AdvancED® STEM Certification

1.1 STEM Indicators Narrative

The Banneker High School 3DE Magnet is an inclusive program that provides a rigorous STEM
education to students of all socio-economic, demographic, and achievement backgrounds. The 3DE
magnet is designed to mirror the school’s range of academic levels and socioeconomic demographics.
The magnet essentially operates under an open enrollment policy for rising 9th grade students from feeder
middle schools (excluding students with excessive failures, discipline concerns and/or absences). Students
outside of the school’s district are admitted through an application process that evaluates grades, test
scores, discipline and attendance. Over ninety nine percent of the students in our magnet program are
from underrepresented groups in terms race, socio-economic levels and achievement backgrounds. Our
program is intentionally designed to build the academic capacity of entering students; operating on the
idea that math and science competencies can be developed through authentic STEM learning and
experiential experiences that provide relevance and problem-solving. The open enrollment policy allows
access to traditionally underrepresented students giving them an opportunity to develop STEM
competencies to become full participants in areas of economic growth and prosperity.

The outreach activities designed to support and retain students from under-represented groups are
systematic, numerous, varied and proactive. Weekly activities are planned for students ranging from
business representatives working in classrooms or delivering case challenges to job site visits, showcases
and speaker series. The outreach artifacts in this section include pictures from the STEAM Truck “Spark
Days.” This outreach familiarized students with maker tools and technology used in engineering and
manufacturing labs. We also highlighted our Verizon Wireless career day and Delta Airlines Aviation
Day. These events gave students an opportunity to ask questions about specific jobs and careers and gain
insights about opportunities in those respective industries. Additional artifacts highlight an outreach to
elementary students, recruitment documentation and news, press and video releases.

We continually look for ways to increase and sustain our enrollment numbers. We currently have
a 90% student retention rate. The goal of the magnet is to grow to become at least one-third of the entire
campus, which is roughly 600 students and 24 teachers representing all core disciplines – Math, English,
Social Studies, Science and Career and Technical Education classes. In addition to our heavy focus on 9th
grade recruitment this year through middle school visits, we have also developed a recruitment plan to
attract more 10th – 12th grade students. These efforts include increased daily announcements and
advertisement to rising 10th – 12th graders, student referral breakfast party at high school and “Welcome to
3DE” parties for admitted middle school students with an incentive for them to bring an interested
friend(s). Additionally, we continuously look for ways to increase students’ STEM learning through
extended day opportunities including after school programming and summer STEM camps for current
and potential students. We were recently included in an RFP submission for STEM after school and
Summer programming for the City of South Fulton. We signed a letter of support to partner with
Generation In Focus to serve as the host site providing the facility, equipment, students and student
volunteers for this extended day programming.