Kalispell Public Schools continues to up the ante in its science, math, engineering and technology curriculum, aiming to meet a growing demand for qualified workers.

A 2011 U.S. Department of Commerce report states that science, technology,  engineering and math  (STEM) employment will rise 17 percent by 2018 compared to about 10 percent in non-STEM fields. 

To prepare students for college and career readiness, the district has created three programs, each with a different focus, for its two high schools and middle school.

Glacier High School was the first to roll out its Engineering Academy this school year. There are 110 students currently enrolled in the first two introductory courses.

Next school year, Flathead High School will start up a Biomedical Science program and Kalispell Middle School will begin a Gateway to Technology program.

There are no prerequisites for students to enter any of the programs.

Flathead has begun registering students for its first introductory course, Principles of Biomedical Sciences, which is offered as a vocational credit.

Flathead Science Department Chairwoman Lynette Johnson said the biomedical courses complement the school’s existing science classes.

“We already have excellent science courses that prepare them to be college-ready for health-science careers. This will really enhance the career-ready portion,” Johnson said.

Over the next three years, each school will build its programs by adding specialized courses and a final capstone course.

“It’s research — invent and investigate — and design,” Johnson said.

“The capstone course puts the bow tie on the experience,” Glacier Principal Callie Langohr said. “That’s when students have the opportunity to go out and work in businesses. It’s hands-on, the real deal with our partnerships.”  

A large part of the programs involves building partnerships and collaborations with community businesses and organizations.

Both high schools plan to add two courses per school year. By 2016, Glacier will offer six engineering-related classes. By 2017, Flathead will have a sequence of four classes.

Kalispell Middle School will set a foundation of classes that will complement both Flathead and Glacier biomedical and engineering programs. The middle school will start off the 2014-15 year with an Automation and Robotics course and a Design and Modeling classes.

The district is using Project Lead The Way curriculum. 

Project Lead The Way is different from traditional instruction where an assignment typically is given with step-by-step directions that lead to a specific outcome. The Project Lead the Way curriculum emphasizes the process involved in reaching an outcome in its project- and problem-based learning.

Providing cutting-edge curriculum comes with sizable start-up costs for teacher training, supplies and technology.

“The strengths of Project Lead the Way is the quality training,” Assistant Superintendent Dan Zorn said.

Jason Thomas is one of Glacier’s Engineering Academy teachers.

“Jason is an engineer out of Applied Materials,” Langohr said. “We recruited Jason to do a major career switch.”

Thomas trained for two intense weeks at Duke University to learn the curriculum. He worked with teachers who have taught the curriculum for about six years.

“It was a very good opportunity to tap into those master teachers,” Thomas said.

Schools have looked to grants, district curriculum funds, federal funds and corporate support as potential funding sources.

Glacier’s first-year costs for 2013-14 totaled $60,619. Continued costs for implementing two other courses in the 2014-15 year will be $33,518.

Flathead estimates its start-up costs for the 2014-15 year to be $36,500. An additional $10,000 may be needed to convert a general education classroom geared for the sciences. Flathead Principal Peter Fusaro said it will be a challenge to find an optimal space.

“We have a lot of challenges at Flathead being an older building, but we’re not going to allow some of those barriers to stop us from going forward with some of the innovations out there,” Fusaro said.

Kalispell Middle School’s start-up costs for the 2014-15 year are $55,075.

“It’s a little bit staggering,” Kalispell Middle School Principal Tryg Johnson said. “The course materials and training — those are our big up-front costs — once we get this rolling into the second year we should be OK. 

“The big picture are the jobs that will be available for our kids.”

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.