All Warsaw Community Schools elementaries now will be able to better implement project-based and inquiry-learning focused lessons thanks to WILL. At 11 a.m. Tuesday, a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the mobile science, technology, engineering and math laboratory – called the Warsaw Inquiry Learning Laboratory – was held at the WCS central office. Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert thanked those involved with bringing the mobile lab to Warsaw Schools, saying the bus was a long time coming. The idea for WILL began about 1-1/2 years ago, he said. As Washington STEM Academy took off, the school board gave the administration a challenge to provide all eight of the elementaries with STEM education. “As we looked at the challenge, we started brainstorming ideas,” Hoffert said. “We got with Chris Bonifield and the other instructional coaches and looked at what it would take to bring the STEM mobile lab together.” On Aug. 26, 2013, OrthoWorx Executive Director Brad Bishop announced OrthoWorx was partnering with WCS to support the school system’s Moving STEM Forward program. The board also approved the donation and the corporation’s share. OrthoWorx invested $300,000 and Warsaw Community School Corp. provided $185,000 in the partnership. OrthoWorx’ investment enabled strategic planning in STEM for the corporation, professional teacher development as well as the mobile STEM learning laboratory. Hoffert said the WCS technology, maintenance and transportation departments got on board with the bus. ESCO Communications of Fort Wayne helped with the technology component of WILL, with Network Solutions Inc., Granger, providing a lot of the wiring inside the bus. Turtle Top, New Paris, built the actual bus, while Ethos, out of Elkhart, helped with the design work and development of ideas for the bus. For the graphics on the bus, the school corporation turned to Warsaw Community High School students. Hoffert said the students’ design really “pops.” Hoffert gave a special thanks to instructional coach Nicki Baird, who created the curriculum for WILL. The mobile STEM lab would not have been possible without OrthoWorx and their financial funding, Hoffert stated. He also thanked the school board for making sure WILL moved forward. Baird briefly explained the curriculum, saying that it focuses on having students think like a scientist and engineer. It will incorporate a variety of lessons so that when students walk off the bus, they will be able to see themselves as scientists and engineers whether in kindergarten or sixth grade. Hoffert said WILL will make appearances at First Fridays in downtown Warsaw as well as other community events. After the brief ceremony, school board President Jennifer Tandy said the bus fills a value of the corporation’s mission statement in serving all students. The bus was made possible thanks to the help of the community who worked to serve all students. Jay Baumgartner, board member, said the bus will help prepare the students for the future. “So many jobs are in STEM, we need to make sure all of our students are prepared and can fill those jobs,” he said.
