The Ocean Academy programme at BIOS has a new partner in delivering hands-on science education and learning opportunities to Bermuda’s students: the Chatmore Preparatory School.

From mid-November until May, BIOS educators and scientists will provide formative and relevant experiential learning opportunities for Chatmore’s S1 students.

According to a statement, the sessions will focus on the Steam topics of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics, with the ocean as a central organising theme.

BIOS’s SteamAhead curriculum, rooted in the principles of Ocean Literacy and aligned with the British National Science Curriculum, will introduce students and educators at Chatmore to cutting-edge technology and scientific research, while also fostering the development of real-world skills such as creativity and problem-solving.

BIOS science educator Kaitlin Baird stated: “Our goal is to utilise the resources at BIOS to support Chatmore’s vision of cultivating a nation of learners who are global thinkers, investigators, explorers, innovators and inventors.

“This also supports Ocean Academy’s ongoing efforts to use ocean science education to translate the work of BIOS scientists into meaningful experiences for students, teachers and residents.”

Angela Fubler, founder and director of the all-boys school, said the groundwork for the collaboration was laid in an early conversation she had with Mark Guishard, BIOS director of corporate and community relations, with laying the groundwork for this new collaboration.

Along with Andrea Cann, Chatmore’s assistant director, Ms Fubler shared her vision with BIOS education staff of celebrating local expertise, engaging the community as an educational resources and aligning learning experiences with students’ natural interests and talent.

She described the project as an opportunity to see her school’s mission to “teach the way students learn” come to life.

“We are very grateful to BIOS for this opportunity to make learning both active and deeply relevant,” she says of the partnership.

“Regardless of their ages, we want our students to value collaborative learning as part of their contribution to the community and this programme allows us to model that mindset.”

The BIOS Ocean Academy programme gives Bermudian students of all ages the chance to experience ocean science first-hand with a variety of learning opportunities in the classroom, laboratory and field.

For more information on Ocean Academy, visit www.bios.edu/education.

For more information about Chatmore, contact 232-4542 or visit www.familyfirstschools.com.