Riverside STEM Academy (STEM) is a Riverside Unified School school of choice, with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math serving grades 5-12. The school opened in the fall of 2011 and serves 670 students from all around RUSD. In middle school (5-8), each of the four grades rotate daily through three academic blocks including Science, Math and Humanities. In addition, students receive Physical Education with a certified PE teacher and a daily enrichment class. Each Wednesday, students choose from a variety of enrichment electives as part of our STEMWorks program.
STEM is a 1:1 device school, all students use technology daily and at home as a tool to work collaboratively, communicate with teachers and to access, research, create, and turn in documents and products using Google Workspace. Emphasis on research, project-based learning, design and product-based learning provides a different venue in which students can demonstrate what they understand.
Community partnerships are an extremely important component to the STEM vision. STEM has developed close ties with the University of California, Riverside Colleges, faculty and departments in addition to a variety of community organizations. STEM also has the support of the Riverside STEM Academy Foundation which helps to raise funds to support expanded initiatives at the school site.
It is important for our students to have a deep understanding of the STEM higher education majors and career pathways. Our community partners play a vital role to link students’ STEM-focused education to the broader STEM community. Guest speakers and field opportunities help to bring the community to our students and are a continuing focus of the program.
Students at STEM also participate in many after or before school activities and clubs that include Science Olympiad, MATHCOUNTS, Robotics, Speech and Debate, Student Leadership and band. STEM high school students electing to participate in athletics do so at their home high school within RUSD.