By Spencer Good
For the Enquirer

Pushing to improve curriculum, Morgan County School administration recently held a training day
regarding Project Lead the Way for teachers.
The program is in place to help better integrate STEM into the curricula, as well as place a greater
emphasis on thorough learning.
The project began in Morgan County Schools last year at Priceville High School but has since expanded
to Eva and West Morgan.
“We wanted to make it available to all 17 of our schools,” said Bill Hopkins, Morgan County Schools’
superintendent. “The administration at West Morgan Elementary school felt like it was something they
would like to add to their curriculum – and we hope to have it in all of our schools at some point in
time.”
Hopkins said this integration could also benefit those who are not interested in STEM. “We are excited
about the elementary version because it gives kids an early taste of what these programs offer, and the
earlier you can get to the students, the earlier they can have an understanding of what they like.”
“Our STEM is also STEAM – we have done a huge part to bring the arts in too, with extra classes in those
rolling in to benefit them as well,” Hopkins said.
The program itself is in place not only to expand lessons but improve the teaching styles of the teachers
involved, Hopkins said.
“Basically, the teachers’ hands-on training involves workshopping concepts they are presented, and they
take those concepts they are learning and put them in their lessons,” said Dr. Jeremy Childers, director
of Career Tech. “It’s not necessarily one lesson they are taught; it’s how they teach their classes. All of
the training and things they learn go into each lesson – it’s basically a mindset change, a philosophy
change.”
Childers said they have reached roughly one to two dozen teachers with PLTW training.
“The director prior to me filled out the file, and we were awarded a grant for the high school level,
which comes with a pretty good pot of money for them to buy materials and training,” Childers said. “A
teacher can only teach what they know, so there is a very extensive training, especially at a high school
level to help teach those classes.
“IT has grown exponentially at a high school level and has gone from a small group of students to a full
group in just one year.”

Childers also noted this is a multi-year grant, so the system can continue to receive funding for this push.
“One of the major sponsors for the grant is Toyota,” he said. “Because we are within so many miles of
the Toyota Mazda plant, we are eligible for this grant.”