SILVER SPRING, MD (July, 2022)—Tennessee’s Maury County Public Schools (MCPS) announced it has deepened its multiyear collaboration with Discovery Education, the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. In latest phase of this long-term partnership, eight K-8 schools hosting the district’s summer learning initiative are integrating a suite of award-winning, flexible, digital resources into instruction to create enriching, real-world learning experiences that connect students to the world around them while preparing them for future success. 

MCPS is a pre-K-12 school district in Southern Middle Tennessee operating 21 schools, one virtual academy, one non-traditional high school, and one alternative school. MCPS employs more than 900 teachers and 500 staff members who serve nearly 13,000 students. Each summer, the district hosts a special summer learning session offering participating K-8 students unique support and opportunities. MCPS teachers and educational assistants work with small groups of students to provide targeted, focused instruction every day, providing an engaging opportunity to boost participants’ learning. 

This year’s summer learning program was designed to support reading and math enrichment. provide opportunities for organized play, and offer fun, hands-on science, technology, reading, art, and mathematics activities. To support these goals, MCPS sought a flexible multi-disciplinary platform that met the state’s STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Arts, Math) requirement for summer school programs across the state and whose utility would last beyond this initiative. Following a careful review of available resources, the district selected the following resources from Discovery Education: 

The Discovery Education platform.
Connecting educators to a vast collection of high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, intuitive quiz and activity creation tools, and professional learning resources, Discovery Education provides educators an enhanced learning platform which facilitates engaging, daily instruction in any learning environment.    

Discovery Education’s team continues adding, contextualizing, and organizing exciting new content and timely and relevant resources to the platform each month in response to current events and the ever-evolving needs of educators. These resources, sourced from trusted partners, are aligned to state and national standards, and help educators bring the outside world into teaching and learning every day.   

The K-12 learning platform is designed to work within the school systems’ existing infrastructure and workflows and provides safe, secure, simple access methods for educators and students. Through expanded, lasting partnerships with Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, Brightspace, and Clever, integrating Discovery Education’s K-12 learning platform into existing IT architecture is easier than ever.  

STEM Connect.  
An interdisciplinary K-8 resource, STEM Connect blends dynamic digital content with ready-to-use lessons and hands-on activities to enhance core curriculum and cultivate valuable design thinking skills that prepare students for the future. Built on the 4Cs framework and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, STEM Connect purposefully integrates across disciplines and provides all the necessary resources to introduce real-world challenges and design thinking skills to students. With modular lesson plans, improved navigation, and enhancements to core features, STEM Connect gives teachers more flexibility for online or in-person instruction while students grow from local problem solvers to imaginative, global solution seekers. 

These resources will be used alongside the Tennessee adopted version of the Discovery Education Science Techbook, which has been used districtwide in grades K-12 across MCPS since 2017. 

“When we began to look for a resource to power our summer learning initiative, it was important that we select an engaging, easy-to-use STEM curriculum readily aligned to Tennessee’s mandated summer school standards,” said MCPS Director of Teaching, Learning & Assessment Dr. Beverly Miller. “The Discovery Education resources were a logical choice. In addition to being a flexible solution providing high-quality digital resources, many of our educators had prior experience integrating it into classroom instruction. We are excited to now be using this content in our summer learning program.” 

MCPS educators also enjoy access to the Discovery Education Community. A global network of education professionals, the Discovery Education Community connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable idea sharing and inspiration. 

“Discovery Education is pleased to build on its long-term partnership with Maury County Schools to support their summer learning program,” said Kristin Nix, Discovery Education’s Regional Vice President of Education Partnerships. “We look forward to serving the educators supporting this program all summer long and beyond.” 

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning services, visit  www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through  Twitter and  LinkedIn.  

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.  

eSchool Media staff cover education technology in all its aspects–from legislation and litigation, to best practices, to lessons learned and new products. First published in March of 1998 as a monthly print and digital newspaper, eSchool Media provides the news and information necessary to help K-20 decision-makers successfully use technology and innovation to transform schools and colleges and achieve their educational goals.

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