Marion Community Schools Earns National STEM accreditation
Marion Community Schools earns national STEM accreditation
Marion Community Schools is proud to announce that all of our elementary buildings have earned STEM.org Accredited™ status. This achievement gives MCS full K-4 STEM District Accreditation, confirming that all young learners in Marion now begin their education in internationally recognized, high-quality STEM environments.
STEM.org is the longest-operating STEM education credentialing organization in the nation, known for setting rigorous global standards for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) instruction. Marion earned this distinction through intentional classroom processes that incorporate hands-on learning and a district-wide commitment to curiosity, creativity, and problem solving.
Across Marion’s elementary schools, students engage in collaborative STEM projects, robotics, coding, engineering challenges, and inquiry-based investigations. Marion also integrates Woz ED curriculum resources, giving students access to industry-aligned pathways in robotics, drones, engineering, and other future-focused technologies. These experiences help build durable skills in communication, collaboration, and work ethic from an early age. MCS is recognized nationally as a Woz ED STEM Pathway District.
“This accomplishment affirms the work our teachers and students do every day,” MCS Superintendent Stephanie Lockwood said. “Every child in Marion has access to powerful, hands-on STEM learning that connects directly to the world around them.”
Marion’s STEM journey has been supported by Indiana STEM, a STEM.org partner organization that helps schools design sustainable, community-connected STEM programs. Indiana STEM has partnered with MCS to develop a shared K-4 STEM vision, build instructional capacity, and create pathways connected to local opportunities.
District leaders emphasize that this achievement reflects broad community support from families, local partners, and employers who share a commitment to giving Marion students access to future-ready learning.
“This is a celebration for our entire community,” MCS K-8 Curriculum Director Rianne Aguilar said. “We invite families and partners to continue working with us as we grow the next generation of innovators right here in Marion.”
Exciting things are happening inside Marion’s elementary buildings. Over the past year, Marion Community Schools made literacy its first major academic priority, resulting in significant jumps in IREAD performance across all four elementary buildings. With this foundation firmly established, the district has expanded its focus to strengthening STEM experiences which resulted in their STEM.org Accreditation.
This combined momentum reflects a district committed to elevating student learning in multiple areas, building strong readers while also growing confident problem solvers, creators, and future-ready thinkers. As Marion Community Schools continue to advance both literacy and STEM, the district remains focused on ensuring every student is equipped for their desired future.
