Take 5 with 3 VCMS Teachers

Welcome to Take 5 – a Spirit Magazine feature that asks five questions to three people about their connection to the theme of the magazine.

Valley Catholic Middle School provides an outstanding Catholic education that enables students to excel in scholarship, leadership, character development, and service. With an education that speaks to the whole person, Valley Catholic promotes a strong academic tradition of critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and active social responsibility. This academic tradition is exemplified through project-based work that prepares students for problem-solving roles in STEM fields.

The VCMS program provides a dynamic, well-rounded education that embeds the design process throughout the curriculum. In all of the classes, from art to English to science, students learn that they have the power to make a change, understand how that change affects others, and how to work collaboratively to develop a product based on their research.

For this edition of Take 5, we spoke to three faculty members from Valley Catholic Middle School about how sharing their faith and teaching the STEM curriculum inspires new generations of students to Celebrate God and Life.

1. What is your role at VCMS and how long have you been there?

I am the Director of Design Thinking at VCMS and this is my 10th year. I started as a math and technology teacher and now teach math and direct the STEM program.

2. How does your faith shape your approach to teaching STEM?

In STEM, we look at the design process with a focus on asking “How can we design something that will improve our world?” Through this process we are exploring God’s creation and finding ways that we can continually create a better place for our future. Our faith informs everything that we do.

3. How do cross-curricular projects help students develop into intellectually curious, faith-filled, involved citizens?

The cross-curricular projects at VCMS provide students with ample opportunities to dive deep into global issues. Students look at how we can survive on Mars, how we can build cities 100 years in the future, how we can solve problems with new innovations, and how we can look further into ourselves to discover our unique gifts and use those gifts to design and create for the future. Our students are curious, insightful, critical thinkers and communicators and these projects provide a way for the students to grow into strong, faith-filled citizens who will continuously improve our world.

4. What real-world challenges have you walked your students through in the classroom?

We have a variety of projects that focus on real world challenges, such as our Future City project. Future City provides a way for students to learn how cities work today and how we need to be creative when building sustainable cities for the future. Students also learn about the complexities of creating their own startup business. They learn how to look at community service projects through a different lens and design projects to help our community.

5. Tell me something unique about the VCMS STEM program that is worth celebrating?

VCMS STEM puts on a Women in STEM Day each year that celebrates women who work in STEM or STEM- adjacent fields. This day is unique as we are able to bring in 30+ community members who volunteer their time to teach middle school students about careers they may have in the future. Traditionally, women are underrepresented in STEM fields, so this opportunity allows the students to dream big for their futures.

1. What is your role at VCMS and how long have you been there?

I started at VCMS in Fall 2021 and I teach 8th grade Spanish. I also have the pleasure of being the lead for the Spanish Department and the newly created Advisory (Community Group) Program.

2. How does your faith shape your approach to teaching STEM?

It is a privilege to work in a community that is formed by the Catholic faith. It is a gift to be surrounded by people who are guided by a profound belief in the divine nature of others. It provides the foundation for everything that we do. In a lot of ways, it allows us to focus on the work of learning because we are dedicated to caring for and respecting one another. I can come into the classroom knowing that my students are holding themselves to a higher standard of behavior and an ingrained desire to strive for excellence. It makes my job easier and allows me to focus on the joy of learning and growing with my students.

3. How do cross-curricular projects help students develop into intellectually curious, faith-filled, involved citizens?

As adults, it’s easy to see how the elements of our lives fit together like puzzle pieces. Cross-curricular projects highlight the unspoken ties that we take for granted and bring value to topics that students might not enjoy otherwise.

4. What real-world challenges have you walked your students through in the classroom?

The beauty of teaching Spanish is that the real-world applications are obvious. We are always working to make sure that students are learning to engage with the world around them and communicating with Spanish- speaking people and with the community.

5. Tell me something unique about the VCMS STEM program that is worth celebrating?

All of it merits celebration! The ability to analyze a problem, work to create solutions, and then test those solutions will serve our students throughout their lives.

1. What is your role at VCMS and how long have you been there?

I am the VCMS band director and 6th grade STEM teacher. I have been teaching at VCMS since 2019 and have the great opportunity to be the performing arts department head.

2. How does your faith shape your approach to teaching STEM?

Being an alumni (‘98) of VCHS, it is great to be back in such an amazing community. I am privileged to be able to help students share the talents and hard work that they put into music and STEM projects. I appreciate being able to do so in a community that has a strong sense of mission and where the values of the Catholic faith are seen within the community.

3. How do cross-curricular projects help students develop into intellectually curious, faith-filled, involved citizens?

Cross-curricular projects help the students see that what they are learning in the classroom can help them excel outside of school. Giving them the opportunity to use classroom knowledge in the real world. Connecting math, social studies, science, and English to the amazing world around us.

4. What real-world challenges have you walked your students through in the classroom?

We have looked closely at plastic pollution around our world. It has given the students a chance to come up with their own creative solutions and ideas for solving this worldwide issue that affects all of us. Though many of the ideas may not work today, I see some great ideas that could one day solve this environmental issue.

5. Tell me something unique about the VCMS STEM program that is worth celebrating?

Giving the students the opportunity to be creative, analyze problems, create solutions and to communicate those solutions to the public is unique and worth celebrating. It is an amazing experience for the students to see how everything they do in the classroom can be used in the real world.