CPSB approves STEM Academy at Combre-Fondel Elementary School

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - Science, technology, engineering, and math are becoming the new building blocks for jobs in the 21st century, Which is why the announcement by the Calcasieu Parish School Board of a new STEM program is bringing excitement.

“We are super excited to really see what we have planned and envision really come to pass,” said Pam Bell, principal at Combre-Fondel Elementary School.

Aimed at preparing the next generation, Principal Pam Bell says it’s essential to build a strong foundation at a young age.

“When we looked at some of the data when it looks at the kids that expressed that interest in high school, that 51% of the kids expressed an interest, however only 10% of them passed the readiness benchmark test in science and math,” she said.

But who benefits from these foundations laid in the classroom? Not just students but the community as a whole.

“It’s going to be important for our city’s infrastructure, our economy, and advancements in medical research because what we’re doing right now is preparing kids for jobs that don’t even exist yet,” she added.

Announced earlier this week, Bell says, students in the academy will be involved in activities, research, and projects.

“We’re looking for projects that really have meaning to the kids, and being able to see them as those critical thinkers and problem solvers and communicators, and be able to collaborate with their peers,” she said.

She says she even sees a future for the school in STEM-related competitions.

“We’ll be learning coding, you know, all of those things, and have competitions that we will go on to compete in robotics and really prepare them for where they need to be,” she said.

If you are enrolling your child in the stem academy, registration will be available on March 19th.

Bell says a live link will be available on the school’s website to register and to select a date for the entrance exam.

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