Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School has once again been recognized as a Tennessee STEM Designated School, earning that distinction for the second time. Following a site visit in February and a thorough portfolio review, the Tennessee Department of Education and the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network awarded JPII a perfect score of 17 out of 17 points, placing us at the Model level of implementation. This is the highest designation level available and reflects the extraordinary commitment of our faculty, students, and community to rigorous, integrated, and meaningful STEM education.

The review team noted that JPII provides an authentic STEM-embedded learning experience built on rigorous academics, intentional use of technology, and a wide variety of project-based learning units. They highlighted how our teachers continuously transform their teaching by collaborating across content areas and connecting student work to real-world problems and careers.

Faith and Reason at the Heart of Our STEM Identity
At JPII, STEM is not a program layered on top of our Catholic identity; it grows from it. We believe that the pursuit of truth through science, mathematics, engineering, and technology is an expression of faith seeking understanding. Our students are formed as thinkers who approach problems with curiosity, integrity, and purpose. When a student designs an experiment, builds a solution, or investigates a complex question, they are doing more than developing a skill set. They are learning to reason well, to look honestly at the world, and to ask what it means to act responsibly within it. The partnership between faith and reason is not incidental to our work at JPII. It is the foundation.

Autumn Edwards: Building a STEM Culture from the Inside
A significant part of what made this redesignation possible is the leadership of STEM Coordinator Autumn Edwards. Autumn has been instrumental in sustaining and growing our STEM culture, supporting faculty in developing and refining project-based learning units, and building the systems that allow STEM to function as a school-wide mindset rather than a single course or department. Her work behind the scenes and in classrooms every day reflects the kind of committed, mission-aligned leadership that makes our school extraordinary.

Sharing What We Have Learned: A Conference Presentation
Autumn and I had the privilege of presenting at a recent conference on behalf of JPII. Our session, titled "Real People. Real Problems. Real STEM: Designing a Community Connected STEM Day," gave other educators a window into how we have built community partnerships that bring authentic problems and real professionals into our students’ learning. We shared the structure and philosophy behind our STEM Day programming, including how we identify partners, design driving questions, and connect student work to careers and vocations that matter.

Being asked to present at the state level reflects something important: the work happening at JPII is worth sharing. Our community partners, alumni, and local professionals who give their time to support student learning are part of why that is true. If you or your organization would like to explore ways to partner with us for future programming, we would love to hear from you.

Looking Ahead
This redesignation covers the next five years, and we do not intend to simply maintain what we have. Our plans include expanding physical learning spaces to support more cross-curricular collaboration, hosting regional STEM events, and deepening partnerships with diocesan schools, businesses, and higher education. We are committed to ensuring that every student who walks the halls of JPII graduates not only prepared for the demands of a complex world, but also grounded in the values and habits of mind that make a life well-lived.

Thank you for being part of a community that makes this possible. The designation belongs to all of us.

In gratitude,

Jennifer Dye, Principal