A change to the way primary school is approached could be on the horizon for residents living in Bristol Township.
At a meeting held inside the District Three Fire Company on Thursday night, proponents of the Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) school movement spoke to members of the community about the proposed plan for the STEM Academy Charter School in the township.
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School district change is something that many believe is necessary, based on the reaction to the meeting.
“I think it is something we need in the community,” said resident Karahn Karol.
Karol’s sentiment was echoed by nearly everyone in attendance.
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“I really am for it. My son starts at Penn State for electrical engineering next month. STEM is the weakest part of our kid’s education,” Lisette Tramel explained.
Click here to read about the STEM Academy Plan
John Riotto, who has 26 years of experience working for Lockheed Martin and lives in Croydon, agrees with others on the importance of a strong STEM system in school district. “There is absolutely no way that you can’t teach STEM in schools,” Riotto said. “Their concept is excellent, but, they will never get it approved by the Bristol Township school board. They would feel too threatened.”
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Bristol Township School Board approval is something that worries all of the residents.
“I think it is a good deal, but the superintendent and school board will fight it tooth and nail,” explained Levittown resident Tom Barton.
The other residents attending the meeting made their feelings known regarding the way the district has handled things in the past.
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“I’m in favor of anything that will give our students a better opportunity than they have now. We need to prepare them for tomorrow,” said one resident.
“The education today is not what it was 30 years ago. It’s time for a change. Our school being 496 out of 504 is not good,” exclaimed Barton. “If this goes through, we will have another option for out kids or grandkids.”
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The STEM option looks to add in depth science, technology, engineering, and math studies if it gains approval, and residents are eager enough for the change to begin taking effect.
The plan is moving forward with petitions for residents in the township to sign, and the petition in total hopes to reach 10,000 signatures by the first snowfall. The signatures would not only show public interest, but also gain the school board’s attention, according to Bernard Wedo, who spoke at the meeting.
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The kids are the most important thing when talking about school change, according to STEM Academy backers.
“The customer, the kids, are the product. The product in Bristol Township is not the children,” William Malampy, the man behind STEM Academy, noted the the end of the meeting.
