Like you, AMS wants the very best for your child, and we want to encourage our students to take concrete steps toward pursuing an amazing future. To move into high-paying, technology-focused jobs in science, computer science, and engineering, our middle school students must be well prepared for the challenging high school courses they will need to take. Our K-5 students need foundational skills to succeed at using digital tools for schoolwork, to become responsible digital citizens, and to design and create using robotics and computer programming.
AMS’s programs are designed to provide students a strong introduction to the world of STEM and Computer Science—a world in which students may lay the path to a prosperous future as early as kindergarten. AMS’s programs will ensure that your child becomes both a problem solver and an innovator and is aware of science and technology’s role in shaping our society. They will have ample opportunities to apply scientific and technical knowledge to solve interesting, relevant, and important problems.
Our STEM & CS programs truly support the AMS vision to transform our scholars into global visionaries: we aim to transform today’s students into the next generation of STEM innovators by helping each student develop a love of science, technology, engineering, and math.
AMS has adopted nationally recognized academic programs for math, science, computer science, and engineering to help ready our students for jobs of the future, many that have yet to be created. Our science programs tap into children’s natural fascination with and curiosity about the world, providing them with a scientific foundation to critically reason about their observations. The engineering program is closely allied with the science program, and helps students apply scientific knowledge in order to design solutions to relevant personal and societal problems. The computer science program provides years of instruction ranging from blocks-based programming of simple robots to web design and Python.
Starting with the 2020-21school year, our 6th grade students will take one semester each of computer science and engineering to get exposure to these two important areas of study. In 7th and 8th grade, students will choose one track—either Engineering or Computer Science—based on their interests. Both tracks will give students hands-on experience with the engineering and software design process.
The computer science and engineering courses that AMS will offer in the 2020-21 school year are academically rigorous and open to all students; no prior experience is needed. AMS’s Computer Science curriculum is based on an internationally renowned program called Code.Org. Students learn about computer programming, web design, robotics, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. AMS’s Engineering courses are from the International Technology and Engineering Educator’s Association, and students will learn about electronics and automation, invention and innovation, and technological systems. Topics in the courses overlap, for example, engineering students will program their automations, and computer science students will build wearables and simple microcontroller-based creations.
All campuses offer fully equipped facilities that are brand new, or recently updated to give your child access to authentic learning experiences. Science/engineering labs offer space for inquiry with experiments and design projects. Computer labs are equipped with desktop computers, programmable robots, and programmable microcontrollers. Laptops on carts are available for use in other classrooms.
All students are provided regular opportunities to apply math and science principles in class and in extracurricular activities through academic competitions and clubs.
For example, all AMS schools have a robotics course so that students gain firsthand experience using their skills to create a product with real world results. Science Olympiad, a national program designed to bring science, technology, engineering, and math to all students, is also incorporated into the AMS middle school science curriculum and as an after-school club so that students may use their STEM & CS skills in school and in competition outside of the classroom.
There were nearly 8.6 million STEM jobs in May 2015, representing 6.2 percent of U.S. employment. Computer
occupations made up nearly 45 percent of STEM employment, and engineers made up an additional 19 percent.
Mathematical science occupations and architects, surveyors, and cartographers combined made up less than 4 percent
of STEM employment.
Wages for STEM occupations varied vastly. The national average wage for all STEM occupations was $87,570,
nearly double the national average wage for non-STEM occupations ($45,700). Ninety-three out of 100 STEM
occupations had wages significantly above the national average wage for all occupations of $48,320
Employment in STEM occupations grew by 10.5 percent, or 817,260 jobs, between May 2009 and May 2015,
compared with 5.2 percent net growth in non-STEM occupations. Computer occupations and engineers were among
the types of STEM occupations with the highest job gains.
The STEM group that is projected to grow fastest from 2014 to 2024 is the mathematical science occupations group
at 28.2 percent, compared with the average projected growth for all occupations of 6.5 percent.
Employment in computer occupations is projected to increase by 12.5 percent from 2014 to 2024, and due to its large
employment size, this growth is expected to result in nearly half a million new jobs, far more than any other STEM
group. The group projected to add the second largest number of new jobs from 2014 to 2024 is engineering
occupations, with 65,000 new jobs.
Job openings show the combination of new jobs and jobs expected to result from workers permanently leaving
occupations and needing to be replaced. The computer occupational group is projected to yield over 1 million job
openings from 2014 to 2024. The smallest number of job openings projected are in the architects, surveyors, and
cartographers group, at only 52,500 projected openings.
Industries with higher shares of STEM occupations typically had higher wages. STEM occupations made up over
one-third of employment in professional, scientific, and technical services, which includes activities like computer
systems design, engineering services, and research and development services.
Among metropolitan areas with high shares of STEM employment, the specific STEM occupations that were
prevalent differed.
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