Garrett STEM certified by governor’s office

It’s been three years in the making but all that hard work paid off this past week for Garrett Junior High.

During a presentation in Carson City, Garrett was named as a Governor’s Designated STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) School. They are now just one of 48 junior highs and high schools in the state to hold that distinction.

“I was teary-eyed to be honest,” Garrett Principal Melanie Teemant said when getting the word more than a month ago. “Mr. (Ryan) Pusko texted me asking if I had seen the email. Just the way he said it, I knew I needed to look at my email. I was very excited, especially when thinking about the whole journey we took to get to this point.”

Teemant said as a Governor’s STEM School, Garrett meets the highest standards of STEM instruction, serving as a model for schools across Nevada. This recognition highlights their commitment to integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into student learning, preparing their Bobcats for future success in a rapidly-evolving world.

In order to be considered, the school had to submit a maximum 30-page report (only a two-page report was required in 2017) through the governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology (OSIT), detailing everything they had done, which has included developing a master schedule to support STEM paths for learning. In addition, to align with this mission, Garrett developed a five-year strategic plan outlining goals to realize their STEM vision. Although the school intended to submit their 30-page application in the prior school year, the 2023 unexpected passing of their STEM teacher, Ben Franke, led to a temporary pause in their plans.

There are three categories in terms of the governor’s designation. Garrett now falls under the developing category. A school can then, two years later, apply to be considered established and finally for model. Each category opens the door for grants, other funding, staffing and resources. Those amounts increase with every category promotion.

When a school is interested in applying for the STEM designation, and if they meet the requirements, representatives from the state and school district visit a school and there, interview students and staff, walk the campus and address any questions they have pertaining to the application. This took place in January.

“The kids were very excited about this designation,” Teemant said, noting they started the application process this past October. “They kept coming up to me asking if I had heard anything. It was great to see their level of interest. Once they found out, they were very excited.”

Teemant said she is very proud of her students and staff and what they have been able to accomplish, considering they have an enrollment of just under 400. While it has been a group effort to get to this point, she wanted to point out members of their current STEM leaders’ academy led by Ryan Pusko, as well as Michelle Kazel, Robin Coppola, Mark Olson, Michelle Martens and Shalee Pusko.

“It’s been a real collaborative effort between our staff, OSIT and other schools,” he said. “I’m very proud of everyone.”