OUR HISTORY
STREAM started as an idea to bring an Oroville School into the 21st Century. Toby Erickson had been a risk taker when it came to technology and hands-on science in the classroom. Dr. Don Phillips brought his skills of management and administration to the team. Starting with these two and later the addition of a wonderful group of dedicated educators, STREAM was born.
Our first classes began in 2014. We started with 270 students.
Classroom technology is tricky. Computers are expensive. Internet access is tricky, buggy, and also expensive. Add students to the mix, and many teachers would just rather not!
Hands on science is much the same. It can be messy, dangerous and difficult to assess what kind of learning is going on in the classroom.
Yet, for all of the difficulties, this is the direction our schools need to go in order to prepare our students for the jobs and opportunities of the future.
STREAM has been likened to a PT boat, small and quick, sent out ahead of the fleet to assess the dangers and pitfalls of the battle ahead before committing the rest of the fleet. As teachers in the local school districts, the STREAM staff understood how hard it was to get entire districts equipped, trained, and implementing new technology and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) strategies. Our STREAM staff stepped up to go first, try new things, and be ready to share what we’ve learned with others who are willing to “move the fleet” in this important direction.
Holding on to the arts, while heading into these new directions was also important to us. Thus we included an “A” in STREAM. The “R” reflects our value of reading for literacy, research, learning and pleasure.
This mission was risky. We had no idea if the community would support this new school. There are always those who resist change. There was also the mountain of state paperwork, facilities, financing, staffing, and local authorization over which we had to carry our little STREAM PT Boat before launch. With perseverance, intensity, and sweat, we saw our boat launch.
The Oroville community has welcomed us. We have a wonderful facility. We added sports, music, and more tinkering to the mix of what we offer. We are expanding the school from one classroom per grade level to two classrooms per grade level. STREAM is a reality!
Starting STREAM has been a rough journey. We were all a bit weary in the beginning. But we have been really excited about all we are becoming and look forward to all that is still to come.
STATEMENT OF BELIEFS
- Every student can learn and learns uniquely at his/her own pace.
- Parents are the first and primary teachers. They are responsible for their children’s basic needs and values.
- Teachers should come alongside students to model a positive, face-to-face, long-term relationship and effectively lead students through an inquisitive, guided discovery of learning objectives.
- Cultural diversity enriches our learning community.
- Students excel academically when schools provide a safe, positive, organized setting with clearly defined academic and behavior expectations.
- Accelerated learning increases, and negative behavior decreases when students are engaged in a dynamic, highly challenging educational environment.
- Effective character education enhances the academic program.
- Students should engage in effective, real-world problem and project-based learning experiences.
- Knowledge, application, and integration of today’s technology help prepare students for tomorrow’s world.
- Paper and pencil, books, lectures, computers, collaboration, songs and chants, Legos, scissors, teachers and parents, test tubes, robots, watercolors, music, P.E., and learning centers are just some examples of the many important components in our learning environment.
- Achievement goals must be set for individual students, teachers, and the learning community.