STEM
St. Joan of Arc School is a certified STEM school.
SJA was the first school in the state of Maryland to achieve STEM Certification though Cognia, an international accrediting organization. SJA has also achieved STEM Endorsement from the Notre Dame of Maryland University. SJA integrates science, technology, engineering and mathematics into every area of the curriculum. Our vision and mission statements highlight the importance of STEM for the growth and future of our students. Technology is fully integrated into the curriculum through the daily use of Google Suite for Education, interactive SmartBoards in all classrooms, 3-D printing, one-to-one Chromebooks in grades 4-8, two mobile iPad carts, as well as dedicated iPads for Grades PreK4 through Grade 3. All students take an innovation lab course where they learn more in-depth technology skills including video production, CAD, animation, app making, robotics and coding, as well as digital citizenship.
SJA is proud to incorporate STEM programs including:
- LabLearner Science Program
- Schoolwide Monarch Butterfly Garden
- Citizen Science
- Career Day
- Fall STEM Night (registered with the Maryland STEM Festival)
- STEM booths by 7th and 8th graders
- Spring STEM Night
-3rd Grade Animal Habitats
-4th Grade Invention Convention
-5th Grade Science Fair - Aberdeen Proving Ground STEM Outreach program
- NorthBay environmental projects; Kindergarten through Grade 6
- NorthBay Outreach Program for 3rd, 4th, 5th Grades
- NorthBay environmental camp; 6th Grade
- Presentations by scientists and engineers from
- Aberdeen Proving Ground
- Student Modules presented by the Senior Science
- Society of Harford County
- Partnership with the Aberdeen Branch of the Harford County Public Library
- Skype with a Scientist
- Parent STEM Committee
provides enrichment by sharing career and achievements through learning experiences which expand student interest in STEM careers. The committee actively participates in providing teachers and students with STEM learning opportunities both inside and outside of the school day. - Environmental Club
-meets in the winter to work on recycling and other projects to increase student awareness of the impact we can have on protecting the environment. In the spring the members will complete a study of native plants and build an area on campus to grow native plants. - After-school STEM Club
-run by the Parent STEM committee and meets once a month throughout the year.
presentations with relating hands-on activities by parents and other community members - Jr. LEGO Club
-offered to first, second and third grade students. It runs once a week for 6 weeks each fall and again in late winter. - LEGO Robotics Club
-meets from September to December with the FLL Regional Qualifier in mid-December. Students in grades 4-8 are eligible to participate. - Sea Perch
-an underwater robotics program that trains students to work in teams to build a remotely operated vehicle created by the Office of Naval Research and The construction process involves cutting PVC pipe, drilling, waterproofing motors, assembling a circuit board, soldering the circuit board, etc. Students will have the opportunity to compete with other teams in the region.The students learn about naval architecture, electrical engineering, and team work during the fabrication process. The construction process involves cutting PVC pipe, drilling, waterproofing motors, assembling a circuit board, soldering the circuit board, and other technical skills.
-provides students with a unique opportunity to visualize the design process in real life and real time. It incorporates advanced modeling features such as loft, sweep, shell, screen, work planes, rib, and coil. In addition, students will investigate how a material’s properties affect its performance in multiple environments.
-provides students with a unique opportunity to visualize the design process in real life and real time. It incorporates advanced modeling features such as loft, sweep, shell, screen, work planes, rib, and coil. In addition, students will investigate how a material’s properties affect its performance in multiple environments.
-offers students an opportunity to physically experience how engineering terms such as “datum dimensioning” and “tolerances” affect a project’s performance. SeaPerch is a skills-based project in which energy and effort are reflected in the project’s outcome. Performance of the SeaPerch ROV is directly related to the students’ work habits and lessons learned.
-provides an opportunity to experience how a long-term project requires each member of a team to develop a cooperative and collaborative spirit, reflecting their commitment to the project and to the team. Students will also learn how to interact with other student teams, as well as professionals off-site and online, to create a collegial environment to share ideas and resources.
Please explore some of our STEM projects here.
Midday Maryland featured St. Joan of Arc School’s STEM program in 2018
Ready to explore St. Joan of Arc School?
Located in Aberdeen, Maryland, St. Joan of Arc School is a private Catholic school for students in preschool through Eighth grade. To learn more about our school and the admissions process for the upcoming school year, we encourage you to schedule your private tour today.