The following are things we have done to advance that focus:

·          We staff a full-time Science Specialist who coordinates our Science Curriculum and collaborates to coordinate engineering activities.

·          We staff a full-time Technology Specialist who coordinates all things related to technology. She ensures that all students PreK-6 have access to contemporary software as well as engineering activities. 

·          Engineering activities coordinated by our Technology Specialist include Lego Robotics and the physics of roller coasters.

·          We are a pilot school for many cutting edge educational software programs including Moo-O, NewsMaker TV, Sokikom, Timez Attack Plus, and Viewpoint, all from ASU SkySong.

·          Our students have 21^st Century digital pen pals in Singapore using NewsMaker TV and Viewpoint.

·          Engineering activities coordinated by our Science Specialist include the Engineering is Elementary curriculum in addition to the engineering activities tied to our FOSS kits.

·          The ASU School of Sustainability has provided us with a meteorological station, giving us access to real time weather data that connects to our science curriculum. They also work with Navajo students in a variety of sustainability related labs.

·          We work with Project Astro to provide Navajo students with access to an astronomer and his equipment so that they have greater exposure to concepts involving seasons, solar systems, constellations, gravity, and phases of the moon.

·          Navajo’s robotics program continues to affiliate with the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering as relates to the First Lego League.

·          We continue to work with the Dǽdalus Club to bring the engineering behind rockets to our students (yes…they build them and fire them off).

·         We are a GK-12 partner school.  The GK-12 Program through ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, partners engineering students, called fellows, with classroom science teachers.  This unique collaboration encourages teachers to work outside of the teaching norm and allows the fellows, not only to share their scientific expertise, but use this experience to gather data and research for their Ph. D.  The fellows and teachers collaborate throughout an entire school year teaching science and learn from each other.  The focus of the program is on five of the 14 Grand Challenges proposed by the National Academy of Engineers.  Specifically, they are to make solar energy economical, provide energy from fusion, provide access to clean water, and manage the nitrogen cycle. 

Congratulations to 4th grader Sierra Beauchamp for winning the Navajo Spelling Bee in December. On January 26th she will be competing at Arcadia High School in the District Spelling Bee against 4th through 8th graders from all over Scottsdale. Good Luck! We are soooo proud of you.

Mrs. Youngkin, Kindergarten teacher, recently passed the National Board Certification exam. This is the highest level of certification that a teacher can obtain. It is an extremely rigorous process with fewer than 5% of teachers nationwide achieving this distinction!

For the first time, Saguaro Math and Science Academy teacher Mrs. Susan Lindberg collaborated with Navajo STEM teacher Dr. Christine Loots to offer a summer science camp with a focus on Forensics and DNA.  Students attended 8 days of workshops on topics including identifying blood types, understanding DNA and how it is used, fingerprinting and dactyloscopy, determining foot-to-height ratios, and using teeth impressions, all to identify possible "suspects" at a crime scene . The camp culminated in solving a crime simulation using the skills students acquired.