District instructional coaches and curriculum supervisors reported on Nov. 1 that the SHIELD (Solving Hypotheses through Innovation, Environmental literacy and Design) pilot—now in its ninth week at five elementary schools—has produced strong student engagement, teamwork and early learning gains, and staff proposed expansion to all 13 elementary schools in 2026–27.

Presenters Rebecca Russo and Sean Arnie described hands‑on activities used in trimester 1: grade‑1 students built and tested water‑raft designs; grade‑2 students completed a zoo‑animal transport challenge and worked with new LEGO science kits; grades 3–6 used LEGO SPIKE kits that integrate builds with coding and moving components. Staff said teachers emphasize group roles, iterative design and collaboration.

For trimester 2 the district plans to deploy Project Lead The Way kits for grades 1–5 and use code.org and micro:bits for grades 5–6. Classroom teachers will receive ongoing professional development, including training coordinated with the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit. Staff also explained material‑management needs and said they are coordinating with the district warehouse and clerk (named in the presentation) on ordering, storage and inventory of kits and materials.

Sean Arnie outlined next steps: develop a budget to expand resources and staffing, create master schedules to ensure every elementary student receives SHIELD, prepare communication materials for families and principals, and use lessons from the five pilot teachers to refine the program before districtwide rollout. Committee members and administrators praised the program and urged careful planning around materials and staffing.

No formal committee vote was recorded on expansion during this meeting; staff said planning and budgeting will continue through 2025–26 in preparation for full implementation in 2026–27.