Pacific, MO –Pacific High School announced today that it has been recognized as a 2021-22 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School. It is one of just 191 high schools across the U.S. to receive this honor for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW [Computer Science, Biomedical Science, Engineering]. PLTW is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in over 12,200 schools across the U.S.
MVR-III school superintendent, Dr. Carrie Schwierjohn shared, “Congratulations to Pacific High School and the district on this outstanding national recognition. Our board of education and staff are committed to providing an innovative and high quality education to all students, and the PLTW Distinguished School award recognizes the hard work and dedication of our staff and students to achieving this vision. I am very proud of PHS and all of our MVR-III instructional programs, and just as we expanded PLTW in our elementary schools this year, we will continue to expand STEM and career-based learning opportunities next year and beyond in all our schools.”
The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. To be eligible for the designation, Pacific High School had to meet the following criteria in the 2020-21 school year:
Had 25 percent of students or more participate in PLTW High School courses, or of those who participated during the 2020-21 school year, at least 33 percent took two or more PLTW courses during their tenure at the school;
Offer and had students enrolled in at least three PLTW High School courses;
Had strategies and procedures in place that support reasonably proportional representation with regard to race, ethnicity, poverty, gender, and can support such claims with relevant data.
“We are honored to recognize the Meramec Valley R-III School District for their unwavering commitment to provide students with an excellent educational experience despite the last two years having been some of the most challenging in recent history for students and educators across the U.S. due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. David Dimmett, Interim President and CEO of PLTW. “Pacific High School should be very proud of their achievements in unlocking their students’ potential and equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in life beyond the classroom no matter what career path they choose.”
Pacific High School is part of a community of PreK-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate and philanthropic partners across the country united around a passion for providing students with inspiring, engaging, and empowering learning opportunities. For more information about PLTW’s recognition program, visit pltw.org/our-programs/program-recognition.
For more information on Pacific High School’s PLTW [Computer Science, Biomedical Science, Engineering] program, contact Dr. Dan Kania at (636)271-1414.