Shaler Area Elementary School (SAES) is a public school for approximately 1,000 students in grades 4-6 from Etna, Millvale, Reserve, and Shaler. SAES staff provide various innovative and creative learning opportunities for all students in the areas of robotics, STEAM and maker-education. The COMPASS Studio, part of the library media center, engages students in maker activities, and Dream Flight Adventures IKS Titan is part of regular programming.  This amazing simulator is an immersive, curricular-based space ship simulator classroom. Every single student in the building experiences the simulator several different times in several different curricula.  It is packed with STEM concepts, digital literacy, Next Generation Science Standards, 21st Century skills and hands on application.

Additionally, SAES has interdisciplinary projects focusing on basic coding and various computing skills as well as robotics. In the summer, students are invited to a week-long STEAM camp to explore science, technology, engineering, arts, and math through fun, hands-on sessions. After-school programs include robotics, maker programming, and outdoor learning. Carnegie Mellon’s CREATE Lab Hear Me project which promotes students voices using media and technology to disseminate students authentic storytelling at SAES.