-OUR MISSION-

The NexGen STEM Academy at Salisbury Middle School seeks to build the next generation of leaders that are inspired to assess and solve community and global problems collaboratively through curiosity, creativity, and innovation.

-PROGRAM OVERVIEW-

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Robotics Club- FIRST Lego League
Our program consists of students that are team-oriented problem-solvers, creative- thinkers, willing to take risks and learn from failures, while also possessing an increased interest in science and technology. Student interest in STEM is crucial for student success.
PictureCohort #1: 2018-2019
Starting with the 2018-2019 school year, 50 eligible selected students entering 6th grade from all Wicomico County Schools will take the four core courses of Science, Social Studies, Mathematics, and English/Language Arts, as well as a designated Project Lead the Way- Gateway course.
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NexGen Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment (NLAE)
Each course is taught using a STEM approach that utilizes rigorous project/problem-based learning, lessons that require inquiry, problem solving, decision making, discovery, technology, and cooperative learning with a high degree of interactive hands-on involvement.
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3D Printing in the NeXus Lab (NexGen Hub for Innovation)
The STEM academy is an inclusive "school within a school," where students loop with the STEM teachers and their classmates for all three years of middle school. In addition to these courses, students will take electives of their choosing.

-MORE INFORMATION-

Click to learn more about what our program has to offer.
Click to learn more about the NexGen STEM Academy educators.
Click to see an example of the type of projects our students complete.

-ACADEMY NEWS AND UPDATES-

 Welcome Mr. Simpkins- 8.18.22

We are happy to announce that Mr. Keith Simpkins will be joining the faculty of the NexGen STEM Academy for the 2022-2023 school year and will work alongside the rest of the NexGen Team as the Project Lead the Way Pre-Engineering and Computer Science/STEM Instructor.
Mr. Simpkins has been teaching for 7 years in Montgomery County Public Schools. He is a graduate of Salisbury University where he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and is currently working towards certifications through Project Lead the Way. Excited to be returning to the Eastern Shore with his family, Mr. Simpkins is eager to be a part of the NexGen STEM team!  He has several years of team leadership experience and a passion for helping students to feel empowered to take risks.
Welcome to the NexGen STEM Academy Mr. Simpkins!

NexGen Back to School Night - 8.9.22

Mark your calendar’s for Tuesday, August 30, 2022, from 5:00 pm-7:00 pm. We will review NexGen expectations for all three grade levels, provide student schedules, tour the building, provide time to walk through your schedules, review NexGen parent committees, and answer any questions you may have. This is open for students and parents, and we encourage families from all three NexGen grades attend. NexGen Core Teachers will only be available during the evening of the 30th. If you wish to visit with special area teachers, you are welcome to come back on Wednesday, August 31, 2022, for Salisbury Middle’s Back to School Night. NexGen Core Teachers will not be available on the 31st.

22/23 NexGen Supplies List - 8.9.22

nexgen-supplies_list-_2022-2023.pdf
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Congratulations Mrs. Thompson- 5.05.22

Congratulations to Mrs. Rachel Thompson on her selection as a finalist for the Maryland Society for Education Technology’s Outstanding Educator Award. Your dedication to your students and teaching profession is second to none. The winner will be announced prior to the end of this school year. We are proud of you Mrs. Thompson.

 Welcome Mrs. Vinroot- 6.17.22

We are happy to announce that Mrs. Katie Vinroot will be joining the faculty of the NexGen STEM Academy for the 2022-2023 school year and will work alongside the rest of the NexGen Team as the English Language Arts/STEM Instructor.
Mrs. Vinroot was born and raised here in Wicomico County and has been teaching middle school English Language Arts since 2010. Mrs. Vinroot is a graduate of Salisbury University where she holds a Bachelor of Science duel degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education and holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. Mrs. Vinroot has also secured her administrator I certification from Salisbury University and is also certified in Middle School English Language Arts. Mrs. Vinroot has taught both seventh and eighth grade English Language Arts at Salisbury Middle. In addition to teaching, Mrs. Vinroot has also served as a leader within the Dorchester County Public School system as an Instructional Literacy Coach. This opportunity afforded Mrs. Vinroot additional experiences to grow within the field of English Language Arts by providing professional development experience in literacy instruction for colleagues.  After serving in this role for three years, Mrs. Vinroot was excited to return home to teach at Salisbury Middle. Always striving to encourage students to be passionate about reading and writing, Mrs. Vinroot finds a balance of challenging students while making sure they are always supported. Her classroom fosters collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.
Welcome to the NexGen STEM Academy Mrs. Vinroot!

 The Great STEM(+) Expo- 5.21.2022

Thank you to everyone that attended The Great STEM(+) Expo as part of Remake Learning Days held on Saturday, May 21, 2022. The Expo was an event for all ages from all schools to engage in STEM+ activities through hands-on exploration. Guest speakers, demonstrations of cool technology and the chance to play and learn all while having fun!
Thank you to our many students, parents, teachers, administration, custodian, and intern volunteers for their hours of dedication for setup, operating, and cleaning up.

Thank you to our community partners who sponsored a booth to share all of the great STEM opportunities within our community or provided donations. Please support them in the community! They include:

 Welcome Mrs. Serenyi- 4.27.22

We are thrilled to announce that Mrs. Katie Serenyi will be joining the faculty of the NexGen STEM Academy for the 2022-2023 school year and will work alongside Mrs. Rachel Thompson as a Mathematics/STEM Instructor. We are very appreciative of Mr. Christopher Johnson and Ms. Darnell Schul for serving in an interim capacity for the current school year to ensure our students had the supports they needed to continue to excel.
Mrs. Serenyi has been teaching middle school mathematics since 2010 and is a graduate of Salisbury University where she holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. Mrs. Serenyi has held numerous leadership positions including Chair of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Committee, member of the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT), and Team Leader. Mrs. Serenyi has led several professional development experiences on such topics as online teaching, building relationships with students, parents, and colleagues, as well as the effective use of technology for instruction. Mrs. Serenyi was selected as Salisbury Middle’s Teacher of the Year, and Semi-Finalist for Wicomico Teacher of the Year for the 2020-2021 school year. In addition to serving as a Mathematics/STEM Instructor, Mrs. Serenyi serves as an Assistant Camp Director for Camp Odyssey, an award-winning summer camp for kids.
Welcome to the NexGen STEM Academy Mrs. Serenyi!

 2022 Junior Math League Competition- 3.17.22

Salisbury Middle School/NexGen is the winner of this years 2021-2022 Junior Math League competition! Although our season was abbreviated due to Covid-19, we were able to have a half-season. SMS won on 3/2 at Bennett Middle and then again tonight at SMS.

 2022 MATHCOUNTS Competition Series- Annapolis Chapter- 2.25.22

The results from the Annapolis Chapter of the MATHCOUNTS Competition Series from last week just came in, and although only four students advance to the state competition from the entire eastern shore/Annapolis region, two of our students made the top four and will advance. Peter Jin (7th NexGen) placed 2nd, and Sarah Yamakawa (8th NexGen) placed 3rd.
The state competition will be held in March and of the 30-40 students competing in all of Maryland, two are from Wicomico County Public Schools- NexGen STEM Academy/ Salisbury Middle. We couldn't be prouder!

 FIRST LEGO League Eastern Shore Qualifier Results- 2022- 2.9.22

The Core Values Award is given to the team that displays extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit, knows they can accomplish more together than they could as individuals, and shows each other and other teams respect at all times.
The Robot Performance Award celebrates a team that scores the most points during the Robot Game. Teams have a chance to compete in at least three 2.5-minute matches and their highest score counts.
The Champion’s Award celebrates a team that embodies the FIRST ® LEGO® League Challenge experience, by fully embracing our Core Values while achieving excellence and innovation in Robot Performance, Robot Design and the Innovation Project.

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