Indiana’s Perry Township Schools (PTS) today announced the finalization of a new partnership with Discovery Education supporting the creation of equitable learning experiences in any environment. Through the introduction of a new suite of digital resources and supportive professional learning for district educators, PTS will be even better prepared to meet the evolving needs of students from diverse cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms.
The second fastest-growing school district in Indiana, Perry Township Schools serves nearly 16,700 students across two early learning academies, four kindergarten academies, eleven elementary schools, two middle schools, two sixth grade academies, two high schools, and one alternative learning program. The PTS community celebrates diversity as one of its strengths, and strives to provide equitable access, quality resources, and an inclusive environment to all students. To support the varied needs of all PTS students, school leaders sought a K-12 digital resource that could support a robust curriculum and be used to equal effect in both the remote and in person environments.
To meet that need, the district selected Discovery Education’s flexible K-12 learning platform. Discovery Education’s platform connects educators to a vast collection of compelling high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, and professional learning resources. Together, these resources give educators everything they need to facilitate instruction in any learning environment and create lasting educational impact.
Discovery Education’s team continues adding, contextualizing, and organizing exciting new content and timely 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.
Finally, the Discovery Education platform is designed to work within school systems’ existing infrastructure and workflows. Through expanded partnerships with Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, Clever, and others, integrating the Discovery Education platform into existing IT architecture is easier than ever.
“Perry Township Schools’ mission is to provide educational opportunities that create a desire for lifelong learning that inspires all students to maximize their academic success,” said Bob Bohannon, Perry Township Schools’ Assistant Superintendent. “The selection of Discovery Education’s digital services directly supports that mission, and we look forward evolving our instruction to fully leverage these exciting new resources.”
Currently, the district plans to roll out the new Discovery Education resources to teachers through the end of this school year so that they can begin to familiarize themselves with the services, then fully integrate Discovery Education’s platform into instruction in the Fall of 2021. To support this plan, Discovery Education will provide PTS teachers with dedicated professional learning. Through these interactive professional development sessions, participants will learn best practices for integrating technology and digital content into teaching and learning in ways that will maximize the district’s investment in digital resources, increase student engagement in instruction, and improve students’ academic achievement. These educators will then share their knowledge with their peers so that all educators are prepared to use these resources for instruction.
PTS’ partnership with Discovery Education also provides district teachers access to the Discovery Education Community. A global community 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 networking, idea sharing, and inspiration.
“Discovery Education is excited to support Perry Township Schools’ efforts to create more equitable, culturally responsive learning environments for all students,” said Eric Patnoudes, Discovery Education’s National Partnership’s Manager. “Through their work to create engaging learning environments for all students, Perry Township Schools is positioning themselves as a leader in the effort to improve educational equity in Indiana and across the country.”
For more information about Discovery Education’s 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 global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms. Through its award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and the largest professional learning network of its kind, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning, creating immersive STEM experiences, and improving academic achievement around the globe. Discovery Education currently serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 140 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to empower teachers with customized solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.
