with engaging, immersive, play-based education programs.
What is the student to teacher ratio?
While we expect a starting ratio of 8:1 (students to teacher), the maximum ratio will be 14:1.
Why should my child attend the STEAM School?
Our world is increasingly powered by STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and math). STEAM School aims to help children in our area access the same STEAM-focused learning opportunities available to learners at private schools and in urban centres. The benefits of attending….
Advanced STEAM Learning
Giving your child an advanced understanding of these disciplines and concepts provides a strengthened foundation for ongoing learning and growth. It’s a “leg up” in the modern world.
Comfort With The World Around Them and The Opportunities it Offers
STEAM School offers learning experiences and builds knowledge that ensures our students see STEAM as an opportunity, not a barrier, and that they understand how the world around them works.
A Sense of Belonging and Community
STEAM School also recognizes that some students learn best in a non-traditional setting – the school provides that, as well as the opportunity to create connections in a community of like-minded peers, experts and educators. This is a school where they can learn in an environment built specifically for them, with smaller class sizes, opportunities for parental involvement and agile, child-centred programming – a school where they feel like they belong.
What resources does STEAM School offer that aren’t available at my child’s current school?
Schools offer learning trips every year to science centres, nature reserves and other specialized facilities – think of the STEAM School as all of those outings rolled into one, every single day. We’re excited to offer:
• Cutting-edge technology
• Scientific tools
• Recording equipment
• Robotics
• 3D printers
• Advanced coding tools
• Guest speakers and community leaders
• Access to industry experts
• Indoor and outdoor learning experience
What is my child going to learn at STEAM School and how does it compare to what they would learn at their current school?
While our curriculum will be aligned to the Ontario curriculum, our curriculum will dive much deeper into STEAM concepts including:
– Mathematics
– Science & Technology
– Social Studies/History
– The Arts (visual arts, music, drama, dance)
– English Language Arts (ELA)
– Health & Physical Education
– Most importantly, with a maximum student to learner ratio of 14:1, flexibility in methodologies, and a student-centered approach to learning, we’re providing a space for our students to engage with this content in expansive and innovative ways
What is your teaching methodology?
Our methodologies are:
• Hands-on;
• Project-based;
• Inquiry-based learning/research/exploration/sharing;
• Opportunities to engage with the Natural World;
• Problem-based challenges;
• Meaningful opportunities to engage with technology;
• With the Ontario curriculum woven throughout.
Why STEAM and not STEM?
The STEM movement was founded as a response to an economic need for skilled workers in specific fields. STEAM is an approach to education that prepares students for the ambiguity and perpetual, accelerated change of the 21st century, without a laser focus on economic drivers.
It’s experiential, and delivers a foundational education in science, technology, engineering, art and math, but focuses on developing critical thought, collaboration, problem solving and innovation skills – the tools we need for an ambiguous future. Art is key. It:
1. Is an equal outcome.
2. Shapes the way we consider the other disciplines.
3. Makes education more accessible to all genders, races and cultures.
STEAM is founded in the knowledge that while the how of problem solving and innovation may change, the need for problem solving and innovation never will. It aims to nurture well-rounded people, able to meet that need.
Who developed the curriculum? Are they qualified to do so?
The STEAM School content is developed by Pinnguaq’s STEAM Educators who are, at minimum, Ontario certified BEd graduates. The STEAM School will be further supported by other staff and community experts.
Will there be additional classroom supports such as Educational Assistants or Early Childhood Educators?
We have ECEs on our team and look forward to sharing our Accessibility Policy and related material with you as soon as possible.
What does a typical day at STEAM School look like?
• Drop off as early as 8:30
• Class runs from 8:50 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Pick-up between 3 and 3:10 p.m.
• Guest speakers at least once per semester/quarter
• Each day creates opportunities for:
– Inquiry-based learning/research/exploration/sharing;
– Opportunities to engage with the Natural World;
– Problem-based challenges;
– Meaningful opportunities to engage with technology;
– With the Ontario curriculum woven throughout.
For a more detailed look at the daily curriculum, check out our Day at a Glance section of our Curriculum page
If you have any other questions, not answered above, please contact us today.
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For over a decade, Pinnguaq has offered STEAM education, resources and learning opportunities to youth in the City of Kawartha Lakes, in our Lindsay Makerspace, in schools and with community partners. By opening STEAM School, we are offering an enriched science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) education, and a learner-centred, play-based learning approach, in the heart of the Kawartha Lakes.
STEAM School offers the latest learning technology, expert guest speakers, unique learning experiences and a welcoming environment where students intrigued by STEAM subjects can flourish. Pinnguaq is excited to launch the first STEAM School in the City of Kawartha Lakes.