MJUSD partners with UC Davis in STEM push
Feb. 22—Marysville Joint Unified School District recently partnered with the University of California, Davis to secure a grant that will expand STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) opportunities for teachers and their students, officials said.
According to the district, a grant worth nearly $400,000 from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing will cover the costs of supplemental STEM credentials for teachers interested in expanding their expertise in the subject matter.
Earlier this month, 22 teachers in the district started the first set of supplemental credential classes, which were funded by the district. Officials said the staff at UC Davis is facilitating the classes in a hybrid format for both in-person and virtual attendance.
Earlier this week, Yuba Water Agency said that it and the district have partnered up for a new pathway program for students interested in engineering. Officials said Yuba Water Agency engineers were meeting with about 60 middle school students in Yuba County as part of a program that seeks to expand engineering education possibilities for the district's youth.
During Tuesday's Yuba Water Agency Board of Directors meeting, Marysville Joint Unified School District Superintendent Fal Asrani updated the board on the pilot program, which includes three years of integrated math and four elective courses in coding, robotics and artificial intelligence, the Appeal previously reported.
As part of the program, Yuba Water Agency is providing in-kind support by "connecting its engineers with incoming and current Lindhurst High School students to talk more about their career paths and what it's like working as an engineer at the agency," officials said. The meetings were expected to take place at active work sites and Yuba Water Agency facilities, such as New Bullards Bar Dam and Reservoir, in order to help students connect classroom learning with real-world jobs and projects.
In addition to this program, the district said teachers from six Yuba County foothill schools and Arboga took a "pioneering step" in collaborative STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) efforts with a concentration on coding and robotics in the 2021/22 school year. The district also has initiated after-school programs to offer coding and robotics classes for students.
Teachers at McKenney, Johnson Park, Edgewater, Cedar Lane, and Lindhurst High School have already integrated coding into their curriculum or extracurricular activities, officials said. Marysville Joint Unified School District (MJUSD) said its teachers and administration have expanded their efforts to provide districtwide access for even more students.
"Coding is the universal language of the 21st century job market, spanning agriculture, engineering, transportation, and medical pathways," Asrani said in a statement. "MJUSD is steadfast in ensuring that starting from elementary schools, all students have access to this essential skill, preparing them for successful transitions to college and careers. Our forward-thinking teachers are leading the way, and we take pride in their vision for the future."
