Byrne Elementary: First School in District 191 to Receive Magnet School Award

Burnsville's William Byrne STEM Elementary School has been selected as one of the nation's Magnet School of Distinction Award recipients.

The magnet school, which concentrates on integrating science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts into each of its classes, has been recognized as a magnet school for a little less than two years. Magnet schools are not allowed to apply for the award their first year.

It is unknown whether there will be any direct impact on the school or its students; STEM magnets are still relatively new. But one thing is certain: School and district officials are ecstatic about the recognition.

"The magnet school award (honors) all the hard work the teachers have done," said first-year Byrne STEM Elementary Principal Lyle Bomsta.

Added STEM Coordinator Nancy Meyer: "It's nice to get the national recognition. I thought we had to be a magnet school for at least another year" before even applying for the award.

“It is quite an accomplishment for a magnet school to receive a national award just a year and a half after starting up,” said District 191 Superintendent Randy Clegg on the district's website. “Staff members at Byrne can be very proud of what they have accomplished in a short period of time. Congratulations to them on this well-deserved recognition.”

Byrne STEM Elementary will receive its Magnet School of Distinction Award sometime in May. It is the first District 191 school to receive the award.

According to Magnet Schools of America's website, six Minnesota schools, including Byrne STEM Elementary, received the 2011 award.

District 279 is home to Weaver Lake STEM, which has been a STEM elementary since 2004. They, too, have received the Magnet School of Distinction Award and, according to Barbara Olson, District 279 director of school/community relations, "The impact [of the award] is that we are able to share the news as evidence of high quality education."

According to Meyer, Magnet Schools of America's panel of educators look at several pieces of data to determine which schools will get the awards.

Determining factors include the school's:

• Community and parent involvement
• Test score data
• Demographic profile
• Program overview
• Student assessment
• Awards achievement
• Innovative instructional strategies

Byrne Elementary "brings the STEM concepts into every curriculum area," Meyer said. "We put a lot of emphasis on inquiry and engineering. The students learn many collaborative skills," which they will be able to take with them in whatever field they choose.

According to Bomsta, Magnet Schools of America was impressed with the number of STEM concepts and ideas Byrne Elementary teachers are able to integrate into the different curriculum areas.

Magnet Schools of America is looking to see if the school is truly implementing STEM ideas, and Byrne goes above and beyond, according to Bomsta.

"We try to organize everything around a STEM idea," Bomsta said. "It's part of who we are, it's a belief system."

Bomsta credits the success of the school on the teachers and their initiative. To many of the staff members, he said, the school has been operating as a magnet school for three years since it takes about a year to prepare for the big cross-over. Staff underwent lots of training, and their training hasn't stopped.

"It's the commitment of staff and their willingness to try new things," Bomsta said. "The teachers are working very hard and going beyond their call-of-duty. They want to be here, and they embrace the STEM ideas."

Bomsta also credited the school's large community and parent support and involvement.

That support, in large part, is why "I think we got rated so high and that we came out on top of different schools," Bomsta said.

According to Bomsta, it has to do with the teachers doing a great job, the students getting excited about school and what they're learning in their classes, and going home and sharing it with their parents. That, in turn, has gotten the parents interested and has helped contribute to the large school community.

"Parents here really value STEM," Bomsta said. "There are a lot of parents that are behind the belief system."