Helen M Marshall School

Why Helen M Marshall School was nominated

PS 330 prides themselves on the adoption of innovative approaches to learning such as computational thinking, Project Based Learning and Design Thinking to support student problem solving and pushing students to be the best critical thinkers possible. Since the introduction of computational thinking five years ago, the administration team have always supported the integration of computational thinking within literacy development. The computational thinking strategy of pattern recognition resonates well with early learning teachers and teachers teaching English to non-English speaking students. This year, the administration is also emphasizing the role of computational thinking within science education, with a particular emphasis on data science awareness and fluency. PS 330 wants to ensure that their students understand computational thinking as a literacy for all students to master. Thus for the 2024-25 school year, PS 330 is branding themselves as a pattern recognition school to emphasize the importance of their computational thinking integrations to both their internal and external communities. We think the recognition of the value and importance of computational thinking and the highly visible branding around pattern recognition is highly innovative.