Exciting new Maker Space at Noah Wallace Elementary School is a SMARTE idea!

In Spring 2014, a Noah Wallace Fund grant was awarded to Noah Wallace Elementary School in Farmington for the creation of a Maker Space.  According to NWS Principal Kelly Sanders, “Our vision is for the Noah Wallace SMARTE Space to be a community gathering site that inspires innovation, mentorship, creativity, collaboration, and entrepreneurship.  We are calling this concept a SMARTE Space, because it provides time, space, opportunity, tools, and resources to integrate learning in the areas of science, math, the arts, reading writing, technology, and engineering (SMARTE.)  We want to design and create a learning laboratory that would house a variety of tools, materials, consumables, resources, and technology, as well as an adaptable space for ‘tinkering’ in large and small groups.” Other grant funds will be utilized to develop a similar program at each of Farmington's elementary schools. Noah Wallace is the first school to implement such an initiative and will serve as the pilot school. 

This project supports Farmington School District’s Board of Education goals and our Vision of the Graduate, which includes designing spaces for self-direction and collaboration, as well as leveraging technology as a tool for learning.  By providing time, space, access to technology, and resources for elementary students to integrate learning across content areas, we are preparing them to take on the rigorous standards set forth in the Common Core, as well as the Next Generation Science Standards.  These kinds of learning opportunities will support the work they will encounter as they transition to our upper elementary, middle, and high school.  

Noah Wallace’s SMARTE Space would be available throughout the day for small and large groups of students and faculty.  Before and after school, the space would be available for our EXCL (Extended Care and Learning) Program and other groups, such as Lego League and Math Club.  The space would also be used by the Children’s Department Librarian at the Barney Library, who would offer and conduct Maker programs after school.  Farmington Continuing Education would also offer mixed-age Maker programs for parents and children together.   The design and creation of this site has already begun and is slated to be completed over the next two years.  Congratulations Noah Wallace Elementary School!