“Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.” – Mae Jemison
Hot-air ballon demonstration

University Middle School: Hot-air balloon demonstration.

Preparing our students for the real-world challenges of today and the unknown challenges of tomorrow has guided our mission as the Irvington Public Schools Science Department. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has shown that employment in STEM occupations has grown 79% in the past three decades and is expected to continue to grow an additional 11% between 2020 and 2030, outpacing other occupations by more than double. Consider this observation from Bridget Long, dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education:

“The need for a vast, talented workforce in STEM-related fields has never been more necessary” adding “the importance of STEM education is about so much more than just jobs. STEM fields demand curious individuals eager to solve the world’s most pressing problems.” (O’Rourke, The Harvard Gazette, November 18, 2021)

Irvington’s Science Department understands the vital role it plays in equipping our students to take their place as the workforce, leaders, and problem-solvers of tomorrow. We are steadfast in our commitment to providing a quality STEM education for ALL of our students. We will continue our work to ensure that our students are equipped with the scientific literacy and critical thinking skills needed to face the challenges and embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.

The Irvington Public Schools Science Department is honored to continue partnering with others who share a commitment to fostering STEM education and motivating our students to consider STEM occupations. We appreciate our continuing partnership with Students 2 Science, the American Chemical Society, and Project Lead the Way; look forward to our partnership with SIEMENS/TIES, and more experiences provided through the Meadowlands Environment Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s DNA Learning Center, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Liberty Science Center; and acknowledge Exelon Corporation for its previous support in establishing the district’s first engineering course. These organizations, bound by a shared commitment with the district, are moving us toward our mission in producing a student body that is scientifically literate, and strengthening our programs to produce confident, motivated, and prepared consumers and producers of scientific knowledge.

Chemistry students at Irvington High School celebrated National Chemistry Week by learning how fabrics and dyes interact and creating tie dye t-shirts