Overview
Beehive Science and Technology Academy originated as an open-enrollment, tuition-free public charter school for grades 7th through 12th in 2005. Beginning 2022-2023 school year, Beehive will serve students in grades K-12. The school opened on Aug. 29, 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was founded by a group of scholars that saw a need for a school that emphasized science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The school was originally formed because of the realization that as new technologies began to drive America’s social and economic arenas, the demand for STEM-based educational opportunities would undoubtedly grow. The curriculum at Beehive is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in humanities and social science as well as math, science and technology with the aim of preparing them to become responsible and educated members of the society who have the skills and understanding to participate and work productively in our increasingly technological, diverse and multicultural society.
Academics and Curriculum
Beehive Science and Technology Academy is a STEM-focused, charter school which uses iPads and other technology-aided education tools. We offer courses and extended-day activities that promote STEM, including computer science and advanced math courses, STEM Expo projects and other STEM-related activities. We also prepare students for prestigious STEM competitions such as Robotics, Lego Robotics, MathCounts, Math Matters and state science fairs. College prep courses are offered with particular emphasis on STEM-related industries so that Beehive students graduate ready to move on to their next level of education.
Beehive’s main objective is to develop students who possess critical thinking skills, mathematical reasoning and complex problem-solving abilities, and who will be equipped for college matriculation and work-ready careers in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Project-based learning is at the center of our STEM learning and certification programs, leading to increased student engagement, collaborative work ethic and real-world culminating projects that showcase students’ understanding and acquisition of academic vocabulary, math conceptual mastery, problem-solving/reasoning skills and computational fluency-automaticity.
All Beehive students are issued iPads that are used extensively in each classroom, as well as for major projects. Teachers use many different digital platforms like Google Classroom, Canvas, NearPod, Newsela, Kahoot etc. ALEKS, an online adaptive platform is used by the math department, while Ed: Science Dimensions is used by the science department. Each year, all students participate in the Utah STEM Expo hosted by Beehive. iPads are particularly used for this event as students have to design a project, film it, put it on Beehive’s YouTube channel and then demonstrate it in front of thousands of visitors.
Beehive students start learning about engineering principles in 6th grade with the Flight and Space course, which is based on the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) program. Digital Literacy is taught in 6th grade followed by Computer Science in 7th grade. All 8th graders take the Intro to Engineering (PLTW) course to have a strong basis in engineering. In high school, students are offered a variety of CTE courses in information technology and health science fields. In addition to on-campus Advanced Placement classes and CTE courses, Beehive’s high school students have access to online learning and concurrent enrollment programs at Salt Lake Community College.
As part of the college readiness focus, 7th graders take the College and Career Awareness course, juniors take ACT Prep course and the seniors take the College and Career Planning course. High school students meet with the school counselor every year to work on their College and Career Readiness Plan (CCRP) to set goals for their future and receive necessary support.
A variety of after school clubs are offered to provide opportunities for students to improve themselves in different areas that they are interested in and compete in various activities. FIRST Lego League (FLL), FIRST Tech Challenge, Cyber Patriot, Health Occupation Student Association (HOSA) and Technology Student Association (TSA) are a few examples of extracurricular competitive clubs offered at Beehive Academy.
Courses and programs offered at Beehive Academy are based on the following mission, vision and values.
Mission Statement: At Beehive, students of diverse cultures achieve academic excellence and personal skills in a challenging and innovative STEM environment to become contributing global citizens.
Vision Statement: Students of Beehive Science and Technology Academy excel in a diverse and supportive learning community as they acquire the academic, social, and technological skills necessary to become responsible leaders and citizens of a globalizing world.
Beliefs and Values
- All students will strive for academic growth, with an emphasis on literacy, science, math, and technology skills.
- Excellence is achieved in a variety of academic, creative, and personal ways.
- Each student is a valued individual with unique physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs.
- Teachers, administrators, parents, students and the community share the responsibility for advancing the school’s mission.
- Students will model appropriate behavior in a safe and supportive setting to achieve future success in a diverse global community.
- Student learning is supported by a commitment to continuous improvement and research- based pedagogy.
- Extracurricular programs and activities promote holistic student development.
- Vigorous college preparatory programs help students graduate as competitive candidates for the world’s top learning institutions.
Volunteer teachers visit students at home to build relationships with parents, address parent concerns and inform them about the school programs. This program is a great starter to the new students as they meet with their teachers in an informal environment and get their support. Teachers know their students and families better and share their knowledge with other staff members. This feedback is used to know students better and help them and provide support.
Overarching goals
- All Beehive students will achieve excellence in academic growth, personal skills and knowledge to be college and career ready.
- All Beehive students will develop innovative and critical thinking, problem solving and technological skills to prepare them for STEM fields.
- All Beehive students will be global citizens by building skills in collaboration, understanding diverse backgrounds and respecting differences.
Home Visits
Volunteer teachers visit students at home to build relationships with parents, address parent concerns and inform them about the school programs. This program is a great starter to the new students as they meet with their teachers in an informal environment and get their support. Teachers know their students and families better and share their knowledge with other staff members. This feedback is used to know students better and help them and provide support.
Tutoring
All students receive free tutoring from the faculty as part of the BSTA after-school program and will be adjusted to fit individual student needs to maximize each student’s potential. Thus, some students may require tutoring one afternoon a week, whereas others may require daily tutoring.
Character Education and Life Skills Program
Sixth and seventh grade students take the Character Education and Life Skills class once a week. The class is designed to foster good character and habits in students. Students discuss current issues that are critical for success such as integrity, being aware of how one treats others, and demonstrating respect for self and others. Students find service projects to participate in such as food drives, collecting socks or toilet paper for the shelters and collecting pennies for nonprofit organizations. Additionally, students are encouraged to regularly conduct kind acts such as giving inspirational notes to other students and staff.